Monday, August 27, 2007

Summer TV: The Recap


As summer wanes, we have some observations about the lightly viewed summer fare.
Best show: My outdoor firepit, which is where all evidence of Big Brother 8 should be incinerated.
Worst show: Pirate Master, a stupid ripoff of Survivor that wasn't worth the time. Yo, ho.
Other bad shows: The 2 Coreys, National Bingo Night, Fat March (aka Dead-weight Man Walking), John From Cincinnati, Meadowlands, Big Bro. 8.
Best ratings: High School Musical 2 (17.2 million for first airing), The Closer (8 million average), Ice Road Truckers (almost 5 million viewers for finale).
Still phenomenal: HS Musical 2, which packages Disney stars in irresistable segments for tweens and teens.
Here's to older-than-39 actresses getting starring roles: Damages (Glenn Close), "State of Mind (Lily Taylor) and Saving Grace (Holly Hunter, IN PHOTO above right).
Mediocre but on cable so they're safe: Burn Notice, Heartland, Eureka, Psych.
Solid women's shows: Army Wives, State of Mind.
Sexed-up cable crap: Weeds, Meadowlands, Californication (Duchovny's new rated-X files).
No one cares: Flight of the Conchords.
Best sets, costumes and period piece with lots of smoking and drinking: Mad Men, which will have a Labor Day marathon on AMC from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sound-alikes to confuse you: Desperative Housewives, The Starter Wife, Army Wives and Footballers' Wives (BBC America). Are there no shows about husbands? (The Animal Husband, Coast Guard Husbands, Trophy Hubby...)
Amerigo Vespucci would not be thrilled: America's Got Talent, American Idol, American Inventor.
Karaoke for Vidiots: Don't Forget the Lyrics, The Singing Bee.
Watchable in short stretches, if you're lucky: Hell's Kitchen, On the Lot.

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