Justice League? *yawn*

With the success of The Avengers, you just had to know that DC (though more specifically Warner Bros.) was going to try and replicate the same model.  Only one problem: Marvel/Disney took five films to accomplish this and WB is trying to do it in two.  They're just trying to strike while the iron is hot and I think it's going to blow up in their face.  Don't get me wrong, I'm fairly certain it will make a metric shit ton of cash.  I'm just also convinced it will be Spiderman 3 level bad and not balance all the different elements out a la Whedon.  Here's why...

Man of Steel was pretty much the epitome of the word "meh."  Sure it looked pretty but a dark and gritty Superman film?  Snyder does realize that every character isn't Batman right?  Oh wait, he doesn't.  Superman doesn't need to have a hairy chest, curly hair, and no regard for his own secret identity.  Admittedly, I don't mind Cavill as Superman, I just wish that he was put in someone's hands other than Snyder's.  Even Michael Shannon manages to be uninteresting as Zod, which is something I would have guaranteed would not be the case when he was first cast.  Yet somehow here no amount of ranting and raving can make him a badass villain.

Then they go ahead and cast Ben Affleck as Batman.  Okay, interesting choice.  Is he who I would have chosen?  No chance in hell but I still want to give the guy a chance.  I'm not sure what will happen but he's at least caught my interest and we should have an idea when Batman v. Superman comes out (or whatever they decide to call it).  And I actually like the casting of Eisenberg for the exact same reason in that it raises my interest.

The Rock as Green Lantern?  Yawn.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoy Dwayne Johnson as much as the next guy but as a Green Lantern?  Yeah, I could just care less.  Maybe it's just that he isn't much of a draw for me but never could a Rock headlined movie raise my interest enough for me to actually go to the theater and see it.  Don't get me wrong, I'd watch the shit out of it one Bluray but in the theaters?  Yeah, not a chance.  I view my ticket purchases more as a vote cast to Hollywood stating what I like so I won't pay for something if I'm not genuinely interested.  Honestly, I'd rather see Ryan Reynolds back in the CGI suit with a halfway decent screenplay.

Truthfully I think that my biggest doubt towards this film is the director, Zack Snyder.  Truthfully I haven't enjoyed a Snyder film since... 300?  And even then, that film does not stand the test of time at all.  So I guess I really only like Dawn of the Dead which kind of... no, I'm stopping.  I like Dawn of the Dead.  I think.  Either way, Snyder's style over substance approach which just doesn't work for me.  And when it comes to shepherding a complicated story, connecting multiple characters universes, I just don't think he's the man for the job.  But then again, I guess Joss Whedon is a busy man.

How Did This Get Made

I came to the realization mere seconds ago that I haven't written about How Did This Get Made.  In case you weren't aware, HDTGM is a podcast featuring Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas and a special guest where they talk about bad movies.  If you know me at all then you've probably heard me mention this show a couple of times.  I listen to it at work, while working out, in the car, just about any time really.  Obsessed.

The basic concept of watching a bad movie and then making fun of it is something I've done with my buddies since middle school.  My love for bad, bad movies has only grown since then so when this podcast was brought to my attention I was immediately intrigued but podcasts weren't really for me.  I liked the concept but I just couldn't see myself sitting down and listening to it.  Then one fateful night when I was home from college for break, I decided to give the live episode of Anaconda a chance.  I haven't turned back since.

Mantzoukas is definitely my favorite part of the show.  His crassness and general don't-give-a-fuck attitude makes him stand out.  He's not afraid to say what's on his mind, whereas the others play it a little safer.  The "Give me your baby" portion of one of the live episodes, where June sounds genuinely terrified at how far Jason will take the joke is one of the best moments of the podcast's run.  Speaking of June, she's the voice of reason amongst the chaos, for the most part.  She's always looking at the positives, whereas Jason is mostly negative, and then Paul is a little both.  I think that dynamic is why the show works.

The guests range from great to okay, with the best probably being Scott Aukerman and Michael Ian Black and the worst being Kevin Smith. It's really all about how much the guest is about themselves or about participating in the concept of the show which is to analyze bad movies.  That's why Smith's ends up falling so flat because it's mostly him just talking about stuff that's gone on in his life.  But really there is no terrible special guest throughout the run.  They clearly tend to get friends or people they've worked with in the comedy world, so it's always funny regardless of the movie.

The show has unfortunately dropped to only releasing one episode a month rather than two so there's a lot of time in between eps, which is making my interest wane with it.  The good news is that there are, as of this writing, 85 episodes of the show and 95% of them are gold.  They sometimes bring on people that are involved in the movie in question, which can be either inciteful or annoying, depending on how much they get sucked up to.  Regardless of who the guest is, no one beats the core team of Paul, June, and Jason.  So if you haven't listened to me before this, do yourself a favor and go seek this podcast out.  It takes two seconds.  It's even on youtube.  Don't worry I'll wait.

Now! (The Amazing Spiderman 2 review)

This was originally going to be a review of The Amazing Spiderman 2.  Now I'll just call it "Dane Dehaan is the Man (and Spiderman is there too).  Seriously.  Dane Dehaan.  He needs to be cast in every movie from here on out.  The guy absolutely steals every scene he is in and brings a gravitas to the role that it feels so established in the world, even though he's not introduced until like 30 minutes in.  And the arc his character goes through is one of the most natural and evolving I've seen in film.  It's amazing to think that the entire movie wasn't about him because, leaving the theater, that was all I could think about and all I could hear from those around me.  He stole the movie.  If he's not somehow in the third one, I'm breaking legs.

Okay, I guess I should talk about the actual movie now.  Now I tend to be rather critical of movies I'm looking forward to just because I subconsciously build them up to unreachable expectations but truthfully I didn't really care about it being perfect.  I just wanted a good Spider-man movie and that's exactly what I got.  Every scene that the wall crawler is in, it feels like the Spider-man from the comics.  Everything he says, the way he moves, it's what you picture when reading the comics and something the Raimi movies never got quite right.  The way they spotlight his specific senses shows us just how good our hero is at his job.

Do I even need to say this?  Obviously Peter and Gwen are incredible together since Garfield and Stone are a real life couple so their chemistry is off the charts.  Makes for several scenes that really leave a mark since the dialogue comes off as so natural.  I'm sure some of my favorite lines were improv because of just how natural they were.  Then again, maybe Stone and Garfield are just really good actors.  Or something.  Also, thank you for just having them take realistic relationship photos for Peter to look at and not some photoshopped monstrosity.  Much appreciated.

I think the story is a little bit of a mess, given that it featured soooooo much.  I could have done without the entire opening scene but hey, I guess it makes the payoff later much more refreshing.  But the best part is that they really treat it like Spider-man is constantly fighting and he's already been through plenty of struggles, which we see part of, but more so than the Raimi films where it was all a contained period of time.  This movie has months go by in seconds, which is very uncommon for a comic book movie, although I could be wrong.

This review has been kinda all over the place hasn't it?  Yeah, perfect allegory for this movie.  I think that it's an organized chaos, but it's chaos nonetheless.  We're jumping from storyline to storyline, villain to villain so much that I'm curious if the casual viewer can keep up.  I'm sure the third film will feature a lot bigger payoffs than we've received so far, so I guess there's always that to look forward to.  I'm just hoping that Webb can allow the story to play out naturally and not try to cram so much into a film.  This film just felt like he wanted to do so much and make sure to contain it to three films so that he had Garfield for it which admittedly most directors would do when given the talent that Garfield has.  Either way, I was a happy camper at the end (Outside of that terrible credit music.  What the hell Pharrell.  Absolutely garbage.)  Anywayyyyyyy, I'd recommend it but just don't expect a masterpiece, expect... well, expect a Spider-man movie.

Oh yeah, and did I mention Dane Dehaan?

Summer Movie Season staaaaaaarrrttsss.....

Here we are again.  The end of April, right before the onslaught of 'Summer Movie Season'.  Friday, The Amazing Spider-man 2 swings into theaters to kick it all off and I could not be more excited.  Sure, this summer could be a disappointment like last year or it could be amazing like the summer of the Avengers.  I'm going to choose to view it half glass full since, well, what do I really have to lose by being optimistic?

The Amazing Spider-man 2 has potential to be the best movie of the summer or the worst.  After the first one, it really seems like Marc Webb has a good grasp on things but then again I thought the same about Raimi and look at Spider-man 3.  And that main problem with that was adding too many villains.  Okay, maybe that wasn't the MAIN problem (story, that goes to you) but it was still a pretty terribly handled aspect.  So adding Electro, Green Goblin, Rhino, and references to several others doesn't seem like a terribly great idea.  But I'm gonna go ahead and say that Webb is able to handle it because truthfully, with the Spidey Cinematic Universe expanding so much, I think this is just a starting off point for them.  Does anyone remember how many references there were in the first one?  But again, hopefully that's all they are, references.

Okay, how badass does Godzilla look?  Seriously, how fucking awesome does this film look?  I remember seeing the trailer in theaters for the first time and some older person, as soon as the trailer ended, turned to his wife and went "Holy shit, now that's Godzilla."  Which is exactly the point.  THAT is Godzilla.  THAT is the creature Hollywood just has never been able to get right and with Gareth Edwards at the helm, it looks like they just may.  Plus, that cast.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Ken Watanabe and Bryan Cranston.  BRYAN CRANSTON!  Walter White is yelling about Godzilla.  Take that Japan.

I'm really excited for 22 Jump Street since the first already broke out of its predetermined shell and became a genuinely good comedy.  Sure, there's always a chance that they don't succeed but I'm going to trust the success wave that Jonah Hill has been riding on.  The man apparently only reads good scripts or scripts that his friends wrote.  Usually both.  Unfortunately Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes out this summer and *yaaawwnn*  Oh sorry, I just can't seem to care about this movie.  I was pumped for it and then the trailer came out and I liked it because of Fichtner's voiceover.  But every time I saw since, it has just gotten worse and worse.  The faces really bother me.  I know they're not a problem for some but I can't get over them.  They make the Turtles look like deformed humans, not turtles.  So they literally fucked up the ONLY thing no one expected them to fuck up.  That's what we get for assuming Bay would just keep to the original designs.

X-Men: Days of Future Past is a movie that really excited me around the time that they were filming it but now I just don't care.  The trailers make it look/feel like X3 which is not a good thing.  And why so much footage of the original cast?  I'm hoping the majority of what's been shown is the beginning of the film so that we don't have to spend too much time with Halle Berry or Shawn Ashmore.  But then again, I just have to remember that Jennifer Lawrence is involved so really, how bad can it be?  Oh right, this is from the same guy that made Jack the Giant Slayer and Valkyrie.  Dammit, please be good!

If I had to pick one movie out all every summer movie to see, it would be Guardians of the Galaxy.  My excitement for this film is unparalleled.  The wit, the sarcasm, the... well everything humor based in the movie is absolutely up my alley.  And I've been saying this for ages but prepare yourself for Rocket Raccoon.  You will begin seeing that face everywhere for years to come.  I'm also pumped to see Chris Pratt get his due on the big screen.  Between this and Jurassic World in 2015, I can't imagine him becoming anything but a household name.  Way to go Andy!

So in September 2014, no matter whether or not we're looking at the previous few months as the greatest in summer movie history, at least go out and enjoy the movies.  In the day and age of the internet, too many of my friends just download movies and watch them on their small computer screens in artifact-y digital format.  But nothing beats going to a movie and having the screen fill your entire field of vision, with a beautiful 5K projector making everything look seamless.  You owe to yourself.  This blog brought to you by theater owners everywhere.

But seriously, go to the movies this summer.

Arrow

Arrow.  Go watch it.  This very moment.  You have Netflix?  Great, season one is on there.  Get to it.  Don't have Netflix?  Steal your friends password.  Does it sound like I'm hyped for this show, because I am.  It's the perfect mix of Buffy-level drama but with some Dark Knight action bits.  Sure it gets a little hokey at times -- that V-Day episode, please shoot me -- but it still provides enough good to make those offences forgivable.

I just got completely caught up on the show last night and dear lord, does this show continue to amaze.  Season two is particularly strong but the last few episodes... holy jebus.  Pure insanity.  Don't worry though, I'm not going to get into massive spoilers.  That would be counterproductive; I'm trying to get you into the show, not ruin it for you.  So let's get into it.  The show is about Oliver Queen, who is shipwrecked on an island for five years, finally to be rescued and taken back to his home in Starling City.  Only something happened to Oliver on that island which makes him take up some nightly activities.  He soon becomes known as The Vigilante, and sets out on ridding the city of crime.  Basic comic book origin, right?

What's great about the show is it goes from Oliver's life on the island while stranded, to his life in present day.  So we get to see The Arrow in action fighting bad guys but also get to see how he got to be that man.  It keeps the show fresh and while I prefer the present day stuff over the flashbacks, it adds dimension to the various characters involved.  I've felt from the beginning that the problem will be that it's gonna be a lot for the writer's to accomplish a well-done evolution of the Oliver character to get him to the point he is at the beginning of the pilot when he's rescued.  So far though, the writers have done a good job with his training and psychological abuse to make the transition seamless.  Here's hoping they keep it up.

The strongest point is probably the lead, Stephen Amell.  This guy came out of nowhere and I'm glad he did.  Not sure if the show would work as well if it were someone well established in the role, so I'm happy with this casting choice.  Once Arrow ends, I'm sure this guy won't have any difficulty getting work.  Playing a character in two different periods of time, always separated by five years, is more taxing on an actor than one would think and Amell handles it with aplomb.  And seriously, that man in costume is exactly what I'd want a real-life superhero to look like.  Totally badass and yet completely maneuverable.

Outside of Felicity, who is potentially my favorite character on the show, there isn't really any good female characters.  Laurel is headstrong, stereotypical (until season two), and uneven. Thea is young, naive, and stupid.  Moira is manipulative, cold-hearted, and pretty cruel.  Meanwhile Felicity is smart, strong-willed, and speaks her mind.  If it weren't for her, I'd say women have a gripe with the writers of this show.  They tried to make up for it in season two with an added female character, but she's more or less Oliver-lite.  At least we have Felicity though.

TV action is rarely good, this is just a fact of life.  There are few fights happening in Buffy the Vampire Slayer that really left a mark.  They all look staged and weren't shot right.  Angel got things a little more right but still struggled to create a realistic and well shot fight scene.  Arrow fucking nails it.  There have been several times throughout my viewings that I audibly say "No fucking way!" or "Whaaaat!"  They're (obviously) staged, but they're staged to a degree that everything feels fluid and natural, not choreographed.  And the use of the bow and as a short-range combat weapon allows for some of the coolest actions beats of the series.  And let's talk about that bow for a second.  How.  Fucking.  Badass.  I want a bow to be used in every series from here on out.  Flash?  Bow and arrow.  Friday the 13th? Bow and arrow.  Fargo? Bow and arrow.  But seriously, coolest weapon ever.  If they used a bow to this degree of badassery in the Hunger Games, we'd have a new trend on our hands.

Both seasons have a Big Bad (to you non-Buffy watchers, this refers to the main villain of the season) and both times, the characters are superb.  Both actors can chew scenery with the best of them and it makes them more and more maniacal.  Notice how I'm not mentioning names?  That's how much I care that you go out and watch this show immediately.  Not even joking.  Stop reading this right now and go do it.  What?  Don't think it's gonna be good because it's a CW show?  Well fuck you, I watch it.  See that?  That's my style of writing.  I tell my reader not to read my stuff and then insult them.  Really drives up business.  Hire me?

Anyway, Arrow.  Get on the bandwagon, there's plenty of room.  I have been spouting this shows praises since the first episode I watched.  Want to know how many people I've actually gotten to watch the show?  Zero.  Yep, pretty staggering numbers.  It's just that type of show and I know it because I lived it.  I had no intention of watching this show and no matter how many good things I saw and who recommended it to me, I couldn't get past the CW label.  Once I did, I was amazed.  If you're into comics, watch this.  If you're into good TV shows, watch this.  If you just have a Wednesday night to kill, watch this.  Did I get my point across?  Okay good.

I'll talk to you in five years when you do watch the show.

Talking Comics

Well, it’s been quite a while since I last talked about my comic book obsession so I figured I’d provide a bit of an update since I’ve been a little more versed in the medium.

I have expanded my horizons and read quite a few different comics per month.  It’s become a hobby that feeds me both creatively and satiates my desire for collecting.  It’s something that has eluded me since my favorite collection -- my DVD/Bluray collection -- can be a tad pricey.  $3.99 for a comic book?  Yeah, I can deal with that.  I’ll save those discs for Black Friday shopping.  Let's get into the reason I'm here though: the actual comics.

Superior Spider-man just ended which sucks as Doctor Octopus as Spider-man was one of the most refreshing times for the character in years.  31 issues of absolute joy.  Okay, maybe not that, but it was rather entertaining through and through and took some chances that I haven’t seen in a Spidey book ever.  Bravo.  I look forward to the Amazing Spider-man relaunch because I’ve always been a fan of the character, but I know I’ll certainly miss the morally ambiguous SpOck.  With that said, I'll never tire of Peter Parker.  He's the ultimate good guy and more morally inclined than practically all other superheroes, no matter what is at stake.  Good guy to look up to.  Can't wait to see him get his ass beat by the new Sinister Six.

That's my segue into my love for The Superior Foes of Spider-man.  Seriously, this is the best thing going on in comics.  I can't praise it enough.  I was as worried as anyone that the series might be coming to an end given that it's companion piece, the aforementioned Superior Spider-man, was ending.  But thankfully that doesn't appear to be the case, with there seemingly being no end in sight.  Every issue feels unique and unlike the last but I do wish that the story would start wrapping up quicker or at least furthering that main storyline.  I love the little side story issues but they certainly don't interest me as much as the ones that progress the story.  I'm hoping that everything will come together in the end, I'm just becoming anxious for a more complete story.

Guardians of the Galaxy is one that I’m collecting more for the fact that the movie will blow up.  The characters are great but nothing is really happening since Bendis has brought out this series.  It’s rather soulless, and in a time when so much creativity and passion is being put into comics, it’s hard to stay so invested.  Admittedly, the series has picked up since The Trial of Jean Grey but it’s hard to say if it’ll keep the momentum.

I also have ready through over one hundred issues of Ultimate Spider-man which, I hate to admit, is the best Spider-man I have ever read.  Sure, it does a lot of stuff that I’m not a fan of (eg. Monster Green Goblin, Gwen’s Death, Clone Saga) but there’s also so much good.  I have never gotten more worked up over a comic than I did during this one.  Peter and MJ breaking up?  That was brutal.  And being Bendis, it was dragged on for issues.  He’s a cruel Sonuvabitch.  And this may be the only time in the history of entertainment that I've actually enjoyed a "body-swap" storyline.  I mean, Peter Parker and Wolverine?  Yeah, that was more entertaining than anything in the current Deadpool series.

As you can tell, most of what I read is Marvel.  It’s not any bias, it’s just what I like.  But there is one non-Marvel comic series that absolutely blew my mind and that is Saga.  It’s real, it’s in your face, it’s set in an alien world far away.  Wait what?  Yeah, this book is about other-worldly creatures yet it manages to be the most human book on the market.  The writer never holds back with adding true-to-life moments in amongst the chaotic story.  I’ve only read through the first two volumes but anxiously await Volume Three in the mail.

I got a little worn out on comics for a bit but I've been consistently reading since late November of 2013.  I don't see myself slowing down because they really help me think creatively, which I've realized starts to become a less important aspect to life the older I get.  Being a creative person and not having a creative outlet for too long can be a problem so I tend to dip my foot in as many things as possible.  Whether it's playing guitar, writing a screenplay, watching a movie, or reading a comic book, they are all mentally satisfying and satiate my creative side.  So, in short, expect many different things from this blog.

I write what I like.

Wonderful World of Pixels

When I was a kid I would get whatever cheap Spider-man comics I could from a local bookstore and read them over and over.  Then I discovered my father's great collection and read even more.  But somewhere along the way I lost track of comics.  I've read various Batman Graphics Novels throughout the years as well as Watchmen, but individual issues were so few and far between that I didn't really consider myself a comic reader.  So recently I've been on a mission to get in touch with my inner geek.  With that brings loads and loads of comic books.  There are some light spoilers ahead but nothing that will ruin any of these books for you.

I had gotten into the New 52 Batman series fairly recently after it came out.  I kept up with it but staying with a monthly series gettings a little difficult after a while.  So after I break I came back, sped read them up to it's current run (#25) and I must say: bravo DC.  They really are able to reboot the series in a way that they both keep continuity and create their own.  Death of the Family is the best story arc I've read in a comic in ages.  And Court of Owls, which kicks off the reboot, is a fantastic way to introduce a great new character, while weaving it into the history of the world.  The best part of the series has been that I never know what will happen from issue to issue.  And since after Death of the Family, they've gone to Zero Year, it's great seeing how they introduce the classic Rogues Gallery.  They've reworked the Joker's origins in a way that both reimagines it and keeps it the same.  Damn good writing.

Unfortunately the annuals I've read aren't very good for the series.  The Joker, so well-written in the series, is given emotion and reason in his little one-off.  It's a big turnoff if you know...well ANYTHING about the character.  So just stick with the standard continuity and you should find yourself pretty blown away by the series.

I started rewatching my favorite episodes from Buffy The Vampire Slayer so that drew me to the season 8 comic, which I'm about halfway through.  It goes a little too far at times.  And sometimes it's just the writer being a sexually frustrated male (Really, did you have to add the Buffy goes Lesbian for a couple issues plotline?)  Otherwise the story is strong enough, just very comic booky.  I've heard that season 9 takes that away and goes back to the series roots, so I really look forward to it.  It's just hard, being a diehard fan of the show, to see them in castles in Scotland and flying around the globe.  It's just not Buffy.  But viewing it as solely a comic book universe, it's rather satisfying.

In anticipation for the Marvel movie that I'm looking most forward to, I decided to start Guardians of the Galaxy.  I thought it was going to be a great movie before reading the comics but now I KNOW it will be.  It's perfect part comedy and part space opera.  The humor is spot on and is genuinely funny.  I found myself laughing out loud fairly consistently which isn't common for me.  Rocket Raccoon in particular shines through a lot of the time.  When they are picking out the name, you'll laugh your ass off at his comments.

What really helps me is that I know which characters are being played by what actors so hearing their voice while reading really helps me to see how the movie will be and I can't say I'm disappointed with the casting decisions.  They all seem to be right on the money and, as has been confirmed with the past Marvel movies, casting is close to everything.  I'm only a few issues into the 2008 series and after that I'll move onto the reboot, both of which I've heard good things about.

Did you know that Doc Ock is Spider-man?  No, I'm serious, Doc Ock is fucking Spiderman in The Superior Spider-man.  I'll admit, my reaction was mostly likely similar to yours. "What the hell is going on?"  But actually, it really adds a much needed dynamic to the character of both Peter Parker and Spider-man.  Suddenly Spider-man is doing things he never would have before.  He's efficient and won't waste his time on petty crimes, characteristics not usually present in a superhero.  I particularly loved his interactions with Mary Jane.  I mean, just think, you're an old man suddenly in a young body with a hot red-head all over you.  To say it leads to some funny moments are an understatement.  You just have to see.

I'm only a couple issues into Superior so I have an entire years run to catch up on but hopefully the writing continues to be really good.  I look forward to Peter Parker's eventual reappearance.  The character should definitely be changing some values due to this so I think the series will be even stronger if/when they go back to Peter.

Before I end, what is the deal with most artwork nowadays?  Everything looks so much different from comics of the 90's and prior.  Advancements in technology has allowed for much more detail and shading techniques but unfortunately it makes all comics look the same.  New 52 Batman looks the same as Superior Spider-man because of this and it takes a little of the uniqueness out of it.  The more independent comics are still drawn old school but, unfortunately, it's only a matter of time before all current comics have this polished over look.  Damn.


Anyway, it's just been genuinely nice to get back into comics again.   I feel like I'm getting back in touch with a part I lost.  I look forward to continuing on with these various series.

Oh Television, What Happened To Thou?

Breaking Bad.  Why must you leave me?  Perfect ending to the perfect show and now I'm left with a gaping metaphorical hole in my TV.  I feel like TV has peaked and there's no way it's going to be getting better.  The Walking Dead has struggled with quality issues since season one and it doesn't look to be improving.  And yet it's the highest rated show on cable.  I couldn't tell you why.  Good news is that Dexter ended so TV got a little less shittier overall. 

Nowadays there just doesn't seem to be much good new TV ever.  I can't remember the last time I saw the preview for a new Fall show and got truly excited.  And you'd think a year that included the return to Television for Buffy vets Joss Whedon and Sarah Michelle Gellar, as well as Robin Williams, would be a little more impressive, but alas it's been dud after dud.  Here are some of the shows that I checked out this Fall Season, with few passing the test.

If you like Marvel's Agents of Shield then I commend you because you enjoy the simple things in life far more than I.  This show just isn't good.  You'd think that with Joss Whedon involved, this would be fun but no, it's not.  It's miscast and they try too hard to have a light tone, which clashes with what I want to see out of a S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show.  At least Coulson is awesome still, he's just in very lame situations.  And here we start the trend of bad heroines on Network TV this season.  Probably the most unlikable of the bunch, so much relies on this leads shoulders, yet she just comes off as bratty and stupid.  Maybe one day they'll remedy the situation, but I won't be around as a viewer.

Keeping with the "Modern updates to classic stories" trend that has been going on lately, Sleepy Hollow actually had a pretty solid pilot episode.  But there's one problem: This should be on cable.  It's too sleek and shiny and doesn't represent the content well.  There needs to be a layer of grain to add some atmosphere and that just doesn't happens on Fox.  Plus, it needs to be darker than it's allowed on Network TV.  But that's not what Fox is going for, and ultimately it makes for a weaker show.  And dear god, that lead.  She is absolutely atrocious.  I'm not sure how she actually made it through auditions.  I gave up on the show rather quickly mainly because of her.  Just further proof that so much is reliant on the lead.

The Crazy Ones has some charming moments but it's just weak.  Every character is weak, the stories are pointless and there is really nothing ever at stake.  Oh you didn't get that big commercial?  Oh well, we have fifty other clients.  Gellar and Robin Williams are an intriguing pairing for Network TV, and it's really the only thing in the show that works, but unfortunately neither character on their own really makes an impact.  Every scene that they aren't in together is just filler.  And don't get me wrong, it's not always magic when the two are on the screen together.  They just have good chemistry but that doesn't save the writing.  And the side characters are just godawful.  They either need to make them more unique or axe them.  I vote the latter.

The Michael J Fox Show is good but unoriginal.  Unless it starts to break free and try something new, it's not going to have much longevity.  Which is unfortunate because both Fox and Betsy Brandt really kill it.  They just need to try and get away from the typical sitcom story-lines.  Dads was a complete waste of time.  Can't believe I made it through 4 episodes till I finally gave up.  I think that says a lot about my level of boredom at the time.

Really, the only new show that has held my interest is Comedy Central's At Midnight.  And that's a cheat because Chris Hardwick combined with comedians can not possibly be bad.  I didn't even know this show was on until a week after it started.  It just kind of happened out of nowhere.  There are few episodes I'd consider duds because they always get good comedians.  This is the kind of game show I can get behind.  Glad to see it's coming back in January but until then, On Demand it is.

Other than that, nothing else has held my interest for more than five minutes.  I kept wanting to try The Blacklist but it just looks too predictable.  Spader is great but I'm not sure I can get behind another show with a weak female lead.  What happened to the days of JJ Abrams and Joss Whedon writing strong female TV characters?  Now they just think "We'll just have this girl be passionate and question authority and that means she's strong."   No, you have to give her a purpose. 

With all this said, I still watch The Crazy Ones and The Michael J Fox Show when I get a chance (and catch up with them on Demand when I don't).  I think that it's more due to my loyalty to the actors than the shows actually being good.  I'm sure I'll give up on them once my free time gets more limited.  Otherwise, I've stuck with staples like Modern Family, The League and It's Always Sunny to entertain me in the Fall.

Speaking of The League, that episode with Dirty Randy and Rafi may be the most polarizing episode of a comedy I've ever seen.  Didn't really enjoy it much during the first viewing but it really won me over after giving it another shot.  I think the problem it has to overcome is that Rafi is so over-the-top that without the normalcy of the gang to contrast his craziness, the humor doesn't come across as well.  It's there, you just can't view it as a regular episode of the series or else it most likely won't satisfy.

And what the hell happened to How I Met Your Mother?  It's amazing how much a show can drop in quality.  As soon as Ted and Robin romance was revisited for the umpteenth time, I was out.  They just can't seem to understand that it's been stretched beyond thin and the viewers are over it.  Oh well.  I'll tune back in around the finale.  Maybe they'll finally have their shit figured out.  Doubtful.

All I know is I really hope that Winter TV makes a little more of an impact with shows like Workaholics and Girls starting back up.  Then of course, a little later on Game of Thrones, which will be the greatest season of television ever.  And then 24 starts up with that miniseries which I'll watch for nostalgia's sake.  Wait, actually things could get pretty interesting on TV.  But notice all of this is going down on cable.  Network TV has yet to catch up with the times (although Hannibal will be a welcomed return) and it's really starting to show.  Thank god for stations like AMC, HBO, and FXX or else TV may be doomed.