What I'm Watching

There are actually 4 new shows out this fall that I'm finding interesting, in addition to my usual stalwarts of "Castle" and "Psych".  "Psych" is still great, and "Castle" is holding it's own so far.  Curse my DVR for making me capable of keeping up on 6 series...now you know why the movie reviews and book reviews have slowed way down.

Here are the new shows I'm tracking:

"Terra Nova" - this new Monday night show on Fox focuses on mankind in the year 2149, and then 85 million years in the past.  In 2149, mankind has so destroyed the environment, that the earth is nearly unlivable.  But, a doorway to the past of a parallel universe has been discovered, and certain people get to go back and start over again.  One such family is the Shannon family.  I think this is going to sorta be like "Lost" but with dinosaurs.  Probably the most likely of this list to be removed from my DVR, but for right now, I'm sticking it out.

"Person of Interest" - this one is on CBS on Thursday night.  Starring Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson, this show is just great.  Emerson plays a billionaire who created a machine that is designed to spy on us and find probable acts of terrorism.  But, it finds everything, including normal crimes, which the government ignores.  Emerson programmed "the machine" to spit out a number to him every night, and he uses that number to find a person who needs help.  But, to help these people, he needs help, and that is where Caviezel comes in.  Caviezel plays an ex-spy gone underground who is looking for redemption.  This one is great...but then, anything with Jim Caviezel is great.

"Grimm" - I've got 3 of the 4 major networks covered with this one.  NBC has this show on Friday Night, which is a bad night for a show.  But, this is a really good show.  The main character is a Portland police detective who learns that he is descended from the Brothers Grimm, and it's his family's job to combat the things that go bump in the night.  There's only been 3 or 4 episodes so far, but they've been really good.  This show remindes me of the early days of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."  Lots of potential here, if it can survive the Friday night curse.

"Once Upon a Time" - Now I've got all 4 major networks covered.  "Once Upon a Time" is ABC's foray into the world of fairy tales.  In this show, all our well know fairy tale heroes and villains have been transported to Maine by a dark spell cast by the evil queen from Snow White.  These people are all miserable, and they don't remember who they are.  But, our heroine Emma shows up and things start to turn around in Storybrooke Maine.  A little bit more of a girly show than "Grimm" but really good as well, and enough action to keep me interested. 

I hope all 4 of these shows survive, and I hope that you can give them a shot now that we are nearing rerun season.  I would put them in this order if you have to choose:

1 - "Person of Interest"
2 - "Grimm"
3 - "Once Upon a Time"
4 - "Terra Nova"

And of course, don't miss out on "Psych" and "Castle".

Monday Night Madness

The SyFy Channel has gone too far.  Many networks do onr good show in an evening.  Occasionally, we even get 2 good shows in an evening.  But SyFy has dared to put 3 good shows all on Monday night.

Starting at 7 pm, we have Eureka, which is in season 5.  This continues to be one of the better shows on TV, even as the cast continues to evolve.  I'm not sure how season 5 is going to go based on the first 3 episodes, but given the pattern of past seasons, I expect great things.

Then at 8 pm, Warehouse 13 comes on my screen.  This is one that my wife and I both really like.  We laugh a lot while we watch it, but it has enough suspense and action to keep me interested.  Pete Lattimer, played by Eddie McClintock, cracks me up.  This is just a fun show.

Finally, at 9 pm, SyFy unveiled Alphas.  As my wife said, it's like someone took the concept of NBC's Heroes, and made it good.  The concept is similar to Heroes and/or X-Men.  Some people have special abilities, and these people have been nicknamed, Alphas.  A small team of Alphas, led by Dr. Rosen, help the government solve Alpha related crimes.  We're only 3 episodes in, but it seems like SyFy might have hit on another winner.

Add in the fact that TNT has put out a winner in Falling Skies, and I've spent way too much time watching TV over the last month.  Luckily I have a DVR...I really don't know how I ever lived without it.

Ranking the Commanding Officers

An interesting topic came up amongst 2 engineers today...who were the best Star Trek Captains?  Well, I've changed the title to Commanding Officers because I'm not sure Benjamin Sisko was actually a Captain in the early seasons of "Deep Space Nine".  We really have 6 commanding officers to choose from...Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), Cmdr/Capt. Sisko (Avery Brooks), Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and New Captain Kirk (Chris Pine).  I'm excluding Captain Spok because he never really commanded the Enterprise.  I'm also excluding Mr. Sulu, who was Captain of Excelsior in "Star Trek 6".  Finally, I'm excluding the bearded one, Cmdr. Riker, who was Captain of the Enterprise while Picard was a Borg.

Without further adieu, here's my list:

1 - Cmdr/Capt. Sisko (Avery Brooks) - Sisko was the Commanding Officer of "Deep Space Nine" and is my favorite of the group.  He just had presence, and you really believed he could kick anybody's butt if he needed to.  The show was not my favorite of the group, but I really liked Sisko.  He provided a reason to watch a subpar show.

2 - New Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) - I loved the J.J. Abrams reboot of "Star Trek" and I love Chris Pine as Captain Kirk.  Pine was perfect for the role and easily stepped out of Shatner's shadow.  He could eventually be #1 on this list, but he has to show a little more first.

3 - Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) - "Enterprise" was my favorite of the TV shows, and Capt. Archer was a big reason why, but not the only reason.  That was a really great cast, and I think Archer's coolness suffers because of it.

4 - Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) - I just couldn't put a French guy with a British accent higher on this list.  Yes, he is a fine actor, but he was often overshadowed by Data's brilliance/quirkiness and Riker's beard.

5 - Original Captian Kirk (William Shatner) - To some, this will be blasphemy, but when compared to the younger, and better Chris Pine, Shatner seems old, slow and frankly, his overacting seems campy.  I do love him in the Priceline.com commercials though.

6 - Captain Janeway - She really struggled with a subpar show..."Voyager" was terrible.

Some More Reviews

I've had a few reviews pile up here.  None of these deserve their own post, so I'll roll them all into one.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1":  I was actually somewhat let down by the first movie in the Harry Potter finale.  "Deathly Hallows" was my favorite book, and I was excited to hear that they were making 2 movies so as not to leave anything out.  What I hadn't counted on was how the first half of the book is really tough to make into a movie.  It ended up being long periods of boring, followed by a few moments of riveting excitement.  Whereas the book could tell the introspection going on inside the characters heads, the movie failed in that regard.  All the other Harry Potter movies have been 4 or 5 stars, but this one is only a 3 star movie.  I'm sure Part 2 is going to be excellent...and pretty much non-stop action. 

"Castle, Season 3": Sorry about the picture.  Netflix changed how it does TV series...it's highly annoying.  Anyway..."Castle" continues to rival "Psych" for being the best show on TV (that's right Nuke, I just said that).  In season 3, Richard Castle (Nathon Fillian) continues to help NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) solve some more offbeat murders.  With playful banter, and just the right amount of "serious" episodes, "Castle" kept me interested all season long.  The season finale was one of the better cliff hangers I've ever seen, and I am really looking forward to next season.  Another 5 star season for the "Castle" crew. 

"The Event":  NBC's new show should have been kept to 1 season, and NBC realized that, but the producers and writers did not.  This series, which pits Americans in and out of the government against aliens from an unknown planet had so much potential, and sometimes it lived up to the hype and sometimes it did not.  What we ended up having was a 3 star TV series that would have been 4 stars if the show would have ended, rather than cliff hangered.  NBC has cancelled "The Event", so the producers are looking for someone to pick up the 2nd season.  I expect SyFy or USA or something to pick it up, but in my opinion, it could have just ended.  What's wrong with having a great 1 season run?  Oh well...if there is a season 2, I might tune in to see where things go, but I also may not.

TV Series Review: Psych, Season 5

"If you watch only one show...on Wednesday night...around 10 pm, make it this one!"

Yes, we are now 5 seasons into one of the greatest TV series in the history of TV..."Psych". Our heroes, fake psychic Shawn Spencer and his sidekick Burton Guster are back for more crime solving hysteria, only this time, they decided to throw in a few more serious Shawn moments.

Overall, I loved this season, though I found there were more "clunker" episodes than in past seasons. There were also some significant high points, such as the return of Cary Elwes as the uber thief Pierre Despereaux and the season's greatest episode, "Not Even Close Encounters" guest starring Freddie Prinze Jr. as a gigantic nerd. Also, in continuing to pay homage to the 80's and 90's, the writers brought in spoof episodes of "Twin Peaks" and "Police Academy." Overall, lots of good stuff, making this another 5 star season.

I do have to admit that I'm starting to get concerned. I don't see how they can keep this going for more than another season or 2. Some of the episodes were starting to seem like a reach. But, there were enough good shows to keep me wanting more, so I guess season 5 was a success. Can't wait for season 6 to start next summer.

TV Series Review: Castle, Season 2

My wife and I slowly made our way through the 5 discs of season 2 of "Castle". We finished last night. We kept each disc for about a week, which is why there haven't been any movie or TV reviews lately. Though, with my new TV and the Netflix app on the TV, I see more reviews in the future.

"Castle" is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows. In fact, I'm debating whether it is better than "Psych", but right now, I think it's a close second to "Psych". "Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, a mystery writer who is following NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) around, because she is the muse for his new book series. With the success of the first book, Castle is back with Beckett for another season of solving murders and playful banter.

The cast of "Castle" is just terrific. Nathan Fillion is one of my favorite TV actors, ever since "Firefly." Stana Katic, who I'd only seen in a "Librarian" movie before this is really good as Detective Beckett. At home for Castle is his teenage daughter Alexis (Molly Quinn) and his sometimes live-in mother Martha (Susan Sullivan). They add a nice dimension to the show without overwhelming it.

Each episode is interesting, but usually either my wife or I has pegged the murderer by the end, so it can be somewhat predictable. What keeps the show good is the banter between Castle and Beckett and the side story that is usually going on in the Castle home. The semi-predictability of the plot doesn't ruin it is my point.

This is just a really good TV show...5 stars! I can't wait to watch season 3...and the best part is, I have 10 episodes of season 3 waiting on the DVR.

TV Series Review: "Warehouse 13", Season 2

My wife and I finished watching season 2 of "Warehouse 13" last night. "Warehouse 13" is a SyFy series about 2 secret service agents, Pete Lattimer and Myka Bearing, who work for a secret government warehouse in South Dakota, collecting dangerous supernatural artifacts and storing them away from the public. Being from South Dakota originally, I do have to comment that there isn't really a town name Univille located in the badlands near a secret government warehouse...that we know of anyway...

I liked season 2 better than season 1. I give it 4.5 stars...I really wish Netflix would embrace the half star concept. This season was very funny, and the rest of the cast got more involved, making for some exciting episodes. There were some good guest stars along the way as well.

I'm just really impressed with the way SyFy keeps rolling out great TV shows. I hope they keep it up for a long time and I'm already looking forward to season 3 of "Warehouse 13".

A Double Review

"Eureka, Season 4": I decided to do a 2 series review because both of these great series are on season 4...so if you haven't watched seasons 1-3 you probably don't care much about season 4. "Eureka" season 4 continues the goodness of the first 3 seasons, though for a while I was concerned. The writers made a pretty substantial change this season, and I wasn't sure how it would play out. But, in the end, I really liked it, as I have really liked the 3 prior seasons of this SyFy show. Sheriff Jack Carter continues to be one of my favorite characters on TV. This is another 5 star series...maybe trending towards 4.5.

"Psych", Season 4: I'm not sure why this picture didn't turn out the same size as the picture for "Eureka." Anyway, I've said it before and I'll say it again. "Psych" is the best show on television, and it continues to be through season 4. Our heroes, Shawn and Gus are back for more crime solving hilarity with Shawn's dad, Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara and Police Chief Vick. The writing for this show is some of the most original out there.

For 3 seasons, the writers of this show have had a very reliable formula consisting of a murder, wise-cracking crime solving from the Shawn, the ultra observant fake psychic, and usually some last minute mentoring from Shawn's dad that helps Shawn tie it all together. Well, in season 4, they buck that formula in a couple of episodes, and it worked in all but one case.

This show is great...5 stars. With guest stars like Cary Elwes, Judd Nelson, Jeri Ryan and Ally Sheedy, how can it not be great. Also, you have to listen for the references to "The Mentalist", which is CBS's attempt at a serious version of "Psych". I'm going to be DVR'ing as many of the season 5 episodes as I can in preparation for the final 7 episodes of season 5 which start in November. Hopefully over the next 2 months I can see the first 9 episodes of season 5 which I missed while watching season 4, because, well, I love this show.

TV Series Review: Eureka, Season 3.5

I've been away from blogging for a while. Been really busy and blogging would have added stress, and since I started this as a stress reliever, blogging when stressed would have been the opposite of my plan.

So, season 3.5 of "Eureka" is awesome. I think Sheriff Jack Carter (played by Colin Ferguson) may be my new favorite TV character. While I think "Psych" is the better show, "Eureka" is close...and SyFy's other hit "Warehouse 13" is getting close as well. I just love these quirky, "mystery" type shows.

In season 3.5, major changes are afoot in Eureka, America's smartest town. Carter is still Sheriff, and still dealing with more than his share of scientific mishaps coming from the research of the town's geniuses. Along with the constant trouble, Carter also has to deal with a daughter getting ready to leave for college, acting as the birth coach for Dr. Allison Blake and finally meeting a new love interest in Dr. Tess Fontana. It all makes for a series of 10 quirky, compelling stories that, at times, are laugh out loud funny. This is a 5 star series (unlike Nuke, I'm not stingy with my 5 stars).

I think it's amazing that the cable networks are now making the best TV. Even if you excuse my strange tastes, most of the really critically acclaimed shows seem to be on cable. My 3 favorites, "Psych", "Eureka" and "Warehouse 13" are all cable network shows. It just seems that the over the air networks have gotten lazy.

By the way, now that we finally have a DVR, I'm watching season 4 almost live. The goodness continues.

TV Series Review: The IT Crowd, Season 1

"The IT Crowd" is an Emmy award winning British comedy series that follows the hi jinks of the IT staff at a company in London. The IT workers are Moss (Richard Ayoade) and Roy (Chris O'Dowd), and they are managed by Jen (Katherine Parkinson).

Season 1 of this series introduces us to Moss, Roy and Jen, along with several others in the office. Jen gets a job managing the IT department with a crafty resume and the usage of multiple IT buzzwords. However, she really has no clue about computers and the guys quickly figure that out. But, they reach an agreement and manage to work together. Though not much work gets done over the 6 episodes of season 1.

"The IT Crowd" seems to be very random. Each episode can pretty much stand on its own, though there are occasional references to previous episodes. Moss is my favorite character in the series, though I also really like Denholm, who is the CEO and appears in about half the episodes. Overall, this is a 4 star series. It's some pretty unique British humor and that makes it good, not great, but good.

TV Series Review: Castle, Season 1

I loved season 1 of "Castle." I think I am pretty much predisposed to like anything Nathan Fillion does after "Firefly" and "Serenity", so this statement should be taken with a grain of salt.

"Castle" pairs mystery writer, Richard Castle (played by Nathan Fillion) with NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (played by Stana Katic). Castle is one of the most popular mystery writers in the world, and he has recently killed off his recurring character. After a string of deaths that appear to be re-enactments of the murders in Castle's books, Castle is called in to consult on the case with the NYPD. In Detective Beckett, Castle finds the muse for his next set of books. So he pulls a few strings with his influential friends to land a semi-permanent gig consulting with Detective Beckett. The rest of the season flows out from there.

I loved this series because I really liked the characters. The mystery almost becomes secondary to the interaction between the characters. Richard Castle is the perfect character for Nathan Fillion. Witty, somewhat arrogant, but underneath the immature facade is a caring person who really wants to do the right thing. Detective Beckett is played very well by Stana Katic. Beckett sort of brings a calm to the show that includes some other off the wall characters. A couple of nice additions to the series are Susan Sullivan, who plays Castle's mother, and Molly Quinn who plays Castle's 15 year old daughter, who happens to be more grown up than her father in most instances.

If you are a Nathan Fillion fan, I think you'll find that you like this series. Both my wife and I think this is a 5 star series. Also, consider that season 1 is not a huge commitment, at only 10 episodes. Give it a shot if you are a Netflix subscriber or just like to buy random TV series at Barnes and Noble.

TV Series Review: 24, Season 8

Well, one of the coolest TV series in history finally came to an end. Jack Bauer has fought his last bad guy, on the small screen anyway. Yes, "24" had it's series finale on Monday. Season 8 was easily the worst season of "24", and garnered only 3 stars in the Ratings O' Jake. It was 2 stars up until the last 3 hours. But, I think those last 3 hours saved it enough that if the rumors are true of "24" movies, I will give those a shot.

In season 8, Jack is on his way to retirement and being a happy grandpa when his old life sucks him back in. Soon, Jack is on another roller coaster 24 hour period of highs and lows that culminates in the series finale.

There were many reasons why this season really fell off. For one, it become more implausible than ever. Apparently Jack can survive anything, from stabbings to gun shots, and be kickin' butt in 2 minutes. And, I've never been to New York City, but I can't believe it takes a commercial breaks worth of time to get to any place in Manhattan, but somehow Jack manages to get anywhere in Manhattan in about 3 minutes. Secondly, many characters went off the deep end, including Jack and President Taylor (who was great is season 7). Finally there was an annoying story line that got badly tied into the main story line. Overall, just a disappointment.

This leads me to a theory that most good shows can only stay good for 5-6 seasons before they drop off. My ratings for "24" have dropped since season 5. I feel like "Smallville" should have ended in season 6. And, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was terrible for it's final 2 seasons. It's ok to stop a show when the ideas run out, and I wish more shows would follow that model.

Anyway, that's about it. "24" had a great run, and I really enjoyed the series, even with the lackluster final season.

No TV, No Problem

On Thursday, we had our roof re-shingled. They roofers did the tear off of the old one and put the new one on in about 6 hours...crazy fast. We don't have a big house, but still, it was impressive. The only major problem was our satellite dish got out of alignment during the remove and reinstall. So, we were without DirecTV until today. Yes, DirecTV technicians do repairs on Sunday.

I was a little panicked that we wouldn't have TV for a few days, but we made it. I did miss watching 'Mike & Mike in the Morning' on Friday, and it was a little weird cooking dinner without the TV on. I hadn't realized how often I just have the TV on for the purposes of creating noise. So, yeah, it was a little weird, but we made do. We read books, we did more stuff outside, and, well we had a super busy Saturday, so that helped.

There's really no point to this. I've got the TV on right now, since it's working again. I'm not really paying attention to it...it's just noise. In fact, I may take a nap soon, with the TV on. So, I guess I didn't learn anything from this experience...well, maybe I did. Maybe I learned that we can do with less TV if we want to.

TV Series Review: Fringe, Season 1

Fox TV continues to hit on winners, and "Fringe" is another winner. "Fringe" is a sci-fi thriller series, starring Anna Torv as FBI Agent Olivia Dunham. Dunham is part of the FBI's fringe division, investigating strange and unexplainable events, mostly in the greater Boston area. She is assisted by Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) and his son Peter (Joshua Jackson). Dr. Bishop is a genius who's been in a mental institution for 17 years. Many of the strange and unexplainable events started with research he was conducting in the 1980's, along with fellow super-genius William Bell. Season 1 of this series focuses mainly on Agent Dunham, as she comes to grips with the new world she has entered and begins to understand her role in the events that will unfold in the future. There are also some interesting subplots between Dr. Bishop and Peter Bishop.

I've been told that "Fringe" is an updated version of "X-Files", but having never been an "X-Files" fan, I can't say for sure. I tried watching "X-Files" and found it to be a terrible show, mostly because Mulder and Scully were both unlikable characters. On the other hand, I find that I really like the characters in "Fringe" and I root for them to succeed. Even the slightly crazy Dr. Bishop has his moments.

"Fringe" is a 4.5 star series. I was close to giving it a 5, but I rate too many things as 5 stars, so I need to cut back. If you haven't watched this series, but are a sci-fi fan, I suggest renting a few disks of season 1 and see what you think.

TV Series Review: Life, Season 2

"Life" appears to be the latest installment of great TV shows that never caught on. I watched Season 1 about 2 years ago and loved it. Last year, NBC kept moving the night around and I lost track of the show. So, when season 2 came out on DVD, I jumped at the chance to watch it. I absolutely loved this show...sadly, season 2 was the last. It was not renewed for a 3rd season. Too bad, because I think "Life" is a 5 star series.

"Life" stars Damian Lewis ("Band of Brothers") as Detective Charlie Crews. Crews was wrongfully convicted of a brutal murder, and sent to prison for 12 years. After DNA evidence cleared him, he got a $50 million dollar settlement and a job as a detective for the LAPD. Sort of far fetched...maybe it's why the show never caught on. Because of his time in prison, Crews is a bit quirky. For example, he's always eating fruit. Also, he's attempting to acheive Zen, so he's always quoting it and listening to Zen tapes.

In Season 2, Crews is continuing his efforts to uncover the conspiracy that sent him to prison. All the while, solving a new murder every episode with his partner, Detective Dani Reese (Sarah Shahi). The individual murders in each show were the best part of season 2. Some of the best episodes included "Evil...and His Brother Ziggy," "I Heart Mom," and "5 Quarts." The series finale, "One," felt a bit forced as I think the writers had to wrap things up too quickly. Still, it ended up working.

Adam Arkin is also a regular in the series. He plays Crews' roommate Ted. Ted was in prison with Crews for shady business practices. When he got out, he became Crews' money manager. He provides much needed comic relief in each episode. At first, I found Arkin's character sort of annoying, but in the end, I decided that he adds a lot to the show.

I really liked this series. I think it's sort of a cross between "Monk" and "Bones", but ends up being better than both in my opinion.

Great TV Theme Songs

This week, George Wendt of "Cheers" fame, made an appearance on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike in the Morning. During that appearance, they played the theme song from "Cheers"...without a doubt the greatest TV theme song of all time.

Then I got to thinking about it, and there really are very few great theme songs for TV shows anymore. The only really good one I can think of, from current shows, is the theme song to "Psych". I thought about embedding a video, but the only person in the world that doesn't like "Psych" reads this blog, so I don't want to offend him. Plus, I already tricked him into listening to it once this week. If you want to hear it, click the link provided.

This got me thinking though, what are the best theme songs for TV shows? To be great, the song can't be terrible, and when you hear it, you instantly know what show it's from.

While "Psych" has a great theme song, it can't top these classics.

Here's my top 5 of all time (with You Tube links provided to all of them in case you want to listen/watch). Let me know if I've missed any good ones.

5 - Growing Pains - "Show me that smile again..."
4 - Magnum P.I - Tom Selleck...the best "stache" ever.
3 - MacGyver - just a classic.
2 - Dukes of Hazzard - this is almost #1
and #1
Cheers - simply the best of all time...hands down!

Firefly - How Could Fox Screw it Up So Badly?

I've dropped back to the 1 disk plan on Netflix, so I have a movie deficit now on the weekends. To overcome this, I've dipped into my personal stash of movies...

watching "Live Free or Die Hard" last weekend, and last night I watched "Serenity".

For those of you that don't know, "Serenity" was the follow on to the Fox TV Series "Firefly", which ran for 14 episodes in 2002. The series starred Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds. "Firefly" was set 500 years or so in the future. By this time, mankind has colonized much of space, and is ruled by the Alliance. Reynolds and his crew operate a small cargo ship, taking all varieties of jobs, both legal and illegal, to survive. Along the way, they do all kinds of good to help all kinds of people. This unique story produces sort of a Sci Fi, Western style.

The series "Firefly" was so loved by those that actually watched it, that Universal picked up the rights and produced the movie "Serenity" in 2005, starring all of the original cast. "Serenity" is written and executed such that it can stand on its own, and I think it does. However, having seen the series and then the movie, I had developed a much stronger tie to the characters, making "Serenity" an even better as a movie.

Fox really missed the boat with "Firefly". They could have had a hit. I've never seen a series that is so universally loved by everyone who has actually watched it. But Fox gave up on it after only 11 episodes. How did they fail? They put the show on the wrong night, then moved it, then played some episodes out of order. In general, they completely screwed up promotion and execution. Kinda makes you wonder how many other great shows we miss out on because the network screw them up.

I suggest everybody give the movie "Serenity" a shot. If you can, borrow "Firefly" from someone who owns it, watch it first, then "Serenity". I can't guarantee you'll love it, but I'm pretty sure you'll love it.

TV Series Review: Warehouse 13, Season 1

The SyFy channel has hit on a winner with "Warehouse 13", at least through 1 season. I thought NBC's "Heroes" was a winner after one season too, so future seasons will tell.

"Warehouse 13" follows Secret Service Agents Pete Lattimer (played by Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (played by Joane Kelly) as they begin their new job working for a government storage facility called Warehouse 13. But, Warehouse 13 isn't just any old warehouse...it's where the government stores objects with inherent magical powers, such as Edgar Allen Poe's pen, which grants the user the ability to make anything they write come to life. The job of Agents Lattimer and Bering is to collect these artifacts, and store them safely away from the general public. The job allows them to use some of the more interesting artifacts, such as the Tesla, which is a gun that renders its victim immobile and wipes their memory...for about 3 minutes. They are lead in this effort by Artie (played by Saul Rubinek), the agent in charge of Warehouse 13. As the season moves on, the agents encounter more dangerous artifacts, and more dangerous villains.

I think people who typically like SyFy originals will like this show. McClintock and Kelly play off each other very well, and end up making a good team. The supporting characters are all unique and add to the show rather than detract from it. The effects are low budget, but that's what we expect from a SyFy original. Also, it's not a huge time committment, as the season is very short...maybe 13 episodes. I know I really enjoyed the season and look forward to season 2. I'm trying to be more stingy with my 5 star ratings, but this show was close. In the end I gave it 4 stars, though it may be 4.49ish.

TV Series Review: Psych, Season 3

"Psych" is the best show on TV...period. I know there are those out there who will disagree with me on this, but, they would be wrong. : )

Season 3 finds our heroes, Shawn and Gus, still running their Psychic Detective Agency. As you'll remember, Shawn isn't really psychic, he's just super observant, so he's able to fake being psychic. What makes this show so great though is the cast and the quirky things that happen every episode.

Every character is a bit unusual, but also very likable. I don't think there is a bad character on the show...I even like Corbin Bernsen and Shawn's dad Henry. I find myself rooting for each of these characters, even Detective Lasseter, who was sort of the foil for the first 2 seasons.

The unique stories that they weave around the largely formulaic mysteries each week are ridiculous and funny at the same time. One of my favorite episodes this season was "Murder?... Anyone?... Anyone?... Bueller?," which was an homage to 1980's teen films. The entire episode takes place at Shawn and Gus' 13 year high school reunion, and throughout the entire show, Shawn is trying to figure out which 1980's film they are in. Another great episode was "Tuesday the 17th", which is a lot like a "Friday the 13th" movie. The season finale, "An Evening with Mr. Yang," takes a slightly more serious turn, but still kept me laughing at the same time.

This is a great show...best on TV. Five stars, 2 thumbs way up, and several other good things.

TV Series Review: Bones, Season 2

A lot of reviews lately...either I'm watching too much TV or nothing interesting is happening. Probably a little of both.

The second season of "Bones" concluded the summer TV series my wife and I were watching. Now school starts and life gets busy again. This season of "Bones" was a little bit of a disappointment for me. For me, the show strayed too far from the cases and became way too focused on the personal lives of the characters. I thought season 1 had a good balance, but season 2 tipped too far in the "character drama" area.

There were a few good episodes, but also several weak episodes. I rate this one as a 3 star season, which is the lowest rating I've ever given a series that I've gotten from Netflix. I think my wife liked it, so eventually we'll probably watch the follow-on seasons.