It's almost 2013.  Here are the shows that i'm looking forward to seeing:

1.  The Walking Dead- AMC (Sundays @ 9:00 pm)

"The Walking Dead" has the most potential of any TV show on the market nowadays.  It has finally hit its full stride, and the cast and crew realize they have a huge hit on their hands; the nerds cometh in droves.  It easily has the potential to be the best show on TV, but it  needs to smarten up its characters significantly and give their frequent deaths a tad bit more meaning. 

2.  Breaking Bad- AMC (Sundays @ 9:00 or 10:00)

It seems as if the "good times" are over for Walter and its time for him to pay the piper.  I look forward to seeing the downfall and inevitable death of one the best characters in TV history.  If you haven't seen this show yet, it is never too late to get caught up.

3.  Mad Men- AMC (Sundays before or after Breaking Bad)

Like the season finale hinted, we will see the return of the old Don Draper who, I have to say, was sorley missed last season.  It was okay to see a loyal (more stable) Don, but everyone watching knew his new marrige wouldn't last and nearly every plot point was directly or indirectly revolved around their increasingly tiresome marrige problems.  The show is at its best whenever it can get Don to be a lone wolf in an unorthodox setting (i.e.with California squatters, or prostitues, or hanging out with characters whom on the surface, are seemingly the opposite of him).  "Mad Men" is still the best show on TV and in my opinon, TV history.  It's next season will mark wether or not the show can continue its superb form.

4.  Elementary- CBS (Thursdays @ 10:00 pm)

Wow, a network TV drama that I can actually say i've been impressed with.  "Elementary" is a modern depiction of the Sherlock Holmes mythology, guised as a muder of the week serial.  Normally, I loathe the murder of the week format, but the show is able to get around this major flaw with sharp, intellegent dialouge, and a chemistry between the two leads that feels very authentic. The producers at CBS seem very confident in the shows potential, so maybe we will see it off the leash by its second or third season.

5.  The Big Bang Theory- CBS (Thursdays @ 8:00 pm)

Easily the funniest and least spiteful show on televisison.  It's made for nerds, but has an appeal for all audiences to enjoy.  Jim Parsons (Sheldon) knows funny and never has to "Urkel it" to come off as a funny, yet highly intellegent nerd.  I kind of hope this show never ends because its a great way to find happiness for at least 30 mintues a day.

6.  Community- NBC (Whenever the hell NBC decides to put it back on)

A show with a lot of heart and many laughs. It probably won't last too much longer, but I will savor every minute.

7.  Game of Thrones- HBO (Sundays @ 10:00 pm)

I was kind of dissapointed with Game of Thrones' second season, but the show has a lot of room to grow.  It needs to dial back on the nudity  and leave some room for substance and swordplay.  Plus give the "Queen of the Dragons" some dailouge that doesn't come off like its written by a child. 

8.  Justified- F/X (Check local listings)

I've only seen this show in spurts and runs, but I like what I see. A slow paced, but highly violent and dark tale about a stoic U.S. Marshall taking to the riff raft of his southern hometown. 

9.  The Americans- F/X (Check local listings)

I'll give the pilot a shot because the trailers look decent enough. It looks like a Homeland esque spy thriller about Russian spies in America.  F/X normally has quality shows so i'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

10. Louie- F/X (Thursdays: Check local listings)

A funny show, about a funny man and his harshly realistic fictional life.

 

Enjoy!

Its almost time for the new fall season and as TV shows are continuing to put their focus on a fantasy world where (excuse my frank lanugage but it needs to be said) there are supposedly "pretty white kids with money and problems"... I'm here to offer fresh alternative for more strong, liberal minded folk to gaze upon. TV shows can be a great medium despite what some say; yet yes it is mostly crap but there is always shows on worth watching:

1. "Rescue Me"- F/X Tuesdays @ 10:00 p.m.

The most refreshing show on televison and in my opinion the best since "The Wire" ended a few years ago. Denis Leary leads a wonderful cast that contains actors who can make you both laugh and cry out loud. It is the story of a NYC Firehouse and its occupants who are coping with the after effects of 9/11. Though the series has chosen to slightly shy away from its once deadly serious tone for some episodes; it has replaced it with some of the best dark comedic humor I have ever seen on a television show. It blends its comedic and serious tones better than any show has on television. The fact that it is on cable gives the show more breathing room (especially on the stong FX Network) to do more and that really pushes this show to become whatever it wants to be. The only show that has no "filler episodes." I can confididently say that this is the show to look foward to watching week after week.

2. "Dexter"-Showtime (Primetime Sunday)

Michael C. Hall is by far the best actor on televison, well if not that, he is definitly the creepiest. I don't know if there is an actor alive that can make us fall in love with a serial killer with a code of honor like he can. Its a guilty pleasure and a show that is compeltely orginial in everyway. I'm a fan of dark subject matter and violence but I think some moments on this show can prove to be too much for alot of viewers. It will start its 4th season soon and most likely be out of its prime, but Hall's character along with Julie Benz, James Remar, and the guest actor of the season (John Lithgow), this show will still be one of the most exciting to watch this fall.

3. Mad Men- AMC

I'll admit this show is definitly geared for an older audience but the performances on this show are of a movie quality level. The show centers around an Ad Agency in the 1960's. There are great characters and dialouge and is worth watching if you enjoy a smarter kind of television show.

4. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia- F/X

A series that started very small has blown up big time over its four seasons and has become one of top comedies on TV. The show is about the exploits of completly narcasistic "friends" who own a bar in Philadelphia. They can't keep themseleves out of trouble and hilarious situations ensue. Its like Sienfield that has a South Park like edge to it. Tottaly offensive and unforgiving, but a lovelable comedy.

5. Nip/Tuck- F/X (Primetime)

This show is definitly tired and out of its prime but its shock value always is able to keep you watching. This show still has the acting talent to be as great as it was but it has to stop being so ridculous in their plots for most episodes. The show should take a step back this season and go back to the roots that made this show work. I'm only recommending the viewing of this next season based on the quality of its first three and its always present potential.

6. Supernatural- CW Thursdays @ 9:00 p.m.

I know what your thinking, "Why would you recommend a CW show?" Well folks this show doesn't apply to the CW formula of over dramatized, oversexed, spoiled, rich kids. The show follows two brothers who hunt demons and mythical creatures of the like in order to save the world because people aren't aware of their exsistence. In the show's 5th and potentially final season our protaganists will find themselves battling it out during the Apocolyspe (and I mean the actual Apocolyspe folks) as pawns in the the eternal battle between heaven and hell. Unlike most CW shows this show is very dark, smart, and isn't about any cheesey romance of any sort. Its religous viewpoints are very intriguing and fresh to watch on TV. The show hit its prime last season and will be a force to be reckoned with this fall. Too bad not many people are watching.

7. Burn Notice- USA

This show will resume early winter and has potential to be great. Weirdly the show is struggling trying to find itself even in its 4th season. The show is about a spy who is fired and is trying everything in his power to get back to the job which was his world. The spy angle is very refreshing and dare I say "cool." The show needs to desprately become a pure spy thriller if it wants to last another season or three. Definitly the "coolest" spy and TV show since Fox's short-lived Fastlane, this show's endless potiential can make this show better than its trying to be now.

8 and 9. "Flashfoward" and "V"- ABC Primetime

ABC has two big budget shows on the way to fill the hole that will be left by "Lost" when it ends its run in 2010. Flashword seems like a concept that will grow stale after a season, but I hope I'm wrong. But "V" looks like a very strong show that will bring radical moral issues to the forefrunt in the guise of science fiction. My fingers are crossed for either show to become the next "Lost" which in my opinion had the best pilot of any show in history and the strongest run of consectively great episodes from the late middle of the first season to the last episodes of the second season. Speaking of which...

10. "Lost"- ABC Thursday Primetime

We have to wait a long time for this show to premire but we all know it will be worh the wait...well maybe. And all questions will be answered in the show's final season...well maybe. Anyway, to describe the plot of this show would be impossible and if you don't know a lot about it I would like the know the adress of the rock you live under. Its the last season of ABC's greatest show since "Boy Meets World" and "Family Matters" were on the air and hopefully they will pull out all of the stops to return this show to its once hailed glory one last time.

11. "Eastbound and Down"- HBO

We were blessed with a refreshing new comedy starring Danny McBride and many other greats we see in his comedies including Will Ferrell. If this show comes back its going to get a much bigger buzz this time around. The show is about a washed up baseball pitcher named Kenny Powers who has a hotshot ego that cannot be contained no matter how increasingly worse his sorry life gets. Hilarious events ensue on his slow climb back to some sort of fame. Lets hope more of Will Farrell's gang of comedians help join in on the fun. "I'm fuckin Out."

Enjoy...

[CENTER]-CP-8/20/09[/CENTER]