DVR Duels

Don't forget, new episodes of Stargate Universe and Caprica on Syfy tonight starting at 8 p.m. CST!!!

You know, as much as I love my DVR, sometimes, just sometimes, I almost wish they had never been invented.  This thing enables me to watch way way too much television.

Since the last of my summer shows have finally cleared the airwaves, I thought I'd give you a little rundown on all of the shows I am watching this season, just so you can see for yourself how absolutely lost I am to the idiot box.  (Though in all fairness, I pretty much never get to go out to the movies any more and given the quality of most movies versus the quality of a lot of television shows today, idiot box probably really isn't even the right term any more.)

Monday

How I Met Your Mother (CBS):  I watch this one live.  I am torn between loving this show so much I want to see it go on forever, and loving it so much I want them to go ahead and just wrap it up already so it can have the end game we all deserve, rather than just dithering to a gasping halt.

Chuck  (NBC):  This starts at the same time as HIMYM, but is an hour versus half hour, so I fire this up right after HIMYM finishes.  So while I technically don't watch it live, I do start it in the hour during which it airs.  That's got to count for something, right?

The Event (NBC):  I watch this on a little bit of a delay (right after I finish Chuck), so part DVR, part live.  This show has had some stumbles, but mostly I am finding it, if not intriguing, then at least curiosity-inducing.  I very much want to know why Leila's dad was chosen by the aliens to assassinate the president.  It seems like a lot of trouble to kill his wife, kidnap him and his daughter from his home AND go kidnap his daughter on a cruise (and make her boyfriend think he's crazy/frame him for murder).  Also, I really really really want to see Sterling get what's coming to him.  Mostly because I've enjoyed watching characters played by Zeljko Ivanek get their comeuppance ever since School Ties.

Castle (ABC):  I watch this live (or sometimes on a little bit of a delay if I don't catch up with The Event by nine).  Nathan Fillion being the twenty-first century's answer to Jessica Fletcher.  What's not to love here?

Hawaii Five-O (CBS):  I watch this on my DVR first thing after Jeopardy! on Tuesdays.  The only reason I don't watch this live is because, well, I'm gonna pick Captain Tightpants (read, Nathan Fillion for you non-Browncoats) over Grace Park in a bikini pretty much any day.  But honestly, I am really digging this show.  It is in a tie for first place among my favorite new series this season.

Tuesday

Glee (Fox):  I love Glee.  I mean, what's not to love?  It's a bunch of quirky, entertaining kids doing enthusiastic covers of (mostly) songs I enjoy.  And it actually has a pretty good grip on the story portion of the show as well.  I would call it the modern musical, but I feel like that's not quite right.  It is just in its own little niche of awesomeness.  Though I will have to say that I am a bit disturbed by how convincingly Cory Monteith (who plays Finn) portrays a high school kid, given that he's only two years younger than me.  WTF? Oh, yeah, I watch this one live.  Definitely live.

No Ordinary Family (ABC):  I watch this one on DVR, and though I usually find time on Wednesday to watch it, sometimes it gets pushed back to the weekends.  While I am liking this show, and I think it's got decent potential, I don't love it.  If I ever come to my senses and decide to drop some shows from my viewing rota, this is gonna be the first to go, sad to say.  But that said, it is really not a bad show, it just hasn't hit any of my "must love" buttons so far.

Stargate Universe (Syfy):  Um, yeah, I watch this live.  I think I've probably delved into my love of Stargate in general, and this show in particular, enough that I can leave it at that for this entry.  Moving on.

Caprica (Syfy):  I watch this live as well.  This Battlestar Galactica prequel series really does have its own voice, and it provides a truly fascinating look at the origins of the Cylons and at the 12 Colonies before the Cylon wars.  I really hope this one gets a second season, because it is very smart "make you think" television, with the added bonus of being highly entertaining and utilizing scores of really talented actors.

The Good Wife (CBS):  This is another one that I would watch live if it didn't come on at the same time as something with greater priority.  Also, I am pretty sure this is a ratings juggernaut for CBS, so it doesn't need my help in that department, unlike poor Caprica.  So I watch this on DVR next day, first thing I watch after Jeopardy! is over.  I started watching this show last season on a whim, because I love Julianna Margulies, and am very glad I did.  It seems like most of the non-genre shows I watch are all procedural cop or lawyer shows, but I would have to argue that is because that's where the truly good shows are playing these days.

Wednesday

Undercovers (NBC):  I watch this one live-ish.  Sometimes I don't start it until 7:30 (depends on how quick I am getting dinner together for the kiddo).  I don't have anything on at the 8 p.m. hour on Wednesdays, so as long as I watch this before 9, I am good.  But, that said, this is the second show tied for my favorite of the new season.  The married couple who used to be spies at the same agency, but never actually worked together, and now are being called out of retirement to work together is a fun little formula.  I know it gets compared to Mr. and Mrs. Smith a lot, but it's really not the same thing.  These two aren't working against each other ever.  I also love the dynamic added by the character of Leo, who worked with each of them on and off during their previous spy careers (as well as having dated Samantha back in the day) and is now the third partner in the group.  It's fun and lighthearted and just amusing. 

Law & Order: Los Angeles (NBC):  Of the three shows I have that come on at the 9 p.m. hour on Wednesdays, this is the one I've chosen to watch live.  They're all new shows, so it was kind of an arbitrary choice.  After so long in New York, it is kind of nice to see the L&O formula get shaken up a bit, considering how different things are in La-la-land. 

The Defenders (CBS):  I watch this DVR, next day.  James Belushi and Jerry O'Connell definitely make an interesting duo.  Plus, it is kinda neat to see the off-the-Strip side of Vegas the show is portraying.  And really, who doesn't have 45 minutes to watch Jerry O'Connell's amazing eyebrows act?

Terriers (FX):  Okay, I definitely picked this one up on a whim.  I actually started it a week late, but through the magic of cable television, I was able to catch the pilot the night before the second episode aired.  A friend had mentioned on Facebook that she was really enjoying it, one of the Whedonverse elite (Tim Minear) is executive producer, and I have just liked Donal Logue since his Grounded For Life days.  I have to say, I am really enjoying it though.  The show is building a very rich mythology and giving a lot of attention to character development.  I really do want to find out what happens to these people, and that's a big plus in my book.  

Thursday

Bones (Fox):  I totally watch this show live, because it is AWESOME.  I have long since learned, though, that it is not the best idea to be eating dinner while watching.  I guess it's a good thing that I've instituted a "no more meals in front of the television" policy, then.  

The Big Bang Theory (CBS):  I would totally watch this show live except that CBS moved it to Thursday nights for some ridiculous reason this season.  But really, what isn't to love about nerds living their lives being nerdy?  Such a funny show.  Now that I think about it, I guess I could do the same thing I do on Monday nights with HIMYM....hmmm.  I think I thought it came on later than 7.  This will merit some thought.

Fringe (Fox):  This is my other live choice for Thursday nights.  I've already discussed how much I love this show in an earlier post, so we'll leave it at that for now.

Grey's Anatomy (ABC):  I watch this on the DVR right after Fringe.  I used to watch this one live and watch Fringe later, but come on, GA isn't ending its run until Shonda Rhimes decides she's done, while Fringe can still use as much fan support as possible.  Also, it's nice to have the commercial-provided breather in between the action on Fringe, while with GA I would much rather be able to fast forward the commercial breaks to get back into the action and find out what happens next.

The Office (NBC):  I watch this one on DVR, and usually not until Sunday afternoon.  The reason is that this is one of two shows my husband actually watches (this is why we can get by with only one television in the house), and it's more fun to watch it together.  Occasionally there is the rare Friday night while he's not gigging and we'll watch it then, but usually we wait until Sunday after lunch.  It's a nice little routine that I enjoy quite a bit.

Friday

The Good Guys (Fox):  I watch this one live.  I really wasn't going to watch it at all when Fox started showing previews for it last spring, it just looked so stupid.  But then I found out it was set in Dallas.  And that, plus the fact that I really do adore Colin Hanks, and Bradley Whitford is not that bad of an actor either, led me to go ahead and give it a try.  Folks, if you haven't seen this show, please, give it a try.  It is HILARIOUS.  Unless you don't like cop/procedural dramas at all, I promise, there is something here for you.  I about fall over laughing at least once during every episode.

Star Wars:  The Clone Wars (Cartoon Network):  I watch this on DVR, partly because of scheduling conflicts, but mostly because that way I can fast forward through all of the ridiculous toy commercials.  Seriously.  Toys today are kind of stupid, has anyone noticed that?  I am already dreading the day my daughter starts to fall prey to advertising, sigh.  I'll usually pick this one up on Saturday morning.  Call it my more sophisticated (sometimes) alternative to Saturday morning cartoons.

Law & Order:  UK (BBC America):  I also watch this one on DVR because, well, I actually have the first season on DVD and have already seen these.  But it's nice to get a weekly fix of Jamie Bamber and Freema Agyeman.  Also, I am kind of hoping that since they waited so long to air it stateside, maybe they'll just start running the second season when they finish up the first and I'll get some new episodes to watch. 

Sanctuary (Syfy):  And this one I, of course, watch live.  The third season starts back up this week and I am super excited!  I love this take on things that go bump in the night.  I am very eager to see how the new season deals with the changes last season brought to the status quo.  

Saturday

Actually, right now, I don't have any series that air on Saturday nights.  This used to be Legend of the Seeker night, but that didn't get a third season, more's the pity.  Though once new Doctor Who starts up, that will be what goes in this slot.  That, and the occasional Lifetime or Syfy movie.  (Okay, yes, I do watch the occasional Lifetime and Syfy movie--but only if there's an actor I really like in it, and if it truly is terrible enough, I don't watch the whole thing.  Stop judging me.  Please?)

Sunday

Family Guy (Fox):  This one I usually watch on DVR, because this is the other show my husband watches, and he's got a standing Sunday night gig.  So usually we'll catch this up the next Sunday afternoon.

And there you have it, my ridiculously packed fall television schedule.  There are at least two shows that haven't aired yet that will be added to this list:  Human Target and V.  Human Target was supposed to start up on Friday October 2 and be the lead in for The Good Guys, which I was actually super excited about, but after canceling Lonestar, Fox had to rearrange its schedule and for some reason decided to put House in the 7 p.m. Friday slot.  Sigh.  Whatever.  Funnily enough, I did watch the pilot of Lonestar, and was planning, up until the day the second episode aired, to give it a try, but I realized that day that I just didn't care enough about any of the characters to keep watching a show about a situation I find so repugnant (dude had two wives and really was purporting to love them both, which I just don't buy).  So I canceled the series from my record list and put it out of my mind until a few days later when I heard it had already been canceled.  So, good call there, I guess.