2008 TV Preview: FOX

As summer comes to a close and a fall starts to creep in, the 2008 television season begins. I'll be doing previews every few days by network with my impressions of the daily lineup as well as thoughts and coverage on pilots and returning shows. We'll start today with FOX.

Fox is in a unique position coming into 2008. While their ratings still stay strong with the almighty American Idol, they were hit hard due to the Writers Strike which left shows like 24 completely unseen. They have a ton of shows returning, including their Sunday night comedies featuring The Simpsons and Family Guy, so frequent Fox viewers should look forward to more of the same, with the exception of one very welcome show.

DAY

TIME: Show / Premiere Date

MONDAY
8:00: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles / Sep 8
This is one of the many shows from last year that are receiving a sophomore season pickup. Because of the writers strike a lot of shows were left with shortened seasons, but 2008 is a chance for these shows to see if they can really pull in the audience they were expected to. This show was up against the likes of Bionic Woman, which will not be returning, and pulls in an action / sci-fi loving crowd as well as those who just like Summer Glau. I didn't watch this show when it originally aired, but I watched in its entirety a couple weeks ago and it's pretty good. The show received a hefty budget increase so the visual effects and insane action that we love from any Terminator title can finally come forth in this show. It follows the life of Sarah Connor (Lena Headey), having to make sure her son John Connor (Thomas Dekker) can one day save the world from Skynet. If you're a fan of any of the above mentioned it's worth checking out, and if you haven't seen the first season it's probably worth renting the DVDs before you jump in.

9:00: Prison Break / Sep 1
Returning for another season, get ready to watch Michael Scofield (tattooed Wentworth Miller) run around again. To tell you the truth I've stopped following this show after two lackluster season finales, but it obviously has a strong following (Judd) so it's back again. It's not a bad show at all, I've just lost touch with it. If you're into this, by all means keep watching.

TUESDAY
8:00: House / Sep 22
One of Fox's most prized shows, House returns for another season of mysterious hospital cases, all labeled as "House's biggest complication yet." The show had an amazing fourth season, taking a twist with the typical formula and throwing in a new team for Dr. House, but keeping the old cast close enough to develop worthwhile story plots. Hugh Laurie is awesome in this show, and it's a solid hour of entertainment, so if you're a fan look forward to another full season.

9:00: Fringe (NEW) / Sep 9
From LOST creator JJ Abrams, this show revolves around Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) a FBI agent who gets herself into a case of mass extremities. Passengers in a flight from Germany to Boston become exposed to a chemical which leaves everyone on the plane dead. During the investigation, Agent John Scott (Mark Valley), Dunham's partner, is left nearly dead after an incident, which leaves Dunham is a great state of urgency. After digging deeper she finds one of the worlds most brilliant scientists Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), but he has been locked in a mental institution for many years. To get in touch with Walter, Dunham locates his son Peter (Joshua Jackson) for help. As events unfold Dunham is lead to a corporation that specializes in pseudo science (aka Fringe science), and after a few twists and turns she realizes that the events of Flight 627 are only a small piece of a collective puzzle that will eventually lead to things much more riveting. The 90 minute pilot is incredibly compelling, and fans of Abrams's work will once again be pleased by the level of quality this show offers. An awesome fit for Fox viewers, this is definitely one to check out.

WEDNESDAY
8:00: Bones / Sep 3
I've never actually seen a full episodes of this show, and this season I most likely won't watch one either. It's entering it's fourth season so there's a following somewhere, but yeah I don't know anyone who watches this. It follows a scientist who can read victims bones for clues, sounds cool.

9:00: 'Til Death / Sep 10
This Fox comedy is entering it's third season. I don't think I've seen a full episode of this, so it might be funny, might not be, who knows. All I know is I'm usually watching LOST or something during this time slot. It has the big dude from Everybody Loves Raymond in it so there's probably some good laughs, and since it's returning for its third season it most likely has some solid moments.

9:30: Do Not Disturb (NEW) / Sep 12
Imagine Suite Life of Zack & Cody without Zack & Cody and this is basically what you get, a comedy featuring the staff of a supposedly high profile hotel. The pilot was so-so, with everything from racial jokes to fat jokes to gay jokes and so on. The first five minutes were joke one right after the other which was pretty boring but down the line it picked up a bit. Not a baaad show, but there's certainly better out there if you're looking for a comedy.

THURSDAY
8:00: Moment of Truth / Hole In The Wall (NEW) / Sep 16
Some weird ass game show where you commit to a lie-detector test while people ask you questions. I think you get money after that or something.

Hole In The Wall is a play off of Japanese Human Tetris.  These shows will most likely switch around depending on popularity amongst viewers.

9:00: Kitchen Nightmares / Sep 11
The Hell's Kitchen guy goes to messed up restaurants and fixes them or something. Has anyone seen this? Does he yell at people in this show? Fill me in.

FRIDAY
No one watches TV friday, but if you're wondering at 8:00 you get Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader (surprisingly humorous) and at 9:00 Don't Forget the Lyrics (you can see this shit on TFC)

SATURDAY
Fox shows episodes of COPS and Americas Most Wanted.

SUNDAY
On Sunday you get THE OT (a play on words of THE OC LOLOLOLZ) after football, and then Fox's comedy lineup which never really disappoints.

8:00: The Simpsons / Sep 28
Doesn't need explaining. Those who are fans will continue to be fans and those looking for a few Sunday night laughs won't be disappointed.

8:30: King of the Hill / Sep 28
This show is funny, "Dammit Bobby!" lol

9:00: Family Guy / Sep 28
Freaken hilarious!

9:30: American Dad / Sep 28
Missed the boat

MIDSEASON
In January shows will most likely shift times and some may get cancelled when American Idol and 24 return, but here's what you should look out for.

American idol / Jan 2009
Americas favorite fricken show which brought us amazing artists like Clay Aiken and Elliott Yadadadamin returns for its 8th season but this time there's a twist! They're bringing in a FOURTH JUDGE (OH SHIt!!!) Grammy-nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi. She wrote for artists such as Carrie Underwood and Ashlee Simpson, and if my inside source (wikipedia) is correct she also wrote beloved summer jam What You Got by Colby Odonis! She is said to bring more GIRLPOWER to the show, because Simon and Randy Jackson are sooooo manly.

24 / Jan 2009
One of the most sought after shows on television, 24 is finally returning this year. The show follows Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) as he finds terrorists and kills bad guys (a common plot around FOX). This shows previous season was horrible, and then there was the writers strike, so it's been nearly two years since we've seen a good episode of 24, so I'm pretty excited for its return.

Dollhouse (NEW) / Jan 2009
From the creator of Buffy, Firefly, and some version of the Xmen comics (astonishing xmen I think) comes Dollhouse. This show follows Eliza Dushku, amongst others who are a group of "actives" or "dolls." These dolls can have everything in them erased, from thoughts to muscle memory, and can then have any persona implemented into them. During the show apparently she becomes self aware of what's happening to her and goes after the "controllers" or the Dollhouse. Sounds like a Whedon show, haven't seen it, I'll let you know when I do.

Hell's Kitchen / Jan 2009

The guy yells at people, I've never seen a full episode.

And that concludes the FOX TV preview. The shows I'll actually follow up on are Sarah Connor Chronicles, House, 24, maybe Dollhouse, and the brand new Fringe, but there's plenty here to watch. Look forward to the next preview later this week.

And Then He Was Like, And Then She Was Like...

To: Lance
From: Nazer
Re: It's your LEAP DAY LINK DUMP

Yeah, I haven't made a post in a while, but then after thinking about it, the reason (for me at least) for starting this blog was to just write about shit that I thought people should know about, and with school and other activities piling up I felt that my time was better spent on other things. You made a Megan Fox post earlier and mentioned something about the quality of the site, but in my opinion fuck it, just write about whatever the hell you want, it's better then having no updates for a week.

Anyways, I've been spending my free time finishing up House season 3, and in an episode where Foreman declares his resignation from the hospital (NOT spoilers because this crap plays on the commercials), a song plays at the end by Brett Dennen called "Ain't No Reason." That song has been playing over and over again in my room, and I think my neighbors are annoyed, but whatever.

I picked up Patapon for the PSP and it's a pretty entertaining game with style elements that make it unique to the system, and it was only $20, so if you have a PSP (Martino, Floyd) go pick it up.

Since Brawl is coming out next week, I've been pressuring myself to finish Mario Galaxy. Yeah yeah it's a sick game, but that camera angle makes me dizzy and I get weirded out when I press up and he runs down so I don't play it that much.

After leaving the gym this morning, I saw a girl who looked about my age walking down the city streets with a blind man's cane, you know those white fold up ones with the red reflector on the bottom, and I thought damn, here I am always worrying about my eyesight while this strong individual is out making things happen, pretty uplifting.

Time to eat some cereal and figure out what to do today. I haven't heard much about SD in a while, how's everyone doing?

I know, the letter to other writers thing was totally ripped off inspired by Kotaku, but hey it's a good idea, and posts like these are always enjoyable.

And The Nominees Are...

The Golden Globe nominations were given out this week, and overall I'm pleased by the picks.

)Nomination lists can be found here)

I'm going to focus on TV because I'm too poor to comment on the movie nominations.

For best TV drama it's exciting to see Damages and Mad Men on that list. These shows premiered in the summer, and they really are amazing dramas. With Big Love and House on that list as well, it's going to be interesting to see who gets the award (at least until the Emmys).

Along with those shows, Joe Hamm really earned that nomination. His role as Donald Draper in Mad Men is done so well, and I really hope that these nominations help AMC put more faith into their show. Michael C. Hall also makes an appearance on that list for his role in Dexter, a condo favorite, so that's pretty awesome as well.

On the female side I have to give praise to Glenn Close on Damages. If you haven't seen an episode of this show, you should really check it out, and Glenn Close really keeps you guessing on her motives the entire episode.

Under best comedy 30 Rock makes an appearance. I'll say it now and I'll argue with it anytime, but this show rocks the shit out of The Office. The writing is brilliant, the characters are hilarious, and the show is actually funny. Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin are nominated under best Actress and best Actor, well deserved. Also on that list is my favorite fall series Pushing Daisies, with Lee Pace and Anna Friel both receiving acting nominations.

In my opinion there are a few snubs. I believe that Lost should have deserved some love, even with it's slow season opening, actors like Elizabeth Mitchell and our favorite box company employee Locke, played by Terry O'Quinn really excelled in their craft this season. I also would have liked to see Weeds over Californication in the comedy category, and I can honestly say that my love for Grey's Anatomy has slowly depleted over the past year. Under the supporting categories I would have loved to see Chi McBride and Kristin Chenoweth for their roles on Daisies because their inclusion in the show really keeps it moving.

The thing to focus on here though is the love that the freshman shows are getting. It's fantastic to see that brand new shows like Mad Men, Damages, and Pushing Daisies are really being recognized, thus upping the chance for more episodes. So overall I'd say that it's a pretty good list, in the movies side as well but I haven't seen them all so I won't really comment, and yeah this is just the peak of awards season, so we'll see what happens in the future.