The 2012 Television Shows Thread

[Thomkal]

Well since its no longer Fall, guess we should start another TV thread.

Here's the first post-this caught me by surprise-hadn't seen any promo's about it, but the new season of Southland starts tonight at 10 Eastern on TNT. John Cooper returns to duty after recovering from surgery-hopefully without his drug addiction in tow.

[CrimsonFox]

Can we post about things that we're watching even if they aren't new? :)

[Thomkal]

Can we post about things that we're watching even if they aren't new? :)

I'll even let you post things from 2011 even though its the 2012 thread. I'm so generous. :p

[CrimsonFox]

Oh so the Red Dwarf DVDs I was watching don't count. oh okay...

[Suicane75]

Two And A Half Men, with a chance to totally reinvent itself and add some freshness has just decided to get lazier and lazier with each passing week.

[PackerFanatic]

So I FINALLY got through The Walking Dead season that is on Netflix...and I was instantly hooked. I went and got all the episodes that are out of season 2 and am going to hopefully catch up before the midseason premiere next month. What a ridiculously good show.

[CrimsonFox]

I was thrilled this past year that my favorite show, Futurarma came back. I was hoping it would be stronger, but it was fun to watch new episodes. It broke the season into 2 halves. And I was kinda disappointed in the first half early last year:

I found one brilliant episode: THe Late Philip J Fry. It was on par with the best of em in sci-finess, humor, and little bits of drama.

There were two others I liked and were clever : CLockwork Origin, Proposition Infinity
Those 13 really did the whole "Let's take current hottopics and make eps about them approach.
Duh-Vinci Code was interesting but not very funny.

The rest of the thirteen were pretty darn average and recycled old concepts and somewhat forced more backstory. Lethal inspection especially seemed to mirror things like "Leela's Homeworld" in how it did that backstory thing at the end.

But luckily the back 13 were pretty much across the board great and back to the FUturama I loved in seasons 3 and 4.

Loved SIlence of the Clamps, Law and Oracle, Mobius Dick, Ghost in the Machine, Yo Leela Leela, and Neutopia (Bend Her part Deux? :D ), Overclockwise, All the PResidents Heads (Farnsworth Parabox part deux),
and Fry Am the Eggman.
Funny they finished off with another kinda lame 3 short story episode.(REincarnation)

[Pumpy Tudors]

Oh so the Red Dwarf DVDs I was watching don't count. oh okay...
Red Dwarf DVDs ALWAYS count, smeghead.

[CrimsonFox]

Red Dwarf DVDs ALWAYS count, smeghead.

In that case ALL HANDS ON DECK! SWIRLY THING ALERT!

(I watched series 6 (Psirens, Legion, Gunmen of the Apocolypse, Emohawk, Rimmerworld, Out of Time and then I went back and watched them all with commentary)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Suddenly I have this craving for chicken vindaloo

[Pumpy Tudors]

I watch Red Dwarf literally every night. Literally. Every single night. I'm not joking.

[Groundhog]

So many TV series I have waiting to watch, but never get around to it. Walking Dead is the main one. Game of Thrones season 2 is the main (only?) new series I'm currently excited about.

[stevew]

So I FINALLY got through The Walking Dead season that is on Netflix...and I was instantly hooked. I went and got all the episodes that are out of season 2 and am going to hopefully catch up before the midseason premiere next month. What a ridiculously good show.

Get back to me after you've spent some time on the farm.

[sterlingice]

Oh so the Red Dwarf DVDs I was watching don't count. oh okay...

My wife is a huge fan.

SI

[CrimsonFox]

I watch Red Dwarf literally every night. Literally. Every single night. I'm not joking.

I now have this vision that Pumpy talks and sounds exactly like Danny John-Jules as the Cat.
"Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy buddy!"

[Arles]

Really excited about Luck on HBO coming up in a few weeks.

[Jas_lov]

Homeland is over but I've got Shameless to fill some of the void. Emmy Rossum and William H Macy are really good on that show. HBO's Luck seems promising so I'll probably give that a shot. Taped Alcatraz last night so hopefully that's decent.

But I'm most looking forward to the return of two of my favorite shows - Mad Men in March and Game of Thrones in April.

[stevew]

I'm not sure about Californication anymore. I think we've gone 2 straight eps with no amazing boobs. I hope the black girl gets naked at some point. Plus the new Runkle nanny looks promising as well.

As far as the plot goes, RZA has been pretty solid. I like the 2 year fast forward as well. Should allow some different storylines with the daughter. Now that we are finally free of the Fucking and Punching storyline, it will be interesting to see where this all goes.

[CrimsonFox]

I am now totally hooked on Community. Really hope it stays around.

I tried out Grimm. I'm unimpressed. It is slow and pretentious. It COULD be more fun with the fairy tale thing but they're bein all Law and ORder about it and not in a fun way. Maybe that's the whole premise. IN that case it's just a bad premise. The creatures should turn into the magic creatures more often and stay that way. Eh. It probably won't last.

[sterlingice]

I now have this vision that Pumpy talks and sounds exactly like Danny John-Jules as the Cat.
"Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy buddy!"

:D

SI

[JonInMiddleGA]

I now have this vision that Pumpy talks and sounds exactly like Danny John-Jules as the Cat.
"Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy buddy!"


Glad you caught up to the rest of us :cool:

[Big Fo]

So far all I am looking forward to is the third season of Eastbound and Down.

But then again, most TV I watch is sports. I only follow a few current shows and sometimes I watch Seinfeld reruns or Jeopardy! during dinner. That's about it.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I now have this vision that Pumpy talks and sounds exactly like Danny John-Jules as the Cat.
"Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy buddy!"
Glad you caught up to the rest of us :cool:
Yeah, seriously.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Yeah, seriously.
... he says while grooming himself thoroughly to maintain his natty appearance

[PackerFanatic]

Get back to me after you've spent some time on the farm.

Heh - I have heard that from a few people actually (that it falls off a bit around this time).

[PackerFanatic]

I am now totally hooked on Community. Really hope it stays around.

I tried out Grimm. I'm unimpressed. It is slow and pretentious. It COULD be more fun with the fairy tale thing but they're bein all Law and ORder about it and not in a fun way. Maybe that's the whole premise. IN that case it's just a bad premise. The creatures should turn into the magic creatures more often and stay that way. Eh. It probably won't last.

I couldn't get into either. It seemed like every week all they were doing was introducing new, weird creatures and never really moving along the main plot points. Once Upon A Time is a much better "fairy tale" show that also started this season. Really digging that one (plus you cannot go wrong with Jennifer Morrison and Ginnifer Goodwin)

[CrimsonFox]

Speaking of Red Dwarf, Danny John Jules and Robert Llewelynn have been tweeting that they've been in rehearsal for new Red Dwarf EPisodes.

And I JUST watched the awful American Red Dwarf pilot that RObert did. Jane Leeves was HOlly! :)

[Pumpy Tudors]

Speaking of Red Dwarf, Danny John Jules and Robert Llewelynn have been tweeting that they've been in rehearsal for new Red Dwarf EPisodes.

And I JUST watched the awful American Red Dwarf pilot that RObert did. Jane Leeves was HOlly! :)
They've actually already recorded part of the new series. I'm not sure when it's supposed to start airing in England, maybe late 2012 or early 2013. I'm really looking forward to it.

[Thomkal]

I couldn't get into either. It seemed like every week all they were doing was introducing new, weird creatures and never really moving along the main plot points. Once Upon A Time is a much better "fairy tale" show that also started this season. Really digging that one (plus you cannot go wrong with Jennifer Morrison and Ginnifer Goodwin)

+1 on that. I came into the TV season thinking Grimm would be more to my liking that Once Upon a Time-likely to be the more "mature" of the two-while OUAT would be more dedicated towards family/kids. I like them both, but OUAT is probably my favorite new show of the season.

It's a very clever take on the traditional fairy tales twisted to meet today's world. The actress playing the Queen/Mayor is very good at it-very convincingly evil and controlling-and the secret revealed where it showed just how much control (the room in fairy tale world/cabinet in ours with all the drawers in it, not to be too spoily) she had was chilling. And most of the rest of the cast is pretty good too.

[CrimsonFox]

+1 on that. I came into the TV season thinking Grimm would be more to my liking that Once Upon a Time-likely to be the more "mature" of the two-while OUAT would be more dedicated towards family/kids. I like them both, but OUAT is probably my favorite new show of the season.

It's a very clever take on the traditional fairy tales twisted to meet today's world. The actress playing the Queen/Mayor is very good at it-very convincingly evil and controlling-and the secret revealed where it showed just how much control (the room in fairy tale world/cabinet in ours with all the drawers in it, not to be too spoily) she had was chilling. And most of the rest of the cast is pretty good too.

Aha! It has women in it unlike the sausagefest of Grimm. Even though Grimm does have Seymour from Burn Notice.

[PackerFanatic]

+1 on that. I came into the TV season thinking Grimm would be more to my liking that Once Upon a Time-likely to be the more "mature" of the two-while OUAT would be more dedicated towards family/kids. I like them both, but OUAT is probably my favorite new show of the season. .

That's exactly what I was thinking going into both of them too.

[ISiddiqui]

Hey, the main character's wife in Grimm is pretty hot. But I always liked OUAT more than Grimm, simply because OUAT had a more inventive premise. From early one, it seemed that Grimm was more about the "monster of the week" and that's been done.

[CrimsonFox]

They've actually already recorded part of the new series. I'm not sure when it's supposed to start airing in England, maybe late 2012 or early 2013. I'm really looking forward to it.


I really hope it's good. The movie a few years ago was actually not that bad. Was better than series 7 at least. I wish Rob Grant would come back and start writing again. I think his writing was the main thing that made the series work so well. Doug Naylor alone just can't do it.

[stevew]

Really liked Alcatraz, at least the concept of it. I think the lead is a questionable choice. Gives off too many vibes like The Killing. I just don't think the small framed female is a realistic detective archetype

[Alan T]

Really liked Alcatraz, at least the concept of it. I think the lead is a questionable choice. Gives off too many vibes like The Killing. I just don't think the small framed female is a realistic detective archetype


I liked Sam Neil alot, but I liked him a bunch in the Tudors too

[Easy Mac]

I know she didn't fair well in hot or not, but having zooey deschanel and lizzy caplan is way too much hotness for me. Plus New Girl is just a funny show. Not counting Homeland, its my favorite new show of the season.

[JPhillips]

Really liked Alcatraz, at least the concept of it. I think the lead is a questionable choice. Gives off too many vibes like The Killing. I just don't think the small framed female is a realistic detective archetype

The old guy, geeky guy, sort-of hot woman cast has worked since X-Files.

[stevew]

The pilot for Touch was really good. That being said, I just don't think this will work as a TV show. It's gotta be impossible to layer plots every week and make it work.

[CrimsonFox]

Checked out Hot in Cleveland. Was surprised so many women from old sitcoms were there. Betty White from Golden GIrls, Jane Leeves from Frasier, Wendie Malick from Just SHoot Me, Valerie Bertinelli from One Day at a Time...
Typical horrible sitcom writing tho. It will probably last 6 seasons (and a movie!)

[stevew]

Checked out Hot in Cleveland. Was surprised so many women from old sitcoms were there. Betty White from Golden GIrls, Jane Leeves from Frasier, Wendie Malick from Just SHoot Me, Valerie Bertinelli from One Day at a Time...
Typical horrible sitcom writing tho. It will probably last 6 seasons (and a movie!)

It's a garbage show with completely uninspired jokes and plot lines. And I don't understand how Wendie Malick was ever perceived to be hot and/or glamorous.

[CrimsonFox]

It's a garbage show with completely uninspired jokes and plot lines. And I don't understand how Wendie Malick was ever perceived to be hot and/or glamorous.

I thought she was pretty funny, a very Christine Baranski type, on Just Shoot Me. But ditto. SHE'S considered Hot? I think it was more playing the diva tho.

[RainMaker]

Checked out Hot in Cleveland. Was surprised so many women from old sitcoms were there. Betty White from Golden GIrls, Jane Leeves from Frasier, Wendie Malick from Just SHoot Me, Valerie Bertinelli from One Day at a Time...
Typical horrible sitcom writing tho. It will probably last 6 seasons (and a movie!)

In a weird way though, that's their audience. People who like old school sitcoms. They put together one called "The ex's" also. Seems the goal is to throw in some B list former sitcom stars and put out a below average product that they can use as a reason for cable companies to pick up the network.

[JonInMiddleGA]

In a weird way though, that's their audience. People who like old school sitcoms.

Not really all that weird, that IS the audience for the show. It's the audience for TVLand basically.

While the show's numbers are down this year, it's still fine with total adults. Last week was a 0.3 for A18-49 but actually had a larger total audience than several shows with a 0.6 in A18-49. Already renewed for a 14 ep season four, which had to be an easy call for the network.

[stevew]

Recently started watching Castle, and I enjoy it a ton.

in other news, Charlie Sheen's new show, Anger Management, launches June 28 on FX. Also that night is the season premiere for Louie.

[Jas_lov]

Anyone watching Luck on HBO? Thought it started off slow but the last 2 episodes have been really good. They've developed the characters played by Nick Nolte and Kevin Dunn a little bit more and you can never go wrong with Dennis Farina.

Alcatraz was a bust and it looks like it will be cancelled. I didn't really buy the fat comic book guy going around with the blonde girl and catching criminals.

Mad Men and Game of Thrones are only about a month away.

[Johnny93g]

Anyone watching Luck on HBO? Thought it started off slow but the last 2 episodes have been really good. They've developed the characters played by Nick Nolte and Kevin Dunn a little bit more and you can never go wrong with Dennis Farina.


I think it's brilliant. I don't think it started slow at all. Unlike the walking dead, I actually give a shit about these characters. The writing and direction has done a wonderful job of telling this story. The horse racing scene in episode 4, with Nolte's horse....wow, the music....Great great show

[Bad-example]

Anyone watching Luck on HBO? Thought it started off slow but the last 2 episodes have been really good. They've developed the characters played by Nick Nolte and Kevin Dunn a little bit more and you can never go wrong with Dennis Farina.

I'm watching this one but am on the fence so far. I like Hoffman and Farina but their scenes together seem to drag. I don't like any of the characters in the crew with the wheelchair guy. In fact I'm having trouble finding any characters I actually like. TBH, I've never been able to kindle more than a mild interest in the sport and that may be why I haven't been drawn in as yet. I'll give it more time.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Stormchasers cancellation became, I guess, official yesterday, with a public statement from one of the 'chasers.

Not sure why there was (apparently) some question about it, I've seen references to the network pretty much cancelling the show back in late January.

[PackerFanatic]

Alcatraz was a bust and it looks like it will be cancelled. I didn't really buy the fat comic book guy going around with the blonde girl and catching criminals.

I don't feel so bad about falling behind on this show then. I do like Jorge Garcia, but I tend to agree with your assessment...every time they'd hear about another one of the 63's and he would suddenly be all like, "ooh! that's so and so!", it just seemed way too forced. Not a terrible concept, but they didn't seem to do it very well (granted, as I said, I only caught a handful of episodes before falling behind, but still)

[DaddyTorgo]

Game of Thrones makes me hard.

[wade moore]

On the Geekshow Podcast the guy that is a TV critic made what I think was an interesting point.

Several of the shows (Alcatraz and Awake were specific ones he mentioned) coming out now really seem like better movie concepts than TV concepts.

[PackerFanatic]

On the Geekshow Podcast the guy that is a TV critic made what I think was an interesting point.

Several of the shows (Alcatraz and Awake were specific ones he mentioned) coming out now really seem like better movie concepts than TV concepts.

Agreed. I could see Alcatraz as a great movie...but trying to string a concept like that along for a whole season is just forcing it too much.

[EagleFan]

Agreed about Alcatraz. Interesting concept but the concept alone could be both the show's biggest asset and biggest liability. Trying to write multiple shows within that same scope can quickly become repetitious. They started opening it up a little bit (now seeing the relationship between Howser and the doctor as well as the various tie ins to the detective) but there is not much further that I can see them taking it without altering the concept.

I could see this as a movie that works well (even one that leaves a few unanswerred questions for possible sequels; though going past 2 sequels would probably be a stretch).

[Honolulu_Blue]

Anyone watching Luck on HBO? Thought it started off slow but the last 2 episodes have been really good. They've developed the characters played by Nick Nolte and Kevin Dunn a little bit more and you can never go wrong with Dennis Farina.

I watched the first episode of "Luck" and was pretty confused by it. I am sure that it would get less confusing the more you watched it and learned about horse racing, life at the track, the characters and what not, but I really have zero interest in horse racing. I find nothing compelling, interesting or all the redeemable about it.

I think it's brilliant. I don't think it started slow at all. Unlike the walking dead, I actually give a shit about these characters.

The characters in "Luck" are probably written better and are portrayed by better actors than those in "The Walking Dead", but I would watch a lower quality show about zombies - something I love - every day of the week and twice on Sundays before watching a brilliant show about horse racing. That's just me.

In the Continuum Of Things That Interest H_B, there is a massively wide gap between horse racing and zombies. It's almost as wide as the Mariana Trench is deep.

[Honolulu_Blue]

On the Geekshow Podcast the guy that is a TV critic made what I think was an interesting point.

Several of the shows (Alcatraz and Awake were specific ones he mentioned) coming out now really seem like better movie concepts than TV concepts.

I have the exact same feeling about that new "Awake" show that is premiering tonight. I watched the trailer for it and it looked amazing. Very compelling. I just don't see how the concept can hold together over the course of a TV series. As a movie it could be incredible, not sure if will be the same as a series.

[spleen1015]

Agreed on all accounts with Alcatraz and Awake.

The idea behind Alcatraz sounded really cool, but I think the execution is way off. I don't like that we have a different guy each episode and then we pretty much never see them again.

The concept behind Awake looks very good. I hope they execute it well.

[Ksyrup]

Stormchasers cancellation became, I guess, official yesterday, with a public statement from one of the 'chasers.

Not sure why there was (apparently) some question about it, I've seen references to the network pretty much cancelling the show back in late January.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I never really followed the show off the TV - other than following Reed Timmer on twitter. That sucks so bad. We loved that show.

[GrantDawg]

I have the exact same feeling about that new "Awake" show that is premiering tonight. I watched the trailer for it and it looked amazing. Very compelling. I just don't see how the concept can hold together over the course of a TV series. As a movie it could be incredible, not sure if will be the same as a series.


And the new show with Ashley Judd where somewhere took her son and she's trying to get him back. After a full season of almost, but not quite, getting him, back are really going to want to watch that again for three more years? That kind of formula worked years ago, but I don't think people really buy into that now.

[Easy Mac]

And the new show with Ashley Judd where somewhere took her son and she's trying to get him back. After a full season of almost, but not quite, getting him, back are really going to want to watch that again for three more years? That kind of formula worked years ago, but I don't think people really buy into that now.

only if he is attacked by cougars.

Besides, these shows already did it minutely better in the last 6 years. IMDb - Kidnapped (TV Series 2006–2007) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0771329/) Vanished (TV Series 2006) - IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499591/)

[stevew]

Awake was really good. I have a feeling it probably won't survive long because it's on NBC. But I'm interested.

[larrymcg421]

Awake was really good. I have a feeling it probably won't survive long because it's on NBC. But I'm interested.

That actually gives it a better chance to survive. See: 30 Rock, Community, Parks and Rec, Parenthood. Chuck went for 5 seasons with ratings that would've got it canned during the 1st season on any other network.

[Ksyrup]

Spring Reality TV schedule:

March

Q’Viva! The Chosen [Fox, March 3, Saturdays at 8]
Hollywood Girls Night [TV Guide Network, March 4, Sundays at 9]
The Kandi Factory Special
[B]Love Broker
[B]Storage Wars: Texas [A&E, March 6, Tuesdays at 9]
On Death Row [Investigation Discovery, March 6, Tuesdays at 10]
Million Dollar Listing New York
[B]My Crazy Obsession [TLC, March 7, Wednesdays at 10]
The Ultimate Fighter Live [FX, March 9, Fridays at 9]
America the Wild with Casey Anderson [NatGeo Wild, March 11 at 8, Mondays at 9]
Shahs of Sunset
[B]Fashion Star [NBC, March 13 at 9, Tuesdays at 10] news (http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/fashion_star/)
Undercover Boss: Abroad [OWN, March 13, Tuesdays at 8 and 9]
Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis
[B]Sweet Genius [Food Network, March 15, Thursdays at 10]
The First 48: Missing Persons [A&E, March 15, Thursdays at 10]
Unchained Reaction [Discovery, March 18, Sundays at 10]
Dancing with the Stars 14 [ABC, March 19, Mondays at 8, Tuesdays at 9] news (http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/dancing_with_the_stars_14/)
La La’s Full Court Life [VH1, March 19, Mondays at 9]
The Little Couple [TLC, March 20, Mondays at 10]
Duck Dynasty [A&E, March 21, Wednesdays at 10]
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. [PBS, March 25]
Mythbusters [Discovery, March 25, Sundays at 9]
Long Island Medium [TLC, March 25, Sundays at 9]
16 and Pregnant [MTV, March 27, Tuesdays at 10] news (http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/16_and_pregnant/)
Mary Mary [WEtv, March 29, Thursdays at 10]
The Pauly D Project [MTV, March 29, Thursdays at 10:30] news (http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/jersey_shore/)
Braving the Elements [Weather Channel, March]
House of Consignment [VH1, March]
Lifeguard! [Weather Channel, March]


April
River Monsters [Animal Planet, April 1, Sundays at 9]
Giuliana & Bill [Style, April 3, Tuesdays at 8]
Shannen Says [WEtv, April 3, Tuesdays at 9]
Betty White’s Off Their Rockers [NBC, April 4, Wednesdays at 8]
Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On [TV Guide Network, April 8, Sundays at 9]
Hotel Impossible [Travel Channel, April 9, Mondays at 10]
Baggage Battles [Travel Channel, April 11, Wednesdays at 10]
America Revealed [PBS, April 11, Wednesdays at 10]


May
Weight of the Nation [HBO, May 14 and 15]

[CrimsonFox]

Game of Thrones makes me hard.

It was Peter Dinklage wasn't it...

[Honolulu_Blue]

After the death of the third horse while filming, HBO has officially cancelled "Luck."

[sterlingice]

Oh, we've been talking about it in this thread already. No need to beat a dead hors-- um, never mind

SI

[DaddyTorgo]

New season of River Monsters?

COOL!

[Ksyrup]

Just an FYI, I highly recommend the 7-episode Frozen Planet series on Discovery. We're only an hour in to the 2-hour premiere from last Sunday, but it is some amazing footage.

It was filmed over four years by 38 camera operators who spent 134 hours under water and 840 hours in blizzards, in weather as cold as -58 degrees.

Among the footage are a number of things that have never been filmed before, such as a freakish "icicle of death" and this scene, in which a pod of killer whales collaborate to knock a sea lion off an ice floe.

http://<IFRAME height=315 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hPge_0lea3o" frameBorder=0 width=560 allowfullscreen></IFRAME> (http://<iframe width=)

[rowech]

Just an FYI, I highly recommend the 7-episode Frozen Planet series on Discovery. We're only an hour in to the 2-hour premiere from last Sunday, but it is some amazing footage.

It was filmed over four years by 38 camera operators who spent 134 hours under water and 840 hours in blizzards, in weather as cold as -58 degrees.

Among the footage are a number of things that have never been filmed before, such as a freakish "icicle of death" and this scene, in which a pod of killer whales collaborate to knock a sea lion off an ice floe.

http://<IFRAME height=315 src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hPge_0lea3o" frameBorder=0 width=560 allowfullscreen></IFRAME> (http://<iframe width=)

That's just sad.

[stevew]

WTF is all this duck dynasty bullshit? I guess they finally figured out how to program retarded shows for the nation of retards that we've got growing here.

[stevew]

dola-

I'm pretty shocked there isn't a show where a couple guys go around and dig up septic tanks and funnel shit through hoses and stuff. Sort of like the goatse version of Dirty Jobs. Some guy named Chester and his cousin Budroh probably do this and have a pilot deal in the works.

[JonInMiddleGA]

WTF is all this duck dynasty bullshit? I guess they finally figured out how to program retarded shows for the nation of retards that we've got growing here.

Main dude actually seems to have a pretty fair handle (http://www.nola.com/tv/index.ssf/2012/03/duck_dynasty_debuts_on_ae.html) on the whole thing. They found a way to make a living, enjoy themselves, and then get paid extra just for being followed around and playing up their personalities.

Good on them afaic.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I get followed around all the time, and I play up my personality, but I didn't know I was supposed to get paid for it.

[stevew]

I got props for anyone making dough basically out of nothing. I'm just surprised there is such a market for TV shows that are basically about nothing except seeing dudes act like hillbillys.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I got props for anyone making dough basically out of nothing. I'm just surprised there is such a market for TV shows that are basically about nothing except seeing dudes act like hillbillys.

As opposed to what, the various Real Housewives of ... ? I'd rather have dinner with Billy the Exterminator than pretty much any of them (regardless of location).

Big personalities that don't require a lot in the way of thought to grasp are pretty easy pickings. That helps since only 14% say they do not do any other activity while they watch TV. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/HarrisPolls/tabid/447/mid/1508/articleId/818/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/Default.aspx)

[Ksyrup]

As many times as I've sat through or forwarded through those duck dynasty commercials, I still have no clue what it's about.

I find all of these inter-related show topics a fascinating study on the lack of imagination in TV these days. You've got the original Hoarders, which spawned another network to create Hoarding: Buried Alive and an animal version of Hoarders. You've got I Survived, which someone copied for another survival show... and an animal version. You've got Deadliest Catch, which spawned two different types of shows - shows about occupations (Ice Road Truckers, loggers, swamp people, lobstermen, etc.) and shows set in Alaska (IRT again, the Aero Alaska show, Sarah Palin's show, that Alaskan survival show, etc.). And now, Investigation Discovery has an entire series on murders/crimes committed in Alaska. WTF?

And then you've got the buying/picking/auctioneering/pawning show tree.

Then there's another group of shows set in Louisiana. Apparently Louisiana and Alaska are the most fascinating states in America.

[Ksyrup]

Or, I could have just posted this:

http://headblitz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/reality_show_venn_diagram-580x727.png

[stevew]

Just caught up with the second episode of Touch. I don't know if it's something that can maintain quality for the long haul, or if the random nature of coincidences is going to get annoying, but I recommend checking it out.

[thesloppy]

After the death of the third horse while filming, HBO has officially cancelled "Luck."

I was kind hoping the finale was just going to be an hour of the entire, extended cast, walking around random locations, shooting thousands of horses.

[Grover]

After the death of the third horse while filming, HBO has officially cancelled "Luck."

I tried to get into Luck, but couldn't. I though Hoffman was extremely disappointing in his role. For me, Nick Nolte and Richard King's characters were the only redeeming thing about the program.

[JonInMiddleGA]

'Swamp People' star Mitchell Guist dies after boat fall (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2012/05/swamp-people-star-mitchell-guist-dies-after-boat-fall-/1#.T7GHMoGwREM)

[Suicane75]

Had a string of "what the heck" moments a few nights ago when I,

1. Realized they were making new episodes of Absolutely Fabulous after almost 10 years.

2. Realized that I had never seen the 4th or 5th season despite thinking I'd seen them all at some point.

3. Realized that the production of the seasons were spread out, 92, 95, 98 etc.. when I just assumed they had made a couple of seasons in a row in the mid/late 90's.

[GrantDawg]

This show looks interesting.

FX Picks Up Keri Russell Drama The Americans - TVLine (http://tvline.com/2012/08/09/fx-the-americans-season-1-keri-russell/)

Matthew Perry's new show previewed last night with good numbers (with the huge Olympics lead-in). I hope it does well. "Animal Practice" will get a preview on Sunday. That's one that will be probably too silly for me.