Hi and welcome back to Pitch Your Show. Since we had so many shows nominated this time, the article has to be segmented. Yesterday we got through Chasing Life. You can find that segment here. Today we focus on Chicago Fire through In the Flesh. It includes Forever - the most nominated show this round with 120 nominations. Because there were so many, especially for Forever, I apologize for not getting everyone's nominations in the article. It was even tougher today than yesterday to narrow things down. Still you can see all nominations in the link below. Thanks to everyone who participated.
For clarification, I also do some light editing (mostly typos and grammar) of all nominations. If however a comment says edited by it, it contains more severe editing usually for length. Some truly awesome nominations were over 2 pages long and we just could not devote that amount of space to a single review when so many shows need to be covered.
As always the goal is for you find something interesting to watch during the hiatus. If you do, please leave a comment below to let those who nominated the show know. They will really appreciate hearing it. Also if you have a show that you think should have been nominated but isn't, feel free to add your pitch in the comments box. Half the fun of this event is talking TV with other fanatics and we'd love to know what you think should be in here. Just remember that any show starting with K-Z may be coming in future segments.
Link to spreadsheet
Segment A
***Nominated by Jessica VanWinkle - Full disclosure: I started watching this show just because Jesse Spencer was in it. I loved him in House, and I wanted to see him in his new show. But I instantly fell in love. Chicago Fire shows the daily struggles and adventures of the Chicago firefighters and paramedics of House 51. You get to witness the characters fight to save lives as well as form relationships with each other. The show does a great job of showing the camaraderie between everyone at House 51. I have never had so many emotions over a TV show. I've laughed, I've cried (and sobbed), I've cheered, and I fell in love with the characters. So I guess I should thank Jesse Spencer. Without him I probably would have never started watching Chicago Fire.
*** Nominated by Jessica VanWinkle - Chicago PD just finished its second season, and it's my favorite show on TV right now! It's the spinoff of Chicago Fire, but you do not have to watch that show first to understand PD. It features the men and women of the Chicago Intelligence Unit. Each episode features a "case of the week", and it's action packed as the detectives and police officers try to take down the bad guys. Unlike some procedurals, you really get to know all the characters. This show has something for everyone- strong women, handsome, intelligent men, and even humor. Chicago PD also goes a good job of showing that not every case is black and white- there is a lot of gray area. All of the actors bring something to this show, but my favorite is Jon Seda, who plays the amazing Detective Antonio Dawson. You should definitely give Chicago PD a chance- I promise you won't regret it!
***Nominated by Mac - Milo Ventimiglia of Heroes and Gilmore Girls fame is on first glance a pretty face with solid acting chops but look further and you'll find a creative mind behind the actor. Produced by Ventimiglia 'Chosen' poses as a fast paced action show that follows the lives of several characters that are confronted with a unique issue: they all find boxes with a mysterious cube, a weapon and an image of a, to them, unknown person. Soon it becomes clear that these are their targets, to assure that the characters also kill who they were ordered to kill the creators of this sick competition also set other assassins after them. Action and writing wise the series doesn't need to hide behind genre heights like the Bourne series and 24. The biggest difference the show poses however is the fact that the episodes are presented in 22 minute blocks instead of 40 minute blocks. The cast includes a lot of familiar faces: Ventimiglia himself, who portrays a family father who is thrown into the competition to save his family. 'Charmed's Rose McGowan as a seasoned assassin. 'Agent Carter' star Chad Michael Murray as someone who unknowingly becomes part of the game. 'Legends of Tomorrow' and 'Superman Returns' star Brandon Routh as a shady, villainous businessman. As well as 'Disturbia's Sarah Roemer as a undercover assassin. Also the guest cast includes some familiar names like Katrina Law ("Arrow"), Stacy Haiduk ("Superboy"), Diedricj Bader and Rider Strong.
***Nominated by Freda - I finally talked a friend into watching this series this year. Both he and his wife couldn't put it down. They got so sucked into it, they have sent me several emails about possible movie news. It is about a guy who gets stuck with all the US government secrets in his head. He has two government handlers and they go on missions to protect Burbank, CA. Zach Levi plays Chuck and he has the right amount of chemistry with pretty much everyone on set. Right off of the bat, you will notice how well Chuck and his best friend Morgan get along. It really does feel like you are watching two best friends interact. Sarah (one of Chuck's spy handlers) has some really nice fight scenes. Adam Baldwin from Firefly plays John Casey (Jayne Cobb 2.0/a spy handler). I really don't have the space to talk about how awesome this show is. Try the first episode. If you like light, funny action series, you will like this one. Trailer
***Nominated by Shauna Thacker (edited because it had 2 shows in one nomination) - The reason to watch this show is that it is scripted really well and it draws you In from the first episode. And fans want Constantine to be renewed because you can't just hear what Manny said at the end of the show and end it there. You have to keep going to find out if Manny is bad or not. Also the chemistry between the actors is really good. No Constantine isn't warm and fuzzy but he's not supposed to be. He cares about his friends and does show them in his own weird way. The guy that plays Constantine is so neat and cool my fiancé likes him because he voices Edward Kennway from Assassin's Creed, plus I like him for his accent and he's cute and I like him for how he really cares about his friends. That's compassion. It takes fans a little bit to get into the show like mom it took her 3 episodes to like it but you have to let it grow more and not cancel it after 13 episodes because you didn't give it time to grow and expand and catch people's eye long enough.
***Nominated by Owen - Are you looking for a spy show that features a strong female lead, action packed and full of twists? Then Covert Affairs is worth your consideration. Annie Walker is one of the most well written female leads on television. She is a brave and strong character. Also, the supporting cast is awesome, especially Christopher Gorham. He plays a blind CIA operative and he plays it well. Although the show ends in a open ending way, it still wraps up the major story line. So you can watch it without fear of a cliffhanger finale.
***Nominated by Am - I only just started watching Crossing Lines, but already it is one of my favorite TV shows. Crossing Lines is a TV show about crimes that cross country borders, and the international team that solves them. William Fichtner – the American – is brilliant as the understated, but dead-on, criminal profiler. Moon Dailly plays the relatable and promising new agent. Richard Flood – the Irish man – has the strong loyalty of growing up in a Traveller family, and the infamous Irish rage, but for good reasons. He is quick to anger, but smart, and knows when to reign himself in. Gabriella Pession, plays the Italian who has a troubled past but is often able to overcome it and not let it bother her. She is quick-witted and great at being the first one on the scene. Tom Wlaschiha, the German member of the team, the computer genius, is very kind and smart. Marc Lavoine plays the French leader who holds the team together. He is the glue. His strength of leadership brings all the different characters together and helps them all use their strong points. Finally Donald Sutherland is the super-man, despite his age. He outwits Russians and faces danger everyday as the team’s face in court. He is the one who gets them warrants and makes their cases legally effective. Crossing Lines is so well-filmed and acted, with strong characters, compelling stories, and an international feel that can be welcome after much American TV, that it is my recommendation for giving a try this summer.
***Nominated by Joy Haldar - Give this one a try. You won't regret it!
1.Amazing acting from the entire cast, especially Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock & Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin. Everyone brought their A game here.
2.Outstanding action sequences & production values.
3.Every episode gets better than the preceding one. It will satisfy both type of fans - comic nerds & non-comic book fans.
4.Dark, gritty & realistic tone compared to the MCU shows.
5.Unpredictable twists. The writers are absolutely fearless. It's the first time we feel for both the hero & the villain equally.
6.Fantastic use of flashback sequences to enrich the narrative even more rather than becoming a distraction or sore sticking point.
***Nominated by Esther - I think this show is cool in a lot of different ways! On the politics of the show, this show is very progressive in its exposure with sexualities and allowing its characters to be more than just the default heterosexual characters and gives a lot of representation to the queer community that is more than just a villainization or a tragedy. Also, the themes that Dominion deals with in its storyline of angels and demons among humans parallel beautifully to the difficult themes of classism and racism in society and in individuals. This show also embraces and lifts the female characters in so many ways, making them rulers of lands and just general badassery that society is in desperate need of in their storytelling. There's the cool "hero" storyline and all the special effects are beautiful so you can really dive into their post apocalyptic world. Plus, if all else fails, this amazing cast is filled with gorgeous human beings that really bring the storyline to life!
***Nominated by Cristina - Dominion has an amazing cast, high quality acting, wonderful scripted episodes and a fantastic crew!
***Nominated by Alexa - Forever is a rare gem that captures the imagination with the perfect balance of intrigue and character development. Each episode has me laughing out loud, on the edge of my seat, and it occasionally brings a tear to my eye. While built on the supernatural premise of an immortal medical examiner (Henry Morgan), Forever is rooted firmly in realism as it explores what it means to be human, whether mortal or immortal. The storytelling is artfully crafted with thoughtful flashbacks to show the complex and fascinating history behind the man that is Henry Morgan, and how this history permeates the present. The relationships on Forever are real and have engaged me like no other show. As Henry appears to be in his 40s to the outside world, but has over 200 years of life experience, it makes for immensely entertaining interactions. Others’ reactions to some of his 19th century mannerisms or his uncanny knowledge of...well, everything, from his long life, are always amusing. The banter between Henry and his now elderly but vibrant son Abe, his quirky assistant Lucas, Detective Jo Martinez, and others, is humorous and endearing. And because Abe is the only one who knows Henry’s secret of immortality, watching Henry navigate life with those who are unaware of his condition is one of my favourite aspects of Forever. How does a person explain how he ended up naked in the Hudson River after dying and being reborn? Hilariously, that’s how. Apart from the great plot and storytelling, Forever has high quality acting. Specifically, Ioan Gruffudd embodies Henry Morgan so well that I sometimes have to remind myself that he’s fictional, and Judd Hirsch perfectly portrays Abe as a man who has lived a full life but yet is still young in comparison to his father. This has just skimmed the surface of what Forever brings to the table. It is a fantastic show that I have deeply connected with and that has made my life a little brighter. And I think it would do the same for you.
***Nominated by Gator Fan (edited for length) - What starts as a doctor’s desire to treat a patient turns into a 200-year-long adventure. In 1814, 35-year-old Dr. Henry Morgan is fatally shot and thrown overboard when he attempts to treat an ill slave aboard a slave trading ship. In the first of many such occurrences, he returns to life in a body of water and emerges from it naked. This extended lifespan presents Henry with the opportunity to do whatever he wants with his immortality. His freedom, however, is tempered by the pains of loneliness and loss as death separates him from the people he cares for and as his inability to age (what Henry calls his “curse”) complicates any long-term relationships he does form. In addition, several people attempt to harm Henry because of his immortality, and this has caused him to hide it from the rest of the world. In the present day, Henry is a 235-year-old New York City medical examiner seeking clues concerning his immortality so that he can find a way to naturally age and die. During an investigation into a fatal subway crash in which he is the sole survivor, Henry begins to work on the investigative side of law enforcement as the New York City Police Department seeks his expertise. Frequently, he partners with Detective Jo Martinez, the lead investigator in the subway crash. Although she finds his behavior frustrating and careless during some cases, she is also interested in him as a person, and the two develop a friendship. Only two people know exactly how Henry survived the crash: Abe and Adam. Abe is Henry’s friend, business partner, and 70-year-old adopted son. Adam is a 2,000-year-old immortal who engages Henry in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse that threatens to either kill Henry permanently or exposes his carefully guarded secret publicly.
Cases are not Forever’s only appeal; the personal relationships are a major factor also. The Morgan family forms as Henry and his future wife Abigail tend to an infant Abe at their field hospital at the end of WWII. Abigail quickly becomes his loving and loyal ally while Abe’s miraculous survival in the Nazi concentration camps parallels aspects of his adoptive father’s own life. Over the years, the family manages to maintain a sense of normalcy given their unique circumstances. Abigail’s inexplicable disappearance in the 1980s deeply affects Henry; since her disappearance, he has not allowed himself to fall in love again. As for Abe, Henry and Abe have become friends, and Abe has become Henry’s trusted advisor. Abe, however, worries that his future death from old age will deepen Henry’s loneliness—or worse. For Abe, hope comes in the form of Henry and Jo’s budding relationship and in Henry’s interactions with his new teammates. Henry and Jo bond over their similarities, their mutual desire to solve cases, and their personal experiences of losing a spouse. After some initial reluctance, Lieutenant Joanna Reece and Detective Mike Hanson accept him as a part of the team. Lucas Wahl, Henry’s assistant, looks up to Henry, and the two prove to be an effective team. Henry’s widening social network, however, makes keeping his immortality a secret harder, which creates a suspenseful tension for viewers.
The series’ writers have taken the threads of emotional pain, death, immortality, and human relationships and woven them into a stunning tapestry which also reveal the beauty of life—in the pleasant memories of a lost loved one, in loving family and friends, and in the creative culture of the living. In a drama about dealing with pain, aging, death, and immortality, one would expect that the series would be very serious. It’s not always the case. Forever does have a considerable number of comedic moments. Most of the moments come from the characters’ interactions with each other, especially in Jo’s and Hanson’s reactions to Henry’s and Abe’s amateur, logical—and unorthodox—methodology. For those worrying about the level of violence, sex, language, and nudity, Forever’s levels are about the same or tamer than most network procedurals. When the violence and sex is more graphic, it is usually an earlier episode, or the storyline includes Adam in some way. As for the nudity, it is usually associated with Henry’s rebirth, which happens infrequently. Those scenes are usually filmed from his waist up or knees down or with Henry using something large to hide behind so that he can go home and get some clothes without being arrested again. The cases, the relationships, the suspense, the writing, the cinematography, and the acting has created a series that has viewers eagerly anticipating the next episode.
***Nominated by Juliette (edited for length) - More and more people continue to discover this unique drama despite being canceled May 2015. "Forever" is a cop/drama with heart. Ioan Gruffudd plays the main character "Henry Morgan" a medical examiner in 2015 who helps the NYPD solve crimes with precision, yet cannot solve one that involves himself. For reasons yet to be revealed, "Henry" became mortal as an adult 200 years prior. Gruffudd plays this role with undeniable panache and heart. "Henry's" reflective narration pre and post episode serves as intellectual bookends for a cerebral show. Believable chemistry is apparent amongst the ensemble cast. Each character is well developed. "Abe", the adopted son is played by veteran Judd Hirsch. In addition to being privy to "Henry's" immortal status, "Abe" is aging making him physically older. However, this detail is easily overlooked, for both actors deliver the father/son dynamic with proper measure. The script is rife with brilliant, comedic timing and clever dialogue . Relevant flashbacks provide a helpful window, an appropriate link for viewers to "Henry's" past. It gives you a better understanding of his character and choices. The cinematography is on a filmic level, making the quality seem like a premium motion picture.
***Nominated by Jennifer - One part Sherlock, one part police procedural, one part supernatural. The story entertains, but what really makes the show are the bonds. The bond between Father and Son. The bond between partners, both broken people. The bond between co-workers. The bond between mentor and student. What Forever has isn't a gimmick, it's heart. While other shows throw in difficulties to separate the main character from their support and force drama, this show takes a separate person and shows that with a bit of trust and loyalty, people band to him in times of need instead, and that together, then can weather any storm. The stories entertain me, the heart of the show keeps me coming back.
***Nominated by Goodbye Revenge - The Flash is in my opinion one of the best new shows this year. The Flash follows Barry Allen, an investigator with the police. When he was younger Barry's mom died in a tragic "freak accident" and Barry's father was blamed for her death. After a particle accelerator explodes, Barry ends up with super speed, and many others also gain powers which they use for malicious deeds. Barry Allen attempts to stop these villains and avenge his mother's death while freeing his father from prison. Although I have never been one to read comic books, I found this show amazing. The plot line is terrific and very entertaining. Barry Allen portrayed by Grant Gustin is a likable character who you'll find yourself rooting for throughout each episode when he is in dangerous situations. The rest of the actors and actresses each do very well and are complex yet fun and interesting to watch. Cisco (portrayed by Carlos Valdes) adds an air of comedy to the show sometimes needed to combat the intensity of episodes. The writers expertly add depth to each of the characters which makes the audience sincerely care for each of them. Overall this show is great! I hope you give it a chance!
***Nominated by Okeke Nwabueze - Because it has an interesting storyline and lots of action, supernatural drama and suspense.
***Nominated by Pablozky - The comedy of the show comes from its great one liners, pacing and timing, and it excels in all of those areas. The cast is superb and the jokes comes from the character traits rather than forced plot. Though season 1 has a few less than stellar episodes, as a whole, Fresh off the Boat is one of the most promising freshmen comedies of the season.
***Nominated by Dahne - It has been a very lean comedy year for me and I had about given up when along came Fresh Off the Boat. While it starts off focusing on the eldest child, Eddie, it soon turns to spotlighting the parents. It was a smart move on the show runner's part because Constance Wu, who plays Jessica, nails her role as an overachieving mom trying to navigate a strange new world - 90's Orlando suburban life. Funny, smart, and nostalgic, Fresh Off the Boat is one of the best new comedies of the year. I highly recommend it to fans of The Goldbergs and other comedies that combine heart and laughs.
***Nominated by Diana Fonte - It's the most powerful show that I've ever seen. Seeing it causes a mix of emotions; in the same scene you can feel fear, happiness, and sadness. I find myself always curious as to what happens next and know why that thing happened. It's so unpredictable sometimes. It has an incredible and strong fandom - imagine why.
***Nominated by Dahne - Fringe is a high-concept sci-fi drama that originally started as a procedural. While not giving away the many twists, I can say that the Walter and Peter father-son relationships is one of the best I have ever seen. They both show great character growth, considering that Peter has not spoken to his father in years when the show first begins. As they experience more of the weird and secrets are uncovered, they bond in such a heartwarming way that I still miss their interactions. Plus this show stars John Noble, which is reason enough to give it a try. He's simply amazing.
***Nominated by Freda - A gallant knight is off to save his love who has been forced to wed an evil king in this campy, musical fairytale. It is only 8, 30-minute long episodes. It has tons of notable and random guest stars that even bring the series more to life. The characters are funny (even the villains can be likeable). The music is written by Dan Fogelman, Alan Menken and Glen Slater (Disney). It is very self-aware and constantly mocks its own tropes. While I greatly enjoyed each episode, there is some criticism that a few of the middle episodes could have been better. This is most likely due to the fact that the series constantly throws joke after joke at you and makes the characters cartoonish. They are a little more difficult to relate to. However, the series really finds itself toward the end. If you liked things like the Princess Bride or Spamalot, be sure to give this a try. It has been renewed for season 2. Trailer Clip from pilot
***Nominated by Mac - Originally conceived as a foul mouthed parody on the RPG videogame genre the concept soon evolved into a concept making fun of the entire fantasy genre. The pilot script was pitched and passed around to various big and small names in the network and streaming area. However the pilot itself found only one potential home. The pilot was produced as a half hour animated comedy but eventually was passed on. No network or streaming service names are going to be mentioned here, of course. Eventually the creators, including yours truly, decided to not let the show die a quiet death without ever seeing the light of day and finished it on their own terms. Cutting several corners like scrapping the originally intended hand drawn style in favor of a more cost efficient CGI based cartoon style. The show ultimately found a release on Amazon.com and YouTube. Free to watch for those interested and available for DVD purchase for those that want to see more. Soon the show might find its way to a certain basic cable network for midnight airings depending on the result of currently happening negotiations. The show focused on the classic fantasy set up: a beautiful princess is kidnapped by a bad guy, leaving the hero in shining armor to save her. However the show puts a different spin on the system. The heroes are foul mouthed jerks while the villains, most of the time, are dorky and fun. The show poses as a comedic take on Game of Thrones, Legend of the Seeker and The Legend of Zelda. Also it stars Connor McKinley, Madison Fung, Tom Helps and Frank Stone.
***Nominated by Folie-lex - The show explores the state of Gotham, in the pre-Batman era, through the eyes of rising detective James Gordon, the one good cop in a city full of scoundrels. Crime bosses run the town, on and off the streets as they seem to have embedded their influence in every level of the city (from the police force and the justice system to the night clubs and the docks). On the other side of the spectrum the general population is overwhelmed by the injustice that seeps from that. The result? A city in chaos, where the criminals think they can get away with murder (and they often do) and the regular folk trying to rise in rebellion break the law themselves. Amidst all this craziness Detective Gordon tries to maneuver himself through this pile of corruption, without losing his own integrity. He is not entirely alone in this quest as he finds allies in his partner Bullock and their Lieutenant, two tired disillusioned cops who don't rock the boat and have fallen in line with the status quo. But they like Jim and they have his back, and as the show progresses his positive influence on them is palpable. Lastly you can't have any real Batman related show without a mention of Batman himself. The show begins with the origin of the Batman mythos, the young Bruce Wayne witnessing his parents murdered in a dark alleyway. In the context of the show Batman is never really the main focus however. Bruce is in fact too young for that yet, but we begin to see the birth of the legend, the methodical detective, the analytical mind, the stubbornness and determination. And hopefully the actual fighting and training will be the next step in the evolution of the boy becoming the Batman. I think sometimes it can get a bit cartoony, yes, but I think it's gritty and well made enough that it balances things out. Also it knows not to take itself too seriously and IMO for a show like this that can only be a good thing. When I watch this show I mainly think that if the 90's early 00's WB/DC animated series were live action they'd definitely look something like this and seeing as I loved those shows consider it high praise. Perks for the comic book lovers: The show is full of nice little Batman nods all around.
***Nominated by Freda - Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston return to the small screen, although the series has been met with severely mixed reviews. The series is about two women (who really didn't like each other) bonding over the fact that their husbands have left them after 40 years of marriage for each other because gay marriage is now legal. It has a very Odd Couple feel. Both actresses play well off of each other and there are times when you just have to laugh and other times when you have to cringe. The series isn't without faults and isn't for everyone. While the series is overall humorous, it doesn't lie that the two husbands were in a 20 year affair. The scenes with the men tend to try to ignore this. The scenes with the women are all about getting over it. Older audiences might relate more to this series than younger as it is about an older generation finding a new sense of freedom. However, as a younger viewer, this is also the reason why I liked the series so much. It was so much more different than anything else on TV. As the two 70 year old leads go through stages in how to deal with such a life changing event, you see anger, grief, acceptance and a lot of heart. Series has been renewed for season 2. Trailer
***Nominated by omabin - Soooo, I feel like a fish out of water getting into the teen-genre conversation because I am pretty much inexperienced in the area and I don't really watch any teen show nowadays. This show is actually the only ABC Family show I've ever watched, but I've got to say it's definitely worth it. While this is by all means a teen show, it is a very mature teen show dealing with teens that are getting into adulthood and has beautiful performances from the entire cast with writing that gives room to the fun, the truly comedic moments, the drama and, especially, the heart. To me, from what I've seen of the teen genre that tends to be embroiled in annoying love triangles all the times, that is what differentiates Greek the most from everything else: how much heart it has. Fear not, you will still find plenty of your love triangles around if that's what you are looking for, but even those, for once, I feel are done with heart and in a credible, realistic way that I can't help but look at myself or people I know in those situations. If you are into this genre at all, or even if you think you aren't but you may be inclined to give it a shot because you are drawn to shows with the features I've described above, then I highly suggest you give Greek a try!
***Nominated by omabin - Ok, so Homeland is obviously not a fly under the radar type of show and it certainly isn't a show that hasn't had its fair amount of praise over the years. By now, everyone who doesn't watch it is probably sick of hearing how mind blowing the acting is (it really is though!), how fabulous the writing is and how "trendy/ modern/ current" the topics are. In other words, everyone who doesn't watch it is probably sick of the critical acclaim it has. Yet, I am still submitting it here and I am doing so for a very particular reason, targeted at a very particular group of people: if you happen to be someone who has a hard time getting into "prestige/ critically acclaimed/ premium cable" shows, I have good news for you. Homeland may be all that, and then some, but it also really is a show that you will be able to enjoy and love even if you normally do not enjoy these types of so called high end dramas. For starters, the pacing is way faster than it tends to be on these type of shows, which is usually the problem most people have. Additionally, there are enough characters spread on the show (especially in early seasons) for you to relate and connect despite the different situation they are living in. Finally, it has all the right ingredients that a lot of people love about their TV shows: a lot of action, a lot of tension, romance, betrayal, mystery, intrigue and yes, mind blowing - out of this world acting and incredible writing - all of this combined will lead to some pretty strong heart stopping moments, I can guarantee you. So, if you are one of those people convinced that Homeland isn't for you just because of the category in which it is typically put into and because of the channel on which it airs, my humble request for you is think again. Try it out and see for yourself. I am sure there is a good chance it is indeed for you.
***Nominated by Missions - Whoa! That was my reaction after watching the pilot! I had never seen such an amazing pilot in a while. It started with a flash-forward which completely blew my mind! At first, I was confused and had no idea what the hell was going on. However, as the episode progressed I started understanding everything. Then the first episode ended with a major twist, but only one of many in the first season! The first season was pure perfection. The writing was on spot, the acting was incredible, especially from Viola Davis, and the character development was brilliantly done. The one aspect that stands out is that the show is very realistic. Viola Davis wanted the show to be very realistic. Therefore, she went to the writers and suggested how to do some scenes! Of course, those scenes were excellent. The winter finale seemed underwhelming when one certain thing happened, but one second later, there was a twist that changed the whole episode to being the best episode of the season next to the season finale which was jaw dropping. Actually, my jaw is still on the floor. One thing, I do have to admit is that the show is dark, and I mean pretty dark. You will fall in love with certain characters and you will be able to relate to them quickly. Personally, I find this to be Must-Watch television and everyone, who is not watching, is missing out on something very spectacular. You will not believe my anticipation for season 2!! I am under the assumption, that you will have time to watch this in the summer! If not, well you better do it! I promise, you will not be disappointed.
You included two of my shows :D
ReplyDeleteSo awesome ^^
And wowza, Forever has a lot of suggestions
Loved omabins review of Homeland, I heard that it's similar to 24 so I'll put that on my list along with Covert Affairs, we don't have enough strong female leads on television :)
How many other parts are still to come?
I love how everyone is so passionate about their shows. I love reading this!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to round 2 of Pitch Your Show. Thanks to everyone who nominated and who commented on yesterday's post. I love talking TV with you.
ReplyDeleteSo any nominations inspire your interest?
Not as many shows today that I watch as there was yesterday but still some I can chime in on:
ReplyDeleteDaredevil - Joy covered it perfectly. It's a stunning show. Brilliant acting, great visuals and fight scenes and high production values. It's the only comic book show I love.
Dominion - Great cast and some really amazing characters that have great backgrounds and stories. It's effects were impressive as well and I love the setting.
How to get Away with Murder - For me it's really the cast makes this one so great, that's not to say the writing is bad, because it's fantastic, but I just love every single character and the actors play them all perfectly. I loved how they included the flashforwards to slowly piece the story together, it's not easy to do that but this show gets it right.
I'd never heard of Chosen but I like the sound of it and it's cast, added to my watchlist! I tried Cashing Life from yesterday's segment but sadly it wasn't for me. I'm considering starting Bates Motel now though.
Does Chicago Fire play like a police procedural?
ReplyDeleteI think my to-watch-list is going to explode. It is already super long, but I am going to add Covert Affairs, Chosen and Generic Heroes Save the Day.
One of these days I am going to finish Covert Affairs. I really liked it but then I got behind and because it's serialized, I never got caught up. I don't watch Chicago Fire so I can't be sure I am right but I watched an episode that was nominated for my column. It seemed fairly serialized to me in that there were definitely storylines that were carried over from earlier episodes and I want to say it started with a previously.
ReplyDeleteH2GAwM has my favorite acting of the season, recurring or new. Watching Viola Davis inhabit Analise was like taking a master class. She uses everything she's got. The background for characters on Dominion is a favorite part for me as well.
ReplyDeleteFRINGE!!! CHUCK!!! Great to see them on a list again!
ReplyDeleteGood pitch for Homeland. I like the show, last season was a step up, but for me it would have been better if Dana Brody simply disappeared (after season 1, otherwise....boom!).
Seems I have to add Forever and How the get away.....to my list. I keep hearing nothing but amazing things about them.
Dominion is good, better than I expected.
Daredevil is my favorite show this year. A must watch if you like the genre.
Thank for doing all of this, it's a lot of work. May I ask how many submissions did you receive?
ReplyDeleteThanks for nominating. I am not sure of how many parts there will be. It actually depends on how many labels I can stuff onto an article. Sadly, Blogger limits how many labels you can have so I have been divving it up by that because I want shows that are still airing to be found in the search box. I figure if someone took the time to nominate the show, the least I can do is make sure others know about it. Cancelled shows tend to not have tags anymore so those I don't put in. Originally there was going to be 4 with about 22 shows in each. It's more than that now. For instance, today's posts were supposed to go through "J" but ended up on "H".
ReplyDeleteBasically half of the nominations were for Forever, so it blew away all others in terms of most nominated. Annie from Covert Affairs is a great female lead.
Chicago Fire is serialized, but it's not highly serialized. There's always a "rescue of the week" type thing in each episode, but there are a few storylines that carry over week to week. You could probably figure out what was going on if you jumped in, but I would recommend watching from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteI was glad shows like Fringe and Chuck made the list too. Sometimes people weren't into TV during their reign and I would hate for them to miss out. I'm glad you are adding Forever and H2GAwM on your list. They were 2 of my favorite new shows.
ReplyDeleteThanks for clarifying. I thought the relationships were serialized while the weekly fire was not.
ReplyDeleteThat's my favorite part too. I even like reading about shows I don't care for because the person nominating obviously takes great joy in them. It's cool to see people so excited about their TV.
ReplyDeleteYou're more than welcome ^^
ReplyDeleteAnything to put some attention to shows that are generally overlooked due to availability restrictions :D
neat, that way we get to look forward to new reviews each day, makes it more interesting (and episodic)
That's impressive, I'm never too positive about fandoms pushing shows to a too high extent but there seems to have gone a lot of work into that. So I applaud them.
Season 1-3 are in my amazon bin, the show kinda sounds like Burn Notice ^^
That's pretty much it. Although at the beginning of this season something happened during a fire that caused a larger story to build. Sorry I'm being vague, but I don't want to spoil anything.
ReplyDeleteI want to say 275 nominations came in. You can see all the nominations if you click the spreadsheet link at the top. There were slighly less total nominations than the midseason one but about 4 times the number of shows nominated so that was a great tradeoff. Usually all the nominated shows can fit into one article but this time that was not at all possible. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt has its own unique way of telling an episode of the week while still telling plotlines throughout the entire season. You generally can drop in at any episode and enjoy it without missing too much :D
ReplyDeleteAnd trust me, Chosen is (to me at least) something the networks should have jumped on. No storyline drags as they know exactly when to end it ^^
It is a lot like Burn Notice except that they can leave Miami. In fact when Covert Affairs first started, it aired after Burn Notice.
ReplyDeleteForever fans are trying to get their show uncancelled so I knew there would be a lot of nominations for it. What was really great is how thoughtful those nominations were. I had a terrible time weeding them down to only 4 because there was such passion in their nominations.
I'm sure we all appreciate your restraint. The last thing I would want is to know the big season spoiler before I started watching. And yes, I do realize this is SpoilerTV. :-P
ReplyDeleteIt's still a lot, considering you have to read everything, edit and such. Thanks again for taking the time :)
ReplyDeleteToday is a phenomenal day. So many shows I'm watching. Chicago Fire, Chuck, Forever, Galavant, HTGAWM. All fantastic shows.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support. It is proving to be a much bigger task than I anticipated based on the 2 previous midseason ones. Currently I am trying to edit tomorrow's post and get it ready to go so that I can concentrate on The Last Ship season review that's due tomorrow. Still this is one of my favorite things I get to do on SpoilerTV along with the Character Cup because I love reading why people love their favorite shows as much as they do. I always come away with more shows to watch and a general appreciation for the SpoilerTV community. There really is no community like it on the internet and I feel so lucky to be a part of it.
ReplyDeleteI like all the variety in today's batch. Drama, comedy, old, new, musical, and even things not seen in a conventional manner. It was a pleasant surprise to see all the different kinds of things nominated.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I should've nominated more than just Battle Creek now. I would love to pimp Psych and White Collar.
ReplyDeleteGot several from this section I'm adding!
ReplyDeleteNever heard of Chosen but that sounds right up my alley!
Both the Chicago's went on my watch list when Chicago Med was picked up. I like The Night Shift but it is no ER and I am in desperate need of a medical drama (I tried Grey's, too much sleeping around, not enough drama based on medicine).
Apparently, Crossing Lines has been in my Netflix queue for a while now but it kinda got lost in the ginormous list, however, Am's pitch just earned it a promotion! Ditto for Fringe.
I found Chuck thru one of the competitions last summer and am now just about to start S4 - I can always count on Chuck to make make me laugh and make even the most craptastic day a little brighter :-)
There's always next year. :-) I can think of several shows that I hope people decide to spotlight next year because I think they have been overshadowed but still great shows. White Collar is definitely one of them.
ReplyDeleteI still can't believe I finished White Collar. What an amazing show. I am reviewing it for my next TBT, and I just cannot wait.
ReplyDeleteI am delighted that you are finding so many new shows to try. I had never heard of Crossing Lines but I'm going to try it too. I love the international feel of it since that isn't done very often. I have watched at least the first season of Chuck, possibly the second (it's been awhile) and I always found it fun. I can see why it brightens your day.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like Fringe. The Walter and Peter relationship may be my favorite father-son combo on TV. It takes a little while to get into the show but those two when they start mending their relationship make it all worth it. It's awesome to see them step by step try to repair a relationship that was flawed from the start.
Fantastic! I have been considering it for TBT too but I decided to spotlight Leverage first. There are so many fantastic White Collar episodes to choose from. One of these days I will go back to recapping that series because it's one series that I never become bored with no matter how many times I rewatch it.
ReplyDeleteI find so many shows on Netflix that look interesting but they seem to get lost in the crowd until something like an STV article or competition brings it to my attention again. This time, I'm writing everything down on a post-it next to my computer!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize John Noble was in Fringe until I joined in more of the Sleepy Hollow discussions. I think that's when I added it to my queue. I've been looking for another long running show to loop into my "Completed Shows" rotation (with White Collar and Chuck) - now I think I'm going to have a hard time deciding which one to add!
I must get back to Chuck one of these days, I only ever saw the first couple of seasons, so it's on my list. HtGAwM sounds like it's a must too, I hear such good things about it.
ReplyDeleteSomehow an image of my computer filled with post-it came to my mind :P
ReplyDeleteFor the sheer brilliance of Viola Davis' acting alone, I would highly recommend H2GAwM and this coming from someone who actively dislikes all the characters.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like both of the Chicago shows! I think you will. :). I'm hoping Chicago Med is good, too.
ReplyDeleteI've got an ever thickening stack of index cards next to mine for that time when I am caught up on everything and ready to start a new show. I may be buried alive in index cards in a few years. Watch for me on a special episode of Hoarders, except I won't be hoarding anything but the cherished idea that one day I will actually see all these great shows.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'll be the other Hoarder for the episode - I'll be buried in Posti-It's (a color for each room, of course)!
ReplyDeleteLOL - I did laugh until I looked up and realized that I do have about a dozen Post-It's on and around my computer! I don't see this ending well ;-)
ReplyDeleteHey guys, anyone watch Once Upon a Time. I have a nomination for it but it is too short to put a picture with it and I don't watch it. If anyone else can say a few words about it that I can add into the article, I would appreciate it. You can either put it here or e-mail me dahne@spoilertv.com Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Viola is a force to be reckoned with on that show, for sure. She can just give you one look and you're like, "O.O...yes, ma'am." no matter what it is she tells you to do.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, she had some great, very vulnerable moments to balance that side of her out as well.
Haha, yeah, even on a spoiler site like this there's still a fine line to walk with that stuff sometimes. My policy is to always tell as little and as basic of information I can about a storyline, and then leave it up to the person I'm describing the storyline/show to if they want to hear more about it or want to be spoiled.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I just thought of another old show I love yesterday that I wish I'd put in the list now ("Strangers with Candy"). But now I can keep that in mind when we do this again :).
ReplyDeleteMaybe your "Hoarders" segment can feature on "The Soup" :p.
ReplyDeleteI just have a sheet of paper that I keep writing suggestions on. And I'll keep adding sheets of paper as long as need be.
What was it about Chasing Life you didn't like? If you sont mind me asking?
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy "Bates Motel". I'll look forward to your thoughts on it.
ReplyDeleteIt just felt too been there done that to me. I thought it was too cliched, by the time it got to the part with April talking to her uncle in the stairwell and her love interest overheard them and got the wrong idea I turned it off.
ReplyDeleteOhh thats to bad, it does get way better after that. Dominic isn't the best character, but he comes around. That's really early in the show that part... if you have free time try it again. I'm not trying to be pushy or anything, it really is worth the watch as it goes on.
ReplyDeleteSo from this I'm interested in Covert Afairs and Homeland. I added Forver to my list a while ago because of all the rave reviews I've heard so tho just confirms that I should watch it!
ReplyDeleteYes I'm considering watching Covert affairs and homelands. And of course Forever! Excited to see my review up their for the Flash! Merci so Much for taking the time to do this! I love it!
ReplyDeleteOooh, what's that about?
ReplyDeleteI feel you on that. Certain seasons I do love more than others but as a whole, it is a phenomenal show. I have so many shows I wanna TBT, but I feel like I just have to talk about White Collar, and this episode.
ReplyDeleteHeh, yeah, they're certainly not the cuddliest group of people on a TV show, that's for sure. I found myself liking them more and more as the season went on though, or at least, became more and more interested in them. I like the girls in particular-liked seeing Laurel come out of her shell a little more, and watching Michaela balance her supposedly perfect life with the chaos she found herself in was interesting to me, too. I also liked any moments when Michaela and Connor interacted, they could make for an interesting tag team next season, I think, in terms of trying to handle the fallout from this entire event.
ReplyDeleteAnd as sneaky and secretive as Bonnie is, I tended to like the storylines involving her, and seeing her and Annalise's strange friendship. I definitely want the show to continue to explore and develop these people more deeply next season.
Sadly I don't think I'll ever go back to it, just not my thing unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteGood choices. Covert Affair has the action and Forever has the heart.
ReplyDeleteI just watched the pilot and I loved it! The acting is great and I love the tone of it. There was one scene I could barely handle the tension! I'm glad I started this :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for nominating. I really appreciate the variety of shows people considered. Plus I was beginning to think The Flash wasn't going to be nominated and that would have been a huge shame.
ReplyDeleteIt's an old show that aired on Comedy Central around 1999/2000 (it only lasted for three short seasons). It's about a 46 year old woman, played by Amy Sedaris, who goes back to high school after having lived a life of drugs and jail and crime, and she's making her way through the ups and downs of high school...but the kicker is that the entire series is a satire/parody of all those cheesy afterschool special shows that used to air a lot in the '80s and early '90s, or the "very special" episodes of popular sitcoms :D.
ReplyDeleteStephen Colbert played a teacher on the show, and his character's in a closeted relationship with another male teacher, and the school in general is a very goofy, strange place, and the humor is very surreal and twisted and clever. It's a fun series :).
The ones I can maybe in the future someday like the best are Bonnie and Frank, although I have no idea why I like the latter. I do agree that the characters are very interesting and that they get even more interesting the longer I watch. They also get douchier though so I don't really like any of them.
ReplyDeleteHooray! Glad to hear it :D! If you like the acting from the pilot alone, you're definitely in for a treat as the show goes on, as it only gets better from there.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, there's some moments that can be VERY creepy and tense in how they're filmed and play out. I hope you find much more to like as the seasons go on.
I clearly need to check out "Forever", if all the praise about it here is anything to go by. Plus, a friend on another site raved about the show a lot as well. It sounds like a really good premise, I'm sorry for the fans that it didn't continue on further.
ReplyDeleteWhich episode? My favorite is still Neal going after Fowler in Point Blank but there are a bunch of others that come close. I think I just love watching Neal visibly break down step by step in that episode.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of this show but I don't really know it. Was it a British comedy? Sounds like a great one to nominate next summer.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I could see Bonnie becoming a really powerful character in her own right as time goes on, definitely. Frank creeps me out. Every time Laurel interacted with him I kept thinking, "Oh, honey, you could do so much better...", LOL. But he could make for a really good villain, so...
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, once you're involved in a murder/murder coverup, any pretense of being a good person runs pretty thin, if becomes altogether nonexistent :p.
Forever has one of the best father-son dynamics around, mostly because it is unlike anything else I've ever seen. The cases are pretty standard procedural but the interactions make it stand out. Also Hitler on a Half Shell opens up a storyline for Abe that is just marvelous.
ReplyDeleteNope, American one-synopsis in another post :). It wouldn't surprise me if a bit of British comedy sensibility was an inspiration for the actors on the show, though.
ReplyDeleteLaurel is way too young for Frank but I have a feeling that as much of a master as Frank is, Laurel can outmaneuver and outmanipulate him already. She's going to be the true mastermind of the college group, an Analise in the making.
ReplyDeleteSorry did this kind of quick but hope it's good enough: Once upon a time is a beautiful tale about Emma Swan who after reuniting with her son, Henry, goes to a town called Storybrooke where the traditional Characters from fairy tales come to life such as Snow White and Prince Charming. Henry tells Emma she is the "savior" and that she will wipe out the curse which The Evil Queen had created causing the fairy tale characters to be stuck in a place without magic. Swan is forced fight the forces of evil in order to save the town. This show takes these traditional fairy tale characters and portrays them in a new light. Its a fantasy show which brings two separate worlds together, an ancient world filled with magic, witch-craft and all, and the present one. The switching between the two worlds is smooth and the plot flows very smoothly. In my opinion the best actress is Lana Parrilla who plays Regina Crane/Evil Witch. Her talents absolutely shine as the evil witch and it's so exciting to watch! Along side her Jennifer Morrison (Emma Swan) also does a splendid job acting. With a great supporting cast the show becomes even more excellent. Great acting/cast paired with very interesting plot lines will keep you watching intently for the entire hour of every episode! The special effects used throughout the show are convincingly crafted and make the magic seem very real. I recommend this show to anyone who loves fairy tales or the fantasy world! Even if you don't give it a try I'm sure you'll love it!
ReplyDeleteIt would be an honor sharing a crazy death episode with you.
ReplyDeleteYes that would have been bad! I just saw the finale and I'm so stunned and excited for the next season!
ReplyDeleteHa! I always wanted to be associated with Joel McHale.
ReplyDeleteFather/son dynamics are always good! A few of my favorite shows feature that quite nicely, so that's a good sign for this series.
ReplyDeleteAnd considering I like "Criminal Minds", I can deal with the standard procedural aspect :). That episode title is enough to make me start watching as soon as possible-I have so many questions :D!
Oh, definitely. She had a few surprises up her sleeve as the season went on, so yeah, I think she'll be quite the dark horse type. It'd be great to see her get that kind of development. And if she can mess with Frank's head a bit in the process I'll like her even more :D.
ReplyDeleteThanks SOOOO much. I really appreciate it. I was going to have to use a teeny picture that didn't really showcase the show and now I can use a full length one. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteLoved thw nomination of Homeland. The prestige/ critically acclaimed/ premium cable shows are not my type but Homeland is si amazing though the S3 was boring
ReplyDeleteIt was my favorite finale of the season and definitely a gamechanger for season 2.
ReplyDeleteFather/son dynamics are as good as brothers and father/daughter dynamics for me. I have a thing for shows that spotlight family relationships over romances I guess.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading the nominations. I have been hesitant to try Homeland because I am not a prestige TV watcher but this pitch had me putting it on my ever-growing to-watch list.
ReplyDeleteI watch most of this shows, I'm glad Chosen made it. Daredevil, Crossing Lines, Forever and Gotham were already on my watchlist but it seems like I'll have to add Greek as well.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have an impressive to-watch list too. I didn't watch Greek weekly but it tended to be a lot of fun when I did. The guy who plays Cappie ended up being in a lot of other stuff too and I always like when he shows up.
ReplyDeleteI'd suggest Chicago Fire and only for one reason....MONICA RAYMUND!
ReplyDeleteHomeland is definitely worth it. Seasons 1 and 4 are amazing. Season 2 is great and 3 was disappointing.
ReplyDeleteEveryone who does not watch HTGAWM needs to watch it ASAP!!! I am sure all of you have heard how much it had been praised over the past year and boy, is it awesome. I fell in love with this show right away
ReplyDeleteWe certainly appreciate the hard work and time spent on this :). I echo Aylass01's thanks. I'm glad doing this has such great benefits for you and you can get something so positive out of it.
ReplyDeleteI like that about shows, too, it's nice to see a group of people, be they biologically related or not, who genuinely care about and look out for each other like a family. It's something I can relate to, considering my family is close :). We were discussing "Criminal Minds" in the comment section for the first installment-that show is really good with the family-style dynamics between the team members, too.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds amazing! I'm totally gonna check it out!
ReplyDeleteAnd may I recommend Battle Creek to you? Only 13 episodes. My pimp was in Part A.
You should definitely watch Homeland! It's perfect
ReplyDeletePoint Blank used to be my favourite, that was until Judgment Day (the Season 3 finale) came along. Everything was perfect in this episode, from the chilling opening right to the cliffhanger.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm the only one who absolutely loved S3
ReplyDeleteI watched the Homeland pilot a couple of years ago, but never made it past that. Something about it just turned me off.
ReplyDeleteGreat! Yeah, the seasons aren't very long, so it shouldn't take you very long at all to get through the series. Stephen, Amy, and Paul Dinello (the man who plays the teacher Stephen's character has a thing with) worked together for years prior to that, too, and have been longtime friends, so that really adds to the enjoyment of the show :). I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDelete13 episodes should be no problem :D. I'll take a look at that one-wasn't Josh Duhamel on that show? He was on "All My Children", so maybe that can be a reason to get my mom to check it out, too :p. I did see your post about the show in the first segment, but I'll go back and reread it :).
Awesome list. A few observations, this time in order of the list:
ReplyDeleteNever could get into Chicago Fire, but Chicago PD is pretty awesome. Not seen Chosen or Chuck. Constantine was awesome, Not seen Covert Affairs/Crossing Lines, Daredevil is excellent and Dominion is fun but improves over time, I'll miss Forever, love The Flash, not seen Fresh of the Boat, Currently catching up on Fringe and liking it a lot, Not seen Galavant, not even heard of Generic Heroes Save the Day, Gotham was meh, Not seen Grace & Frankie or Greek, Homeland is awesome, and I loved HTGAWM.
Will be interesting to see whether Luther comes up or not. Watched the first episode of that on Netflix UK recently and loved it. Great crime drama and Idris Elba kills it.
My personal feelings on Homeland are it would have been better if it was 1 season, the quality just dips after S1 and never really recovers.
ReplyDeleteAdding my support to the following shows today
ReplyDeleteChuck: Such a fun series which blends in a case of the week structure with a serialized approach. Fun characters, shocking twists and spy shenanigans.
Daredevil: Yes TV and films are overrun with superheroes right now but if you are a fan of the genre then its definitely worth adding Daredevil to your list. It has a more mature tone then any of the other comic book heroes but violence doesn't mean the series is devoid of fun because it can be pretty funny at times and has great characters (good, evil and inbetween).
Fresh Off the Boat: So I will say the main kid Eddie annoys me but thankfully the parents especially Jessica really makes up for it. Constance Wu is so great in the role.
Fringe: Not just one of my favourite sci-fi shows but one of my all time favourite series. Anna Torv and John Noble will break your heart.
Galavant: Silly. So silly. So wonderfully silly.
Grace and Frankie: This surprised me a whole lot, I ended up really getting into the series. Its refreshing to see older characters in the spotlight and it makes for some interesting comedy and drama.
Not picking up any shows on this list, I've even seen them and weren't impressed or they aren't my kind of show.
I'll let you know what I think!
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, he's one of the main characters. He is stellar on this show.
I'm happy to find so many nominations for beloved cancelled show Forever! The passion of Foreverists will hopefully win this one out...
ReplyDeleteThanks.Everything i said was straight from my heart.Such an amazing show!
ReplyDeleteThanks for such an awesome pitch for Homeland.I'm starting it ASAP.
ReplyDeleteOk I will! Thanks
ReplyDeleteYes, time is never enough to watch all the shows worth watching. Only recently I was able to catch up with highly recomendes shows as The Walking Dead and Vikings.
ReplyDeleteYeah, probably.
ReplyDeleteJust out of curiosity ,what didn't you like about it ?
ReplyDeleteOnly two from yesterday and today I saw I might like to try are Between and Generic Heroes Save the Day. A number of the others I watch/watched and found to be ok but wouldn't recommend them or tried a few times and couldn't get into them. A few on the list I really hated but I won't trash other people's favorites. There are only a couple of shows I watch that I would actually recommend to other people so it is really amazing to me that people would go to so much trouble.
ReplyDeleteYou should!!!! The first season has so many plot twists I had to pause it like on 5 occasions to be able to freak out. I stopped watching on the middle of S2 like 2 years ago because I didn't want to have to wait so long between seasons, but I started it again like a week ago.
ReplyDeleteNo problem! I regretted not having nominated this show in the first place so I'm happy I could!
ReplyDeleteYes you totally understand me for Fresh off the boat! Eddie can be very annoying and not at all interesting to watch but on the other hand Constance Wu was HILARIOUS! She made the show worth watching and hopefully season 2 will be enter than the first!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I wasn't a 24 viewer but it has the same executive producers behind it so I suppose the similarities are indeed true and yeah, I had heard that before as well! I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteLet me know how Homeland goes for you!
ReplyDeleteCovert Affairs is also a fine show, but it only really hits its stride in Season 3. The first seasons are procedural heavy with Seasons 3-5 becoming heavily serialzied and, in my mind, much better.
I love that expression " Watching Viola Davis inhabit Analise was like taking a master class" ahah, so true!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the Homeland pitch! While I think the Dana's hate in Season 3 got overblown and while I like the idea of showing what happens to the family of a guy who is classified as being a terrorist in public, the truth is that they should have made it a 3 episodes or so arc and then be done with it. It just didn't click well with the rest of the story to remain on for as long as it did. Overall, I disliked Season 3 of Homeland very much save for a few episodes, but the good news is that Season 4 was as good, if not better, than the first season, so they really got it back together!
ReplyDeleteGive Homeland a try and let me know how it goes ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment, glad you enjoyed my pitch! And yes, while S3 was mostly really bad (save for a couple of really amazing episodes somewhere int here), Season 4 was so awesome that it more than made up for it. I thought it was all around awesome, really, so they redeemed themselves greatly.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that! Looks like I am getting through to you with my pitches eheh. But in all seriousness, that is exactly the type of reaction I wanted. People who are not regular prestige TV watchers to give it a try!
ReplyDeleteI am not Daniel but I share his opinion. To me the pacing just dragged way too much. Sure, there was some nice payoff for the twists but it took way too long to get to them. And the storylines just felt disjointed the whole time. There was no clear direction and what they achieved in the end could have been achieved sans the entire first half of the season. In addition, it completely lacked that heart stopping feeling that I tend to get while watching Homeland.
ReplyDeleteGlad my Greek nomination resoanted with you! Like I said, I am not a regular teen-shows watcher but Greek was really something special. Let me know how that goes for you!
ReplyDeleteDo you still watch it nowadays? I think Season 4 was of a quality entirely on par with Season 1. And the first half of Season 2 was of the same quality, while the second half was ok. It was just Season 3 that really derailed for me.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend another try. The show is really worth it.
ReplyDeleteConstance Wu is probably the reason Fresh Off the Boat was successful enough to be renewed. She is beloved by everyone who watches the show. I share that feeling, although I really don't mind Eddie as you do.
ReplyDeleteOh and Fringe!
Wow Joy Haldar, I convinced you to try YET another show?? Ahah, don't know what to make of this one. I have no clue whether or not it will be a good fit with you. BSG is still the one you should try out first, so that at least after you have fallen in love with it I will be on a good enough account with you to handle further disapointments ahah. In all seriousness, glad you liked my pitch for Homeland and I am glad you are trying it out, let me know how that goes.
ReplyDeleteWhere are you on it right now? Season 4 is so amazing. Season 3 is bad so you may be compelled to give up again, but don't do it, Season 4 is perfection Season 1 style.
ReplyDeleteOk I will but right now I've just started the fosters so it's going to be a while! It's high on my list though!
ReplyDeleteThat's good to hear! I was really frustrated with S3 at times, up to the point in which I considered dropping it, and that's from someone who LOVED the first two seasons. But probably it will go better for you for two reasons:
ReplyDelete1) You've been warned ;) so your expectations will be adjusted down accordingly and not coming from the high of the first two seasons
2) You will marathon it so the huge pacing issues the season had should be alleviated for you. I was watching that one weekly. Speaking of which, I anticipate some sleepless nights for you once you get to mid Season 4 lol.
Cool ;)
ReplyDeleteYes, season 4 was a big improvement, Homeland needed that. I'm actually pretty excited about season 5. I have family and friends living in Germany, a friend in Berlin, so all that culture is very familiar to me. And I'm intrigued as to what topic they're going to address this time.
ReplyDeleteMe too, I am hyped for Season 5 and I like the fact that they are doing an European setting this time (I am an European myself)!
ReplyDeleteI wasn't a fan of the original 24 but I did like the version they put out last summer. It surprised me by how much I did.
ReplyDeleteI think Analise is the best crafted, most well-written female role on TV these days specifically because like you said, they do write her as a take charge, kick butt woman but then they have those vulnerable moments where she completely breaks and it totally redefines the character. It's powerful and sometimes I just sit back in awe. I'm a plot driven viewer but even I am impressed by the character work in this show.
ReplyDeleteThat's another favorite of mine. White Collar did so much right.
ReplyDeleteMaking fun of Afterschool Specials? Ha! Love it.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Anytime strangers become family it's an automatic plus for me in a show. I love the palyful interaction between the Criminal Minds crew. It helps balance out the horror in some of the episodes for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm being swayed by a lot of pitches. Sadly I don't have enough time for everything. At this point if I get done with what i still need to watch from the fall season by the end of July I am going to feel accomplished. :-)
ReplyDeleteVikings is very high on my list because everything I've seen of it I've liked.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
ReplyDeleteGood to know. Thanks. I've not seen her in anything before.
ReplyDeleteI've been seeing Peaky Blinders stuff a lot lately. What's it about?
ReplyDeleteGlad you're liking Fringe. It was an uneven show for me but the character interactions were top notch. Luther did not get nominated, but I'd love if you nominate it next summer. It often comes up on my Netflix but I haven't had the chance to check it out yet.
I can't stand Eddie on FotB either. That's why I was glad when they started putting more emphasis onthe parents. I can easily skip through Eddie because I know Jessica will be fabulous.
ReplyDeleteForever was such a unique show with so much heart. It's my Enlisted of this season. So sorry to see that it never caught on in the ratings.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! I'm glad you found something you're excited about.
ReplyDeleteNot every show is for everyone, that's for sure. I really do appreciate everyone who nominated even if it was for a show I'm not that keen on. It does take effort and most people put a lot of work and heart into their nominations. I'm only sorry we can't put them all up.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. It's just interesting to see how these people from such different backgrounds and parts of the country (or world) wind up hanging out and becoming close.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing with "Criminal Minds" is that the cast gets along really well off-set, and often hangs out together at events and stuff, or just for the heck of it in their everyday lives. That just adds to the excellent chemistry between their characters on the show. It's not a requirement that the cast of a show I watch be all buddy-buddy off-camera, as sometimes some of the best acting comes from people who aren't that close off the set (if not downright hate each other). But I do tend to enjoy a show a lot more, personally, if I know the cast gets along behind the scenes.
And I agree that the funny moments between them are a nice breath of air amidst all the horror and creepy crimes. Morgan and Reid's friendship is just beyond adorable and entertaining, and the respect the team shows Hotch, and vice versa, is great. And what I really love with the female characters is that there's no catty sniping or backstabbing, they're not fighting over men or stepping on each other to get something. Rather, they're all smart, strong, and very close and supportive of each other, and independent in their own lives as well. It's pretty neat.
I'm the reverse, I've noticed-characters grab me first, then the premise. But yeah, whichever type of viewer you are, no question she grabs your attention when she's on screen. She's a very fascinating character, and like you said, in terms of female roles, definitely something for other shows to aspire to and take notes from.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your thoughts :)!
ReplyDeleteCool, thanks. It's funny, "All My Children" was more my mom's show than mine, but I did watch it with her sometimes when I got older, and I'm always oddly happy when I see people from there going on to do other things (even if they don't always wind up being successful). Incidentally, a lot of AMC alumni have shown up on "Criminal Minds", which kind of amuses me :p.
Yep :D. They have a LOT of fun with that concept. And I say this as someone who actually enjoyed watching some of that stuff when I was a kid, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI tried watching S4 but I gave up and I read a lot about how much better it had become but I also saw that the same tired plot twists were being used. I really think the show would have been so much stronger if they had killed Brody at the end of S1. S3 was just terrible, I couldn't believe how bad it was.
ReplyDeleteI really don't think it was the same plot twists that were being used. The first 3 or 4 episodes are slow burners but then it really kicks off, and I really don't think it was any repetition of ideas that had previously been used. I highly recommend that you give it another chance. As someone who LOVED the show in the first two seasons, I almost gave up in Season 3 as well (And I almost never give up on shows) since I agree that it was really bad (save for a few episodes, mostly at the end), but Season 4 really redeemed the show.
ReplyDeleteYeah I've read somewhere that you are also doing rewatches, so I can understand how you won't have the time! Rewatches is something I really banished since time is so scarce!
ReplyDeleteI am too much of a completionist to jump into a show midway like that, even if it is one that is meant to be able to be watched as a standalone like LAD. 24 is actually something I would like to catch up and watch entirely, I just lack the time to do so for a show with so many episodes.
ReplyDeletePeaky Blinders is basically the English version of Boardwalk Empire. Post WW1 gangsters in Birmingham with a stellar cast like Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, and Tom Hardy (Season 2). The soundtrack is excellent as well and it's well worth giving a go.
ReplyDeleteWill certainly nominate Luther next year for sure. (Should have caught up with it by then as well), and you should certainly check that out as well :P. Both great.
I'm really loving S4
ReplyDeleteSuper glad to hear it! It's so awesome!
ReplyDeleteIndeed they did. What a great show.
ReplyDeleteI used to be the same way. Now I'm less so on certain things. I still prefer to watch episodes in order but with the nominated shows for my column,I'm learning to let that go since I can't watch every episode up to the nominated one usually. As for 24, I watched up until teh cougar did NOT eat Kim (really not much of a spoiler) and then dropped it. Then the only I watched was 24:LAD. I did have a couple places where people filled me in on some details, but overall I felt like I followed the storyline pretty well.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great point about the female characters. It is nice to see them supporting each other instead of manipulating or using each other. So many shows don't seem to have a grasp on female characters or use love triangle nonsense to put wedges between them. It's great that Criminal Minds shows females in a positive light.
ReplyDeleteI am doing it for shows that I am previewing or reviewing, but generally, yes, I have no time for rewatches. Too much new TV to watch.
ReplyDeleteThanks. For some reason i thought Peaky Blinders was a comedy. I was completely off on that one.
ReplyDeleteI agree about voiceovers too. I tend to not like them in the best of shows. Only on Burn Notice, The Goldbergs, and Dexter have I felt they added instead of detracted from the show.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much to the person who recommended Chosen! I downloaded the Crackle app and just watched the first episode and I'm definitely going to watch more! I can't believe I hadn't heard of the show and it's great to see Milo in something again.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you found a show you really liked.
ReplyDeleteChuck! :D
ReplyDeleteHow I miss this AMAZING show
FotB and Galavant are on my catch up list for this summer for sure!
ReplyDeleteI was so into Fringe and then post S2 I only caught episodes every now and again. I know I need to sit down and finally do a proper watch!
I'm agree with the "mixed reviews" of Grace and Frankie. As someone who's only seen a couple of episodes I can't say I'm 100% sold. There's things I love (mainly the cast) and then there's things that leave me utterly indifferent. I still would recommend it though, because seriously? THAT cast!!!
She was literally the only thing about that show which was tempting enough for me to give it a go... but everything else I saw from it, and it being a Shonda show was too big of a turn off...
ReplyDeleteOh! Enlisted! That's been on my list since before it got canceled! I really need to bump it up I think
ReplyDeleteTotally agree about how the city of Gotham is a bit of an entity of it's own. I probably should have added a comment to that too....
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