Welcome back to Pitch Your Show where we're into the third segment. I am going to take a short one-day hiatus on posting these so the next one will appear on Thursday. Sorry about that but I need to finish The Last Ship season 1 review and get the season 2 preview up. Thanks to everyone who nominated. Once again I apologize for not being about to get everyone's nominations into the article, but you can check out ALL the nominations in the spreadsheet link below. You can find links to the first 2 segments there also. Don't forget to comment about any shows you are tempted to try. It is encouraging to all those nominating. So until Thursday, I hope you find some great shows to try over the hiatus.
Link to spreadsheet
Part A
Part B
***Nominated by Sandi - In the Flesh is a unique and powerful take on the zombie genre which aired on BBC Three and BBC America. The series starts some time after the Zombie Apocalypse, in fact near all of the 'Rotters', as they are called, have been rounded up and have been cured to a certain extent. They are now called PDS (Partially Deceased Syndrome) sufferers, and control their urges with a daily injection. We join the show's lead, Kieren Walker (Luke Newberry), as he is set to rejoin his family home back in his quiet Lancashire village just as his past undead life is catching up with him through flashbacks. The show does have moments of the more typical zombie violence and gore-fest you expect, but the real horror comes from an unexpected quarter. Dominic Mitchell (creator/head writer) explores human's prejudicial nature - be it racism, homosexuality, suicide or extreme religion - both through analogue and by directly using the PDS sufferers and their struggle to fit in their old surroundings. It gets pretty dark in places, with government plots, secret testing labs, a messiah who may save zombiekind, murders and cover ups, PTSD and more. It's not all doom and gloom however; there are also some very uplifting moments. Amy (Emily Bevan) in particular is a character who lightens just about every scene she is in. She becomes Kieren's BDFF - Best Dead Friend Forever - and is one of my favourite female characters ever. She's strong, smart, funny and has the confidence to not care what others think of her or her condition.
***Nominated by TwiX - When I first saw the iZombie promotional pix before its release, I thought it was just a waste of TV space. But after seeing its trailer I gave it a go and I feel extremely lucky to have done so because iZombie is now in my Top 3 favorite shows. It follows Liv Moore through her adventures as a zombie during which she uses a certain magical power she now posseses to solve crimes. But this isn't the whole story...the show focuses on a larger secret and side plots combining to give a great thrill of an hour to the audience. Watch 3 episodes and you will understand what I mean. Plus it involves not only a super attractive cast but also a good pick of hot guest stars. It serves many genres like drama, action, romance, horror, thriller, fantasy, crime with a bonus of apt comedy. There isn't anything more you could ask for. It doesn't drag in a plot of love and relationships which many shows survive on nowadays. It has just the right amount of romance in it. You will be very glad you gave it a chance.
***Nominated by Luana - I'm not really a zombie-fan but this show has so much charm. The different personalities the main character takes are very entertaining to watch and the dialogue is the funniest I've seen in a long time, even if it's not a comedy.
***Nominated by Squibbles - Have you ever loved a show so much that you don't know how to describe it because you feel no matter how well you describe it you're still not doing it to the level that the show deserves ? That's exactly how I feel about iZombie. I know many viewers were turned off by iZombie's lackluster trailer and the fact that it was about zombies which TV has been doing a lot of, but iZombie offers something new and fresh to the worn-out genre. It perfectly balances fluff, humor and heart with more dramatic plots. It doesn't paint its characters as stereotypical zombies, instead the zombies have many different personalities and are as flawed as human beings. The characters may seem stereotypical at the start of the season but at the end, they are flawed but unique and fully actualized human beings. The show also does not play it safe. It is not afraid to take chances and pull all the shots which makes it a truly entertaining hour of television. I cannot finish this review without mentioning Rose McIver's wonderful performance as the lead character; her performance of Liv is on par with the groundbreaking performance of Tatiana Maslany's in Orphan Black as she has to tackle a new personality each week.
***Nominated by Patrick Maloney - While it is not a drama or the type of show intended for this, I would recommend the comedy stylings of Jack McBrayer and Robert Smigel to anyone who is tired of the same old boring sitcoms that are aired by other networks (IE anything from NBC & CBS).
***Nominated by Mihail Petrov - Jane the Virgin started rough because people accused it of being the reason why "The Tomorrow People" was cancelled and many people didn't give Jane a chance. But actually JTV is a good comedy with some drama in the mix. Jane the Virgin opened so many doors to the CW, being nominated for a Golden Globe and other prestigious awards. So my message is give it a try; it really deserves it!
***Nominated by omabin - This is one of the most bizarre concept shows out there and I don't really know with which show to compare this one to, to convince you to try it out because frankly, there really isn't anything like this out there. I wasn't entirely convinced when I saw episodes 1, 2 or even 3 whether or not I liked this show but halfway through the season something clicked me with me and I was definitely in love with this show. Biggest strengths: THAT CAST!, more twists than you probably ever had in all the comedies you have watched, hilarious moments (I am speaking laugh out loud moments, which aren't all that funny in comedies actually), A LOT of reliability in the characters, heart in the relationships, different from everything you've probably found, Carol Pilbasian who is one of the most hilarious characters around and portrayed by the awesome Kristen Schaal. Caveats (better to be upfront after all): The main character can come off as obnoxious at times. He is certainly flawed but he is flawed in such a human and relatable manner that I don't think he will prevent you from enjoying the show and the show acknowledges that in pretty big ways, so you have pay offs for that obnoxiousness.
***Nominated by SGU - This TNT show was a pleasant surprise for me last Summer. It takes a premise that's been done many times, a virus outbreak, and manages to make it entertaining again. It's extremely action packed but it has its lighthearted moments. The cast is great and they all have wonderful chemistry on screen. It left me on the edge of my seat more than once with its intense moments, definitely a show not to be missed!
***Nominated by Dahne - The Last Ship was my favorite new summer show last year. The best thing about it is the pacing, which moves rapidly from one crisis to the next. There is very little downtime and even an episode devoted to the lack of water is riveting. It is also a feel good show with more pep talks and Independence Day speeches than all other shows combined. Still it all comes down to the characters who work together to save the last remnant of the world.
***Nominated by omabin - Okay, there is no way I can give you a show that is comparable to this one because, as far as my television knowledge is concerned, it doesn't exist. The Leftovers is about what happens to the world when 2% of the world's population suddenly vanishes without explanation. However, do not let this premise fools you: the show is NOT about what originated that occurrence - there is no exploration of that mystery and, in fact, other than the act itself, there is nothing remotely sci-fi about this show. Instead, it focuses on the reactions of all those left behind and in the way that every day you now get to wake up knowing that something unexplainable like that happened. What would you do if your entire family vanished and you were supposed to move on with your life? That's the question Nora Durst, portrayed by the astonishing Carrie Coon, has to answer. How do you use God to explain what happened and in which way does it shape your beliefs? Matt Jamison, portrayed by the also brilliant Christopher Eccleston, tries to answer that. What happens when this event leads you to believe in something completely out there and to completely change the way in which you are able to live your life? Chris Zylka, Amy Brenneman and Ann Dowd, among others, try to show you that. And finally, what happens when your entire family managed to not be among the vanished, yet your family is still entirely torn apart by the event? That's the question our main character, Kevin Garvey, tries to answer, brilliantly portrayed by the most underrated actor on television, Justin Theroux. In case you couldn't tell, I am in awe of the cast of this series and I personally believe that, from every show I've watched in the past year, no one has done anything more award worthy than Justin Theroux, who I legitimately think should be winning every single lead actor category.
The Leftovers is a very dark, very depressing and very slow paced show. I am totally aware that this isn't a show for everyone so chances are that you listen to me, you go give it a shot and you end up severely disliking it. But if you can do dark, if you can do depressing, if you can go slow paced and if you are remotely interested by anything I have been saying, then I highly encourage you to just give it a shot because the mere possibility of your liking it is worth the risk of you not liking it!
***Nominated by Owen - Leverage is a show about five thieves, who fight corporate and governmental injustices, but for me, this show is all about 'family'. The relationship between characters is always the highlight for me. Beside this, the plot of each episode is well written and full of twiste. If you are looking for a show which is fun, full of twists and heartwarming, Leverage is your best choice.
***Nominated by Dahne - Leverage may be the show I miss most. Following a group of Robin Hood thieves, what really set the show apart were the character interactions. Although they start out with an "every man for themselves" mentality, they quickly become a group that depends on each other with their lives. There's also tremendous character development throughout, especially with Parker. Parker is one of the most dynamic, fun, and intriguing female characters in all of TV. In fact, she ties Fiona Glenanne from Burn Notice as my all-time favorite. Eliot and Hardison are also favorites and their growing bromance becomes another highlight of the series.
***Nominated by Lindsay - Agents of SHIELD is truly the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead of the Marvel Cinematic Universe while it truly should be Hamlet. The show tackles amazing twists, breathtaking moments of action, and an ever-expanding world of characters that all have depth and desires. In the midst of it all, this show has all the thrills, spectacle, and saving-the-world impact that can only come from Marvel in a seasonal show and there are so few shows these days dealing with superpowered people along with a healthy cast of badass ladies.
***Nominated by Missions - I just finished season 1 and have not even watched season 2 yet. Hence, my recommendation will be based off of the first season. I went into this show with low expectations due to the negative response towards the first eleven episodes of the season. I thought they were just okay, not good but not terrible. However, it set up the whole storyline very well for both the story itself and especially the characters! In episode 11 the show started becoming really, really good and at one point the show became awesome! The twists are incredible and brilliantly executed. The visual effects and fighting scenes are very well done and the action is on spot! In my opinion, all characters are likable and develop a lot during the first season. Now, after having watched the first season, I am desperately waiting for the second season to come out on Netflix on Thursday. At the moment, it is my favorite superhero show (and I watch both the Flash and Arrow). Don't be blinded by the first half of the season and embark on a journey of excellence by watching!
***Nominated by omabin - Masters of Sex is probably the most underrated show around, in my very humble opinion. Some shows compensate the lack of huge numbers with an overwhelming strong online presence/ cult following. Others get to enjoy a degree of critical acclaim that makes all else seem acceptable. Masters of Sex sadly doesn't really fall on any of these situations, which is a real shame. This show is about a group of characters who live in the 50s and about the complexity of these individuals and the brutality of the relationships they develop with one another. Yes, the show also happens to follow the evolution of the learning about sexuality and yes, there is a fair amount of sex on this show, but at the core of it all, it really is about the characters. None of the scenes they do feel gratuitous and all of them serve a purpose character wise. This really is a character piece so if you enjoy those, you really should go for it as you will find some of the better constructed and better developed characters on television. The acting is top notch all around headlined by the insanely talented Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan and the writing is some of my favorite on television for how deep it is. I recommend it in particular to fans of The Affair, Mad Men (from the little I've seen of it) or The Americans but, in general to anyone who likes characters front and center and amazingly written and acted characters. It won't be for everyone (and if you can't deal with nudity and such, it certainly won't be for you) but it may end up being for you so it is definitely worth a try!
***Nominated by Pablozky - By far the most endearing and heartwarming comedy I have ever seen with well defined characters that have evolved through the series run, The Middle is a show that isn't afraid to grow. The lines are stellar, the plots are usually fairly amazing, the character treatment and the amazing cast is enough to win you over. It gets better with each season, hitting all cylinders on season 4, while keeping the quality on check in the following seasons.
**Nominated by Jagoda - I loved it since day 1. It has since become one of my all-time favourite TV shows. :) Can't wait for more...
***Nominated by Dahne - If you're looking for a fun, snarky, swift-moving, action-filled series, then look no further. The Musketeers has some of the best sword fighting on TV and a ready quick quip to make it even better. The characters are well-developed and the episodes that provide back story for our heroes are my favorites. Also for a show set in the 1700's, they have well-rounded female characters. For instance the Queen is smarter and more capable than the King, while the premiere assassin is a woman from one of the main character's past. With plots that race and a sense of good times permeating, The Musketeers is perfect summer viewing.
***Nominated by Jon - Nikita (2010-2013) has three full seasons and a fourth one of 6 episodes to conclude the show. This means it has a proper ending so you won't be left with a cliffhanger.
- The lead actress is a WOC (Maggie Q). She's a kickass woman and if I remember correctly, she did a lot of her own stunts since she's pretty great at martial arts.
- If you like action, government conspiracies, spy cells, etc, this show is for you!
- If you like Agent Carter's Angie, you should try Nikita. Lyndsy Fonseca plays the other female lead, Alexandre Udinov. Her storylines are pretty amazing, and we follow her transformation from junkie to brilliant spy.
- There is romance, of course, but it's like, 20% of the overall show, meaning it doesn't overshadow the plots.
- It's definitely not a damsel in distress kind of show.
- The tech genius is really funny and the show, despite its serious plotlines, has great bits of humor.
- You can binge-watch! Since the show's over, you won't have to wait months for a new season.
- Good acting, convincing villains, good guys that don't shy away from emotions (they're spies, doesn't mean they can't break down and cry once in a while).
Just watch this show. Trust me. It took me two weeks to watch all three seasons + the conclusion.
***Nominated by Gator Fan (edited for length) - For the longest while, it seemed as though brothers Don and Charlie Eppes shared only their last name, parents, ancestry, and genetics. After a stint in minor league baseball, Don joins the FBI. Charlie, a child prodigy, becomes a rock star in the math community. The only time their lives intersect is when they visit their father, Alan, at their childhood home. One day, that dynamic changes. Frustrated with a case, Don visits Charlie and Alan. Charlie spots the map that Don left on the table and volunteers his expertise in mathematics to help Don solve the case. After Charlie’s model yields an arrest, the two brothers begin to work closely with each other. At the same time, both brothers are exposed to aspects of each other’s lives. Both communities simultaneously oppose and support the brothers’ efforts to fight crime. The relationships in Numb3rs have major appeal to the audience. When the series opens, the family is only Alan, Don, and Charlie. Over time, the family grows to include 11 people, including Don's teammates, Charlie's graduate student, and Charlie’s best friend. As for Don and Charlie, they begin to bond over cases and over Charlie’s mathematical expertise. In addition, various team members find romance. The bonds between teammates are tested and strengthened over the years. Most of the testing comes from opposition in both communities. The CalSci community prefers that Charlie spend more time making scientific discoveries and less time fighting crime. Don’s superiors at the FBI dislike the idea that outsiders are directing investigations; the team’s success rate, however, prevents the superiors from disallowing the relationship between academia and law enforcement. Several times, however, the testing of the team’s bonds comes from the teammates themselves as their beliefs and actions collide with the FBI’s mission. In those times, the team find themselves making a decision whether to stay loyal to each other.
One would not expect a show about math to be interesting, but the math also appeals to the audience. In some of Numb3rs’s cases, the cases actually happened. “Pilot” is based on a case that Dr. Kim Rossmo worked in Louisiana while “Waste Not” is based on an incident involving toxic waste that happened near writer Julie Hebert’s hometown. The series’ writers have taken two topics, math and law enforcement, and have married them in a unique and satisfying way. Over the course of the series, viewers see the both the predictability and unpredictably of human nature. Law enforcement officers often seek patterns of human behavior that differ from the norm. The assistance of the mathematical community in cases accelerates the search so that justice can be served more quickly. At the same time, pain and suffering, love, friendship, and social bonds can occur unexpectedly and are very unpredictable. For those worrying about the level of violence, sex, language, and nudity, Numb3rs’ levels are about the same or tamer than most network procedurals. There are several violent exchanges of gunfire in several episodes, but, most of the time, characters are seen running and hiding from the firefight. The language and sex are very mild; in one particular scene, the most that comes off is a hairband and a jacket, and the camera cuts away before it turns into a sex scene. As for the nudity, it is very rare. In one episode, a drug dealer orders an undercover female agent to strip to her underwear so that he can check for a wiretap, and viewers can tell that she does not like the idea at all.
The storytelling in Numb3rs has been enhanced by various aspects of the filmmaking process. The acting is quite believable; one can sense what each person is thinking or feeling during a tense moment. A few times, Don and Charlie engage in brotherly horseplay. One does not need to know advanced math to follow Charlie’s rationale. The math is demonstrated through graphics and exposition that occur either when Charlie has an idea what mathematical model to use or when he is explaining a concept to the FBI. The music sets the mood for various scenes; twice, it is used during car trips. Several well-known directors, among them Emilio Estevez and the late Tony Scott, have directed episodes for the series. Tony Scott’s episode “Trust Metric” feels like a movie more than a television episode.
***Nominated by Valeria - Guys, Robert Carlyle and Lana Parrilla together...Do you need anything else?
***Nominated by Goodbye Revenge - 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. It's 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! Alongside 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!
***Nominated by Spindae - Once Upon a Time is a show that transforms your favorite Disney characters into real life human being, with faults and humanity like you never could imagine before. At the same time the show is strange and marvelous, because it pushes all those heroes and villains out of the black and white zone into a gray area, as no one is completely evil or completely good. The show features a bunch of strong actors who really deliver on those heartbreaking moments creating a strong emotional bond with the viewers. It is far from perfect and sometimes gets caught up in some inconsistent writing but at the end of the day all those imperfections can't destroy the beautiful feeling you get while watching the show. If you decide to watch the show be ready for some pushy spells and curses, shipper wars brewing all over the web and falling once again in love with your favorite fairytale characters.
***Nominated by Mac (edited for length) - Usually spin-offs work like semi-sequels for popular shows and characters, making double the dime for the network and giving fans a double dose of their fix. Quite a few spin-offs embrace the fact that they are connected with their mother-show (Flash-Arrow, Chicago Fire-Chicago PD). Not so this show. Originating as supporting characters on "The Vampire Diaries," the original siblings Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah gained a life all of their own. Stepping up to more major characters, they quickly managed to get their own spin-off. Being part of a generation scarred by the horrible Young Adult craze started with Twilight my first thought about this franchise was "Why would I watch that? I'm a masochist but not that suicidal." However I gave TVD a try and found myself fascinated by the balance it kept between its mythos and obligatory romantic arc. TVD lost that balance very quickly; The Originals serves as counterbalance these days. The focus on obsolete romantic arcs goes to zero (Not saying that there are none. This is the CW after all.) and the plot manages to focus on the show's strong suits. It's rare that a show manages to get better and better instead of taking a quick quality dive like oh-so-many shows tend to do. "The Originals" however is one.
"But Mac, I just don't care about clean shaven baby vampires" some might say, but let me assure you. These vampires aren't clean shaven. They can be unlikable jerks. There won't be a single character you could consider perfect, simply because they're not meant to be. The point here is to convince YOU to watch "The Originals", so I could crawl up your butt and claim that "it's the perfect show" but I want you to embrace the idea of unlikable lead characters. You didn't like Walter White, why? Because he was a jerk and a monster. That's the point of Breaking Bad but you sympathized with him. That exact plot element is used for The Originals' main character Klaus. Klaus is, well, a violent toddler. Take away one of his toys and he'll start crying while he pushes the blame on you. He's kind of like our favourite Simpsons' bully Nelson, a whiny bully. And while at times you'll feel the need to offer him a trip to the dentist you won't be capable of not sympathizing with some of his goals, because most are motivated by the simple fact that this character is not made for the immortality he's been given. Humans live, eat, screw and ultimately die. Klaus can't die. But the tragic thing is that while his entire existence should be limited to 60 years, his personality isn't strong enough. It's interesting and kind of philosophical to think about your childhood bully becoming immortal. Don't worry, if you feel that this bully won't be capable of keeping your attention; we have the anti-bully right next to him. His older brother Elijah, who takes a Dean-role on the show, keeps his brother in check and proves that immortality can work if you work on your personality construct.
But enough with the pseudo philosophical garbage. If you came here to read about sexual content and violence I can offer severed heads, massive amounts of wasted gallons of fake blood and a few punches, but really there is little gore and even less sexual content. So what is "The Originals"? It's essentially "Interview with a Vampire". Quiet, slow paced, well written, beautifully acted and most of all: atmospheric. The city of New Orleans is its own character on this show and gives this universe a lot more depth than it should have. What elevates this show from other CW and network dramas? A coherent plotline. I know, weird to read but few shows manage to keep a clear plot going or a theme. The Originals uses the complexity of its universe to suck you in. If you are looking for a show that focuses more on writing and acting than anything else? Well, then "The Originals" should offer you a great deal of entertainment.
Thanks as always to everyone who nominated shows. I really appreciate it. Thanks to everyone who has been commenting as well. It's been a fun dialogue.
ReplyDeleteThere will not be a new post tomorrow because I need to work on The Last Ship articles tonight, but the last 2 segments should come on Thursday and Friday.
So what shows have peaked your interest?
Yaaay my shield nomination is here!
ReplyDeletelol did my text really get too long? ^^
ReplyDeleteLast Ship sounds like it's right down my ally plus the Middle sounds like a fun show, at least funny enough to compensate for my lack of Community :o
ReplyDeleteNothing new caught my attention today but I'm still have plenty of Bates Motel to watch from yesterday, thanks to everyone who nominated that, I'm really enjoying it. A few shows up there I already watch:
ReplyDeleteThe Last Ship - Well everything I have to say is up there already, so yh, I hope people check it out!
The Leftovers - omabin covered it very well. It's definitely slow, dark and depressing but the acting is phenomenal. It did take me a while to figure out what the show was actually about and what it was trying to do, but once I realised this wasn't at all about how or why the people disappeared but instead about how the remaining people are coping with it the show became a pleasure to watch.
Once Upon a Time - I love watching this show not just for the great cast, stories, twists and characters but because every time I watch it I'm just sucked into this beautiful world where my imagination is allowed to run free. Anything can happen on this show, it has an endless stream of stories to tell. As with all stories it has it's ups and downs but the journey is worth it.
I already watch The Originals but if I didn't that was an amazing pitch. Couldnt of said it any better. That show gets a lot of criticism and I never understood why. I actually didn't like Vampire Diaries, TO just caught my interest almost like a fluke thing. But I'm glad I jumped in cause it was pleasantly surprising.
ReplyDeleteOh damn, I've just finished commenting and going through all the comments of Part B lol!
ReplyDeleteFew more new shows to either add to the list or move to the top of the Netflix queue:
ReplyDeleteIn The Flesh - never really paid much attention to this show but I like the different take on the genre
The Last Ship - I saw the pilot and it was super intense. The subject material is right up my alley so I think it's time to rewatch that pilot and bump the series up on the watch-list.
Masters of Sex and The Musketeers - these have been on my radar for a while...again, time to bump up on the watch-list
The rest of the shows I already watch or have tried. However, I do have to say that Leverage is one of my all-time favorite shows. I miss Parker, Eliot and Hardison shenanigans so much - some of my favorite TV moments are from this series. This little trip down memory lane kinda makes me want to do a re-watch now!
Also of note - I just recently finished a Netflix marathon of Numb3ers. I remember catching an episode here and there when it aired live but I got so totally and completely sucked in by the characters and particularly, the Epps family bond, that I didn't know what to do with myself after I finished. Nothing seemed like it could fill the void (eventually, H5O took it's place in the marathon list but that void is still there). If you liked Forever, give Numb3ers a chance. All season are available to stream on Netflix in the USA.
I am so proud of myself for having convinced you to give Shield a try ;) It really makes me happy to see that you liked it so much that now you are the one pitching it to others! How awesome is that? And you still have the awesome Season 2 to watch, lucky you ;)
ReplyDeleteI am very excited about The Last Ship returning. My marathon last weekend just made me more excited. Shameless plug here - Tomorrow I am going to post my Last Ship Ranker article where you can rank the episodes too. I hope you participate. (I'm not above begging.)
ReplyDeleteI was actually very unbusy until I was called in to work summer school at the last minute. Otherwise I would have done things a bit differently and started this in May instead. Still I never regret this article because I always get so much more out of it than I put into it.
That's pretty cool that you watched the spin-off even if you didn't watch the original. Not many people do or even try a spin-off if they didn't like the original. Kudos.
ReplyDeleteHa! I feel your pain. I need to go back through it too. Still there's no new post tomorrow so that should give you a bit of a break.
ReplyDeleteLeverage and Numb3rs are some of my favorite shows too. Both shows had incredible bonds and character interactions. I am still waiting for TNT to wake up and give me a Leverage reunion movie or two. There was nothing like the PEH trio. Parker remains one of my favorite female characters of all time. In fact I am reviewing an episode (or 3) of Leverage for my turn on Throwback Thursday.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do try The Last Ship. I hope to live tweet it this season. It's got a lot of action and heart so I think you'll like it. The Musketeers is simply fun.
The Middle is my favorite comedy on TV by far. A lot of shows lose their charm after 6 seasons, but the Middle is still very entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI love how Jane the Virgin is bringing such positive press to The CW. I never thought I'd see the day that a CW show would get an acting nomination, much less win, from a major award.
ReplyDeleteThe Last Ship and Numb3rs sound interesting. I may have to give them a try.
ReplyDeleteLol, I was already planning on checking out your article tomorrow, I'm looking forward to it, no need to beg! I've started a marathon of season one myself since it's been a while since I watched it. Hopefully I'll be finished when you post the article.
ReplyDeleteYes that will help out (not to be mistaken by me not loving these though)
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the show before?
ReplyDeleteno need to worry, it just didn't feel that long to me when I penned it down. But that's often the case when you lose track of your own writing ^^
ReplyDelete2 pages? Well, some people really ARE dedicated :D
You really now how to pitch a show! All the ones I found interesting were written by you, I don't know how you do it, but you know how to sell!
ReplyDeleteFunny that In the Flesh and iZombie are one after the other. iZombie is really good, one of my favorites this year. Haven't watched In the Flesh, but it sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'll add to my list (an already LONG list): The Last Ship, Nikita and probably Numbers, always wanted to watch the last one, don't know why.
My recommendations:
- Agents of SHIELD: It's not as bad as people say, give it a try, season 2 gets much better.
- The Musketeers: Very fun, well written, beautiful looking show.
The Leftovers was amazing, but it's clearly not for everyone.
ReplyDeleteThanks lol I couldn't get past the longing looks between the triangle on Vampire Diaries.
ReplyDeleteNikita, a show that hasn't been on air for a season and half is commented here, but not Grey's Anatomy (Stellar season 11) nor Scandal?
ReplyDeleteThat happens to me a lot. Plus I have the hardest time being concise about anything. A lot of people really put thought into their nominations this year and it showed. They were a pleasure to read. I even learned some things about shows I have already watched. Seriously impressed with the nominations here.
ReplyDelete"But Mac, I just don't care about clean shaven baby vampires"
ReplyDeleteThis line made me giggle :D. As did the "Best Dead Friend Forever" acronym.
Definitely want to check out "The Middle", that show's been on my list for a while now. Some channel here shows reruns of that series on weeknights, I believe it is, so I'll try and start catching them when possible. And all the about the characters on "Agents of SHIELD", from the discussion I've read here about them, have me kind of intrigued to give that show a look.
I may also need to add "Jane the Virgin" and "Leverage" to my list as well, given all the good stuff I've heard about those shows.
Awesome, thanks! Now to get the Ranker to cooperate. It should be a fun article because Liam, the new reviewer for this season sent me his rankings too and in some things we are direct opposites so I hope that sparks some great conversation.
ReplyDeleteLove triangles killed it for me too on TVD but I was impressed with all the action in season 1. I didn't expect that. I just can't do love triangles though so I never watched season 2.
ReplyDeleteI watched the first half of the season before it got crowded out by all the other shows I was watching.
ReplyDeleteThese are two of my favorite shows. For Numb3rs, it's all about the brotehrs and their bond with their father. I found the math twist interesting, which is funny because I never found math interesting before, but in the end it was the Eppes family that I still miss today.
ReplyDeleteThe Last Ship I love because of all the action and the feel-good speeches. It's a show that I always end up feeling better or more hopeful after I watch it. Strange since it takes place after a majority of the world dies.
I thought it was amusing that the 2 zombie shows were next to each other too. You've put some great shows on your too-long, to-watch list. I liked them all. I also like The Musketeers. I totally agree with you. The humor and action are my favorite parts but it is gorgeously shot too.
ReplyDeleteI seems to have a passionate fanbase here though. I wasn't surprised at all that it was nominated.
ReplyDeleteThey were not nominated. I wish you had nominated them. Maybe you will next summer.
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe that everyone should have the pleasure of meeting Parker, Eliot, and Hardison from Leverage. They maybe my favorite trio in all of TV. The good thing about Leverage is that it is largely procedural so you can watch a few episodes and then pick them up later. Of course if you are me, you'll say juse 2 episodes and then end up watching until 2 in the morning and wondering where the time went.
ReplyDeleteYeah it's hard to keep up with all these shows! Personally I love it but I wish it had better ratings.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the discussion as well, re-watching it there so many things I'd forgotten or wish I'd mentioned in my pitch. Like I totally forgot about Mike losing his son and the effects and visuals are stunning as well. The acting is good throughout but it has a lot of stand out moments too.
ReplyDeleteDahne, I'm very happy you're doing the pitch your show to help combat this hiatus blues I get into, a lot of interesting pitches worth checking out, why did they have to mention Leverage I miss that show so much, Numbers as well, I do hope more people give The Middle a try it's really a warm and loving look at a Middle class family that love each other, I starting watching a lot of shows from the pitches last summer, now it looks like I'm going to have to bend and start watching Jane the Virgin, Thanks for the hard work you're putting into doing This!!!!
ReplyDeleteI know ION has shown reruns of that show as well. I'll have to take a look at when they air and make a note to start watching :D. I've certainly heard lots of good things about those particular characters from that show, so I'll look forward to getting to know them when I check the show out.
ReplyDeleteAnd ha, I understand that feeling of, "Just one/two more episodes, I swear". If you've got the time free, though, why not, right?
So yep. That's officially on my "to see" list. Off to look up episode airing times.
ION is rapidly becoming my go-to place for binge watch TV. It used to USA but I like the shows on ION better as a whole. It has Cold Case, which is one of my all-time favorite procedurals but I never feel I can nominate it because ION is literally the only way people can watch it these days. No DVD, no streaming. It's such a shame.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you have found a new show to add to your list. I miss Leverage so much too. Even more than Burn Notice and White Collar, which kind of surprises me because I loved them too. When things get a little slower, I hope to binge watch the Middle too.
ReplyDeleteThey're really good with the marathons on there, yeah. And they know how to program the network, too-it often seems if people like one series on that network they're likely to enjoy most, if not all, of the others.
ReplyDeleteI'd heard that about "Cold Case" not being on DVD, that sucks. Hopefully they can make that work out someday. I've caught a couple episodes of that one and liked the setup of it, so I'll work on checking that show out further.
As for "Leverage", saw an episode of it's supposed to air on some local channel of ours Saturday evening, so I set a reminder for it :). And it looks like a few more are going to air next weekend as well, so a good chance for me to get a bit of a feel for the show. Looking forward to checking it out.
Shows that feature family and friendships are my absolute favorites so it sounds like I will enjoy Numb3rs. I've heard good things about it, too.
ReplyDeleteYou all really need to start watching The Middle. Eden Sher is always Emmy-worthy as Sue Heck (yet they STILL only give them to Modern Family
ReplyDeleteShe's way more talented).
If you like The Goldbergs or Fresh Off The Boat, the success of The Middle is the reason why ABC knew it was safe to put them on the air.
It never got the opportunity of seeing a proper lead-in, and I think with such it would have been an even stronger show. Hoping this one is on for years to come, as the aging of the characters does not one bit deteriorate the plots, unlike that other Wednesday anchor.
I tried to, but I've been very busy. But I didn't worry at all 'cause I was really confident on them. But I'll do it next summer. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes give Jane the Vergin a shot! When I first heard about it I was like wow that show sounds stupid and I'm never watching it. While I was on a plane ride I had nothing else to do so I decided to watch and became addicted! Bad name but great show!
ReplyDeleteI've heard nothing but good things about it, and not just from the critics, I'm definetly going to give it a go, Thanks for the recommendation, I've finally gotten over the name:)
ReplyDeleteYeah i am soo Glad you persuaded me to watch :) I am currently on episode 4 of season 2
ReplyDeleteIt should have a passionate fanbase.
ReplyDeleteSome more great shows pitched here. Adding my support to the following:
ReplyDeleteIn The Flesh: The smartest most beautiful and tragic zombie show out there.
iZombie: - Super fun, starts like a procedural but quickly becomes more serialized.
Jane The Virgin: I don't think its the Greatest Show Ever as some critics seem to have declared but its fun enough.
The Leftovers: Totally agree that this isn't the show for everyone. I do think its the best portrait of depression and grief currently on TV and as the S1 finale showed, it is also a show about hope.
Marvel's Agents of SHIELD: Seriously this show has improved so much since its uneven early S1 episodes. But even those episodes were seriously fun and about getting to know the characters.
The Middle: This show is so comforting to watch, its not a radical sitcom or anything but its got a great cast and a big heart.
Adding to my watch list Nikita, it has actually been on my watch list for a couple of years now I just forgot about it.
Season 2 of TVD was exceptional.
ReplyDeleteI never finished The Last Ship from last season but I really liked it. I need to finish it before S2 starts. From this list I'm adding The Last Ship finish and The Three Musketeers. <<<-I keep reading such great things about this show.
ReplyDeleteNothing new for me today but I would like to put my support in for The Middle. While it is a very funny show there also some really moving moments. They usually involve the underrated Eden Sher. I honestly was in tears at the end of this year's finale episode. I will be interested in seeing where the Leftovers goes this year since they have covered everything in the book. I'd also like to say that I didn't make it through season 1 of TVD but I did decide to try The Originals and I like it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that! The midseason finale is one of my favorite episodes of the series and it was one of my favorite episodes of the year, glad you are almost there ;) Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I am glad you think I did a good job with The Leftovers pitch! I really tried hard with that one since it isn't an easy one but it really had to be up there imo.
ReplyDeleteI love your words about Once Upon a Time, it really shows how passionate you are about it!
I agree with this. Season 2 of TVD (and the last 2/3 of season 1, really) was golden!
ReplyDeleteAhah thanks so much for the kind words! I am glad I am resonating with you. It's funny cause I never thought sales was my thing! Which ones caught your attention this time?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, it also helps that I am pitching so many freaking shows lol, it would be a bad sign if none of my pitches were able to resonate since there are so many of them!
Agreed. I tried to explain that in my pitch actually. I just think that despite the likelihood that people won't find it their cup of tea, it's still worth watching because in the event they do like it, they are missing out on something really amazing.
ReplyDeleteI know you love the Middle but I don't really know why you need to put down Modern Family to pitch your show. I find it extremely off putting. Surely you can sell out the middle without attacking Modern Family!
ReplyDeleteNikita is amazing. I am glad you are giving it a try. The first half of S1 doesn't actually do the show justice since it is very procedural like (maybe it is like you are saying iZombie was) but then it kicks off and it becomes amazing - the midseason finale of Season 1 is awesome and from then on it never stops. I think you will really like it.
ReplyDeleteAgreed entirely on Shield and The Leftovers!
Question for those who watched "In The Flesh": Wikipedia says it hasn't been renewed for a third season, does the second one gives the show decent closure? I'm not very keen on the idea of watching a new show while I wait for AoS to return only to be annoyed to find out that it leaves threads hanging that'll never be picked up again.
ReplyDeleteI will make my long post that no one reads in a bit but I just wanted to ask two questions since today's section covers two shows that have been very high on my radar for over a year:
ReplyDelete- How serialized is The Musketeers? Last summer I watched the first 3 episodes and while I loved the pilot and thought there was a lot to go on in the series, I became disapointed with the subsequent episodes as it felt too procedural like to me and too "low stakes" - don't really know how to put it, but it felt to me that it wasn't properly exploring the vast complexity of the world. I was a huge fan of the animated version as a kid, it was a highlight of my weekends lol, so I kind of need this to be big for me to get into it.
- Regarding The Last Ship, I watched the first two episodes last year and while by no means bad, it felt a bit "been there, done that" for me. However, the show is right up there my alley and in theory it has everything I look forward in a show, so I should be able to like it. It probably didn't help that I tried this right after The Leftovers and I wasn't really in the mood for this type of show. So my question is, does the show improve and does the show manages to become more different than the usual genre? I will probably try it again regardless, since I loved the pitch above (kuddos!)
Today covers some of the shows that have been the highest on my radar for a while! Random comments:
ReplyDelete- iZombie is something I want to check out and since it is just 13 episodes, I will probably get around to do it this summer.
- I tried the Jane the Virgin pilot a few weeks ago and it really isn't for me. Clearly there are enough people out there who love the show, including the critics, but it just isn't the type of stuff that has appeal to me.
- I have talked about The Last Ship in a comment below. It's probably the show, along with Extant, that I will marathon next. I watched the first two episodes last year and I stopped but these submissions are probably enough to get me to give it a second try now.
- Marvel's Agents of Shield is one of my favorite shows on television and I am glad it has such enthusiastic pitches up there. I throw in my support to it entirely and I fully hope that people aren't discouraged by the the first half of Season 1 with it. It really becomes amazing.
- I am currently finishing Black-ish from the ABC family comedy land, which I really loved, and I am eager to try out one of their other comedies now, especially since summer is a desert comedy-wise for me. The fight is between The Middle and The Goldbergs. I keep hearing great things about both so I really don't know how to decide. I've watched the pilots for both at some point, and I kind of preferred the one from The Middle (although none blew me away), but the truth is that 6 season vs. 2 season is a factor as well. We'll see what happens.
- I've also already covered The Musketeers in my comment below. I want to hear what people have to say about my serialization question and then we'll see what happens but this one has been pretty high on my catch up lits for a while and I even have the episodes saved up!
- Oh, Nikita. One of the most underrated shows around. I am glad it is up here and I confess I had forgotten about it or else I would have sent in a submission as well! However, clearly it isn't missing as Jon did an amazing work with the pitch! People, try it out. You are missing out if you still haven't given it a chance. One thing I would add to what he said is that the twists are out of this world good and that the pace really becomes amazing midway through Season 1. Stuff you thought would take seasons to be done gets done after a few episodes and it really is amazing to watch. Also, please don't be fooled by the first half of Season 1, which is mostly procedural. The second half of Season 1 kicks things off in high gear and becomes way more serialized and all around awesome. Give it a try!
- Once Upon a Time is another favorite of mine. People covered it pretty awesomely up there so there is little for me to add. It may be uneven and inconsistent at times, but when it is good, it is amazing, and even when it isn't, there still tends to be enough around to make it worth it. The universe they operate in is so awesome that should be a reason enough for you to try it out!
- I already watch The Originals but kuddos to mac for such a passionate submission up there.
I can get carried away when the haves are beating the have nots. Deleted the last phrase. Sorry. But I still think the first Modern Family-related phrase is relevant.
ReplyDeleteI think it becomes a matter of opinion. I personally think Julie Bowen and Ty Burell are some of the most talented people in the business and deserve all the awards they've received. My point was just that I have no idea why you need to bring down the acting of Modern Family people to bring up the acting of The Middle people. I've been highlighting the acting of some of my favorite shows in my pitches but I never had to compare said acting with other shows to make them look better. Just my two cents, I am not trying to be implicative or something.
ReplyDeleteThe Leftovers is definitely a hard sell, I hope the revamp goes well. I honestly didn't even know I was that passionate about OUAT until I wrote that lol!
ReplyDeleteYep. Ty Burell is one of the most talented actors I've ever seen. He's the reason why I had somewhat of a hard time dropping it. But really he was the only brigtht spot in the cast for me. Sorry again.
ReplyDeleteI was going to nominate OUAT but time goes by so fast! I love the show and would recommend it to anyone!!!! Even if you hate romance- like me - in a drama series! This show has really warmed my heart and made me cry
ReplyDeleteOT: did you See the revenge poll?
ReplyDeleteYeah I voted already. I haven't gotten there to comment yet! ;)
ReplyDeleteI personally think the entire cast is insanely talented. I get why it can be off putting to see them dominate the categories like that but I think in this particular case it was worth it when it happened. Jesse Tyler Fergusson is still highly deserving of a nomination this year for instance. And where it not for Allison Janney I would argue that Julie Bowen should win the race again.
ReplyDeleteNo worries at all ;)
They took their sweet time with the revamp so I am hoping that it was to make sure they had the quality there.
ReplyDeleteOh okay! Nice! There is so much to comment about today. Later is the revenge vs TWD poll. I am guessing that is hard for you
ReplyDeleteOh god, really? I don't know what is going on this year with the episode cup but episodes that I love keep being paired up together against one another, it sucks!!
ReplyDeleteAnd the next one is revenge, abduction vs the 100, spacewalker
ReplyDeleteWow! That one is atrocious!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked the pitch for The Last Ship (whether it was mine or Dahne's or both!). What was it you didn't like about what you saw? I was skeptical at first as well since it seemed like a worn out premise but it had me hooked right from the start. The fact they're on a ship and not confined to the U.S. like almost every show is makes it much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteThis may seem like an odd comparison but it reminded me a lot of Star Trek, a crew on a ship travelling around to different places, the fact that it's set in a post apocalyptic world makes every place they visit seem alien as well, some places were abandoned or in ruins with people struggling to survive, but the aspect I loved was how different types of societies formed out of the chaos, I can't say much more on that without spoiling things. Then of course there's the 'crisis on the ship' episodes and battles out at sea! With only 10 episodes in the first season they only touched on a lot of those things so I'm looking forward to seeing more of it in season 2.
The show does get a lot more personal as it goes on if that makes sense. As in it becomes less about what their mission is, who has what rank, what is and isn't need-to-know and becomes more about what the right thing to do is. If you do try it out again I hope you end up enjoying it :)
It is terrible!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the response! And I liked both of your pitches, so good job on those to both of you!
ReplyDeleteI can't quite put my hand around what was about the show that didn't captivate me entirely. It just felt a bit been there, done that, without enough substance behind it all, you know? But like I said, maybe I watched it at the wrong time. Sometimes it happens that you just aren't in the correct mood to watch a certain show and I think that was probably the case here. And I am glad to hear that it gets more personal as it goes on, i think indeed that was one of the my issues with it... Most stories felt too "generic". But I will put that one along with Extant at the top of my list since they are about to start their sophmore seasons and i would like to be caught up on those. I will let you know soon enough how it went for me!
In regards to Star Trek, that's a universe I actually never tried. What is even the proper way of watching it? There are movies and series and all that, it is confusing what is the correct way of watching it at all. I am usually a big fan of those things. I love the Star Wars universe and BSG is my second favorite show of all time!
Which one are you picking?
ReplyDeleteI have to go with revenge since it will be the last time i can ever vote for it. The better episode I think was spacewalker though. Do you understand what i mean. What about you?
ReplyDeleteI totally get what you mean about not being in the mood, I got like that with Outlander when it came back for it's second half of season one to the point where I'll probably never go back to it now. I look forward to hearing how TLS went for you. Extant was certainly much more enjoyable to binge watch for me rather than watching weekly.
ReplyDeleteVoyager was the only Trek show I liked and if that one is any indication you can just jump in at any point. I'm a fan of the reboot movies too. Star Wars had the makings of something I'd love but it was just all portrayed and put together in a way I really didn't like. I enjoyed episodes 2&3 and found 6 to be ok but didn't like the rest. I usually tend to put BSG in 3rd place on my list of all time favourite shows behind Stargate Universe and Penny Dreadful. I really need to watch it again sometime, it's been a while.
Yes i totally get that. And i am probably picking revenge tomorrow against twd for that reason (but i am not sure yet). But against spacewalke i dont think i can. I wont vote against abduction either though so i may end up not voting on that one!
ReplyDeleteI completely understand!
ReplyDeleteBTW: Revenge vs TWD is on one hour not tomorrow; )
Or that ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah, the mood thing is terrible and it sometimes can make or break a TV show for you. It takes a while to master how to adapt to it I feel. Some shows nowadays I never attempt to watch weekly for instance as I've learned that they are simply better when binge watched (As I get into the "vibes" of them and I am able to enjoy them much better). Other shows demand that I watch some other show (one I like less) before I am fully distracted from real world stuff and I am able to get into them. Other shows are better when watched in a certain sequence (for instance I love watching The Flash after Arrow). Some shows are better for weekends while others are better for weekdays when I am tired and just want to relax without having to pay too much attention to what is going on lol. At least to me all these things matter.
ReplyDeleteI was watching some random clips from BSG the other day after the pitches came out and we were talking about it in the comments. God, I love that show! Penny Dreadful is pretty high on my list too right now and I tend to love Showtime dramas anyway.
I'm going to throw my weight behind The Musketeers. The BBC really fumbled it when it came to marketing, because otherwise it's completely illogical that this show didn't become a major hit.
ReplyDeleteIt's nothing high-art, but it's a lot of fun. They manage to capture the spirit of the original story much better than any adaptation I've seen before, and I'm a big Dumas fan. The most important thing that this show captures is the male friendship: you buy that these guys are friends and you want to join their adventures.
The villains are all just the right amount of campy without devolving into parody, and the women are actually given complexity and something to do beyond either being angels or vixens. And, in the second season, they make an excellent decision to pair two of the women together so that they're not just all off in their own individual worlds (like in Daredevil, for instance).
The first season is a little closer to Merlin in tone -- episodic, silly, and light. There are a couple of dud episodes in that first season, but you tend to glaze over them because everything moves at a fast and fun pace. The second season gets much darker and more interesting, even if it does require them to sacrifice some of the bromance that many fans loved about the first.
And even though it is mostly light-hearted, entertaining fun, there are some very good performances and a surprising amount of racial diversity, given that this is a BBC period drama.
It's the perfect show to binge over the Summer, and you really won't regret breezing through it if you're looking for something that's just purely entertaining.
The Musketeers is definitely worth a watch. It won't blow you out of the water in any major way, and I think that that's part of why I like it. It feels like a comfort food show.
ReplyDeleteThe serialization question re: Musketeers is actually a tricky one to answer because Seasons 1 and 2 are very different when it comes to plotting.
ReplyDeleteThe first series is definitely much more episodic and procedural, but that starts to taper off near the end of the run and most of the individual character arcs are satisfied up to a point. The reason is because while the show wound up airing at 9, the showrunner was originally told that he had an 8 o clock time slot, so they took what was going to be a more serialized drama and chopped it up so it would feel a little more family-oriented and "younger."
With the second series they knew they were on at 9, so the first three episodes are (confusingly) still somewhat episodic, but after that it's much more serialized and even the individual stories are still ultimately working toward the larger plot. The villain is more focused as well and definitely feels "grittier" than Capaldi's slightly crooked politician vibe.
Why would anyone recommend OUAT? You guys are heartless! jk
ReplyDeleteGlad to see my pitch for Nikita made it. I hope it'll make some people want to watch.
All 3 of them actually, I don't know if I'm gonna watch them, but they all seem very interesting thanks to you. Honest pitches, most importantly.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I hope to get started on it next week!
ReplyDeleteYeah I think it is important to try to point out the caveats as well so that people know what they are getting into. Thanks again for the very kind words! Let me know if you ever end up watching any of them!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fair answer, that's exactly the type of information I was looking for!
ReplyDeleteNo problem -- I hope you do give it a shot. The second series is a lot stronger, but ultimately it's just fun.
ReplyDeleteI will! But I have SO many shows on my list now, that I don't know where to start! It's driving me crazy!
ReplyDeleteI hear you!! Same problem here!
ReplyDeleteI'll be on the lookout for your TBT article. I'm always up for discussing my favorite episodes and PEH moments :-)
ReplyDeleteThis weekend is pretty open at the moment so I'm hoping to get some TV time in - hoping to get the BSG mini-series, and the first few episodes of The Last Ship, Aquarius, Fringe, Crossing Lines and Chicago PD/Fire.
**sigh** this would be so much easier if I didn't require sleep!
Another random thought....are you going to do an end of summer check in on the Pitch articles? Just a discussion of what people actually got around to trying/watching over the summer as a result of the shows found from this article?
Dahne, thank you for including both of my nominations (Forever and Numb3rs) and for editing them for length; honestly, I could write companion pieces for both series. I'm also glad that people seem to be interested in checking them out.
ReplyDeleteIt was a real treat to just sit back and rewatch season 1. I forgot how fast the pace moved and all the good tension throughout.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I never thought of having a wrap-up article later for Pitch Your Show. If there is interest in it, then I certainly could. I was just going to review the stuff I was marathoning in my column next month.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are getting time to check some of these out. I'm doing Graceland (have to get caught up before writing the preview) and The 100 (for the new podcst) this weekend. Then it's all about marathoning Teen Wolf before the new season starts. Once I hit July I hope to have more time to catch up on these shows since I won't be working.
Fantastic. I look forward to reading your pitches next summer then.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think about Leverage. I hope it's a good episode this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI have The MIddle as my first comedy to binge watch when I have time. I've liked what I've seen so far.
ReplyDeleteI really need to try In the Flesh. I'm hearing such great things about it. I'm a big fan of iZombie. I still need to finish Nikita but I am so close.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're picking The Last Ship up again. The season finale was a gamechanger and I'm not quite sure where they are going to go from here. Shameless plug - If you do finish, checked out the Ranker episode and vote the episodes up or down. I'd love to here what you thought because Liam's and my opinions were so different in some ways.
ReplyDeleteOh and I definitely give a big thumbs up to The Musketeers for the action alone.
Glad you checked out The Originals. Out of all the comedies I need to watch, I plan on watching The Middle first because I keep hearing great things about it.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, I thought you did one for the Midseason Pitches...probably just mentioned in your "Last Week In Review" article or in comments and my brain somehow linked them together :-)
ReplyDeleteDid you give up Sleepy Hollow entirely for the coming season?
Your nominations were fantastic. I learned some things about the show from them. I'm sorry we didn't have space to leave them like they were, but I hope people check out the link for the spreadsheet so they can see the full thing themselves. I was really impressed.
ReplyDeleteI might try In The Flesh, though I'd like to know if it ended in a cliffhanger cause I just saw it's cancelled.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with The Leftovers' review. If you are one of those that would like it and don't try it out you would really miss out on a possible favourite show.
I will. I just got so busy last year, I honestly just put it on the back burner. I really liked the first few episodes that I saw.
ReplyDeleteI hope to start the Musketeers next week.
Cool. Let me know what you think. Thanks for the e-mails also. I appreciate the TV Talk Topics and the info on The 100. I haven't had a chance to read them in depth yet but I will ove rthe weekend.
ReplyDeleteI did give up on Sleepy Hollow. I even dropped the Best Scene poll here and the podcast at SMG. I just can't take anymore fan pandering and that show is the worst.
ReplyDeleteGood point. I'd like to know if In the Flesh ends on a cliffhanger too. It wouldn't necessarily preclude me from watching it but it's good to have a heads up.
ReplyDeleteAgreed - I won't be tuning in for S3 unless I hear of some major improvements in the writing - and with Orlando Jones jumping ship, I don't have high hopes.
ReplyDeleteI always read your long posts and thanks for writing them. In fact I think my response to your long post on part B got eaten by Disqus because I didn't see it when I looked at that thread again. Urgh.
ReplyDeleteThe Musketeers is procedural but there are serialized storylines that run throughout it, mostly when tying to the Big Bad of the season. Season 2 delves more into the serialized, even beyond the Big Bad, but it still has an issue of the week many times. The Big Bad is the focus more in the second season too.
If i watched it would only be for Jenny and since she's never going to be the lead character, it isn't worth it. Now if there's a spin-off with Hawley and her, I am all over that.
ReplyDeleteI never thought of it like Star Trek but I can see how that analogy fits. Good points.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that about The Musketeers. Thanks for the information. I was wondering why the tone seemed to change a little.
ReplyDeleteYW, I hope they help.
ReplyDeleteiZombie is a lot of fun and you have plenty of time to watch its few episode before it returns so hopefully it catches your fancy.
ReplyDeleteI'll put my pitch in for The Goldbergs. It's my favorite comedy by far because it does such a great job of combining laughs with heart. Murray is curently my favorite character in a comedy and watching him bumble his way through being a good father when he never had one himself is where a lot of teh heart comes from. Come to think of it, The Goldbergs is the second recurring show I watch that was better this season than last so The 100 is not the only one. It tightened its formula this season and came out with some clear comedy gold. Of the other current comedies available, it has the most in common with Fresh Off the Boat so if you like that one, you'll probably like The Goldbergs. The pilot is iffy and sometimes Beverly goes beyond funny and straight into obnoxious, but it's the one comedy show I watch every week because I'd miss it if I didn't. Plus it pulls in a lot of 80's movies, which is right where I live. I adored their take on The Goonies and one of its most popular episodes was the take off Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Still it's some of the more low key episodes that I end up loving best.
Awesome pitch! I agree that The Musketeers is just plain fun. It moves pretty quickly and so makes for a perfect summer watch. I actually prefered the lighter tone of season 1 but season was fun too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for nominating Nikita. I haven't seen the last season but I've watcheds everything else and really enjoyed the action.
ReplyDeleteAbout OUaT, huh?
Thanks! They'll be mi firsts.
ReplyDeleteI stopped watching OUAT a while ago because it's gotten ridiculous. I like continuity in my shows, a storyline that makes sense and no retcons. Unfortunately OUAT did too many bad things to keep me interested and when there are so many great shows out there, I wouldn't recommend people to watch OUAT. But to each their own!
ReplyDeleteIt's okay about the editing; that why people like you exist! :) I know that I can write very long comments, especially about subjects I know about, am interested in, or am passionate about. Like I said, I could write probably a couple of books about both series if I wanted. So, actually, I am glad that they got edited.
ReplyDeleteI'm also glad that you learned some things about the series.
Yeah -- I go back and forth on which I prefer. I like that the two are different, but I am hoping that series 3 manages to marry both of the elements that worked well for each.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely going to try Leverage and Nikita. I might check out Numb3rs, mainly for the guest-stars that I know and love. Already watch OUAT.
ReplyDeleteOoooo, I'd be totally on board for that spin-off. Jenny and Hawley were some of the best things about last season!
ReplyDeleteLove the Originals its the best show
ReplyDeleteI'd already started Jane The Virgin before this was up. I'm 4 episodes in and while I do like it, but I don't love it.
ReplyDeleteLast Ship and Masters of Sex have been on my to watch list for a while.
Numb3rs is one high concept procedural that really passed me by. Usually I like those, but this? Never bothered with it. But I have to say, that pitch is really making me consider giving it a shot...
Still on the fence about Last Man On Earth and The Leftovers. And sorry to say guys those pitches didn't do much for me... :-/
Happy to see iZombie, AoS and The Musketeers on there.. All three shows I definitely think deserve a watch!
Ecstatic about Leverage being on the list! I can easily watch that show on repeat forever!! I 100% endorse that other people do the same... seriously... get on it... Now!!
Sounds about right....
ReplyDeleteThe problem with some of the The Leftover pitches is that they use the word depressing and that word alone can definitely turn you off of pretty much any show. But it's not depressing, it's fascinating, it is slow but it is also brilliant from the acting, to the script, to the filmaking. You do have to start watching it when you're in the mood for it, but if you manage to get interested enough it will blow your mind, specially the last three episodes.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping for that too. I think that the tail end of the second season managed to combine the spirit of the comradery with the darker tone much better than the opening episodes did. So I hope that it's something that will continue over into S3 too.
ReplyDeleteI can't really add anything to what Dahne and sva have already said about The Musketeers, they have pretty much covered your question. The only things I can really think of to add is that the politics of the time do start to become more central to the show, especially in S2, and although they do take liberties with historical content some of it has been beyond their control.
ReplyDeleteFor example, Peter Capaldi played the Cardinal and they had a set plan for his role throughout the series, but he left to go on to play the Doctor which meant a fairly major change to how things happened historically. Most other things that occur aren't too jarring however, certainly less so than some of the changes in Reign - which I also watch and mostly enjoy.
The ending of S2 did leave some avenues open to be explored in the future, but not in as a massive cliffhanger moment. The threads are mainly tied off, for now, but were left so they could be unravelled again for a third season. One of them was hinted at towards the very end of the finale, which is a tad frustrating, but it's not a omg/wtf happens next moment that drives you insane, if that makes sense. It's hard to explain without spoilers though really, lol.
ReplyDeleteOh, let me know how you get on with Musketeers!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I can handle open-ended as long as no one's in peril of dying and it just ends.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely -- and I think that the continued "episodic" vibe of the first three episodes, combined with the lack of "the boys" all together, contributed to a rocky start. But by episode 4, it really felt like the season found its feet and by the end I felt like it earned and then delivered on an amazing finale.
ReplyDeleteAnd, though I feel like it's sacreligious to say it, Mark was a much better villain than Peter Capaldi.
Completely agree with you about In the Flesh, I remember we had some great theories and chats through the last season. I really wish that Amazon would pick it up.
ReplyDeleteI find myself agreeing with you about Mark, though I am a huge fan of his anyway which doesn't help matters, lol. He was superb as the insane Rochefort, I had so many confused/mixed feelings of sympathy and empathy for him as a character. If only he hadn't been treated the way he had, he probably wouldn't have become the monster he was. Brilliant portrayal imo.
ReplyDeleteHaha yes, that does sound very familiar! I'm catching up with Arrow at the moment - all out of order as I've now seen a lot of S3 due to the boys at work watching it and them getting well ahead of me, while I'm now actually on episode 2.07 myself, lol. I keep saying "Just one episode before bed" and then it's 3/4 episodes later :/
ReplyDeleteI think Mark's performance was great, and I also think that Capaldi sort of had his hands tied, because he was clearly meant to be a longer-lasting villain.
ReplyDeleteBut I also feel like Mark's performance added layers to the character that weren't necessarily on the page -- particularly with respect to his scenes with the Queen. Either way, I'm going to miss him this next season.
If the BDFF acronym made you giggle, then I think that you will adore Amy who comes up with the term. She is fab, one of my favourite characters ever. So strong and full of optimism over adversity, yet has a side to her that she hides away from the outside world too that makes her even more real. She also gets all the snarky lines too XD
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Yeah, I agree that there were long term plans for the Cardinal to become a lot more than he was in the first season which held Capaldi back.
ReplyDeleteI was so excited about Marc Warren's casting from the start, I just knew that he was going to be great, but even so he surpassed what I expected from him. Like you, I thought he and Ali brought a huge amount of subtext to their scenes, and the same with his scenes with Ryan too.
The word "depressing" isn't something that would turn me away actually. I can handle depressing, so that's not the problem.
ReplyDeleteNothing that I hear about the show really makes me want to care to watch. Even what you said, isn't selling me at all...
Then maybe it just isn't your kind of show. The thing with The Leftovers is though, that if you do find it to be your kind of show, it will definitelly become one of your favourites of all time.
ReplyDeleteThanks. It appears you appreciate the same kind of things I do in these kinds of shows so your opinion is appreciated. I will take that into consideration. Right now, it is literally impossible for me to find room to add in The Musketeers but I've upped it a few notches in my shortlist and I hope to get another shot with it in the late summer. I will let you know when I get to it!
ReplyDeleteIt was so great, I think its gone for good now though, been way too long since it was cancelled :(
ReplyDeleteI was hopefully for ages, but it does seem to be that way now :(
ReplyDeleteCool, I look forward to hearing how you got on with it. One of the things that got me through parts of 2b of Reign was that King Louis in The Musketeers is Conde's great nephew - Antoine's son finally took the throne when Catherine de' Medici and Henry's last son died. So although there's 100 years in between the settings of the shows, there's still something that ties them together in my eyes, lol.
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