A Look at ABC's New Comedies (2012 - 2013)

The Family Tools

ABC's pitch: Mixing family with business is never easy, and Jack Shea (Kyle Bornheimer) is about to learn that lesson the hard way. When Jack's father, Tony (J.K. Simmons), has a heart attack and is forced to hand over the keys to his beloved handyman business, Jack is eager to finally step up and make his father proud. Unfortunately Jack's past career efforts have been less than stellar, so everyone seems to be waiting for him to fail. His new job isn't made any easier by Tony's rebellious, troublemaker assistant, Darren (Edi Gathegi), and Darren's flirtatious sister, Liz (Danielle Nicolet), who works at the local hardware store. Yet with the support of his Aunt Terry (Leah Remini) and his oddball yet endearing cousin Mason (Johnny Pemberton), Jack Shea may just find his true calling right at home.

My Thoughts: Kyle Bornheimer doesn't seem particularly appealing as the lead, but Edi Gathegi looks like a standout supporting character. Will be interesting to see how they deal with it being both a family and workplace sitcom. Probably won't watch.

How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life

ABC's pitch: Polly (Sarah Chalke) is a single mom who's been divorced for almost a year. The transition wasn't easy for her, especially in this economy. So, like a lot of young people living in this new reality, she and her daughter, Natalie (Rachel Eggleston), have moved back home with her eccentric parents, Elaine (Elizabeth Perkins) and Max (Brad Garrett). But Polly and her parents look at life through two different lenses. Polly's too uptight. Her parents are too laid back. Polly's conservative when it comes to dating (no action, whatsoever), while her parents are still sexually adventurous. They think Polly turned out okay, so what's the big deal? Well, they say it takes a village to raise a child...and in Polly's case, this village is on fire. But with help from her best friend Gregg (Orlando Jones), her lovable yet irresponsible ex-husband Julian (Jon Dore) and her cool and fun assistant Jenn (Rebecca Delgado Smith) Polly takes her first steps toward getting a life, starting with a social one.

My Thoughts: Despite playing the same character as always, Sarah Chalke is always lovable, and Brad Garrett and Elizabeth Perkins, especially, look like they good be fun characters. Probably won't watch.

Malibu Country

ABC's pitch: When Reba Gallagher (Reba) discovers that her husband, Bobby, (Jeffrey Nordling) a country music legend, has a cheatin' heart, her world is turned upside down. Reba dreamt of becoming a country star herself, but put her career on hold to raise a family. Now she's questioning all of that, big-time. With the ink on her divorce barely dry, Reba packs up her sharp-tongued mother, Lillie May (Lily Tomlin), her two kids and the U-Haul and heads for sunny California to begin a new chapter. Leaving Nashville in the rear view, they start over at their Malibu residence -- the last remaining asset they have. Reba gets to know her new open and loving neighbor Kim (Sara Rue) and her son, Sage, but also discovers that relocation to Southern California is going to be quite an adjustment for a traditional southern belle: the West Coast seems like the polar opposite of Music City, and Reba feels like an outsider. Still, with the support of her family she sets about finding her voice, jump-starting her music career with the help of her new music agent, Geoffrey (Jai Rodriguez), and embracing this chance to begin again.

My Thoughts: Reba and Lily Tomlin's characters seem grating, and the concept is nothing new. I won't be watching.

The Neighbors

ABC's pitch: Meet the Weavers, Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty (Lenny Venito). Marty, in hopes of providing a better life for his wife and three kids, recently bought a home in Hidden Hills, a gated New Jersey townhome community with its own golf course. Hidden Hills is so exclusive that a house hasn't come on the market in 10 years. But one finally did and the Weavers got it! It's clear from day one that the residents of Hidden Hills are a little different. For starters, their new neighbors all have pro-athlete names like Reggie Jackson (Tim Jo), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Toks Olagundoye), Dick Butkis (Ian Patrick) and Larry Bird (Simon Templeman). Over dinner, Marty and his family discover that their neighbors receive nourishment through their eyes by reading books, rather than eating. The Weavers soon learn that the entire community is comprised of aliens from Zabvron, where the men bear children and everyone cries green goo from their ears.

I'm aware that this video will probably only work for users in the U.S. I apologise

and will try to find another one to link for you as soon as possible.

My Thoughts: Props for ingenuity, and Simon Templeman stands out in the trailer. I'll only watch this initially because it's different... and I hope and pray it's the good kind.

A Look at ABC's New Dramas (2012 - 2013)

666 Park Avenue

ABC's pitch: At the ominous address of 666 Park Avenue, anything you desire can be yours. Everyone has needs, desires and ambition. For the residents of The Drake, these will all be met, courtesy of the building's mysterious owner, Gavin Doran (Terry O'Quinn). But every Faustian contract comes with a price. When Jane Van Veen (Rachael Taylor) and Henry Martin (Dave Annable), an idealistic young couple from the Midwest, are offered the opportunity to manage the historic building, they not only fall prey to the machinations of Doran and his mysterious wife, Olivia (Vanessa Williams), but unwittingly begin to experience the shadowy, supernatural forces within the building that imprison and endanger the lives of the residents inside. Sexy, seductive and inviting, The Drake maintains a dark hold over all of its residents, tempting them through their ambitions and desires, in this chilling new drama that's home to an epic struggle of good versus evil.

My Thoughts: While it looks like typical campy fun, with emphasis on people's desires and ambitions in the trailer I think this will be more of a character driven show, rather than a focus on the supernatural elements. This is the sort of show I usually enjoy, so I'll be watching.

Last Resort

ABC's Pitch: 500 feet beneath the ocean's surface, the U.S. ballistic missile submarine Colorado receive their orders. Over a radio channel, designed only to be used if their homeland has been wiped out, they're told to fire nuclear weapons at Pakistan. Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) demands confirmation of the orders only to be unceremoniously relieved of duty by the White House. XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) finds himself suddenly in charge of the submarine and facing the same difficult decision. When he also refuses to fire without confirmation of the orders, the Colorado is targeted, fired upon, and hit. The submarine and its crew find themselves crippled on the ocean floor, declared rogue enemies of their own country. Now, with nowhere left to turn, Chaplin and Kendal take the sub on the run and bring the men and women of the Colorado to an exotic island. Here they will find refuge, romance and a chance at a new life, even as they try to clear their names and get home.

My Thoughts: The concept is great, and the cast looks good too, but I'm going to have a difficult time suspending my disbelief and the show will cost a lot to make. I'll be watching, I want to see how this goes.

Mistresses

ABC's pitch: Welcome to a provocative and thrilling drama about the scandalous lives of a sexy and sassy group of four girlfriends, each on her own path to self-discovery, as they brave the turbulent journey together. Meet Savi (Alyssa Milano), a successful career woman working toward the next phase in her life -- both professional and personal -- simultaneously bucking for partner at her law firm while she and her husband, Harry (Brett Tucker), try to start a family of their own. Savi's free-spirited and capricious baby sister, Josselyn (Jes Macallan), couldn't be more different - living single, serial dating and partying, and regularly leaning on her big sister along the way. Their common best friend, April (Rochelle Aytes), a recent widow and mother of two, is rebuilding her life after tragedy and learning to move forward, with the support and guidance of her closest girlfriends. And friend Karen (Yunjin Kim), a successful therapist with her own practice, reconnects with the girls after her involvement in a complicated relationship with a patient goes far too deep.

My Thoughts: Other than two recognisable leads, this show doesn't have anything new going for it, relying on a well-worn formula. I won't be watching.

Nashville

ABC's pitch: Chart-topping Rayna James (Connie Britton) is a country legend who's had a career any singer would envy, though lately her popularity is starting to wane. Fans still line up to get her autograph, but she's not packing the arenas like she used to. Rayna's record label thinks a concert tour, opening for up-and-comer Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere), the young and sexy future of country music, is just what Rayna needs. But scheming Juliette can't wait to steal Rayna's spotlight. Sharing a stage with that disrespectful, untalented, little vixen is the last thing Rayna wants to do, which sets up a power struggle for popularity. Could the undiscovered songwriting talent of Scarlett O'Connor (Clare Bowen) be the key to helping Rayna resurrect her career?

My Thoughts: The two leads seem to have great chemistry, and the trailer demonstrates the show will have storylines going on multiple levels. I wasn't planning to watch, but now I definitely will. I just hope they keep the 'countryness' of it all to a minimum.

Red Widow

ABC's pitch: When Marta Walraven's (Radha Mitchell) husband is brutally murdered, her first instinct is to protect her three young children. Her husband's business partners - Irwin Petrova (Wil Traval), Marta's scheming and untrustworthy brother, and Mike Tomlin (Lee Tergesen) -- were involved in an illegal drug business deal with rival gangsters, and Marta's husband paid the ultimate price. She already knows the violent world of organized crime; her father, Andrei Petrova (Rade Sherbedzija), and loyal bodyguard Luther (Luke Goss) are gangsters too. She and her sister Kat (Jaime Ray Newman) had always wished for a safer life without bloodshed and fear. For a while Marta lived happily as a stay at home housewife in San Marta's cooperation, FBI Agent James Ramos (Mido Hamada) now promises justice. Marta discovers a tenacity she never knew she had, and takes on the gangsters and the FBI to unveil the truth about her husband's death. As she digs into this dark underworld, she'll test her own strength, relying on her resourcefulness, determination and family ties like never before. To get out of this mob, she needs to beat the bad guys at their own deadly game.

My Thoughts: While the set-up of the concept looks good, it's hard to see where this show will head as it goes on. I won't be watching.

Zero Hour

ABC's pitch: As the publisher of a paranormal enthusiast magazine, Modern Skeptic, Hank Galliston has spent his career following clues, debunking myths and solving conspiracies. A confessed paranormal junkie, his motto is "logic is the compass." But when his beautiful wife, Laila (Jacinda Barrett), is abducted from her antique clock shop, Hank gets pulled into one of the most compelling mysteries in human history, stretching around the world and back centuries. Contained in one of his wife's clocks is a treasure map, and what it leads to could be cataclysmic. Now it's up to Hank to decipher the symbols and unlock the secrets of the map, while ensuring the answers don't fall into the wrong hands - a man they call White Vincent (Michael Nyqvist). With his two young associates, Rachel (Addison Timlin) and Arron (Scott Michael Foster), in tow, along with Becca Riley, a sexy FBI agent (Carmen Ejogo), Hank will lead them on a breathless race against the clock to find his wife and save humanity.

My Thoughts: The concept seems far too large for television, and again, it'll cost a lot to make and I'll have trouble suspending my disbelief. I'll watch initially, but only out of interest. I can't see this doing well.

Coming soon... ABC's comedies.

Renewals & Cancellations (2012 - 2013 Season)

So upfronts, that time of year where networks present their planned schedule for the next television season to prospective advertisers, has come and gone. And with that some of our favourite television have miraculously lived on, and others have been cruelly cancelled. Below you'll find my thoughts and feelings about some of the decisions networks have made.

ABC:

Unsurprisingly, two of this seasons biggest hits, Revenge and Once Upon A Time were renewed. Not wanting to make ABC queen Shonda Rhimes unhappy, not only did Private Practice join it's parent show, Grey's Anatomy, in the renewal pile, but her new political drama Scandal, was picked up for a second season. Body of Proof is also sticking around along with ABC's other crime procedural, Castle. On the comedy side of things, Modern Family, The Middle, and surprisingly, Happy Endings, were renewed, as well as the freshman comedies, Suburgatory, Last Man Standing, and Don't Trust The Bitch In Apartment 23, while ABC has palmed off Cougar Town to TBS.

Joining Charlie's Angels, Work It and Man Up! in cancellation, are also GCB, Missing, Pan Am, and The River, majority of them high concept dramas that failed to produce the ratings they needed for the network.

CBS:

There wasn't much renewal news for CBS to announce this year, having picked up 2 Broke Girls, The Big Bang Theory, Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, CSI, The Good Wife, Hawaii Five-0, How I Met Your Mother, The Mentalist, Mike & Molly, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles and Person of Interest all the way back in March, showing its content with its shows. The only shows joining them, long time CBS comedy staple Two and A Half Men, and CSI: NY.

Comedies How to Be a Gentlemen and Rob were cancelled, as well as the three freshman dramas A Gifted Man, NYC 22 and Unforgettable. Surprisingly, the long-running CSI: Miami was also cancelled.

The verdict is still out on the comedy-that-could Rules of Engagement.

NBC:

Joining Grimm, which was renewed in March, NBC also renewed Law & Order: SVU, and critical darlings Parenthood and Smash. In a surprising move the network renewed many of it's on-the-bubble comedies including 30 Rock, Community, Parks and Recreation, as well as the long-running The Office. Freshman comedies Up All Night and Whitney were also renewed.

Other freshman comedies Are You There, Chelsea?, Bent, and Best Friends Forever didn't fair so well and were cancelled. As were the dramas Awake, The Firm, and Harry's Law, which joined Free Agents, The Playboy Club, and Prime Suspects, which had been cancelled previously.

Fox:

As well as its dominating animations American Dad!, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy and The Simpsons, Fox also renewed Bob Burgers, as well as the comedies Glee, New Girl and Raising Hope. In the drama department Bones and Touch were both renewed, and surprisingly Fringe is receiving a shortened final season.

Not so lucky were Alcatraz, Breaking In, The Finder, Napoleon Dynamite and I Hate My Teenage Daughter, which joined Allen Gregory and Terra Nova as the shows the network cancelled.

The CW:

Long running-series/ staples 90210, Gossip Girl, Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries were all renewed as well as freshman series Hart of Dixie. Nikita, surprisingly, was also renewed.

The CW's other two freshman series, Ringer and The Secret Circle, didn't fair so well, and were cancelled.

Overall, there's not a whole lot television fans have to complain about after this years upfronts. Pretty much all of the shows that were cancelled were new series, eleven of which premiered in the fall as mid-season replacements. Some may argue that shows that premiere in March/ April don't get a fair chance, and while that may be true, I don't think we're going to be hearing too many complaints about the cancellation of Rob.

The surprise cancellation of the lot would have to be CSI: Miami, and while it was likely that either it or CSI: NY would be cancelled, it's still always a little discerning when a network decides to axe a show after ten years of hard work. The show that I'm most heart-broken over its cancellation is Alcatraz. Many instantly put in on the 'trying to be like Lost' pile, which is a shame because I actually thought that it was one of the few high concept dramas I've since that perfectly balanced it procedurals elements with it's mythology.

As for the renewals, I was most surprised by Nikita's, which was also, along with Alcatraz, one of the shows I most wanted to be renewed. I thought for sure The CW would renew The Secret Circle or possibly even Ringer over this.

It will be interesting to see what dramas networks will deliver next season after the failure of what so many people thought would be sure-fire hits. High-concept/ genre-bending dramas (The River, Awake, Alcatraz and Terra-Nova), the Mad Men inspired attempts (Pam Am, The Playboy Club), and shows that were expected to take over ageing gems (The Finder, The Secret Circle, and all of Fox's freshman animations), all failed, so it will be interesting to see what we get next.

So did any of your favourite shows get cancelled? Which ones are you most glad are sticking around? And as we all know, the other side of cancellations is pick-ups, meaning new shows! Over the next week I'll be previewing the pilots each network has green lit, so stay tuned.

Desperate Housewives Series Final Recap & Review (8.21 Give Me The Blame & 8.22 Finishing The Hat)

Always the over-considerate one, Susan is afraid to tell the other women of Wisteria Lane that she is leaving Fairvaiw to help Julie raise her baby, especially during the middle of Bree's trial. This of course leads to a funny situation in which Susan has to pretend that an elderly couple inspecting her house are old friends, as not to reveal to the girls that she's leaving. To be honest, I was very disappointed that Susan's character didn't play a more prominent part in the last two episodes, considering I've always seen her as the main housewife. Then again situations like the one described above, and like her stealing a limousine to get Julie to the hospital, are typical fluffy Susan fare, and they have been for eight seasons, so I shouldn't say I'm all that surprised. Once she tells Lynette, Bree and Gabrielle that she is moving at the beginning of The Finishing Hat, Susan spends the rest of the episode trying to set Julie up with her oncologist and rambling on about all sorts of things that mother 's generally do, including reminiscing about their dead husbands and how lucky she has been in life. While I understand that there's little left for Susan to do now that Mike's gone, I generally detest the idea of Susan looking after Julie's child while she finishes her PhD, being the typical 'grandmother', even if she really enjoys it. I would have liked to have seen, as discussed earlier in the season, Susan go of to New York and start her art career. She's spent most of her life either chasing after, or looking after, someone on Desperate Housewives. I thought it might have been refreshing for the character, just as is was when she started the art class at the beginning of this season, to actually have Susan follow her dreams, but again Desperate Housewives appears to be subverting the role of women, when generally they're just solidifying the stereotypes.

I'm very disappointed that in the end Lynette and Tom got back together. While Lynette has been as stubborn and manipulative as ever this season in trying to get back with Tom, there were at least several moments of self-realisation in which Lynette became aware that she had a problem, and that her controlling nature pushed Tom away. Initially I thought this was finally some much needed character development for her, but these moments came and went, including the one in Give Me The Blame in which she realises that despite having broken up with Jane, that Tom still did not want to be with her. Despite this, it seems these epiphanies were short lived because many instances this season Lynette continued to pursue Tom, leading to some of her character's most degrading moments. Unfortunately, Roy convinces Tom that things shouldn't be left unsaid, and that you must tell your loved one these things before it's too late. He tells Lynette that while their problems were big, that the love they shared was bigger. I've always been indifferent towards Tom's character, mainly because his role has always been a fairly two-dimensional one as 'the husband', but I think he deserves better than Lynette. For eight seasons, she's always gotten her way, whether Tom agreed with her or not. His confession of love to her at the end of Give Me The Blame demonstrates that when you love someone you see past their faults, which is no doubt an uplifting statement about the power of love. But for Tom it also possibly means settling for unhappiness.  I would have liked Lynette to have come to the realisation that while she may want Tom back, that it may not necessarily be the best option for him and his future happiness, but being Lynette, she's happy to let Tom come back to her, because that is what she wants. Therefore, when Katherine arrives back on Wisteria Lane with a prospective job offer, the head of a U.S. division at her food company, Lynette wants that too. While Tom initially sees this as proof that Lynette is someone who is never truly happy, and is always looking for something else, she convinces him that she has just forgotten that's she's happy. Because it's always been his way as the passive 'husband', he then agrees to move to New York with her, and Lynette again, gets everything she wants, while Tom is the only one making the sacrifices.

Gabrielle too, is not one to make sacrifices, as she desperately tries to stop Carlos from confessing to Alejandro's murder, despite the fact she's only doing it for selfish reasons, and possibly at the expense of someone who's supposed to be one of her closet friends. In the end, Gabrielle manges to redeem herself a little by telling Carlos she will confess to the murder in self-defence, and that the jury will acquit her. She doesn't want Carlos to have to go to prison for protecting her, something he done their whole marriage, and something she now wants to do for him. Then again, she only does so once Renee testifies against Bree, forcing Tripp to ask Gabrielle back to the stand. Funny how she wouldn't confess for Bree. Carlos thanks Gabrielle for the sacrifice she is willing to make, but still refuses to let her take the fall for him, telling her that there's nothing she can say or do to stop him. Of course there's not. Cue a hilarious scene in which Gabrielle hides a pocket knife in Carlos' jacket causing him to be apprehended by security guards at the courthouse. I have to admit, I'll miss their antics a little. As Mrs. McCluskey confesses though, Gabrielle needn't worry, accept about her new promotion at Cumberly's as head of V.I.P. sales, which causes a fun role reversal for her and Carlos, and puts an interesting retrospect on the relationship the couple have shared throughout the series. While Carlos hiring a female gardener was predictable, it was a nice throwback for long time fans. Carlos is a real hypocrite when Gabrielle returns home late from work, but like Gabrielle he manges to redeem himself a little by telling Gabrielle that they have to pay attention to one another and not take their relationship for granted heading into the future.

While Bree has by far been by favourite housewife this season, going beyond the call of duty of a good friend while the others betrayed her, her undying devotion to them, especially Gabrielle, is very frustrating, particularly in Give Me The Blame. She has no legitimate to keep protecting for Carlos Alejandro's murder, considering her friends abandonment of her, which almost lead to her suicide. But now, I guess, having her friends back, and desperate not to lose them, Bree was willing to go to prison. Bree's further warped sense of morals continued its display even after she was cleared of the murder, when she was willing to forgive Renee for testifying against her, but not Tripp for making Gabrielle take the stand. However, I loved the idea that Bree's self-esteem, having gone so low this season, thought that Tripp's seduction of her was only a ploy to win him the case, when in fact he had legitimate feelings for her. It was refreshing this season to see a once confident and always debonair Bree become so uncertain of herself. But in the end Tripp convinces her that despite knowing all her dirty laundry as her lawyer, that our mistakes are what makes us human, a very valuable lesson Bree needed to learn to except her herself and truly begin her new life after the ordeal of the past year.

The progression of Karen McCluskey terminal cancer served as a fine plot to tie up several plots ongoing storylines over the last two episodes. That being said, in true Desperate Housewives fashion, it's disappointing that McCluskey, and Roy, were absent for most of the season. Having them feature so heavily in the last two episodes seemed as more of a necessary convenience rather than as a legitimate couple of characters and their storyline the writers had been trying to develop for the length of the season, because they obviously hadn't. After overhearing Gabrielle tell Carlos she will confess to Alejandro's, Karen in turn, cunningly gets Tripp to put her on the stand where she confesses. Not only does it clear Carlos, Gabrielle and Bree of any crime, but because of her age and deteriorating health, not even Mrs. McCluskey herself is tried for the murder. Well didn't everything turn out just peachy for everyone? Not only that, but Roy's 'you've got to tell these things to the people you love before it's too late' speech convinces Tom to reunite with Lynette. Thanks a lot, Roy. To finish the trifecta of problems solved by Karen and Roy to make the ending of Desperate Housewives a very happy one, they convince Bree to give Tripp a second chance, when he retrieves Karen a record player and a Johnny Mathis record, one of her last wishes, which she listens to as she passes away.

Despite Renee initially seeming a promiscuous, gold-digging, socialite, at the beginning of her time on Desperate Housewives, and Ben being portrayed as a lying, petty criminal, Aussie drongo, both are able to show true morals in their characters. Twice Ben is willing to be thrown into jail for contempt of court by not answering the prosecutor's questions to protect Bree, even with the possibility of ruining his wedding and his relationship with Renee. And Renee has shown enormous resolve throughout the entire season dealing with Ben and Bree's secret despite her forthright temperament, and it's a testament to her character. Although, in the end, she gave up Bree to ensure Ben wasn't deported back to Australia, her motivations for doing so are clear and heart felt, whereas Gabrielle's, at least for the most part of the season, and majority of Give Me The Blame, are presented as selfish and insincere. However, most of Renee good qualities are left in the wake of Finishing The Hat, when her impending wedding to Ben turns her into an unimaginable bridezilla that would even put a young Gabrielle Solis to shame. She does pay hilariously for it though, it true Desperate Housewives fashion, having Julie's water break on her wedding dress, then having to steal one from Cumberly's, and walk to her wedding after Susan steals the limousine to take Julie to the hospital.

Katherine Mayfair's return to Wisteria Lane, for me, was most definitely not a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder, but rather a crude reminder why from the beginning of the fourth season I started to enjoy Desperate Housewives less and less. While having coffee with the women on Gabrielle's porch she tells them how three months after moving to Paris her and Robin broke up. Since then she's channelled her sexual frustration by starting her own business, microwavable french cuisine, which has made her very rich, and offers Lynette that job as head of their new U.S. division in New York. And not even one, 'Sorry to hear about Mike', her ex-fiance. The nerve of that woman.

The episode concluded with, as the music from Karen' record player swelled, her passing, the birth of Julie and Preston's baby girl, and Renee and Ben's wedding dance. After one last poker game Mary Alice narrates the futures of the four housewives lives. How Lynette and Tom move to New York and buy an apartment overlooking central park, how Gabrielle and Carlos move to a mansion in Los Angeles after he helps her start personal shopper website, how Bree and Tripp move to Kentucky where she becomes a politician. And how Susan, the first to leave Wisteria Lane, takes one last drive around the street, and is farewelled by the dead, in all their cliched sentimental glory.

Rating: 3.5/5

So what did everyone else think? Happy how it ended? Or do you think the writers could have done better?

That Moment In Television

What was that moment in television, for you, when TV became more than just something to do while you ate dinner? Or when you had nothing better to do? That moment in which you fell in love with a TV show. When a mild interest turned into a flew-blown obsession. It may have been something that made you laugh hysterically. Or cry uncontrollably. Or it may have been an unexpected plot twist. Or the first time instead of just watching TV, what you were watching actually made you stop for a second and think. I think all hardcore television fans, whether they solely adore one single show, or many, has had one of these moments. Today I’m going to share mine with you, and how this moment shaped my love affair with television.

The scene in question I’m going to be discussing is from the season two episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer titled ‘Passion’. It also involves the death of a character and therefore spoilers. Anyway, Buffy was the first (adult) television show I religiously watched (sorry, Scooby-Doo!). I was very very young at the time, eight or nine if I recall correctly. My parents watched it occasionally, but it was when my Dad brought me home the first season on VHS (oh, those were the days) when I really started to get into it. Once season two started I was taping it every week. I don’t really know what would inspire an eight-year old to be enthralled by a show like Buffy, but all I can think of is that it was genre defying. It had something for everyone. It was science-fiction/ fantasy, but it was also action, horror, comedy, drama and romance as well, plenty of things to keep me entertained.

Angel, Buffy’s vampire boyfriend, has lost his soul after having a moment of pure happiness with her, and reverted to his true vampire self, Angelus. Jenny Calendar, an IT teacher at Sunnydale high, has been revealed as a descendant of the gypsy tribe that cursed Angel initially. As a member of that tribe she was advised to impede Buffy and Angel’s relationship to ensure Angel didn’t lose his soul. Obviously, she fails, and when her role in the events is revealed to Buffy and the others she becomes estranged from their close-knit group. Desperate to undo her wrongs, Jenny tries to translate the ancient curse using her computer to re-install Angel’s soul. As she completes this one night late at school Angel reveals himself in the shadows destroys the translation and then her computer.

Although I young I remember thinking that because Jenny was a main character on Buffy, that she couldn’t die. As she was running for her life through the deserted halls of Sunnydale high, throwing cleaning carts in front of a rabid Angelus in an attempt to stop him, I was thinking: she’s going to get away, somehow she’ll escape. Oh, how wrong I was. It’s strange how even at such a young age I had become unconsciously aware of basic storytelling rules and conventions. I had read enough books, and watched enough television and movies, to understand that good is supposed to triumph over evil, and that generally doesn’t involve heroes dying. Not that I thought no one died at all. I was aware that plenty of nameless faces often lost their lives in good versus evil tales. In fact Angelus had already killed innocent women who happened to be hanging out in dark alleys or walking home by themselves at the wrong time. It wasn’t that I thought on one would died, just not Jenny. Because Jenny wasn’t a nameless face. She was an important character who had been in Buffy since its first season. She had helped Buffy fight against the forces of darkness; she had had a relationship with Giles. She was someone audiences knew, which is probably why it had such an impact on me when Angelus snapped her neck.

So that was the moment watching television changed for me, because I had to stop and think: wait a second, they can’t do that! But Joss Whedon and Co. did. They defied a standard rule and convention of ‘traditional’ television and snapped its neck, and didn’t care what anyone thought of it. One may argue that there are a lot of far superior ways in which Whedon has disregarded and broken standard storytelling rules and conventions over his career, but this will always be the defining one for me. The one that made me realise the good storytelling, good television, is daring, shocking and defies logic.

So now it’s fair to say I love unpredictable television. Procedurals bore me because they follow a strict set of rules and conventions, I live for television that pushes to break these rules and take audiences out of their comfort zones. So here’s to Whedon and Co. for this moment in television.

What does everyone else think? Have you seen this episode? Think it’s worth mentioning? Feel free to tell me your defining television moment, I would very much love to hear them.

2012 TV Week Logie Awards

So Sunday was Australian television’s night of nights, so here’s what went down:

No Host:

Other than an April Fools gag that Kyle & Jackie O were going to be the hosts for this years Logies, there was little speculation otherwise as to who would be hosting, and rightly so since it turned out there wasn’t one. Adam Hills opened, and it was difficult to find him amusing when he spent the entire time putting people down, The Kardashians and Karl Stefanovic among them (like they’re really hard targets). And we got this zinger as well: ‘I’d rather be opening the Joseph Kony Childcare centre right now’. So to be honest, I’m glad the decision was made not to have a host, and rather have an array of Australian personalities present the awards, as to deter audiences from how truly bad the script was. To be fair, there were a few standouts, the always bubbly Chrissie Swan played against Lincoln Lewis well (it’s a shame she’s gone back to radio), and Rove McManus has such a natural presence as an Australian comic, but other than those it was cringe-worthy banter and awkward pairings galore.

The Performances:

Flo Rida (Good Feeling): Not a bad opener, definitely a good upbeat song to kick-start the night. I might have enjoyed this performance more if it didn’t become plainly obvious as it went on that Flo Rida was singing over the top of a pre-recorded track. The cameraman could have taken some chill-pills as well, there was so much zooming in and out on Flo Rida (assuming to make his dancing look more energetic than it actually was), that I began to feel sick. His back up dancers were good though, all 100 of them.

Delta Goodrem (Sitting on Top of the World):

Richard Wilkins introduced her by saying, ‘She was born to try with those innocent eyes’, two of Delta’s hit songs that haven’t been on radio for the past eight years. While the performance wasn’t spectacular, her voice often straining, Delta makes up for it with a natural stage presence. She was enjoying herself, and that kind of feeling is infectious when watching a performer. And one may as well get used to seeing a lot more of her now that she’s a judge of certain mega-hit The Voice. I could have done without the wind machine blowing her hair about though.

Seal (Kiss from a Rose):

Kiss from a Rose is such an amazing song that no matter the context in which it’s being sung, I think people are just happy to sit, watch, and listen to Seal do his thing. Apart from him seeming a little subdued, I enjoyed it as always.

Tony Bennett (The Lady Is A Tramp):

Peculiar choice of artist, considering the age group the majority of other artists were aimed at. Then again, this is an Australian awards show, so we’ll take whatever big names we can get. It’s always a fun, jazzy tune nonetheless, and Bennett gets extra points for genuinely seeming as though he wanted to be there and was honoured to be invited.

One Direction (One Thing):

A lot has been said about One Direction, and while I detest the resurgence of boy bands into today’s mainstream music, there’s no denying they’re a well oiled machine. The precision and coolness in which they each played their part within the performance shows practise, determination and skill. And I guess you get used to a routine when you’re expected to perform it for thousands of fourteen year-old girls several times a week. 

Winners & Losers (winners are highlighted in bold):

Most Popular Actress:

Asher Keddie (Offspring, Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo)

Danielle Cormack (Underbelly: Razor, East West 101)

Esther Anderson (Home And Away)

Jessica Marais (Packed To The Rafters)

Rebecca Gibney (Packed To The Rafters)

I don’t understand why some nominees were credited as having two television roles, when you think voting would determine which role they would be winning the Logie for. It seems a little unfair to other nominees, given that if you only have one role attached to your name, and another nominee has two, you would think your chances are severely diminished of winning, with other nominees having received votes for two shows. Asher Keddie seemed to have an incredibly difficult time trying to give her acceptance speech for the two programs she worked on.

Most Popular Actor:

Daniel MacPherson (Wild Boys)

Eddie Perfect (Offspring)

Erik Thomson (Packed To The Rafters)

Hugh Sheridan (Packed To The Rafters)

Ray Meagher (Home And Away)

Thank you to whoever decided that the snippet of Hugh’s great acting ability that was shown should be of his Packed to the Rafters character, Ben Rafter, announcing very drunkenly, ‘I’m gonna go have a little vomie’. Only at an Australian television awards show.

Most Popular Light Entertainment Program:

Australia’s Got Talent

Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year

Spicks And Specks

Sunrise

The Project

Unsurprisingly, now with a Euro Gap Year on the way.

Most Popular Factual Program:

Bondi Rescue

Bondi Vet

Border Security: Australia’s Front Line

RPA

World’s Strictest Parents

Five years in a row, that’s not half bad.

Most Popular Reality Program:

Beauty And The Geek Australia

MasterChef

My Kitchen Rules

The Block

The X Factor Australia

Not really a surprising result, but, as Scott Cam mentioned in his acceptance speech, it would have been a hard won to win, considering the popularity of MasterChef and My Kitchen Rules.

Most Popular Presenter:

Adam Hills (Spicks And Specks, Adam Hills In )

Gordon St

Tonight

Carrie Bickmore (The Project)

Chrissie Swan (The Circle)

Hamish Blake (Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year)

Karl Stefanovic (Today)

Again the nominee with two shows wins... But congrats to Adam Hills, a nice finish to his time with Spicks And Specks. And since Rove’s been of the air, Gordon St is the closet thing Australia has had to a late night talk show, so I hope that keeps going strong.

Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent:

Anna McGahan (Underbelly: Razor)

Chelsie Preston Crayford (Underbelly: Razor)

Hamish MacDonald (Senior Foreign Correspondent)

Hamish Michael (Crownies)

Melissa Bergland (Winners & Losers)

I didn’t watch Underbelly: Razor, but I hope that all the female nominees were not voted for on the horrible accents they all seemed to acquire for the show from the looks of the clips shown. Also, who knew there were so many men in the Australian industry with the name Hamish?

Most Popular New Male Talent:

Dan Ewing (Home And Away)

James Mason (Neighbours)

Peter Kuruvita (My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita)

Steve Peacocke (Home And Away)

Tom Wren (Winners & Losers)

A guy from Home And Away who spends most of his screen time with his shirt off won. Big surprise.

Most Outstanding Factual Program:

Go Back To Where You Came From

Leaky Boat

Mrs Carey’s Concert

Outback Fight Club

Tony Robinson Explores Australia

I have been meaning to watch this show, I’m so glad it won. It had an amazing premise and had the guts to question prejudices that are rife within Australia’s culture. We definitely need more shows like this.

Most Popular New Female Talent:

Anna McGahan (Underbelly: Razor)

Chelsie Preston Crayford (Underbelly: Razor)

Demi Harman (Home And Away)

Melissa Bergland (Winners & Losers)

Tiffany Hall (The Biggest Loser Australia)

Nice to see this girl win.

Most Outstanding Actor:

Alex Dimitriades (The Slap)

David Wenham (Killing Time)

Don Hany (East West 101)

Geoff Morrell (Cloudstreet)

Rob Carlton (Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo)

I really don’t understand the necessity to have several categories for actors, actresses, shows etc. under the slightly different titles i.e. ‘Most Popular’ and ‘Outstanding’. Viewers voted for all of these categories so it’s not as if there’s are any differences between the two categories. The Logies would run to a half-decent time if they didn’t feel the need to add all the unnecessary awards.

Most Outstanding Actress:

Asher Keddie (Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo)

Diana Glen (Killing Time)

Essie Davis (The Slap)

Kat Stewart (Offspring)

Melissa George (The Slap)

Let’s hope Anthony Hayes doesn’t lose her award.

Most Popular Lifestyle Program:

Better Homes And Gardens

Getaway

iFISH

Ready Steady Cook

Selling Houses Australia

Most Popular Drama:

Home And Away

Offspring

Packed To The Rafters

Underbelly: Razor

Winners & Losers

Still going strong, unfortunately.

Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program:

Australia’s Got Talent

Gruen Planet

Spicks And Specks

Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation

The Project

Congrats again to the Aussie staple, always good for a show to win in it’s last year, you’ll be sorely missed.

Most Outstanding Drama Series, Miniseries or Telemovie:

Cloudstreet

Offspring

Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo

The Slap

Undrbelly: Razor

I should really get around to watching this, I’ve only heard good things, and the snippets I’ve seen here have been quite compelling.

Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on TV:

Adam Hills

Asher Keddie

Carrie Bickmore

Esther Anderson

Hamish Blake

Karl Stefanovic

While my interest has waned in Hamish & Andy as I’ve matured there’s no denying that the pair are a dynamic duo, and have worked really hard the past couple of years to earn their popularity with the young generation of Australia. And Hamish is definitely the funnier of the two. Congrats!

What did everyone else think? Happy Hamish won the gold? Did you enjoy the performances? Were you glad there was no host? Let me know.

What I'm Into...

Hi all,

Before I start posting I just wanted to give everyone a general idea of what sort of television (and all things pop-culture) stuff I like so you could get an idea of what sort of things I’ll be writing about, reviewing, ranting over etc. Here they are:

Favourite Television Show:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer

  

Favourite Sitcom/ Comedy:
Friends

Favourite Reality Show:

Survivor

Guilty Pleasure:

Desperate Housewives

Favourite Television Character:

Walter White (Breaking Bad)

Favourite Couple:

Not usually a shipper, but Ned

and Chuck were pretty cute (Pushing Daisies)

Last Time I Cried Watching TV:

Unaccompanied Minor (Grey’s Anatomy)

Favourite Character Archetype:

Femme Fatale

Favourite Television/ Movie Genre:

Contemporary Science-Fiction/ Fantasy

What I’m Currently Watching On TV:

Revenge, How I Met Your Mother, Happy Endings,

Alcatraz, Ringer, The Big Bang Theory,

Californication, Desperate Housewives,

Game of Thrones

What I’m Currently Watching On DVD:

The Vampire Diaries (Season 2),

That 70’s Show (Season 8),

Sons of Anarchy (Season 1)

Favourite Television Writer:

Joss Whedon

Favourite Movies:

Inception, Alien, Watchmen,

Kick-Ass, District 9, Mean Girls, Kung Pow: Enter

The Fist, X-Men: First Class, Chronicle

Favourite Song:

Touched by VAST

Favourite Band:

Linkin Park

Favourite Artist:

Lana Del Rey

Favourite Books:

Wuthering Heights, Paradise Lost

 

So thanks for reading everyone, and feel free to let

me know what your favourite things on TV are,

I'd love to here them.