Revisiting the fall schedule

So now that all the shows have started, I thought it might be a good idea to do an update. (Warning: This will be a long post.) Sadly, most of the new shows have been cut, but two are sticking around for now. Are they in bold? No - I've only seen one episode of each. But I liked those episodes enough to keep watching, despite my busy schedule. Other shows have not been so lucky. Here is what has happened so far. First let me see if I can remember how to put up the chart.

 

Yay, I remembered! So, as you can see, shows have been removed. We'll start at the very beginning (a very good place to start). Sorry, I'm done with Sound of Music references now.

Chuck: Started off really well. Same old nerdy, hilarous, entertaining show. Thanks for not changing!

How I Met Your Mother: Same as ever - a little boring sometimes, but Barney makes me laugh and everyone else makes up for Ted's typical dullness.

Lone Star: I just didn't care enough to even bother watching any of it. I don't need more drama.

Mike & Molly: I was sincerely disappointed in this show. The two main characters were cute and funny and had good chemistry. The rest of it was just painful to sit through. I hope it improves, but I'm not waiting around for it.

Glee: Was it the best season opener? No. (No one is topping Vampire Diaries, if you ask me.) But I was just so happy to see everyone and sing along again. And the second episode (the Britney Spears one) was a glorious plotless wonder! Who needs a plot when the show can be so entertaining without it? Do I want that every week? No way! But for one fun episode I enjoyed it. And how awesome was it for Heather Morris to finally get not one, but two solos? She deserved it.

Biggest Loser: This show will never change significantly and I'm fine with that. I wish it weren't two hours long every week because that takes time to catch up on, but unlike some people, the work out portion is my favorite and I would be very sad if it were cut. I like it the way it is because it inspires me to take better care of myself. Yes, it can be very heavy handed and is full of product placements and manipulated drama, but some things I just have to let go. I like to focus on people improving themselves. Watching Jillian and Bob yelling at people is just a side perk.

No Ordinary Family: This one is still on my schedule. I've only seen the first episode, so I may end up not liking it, but so far I think the premise and execution are very good. Of course it has a few things in its favor right off the bat: 1) Greg Berlanti, creator of former definite on my schedule (before it was rudely and prematurely canceled to keep 7th Heaven on - don't even get me started on that rant!) Everwood. I love that show and it means that I will give things Berlanti is attached to a try. 2) Julie Benz, who I greatly enjoyed on both Buffy and Angel, is another reason for me to give it a shot. 3) Michael Chiklis. I have not seen any of The Shield, but I grew up watching The Commish, and I therefore have a lot of affection for him. So that's three good reasons I wanted to see this show, not including the interesting premise. I really enjoyed the first episode, and we'll see where it goes from there. Please do not go down the Heroes path.

Raising Hope and Running Wilde: Both were OK, but not enough for me to keep up with them on a night when I am not home and already have three shows to watch. I'm sorry Will Arnett and Keri Russell. I really like you both, but this isn't working for me. Let's just agree to move on. Instead, I am willing to watch Arrested Development and Waitress, both of which I love. How does that sound?

Undercovers: The other new show that is still on the schedule. I have only seen the first episode of this. It was cute. Do I absolutely love it? No. BUT it is a J.J. Abrams show and he gave me Alias, which I love. So if it goes well, I could end up loving this just as much. If not, I'll stop watching this and pop in an Alias DVD. Win-win for me.

Hellcats: This didn't last long and I wasn't expecting it to. I'm not home Wednesday nights, and I don't feel like having to record a bunch of stuff to watch later. It was OK; I've seen much worse. But I just don't care at all. It was a fun way to pass an hour the week before my bible study started. I actually kind of liked Ashley Tisdale. Shh, don't tell anyone.

Terriers: I wanted to like this, I really did. I think if it had been on a year ago, I probably would have. But these days, I'm too busy and this just doesn't appeal to me. I like Donal Logue, but this isn't up my alley anymore. I guess I have changed.

Bones: Of course I enjoyed the first episode. It was full of the relationships and banter that I always enjoy. This is like candy for me. I don't have to think too much, just a little, and I get to laugh and have fun. Not as much as Glee, but enough for the end of the week. Although this year I'm taping it and watching it later.

Community: I love this show so much. It's always entertaining, it always makes me laugh. Yet I don't feel the need to record and keep every episode. I think that's good progress on my part. Go me. I should totally get the Season 1 DVDs as a reward.

Vampire Diaries: OMG, y'all. The first episode? One of the best I've seen, and not just this season. I had my doubts last season because I loved these books so much when I was younger and I have my issues with Kevin Williamson. But I have to admit that this show kicks some serious booty. It's fun and campy, but still has some genuine drama and a high death rate. And it is NOTHING like the books. Usually that would irritate me to no end, but let's call it more progress for me that it doesn't. It is its own creation, and by this point they are completely off book. I mean totally. I'm loving every minute of it. (Though I will admit that sometimes I have a strong desire to smack Bonnie. You know, if she were real.)

The Office: Not what it used to be. I still enjoy it, but let's be honest here. It's just not as good as it used to be and it's not as good as Community. Yeah, I said it. I am going to keep watching it because I'm attached to the characters and it is Steve Carell's last season. But I have a sad feeling its days are numbered on my schedule, and possibly on TV.

Supernatural: I am really interested to see where they go this season with the new showrunner promising a return to more monster of the week type storylines. I did somewhat enjoy the long running angels and demons mythology of the last few years. It was interesting. But I miss the way it used to be, and bringing that back should be fun. The first episode was intriguing. I wonder how long Dean will hold out. And I'm curious to see which other monsters they might bring back from earlier shows.

So that's it for the update. I'm enjoying the shows I'm watching. I'm also tired because it is a lot to keep up with. I find myself wondering how I manage to do this every year, but I know in a bit I will fall into a pattern that works for me. It always happens - it just takes some adjustment time. I will try to be back soon to share the events of my birthday weekend extravaganza. Love til then!

Here I am again

Can't say I didn't warn you that I would post sporadically once the initial high wore off. At least I'm consistent that way. So it's been a bit between posts again. Life has been busy. That's my only reason - I've had so much going on and when I do have a free moment, I'm too tired to think of anything to say. Such is my life. Riveting, no? But there is a bright spot on the horizon. Rest? Of course not. It's my birthday! That's right, I will be turning the big 2-9 this Friday and I decided to pack my weekend with stuff. Who needs rest? I do! But this is more fun. I can rest when I'm dead. Anyway, other than that I don't have much to say right now. Feel free to leave birthday wishes and promises of money in the comments! :D And since I've arbitrarily decided to make this Music Monday, here is a video (in honor of my birthday, I have chosen my favorite Starfield song, since I will FINALLY be attending one of their concerts this Sunday):

Finding me

I was going to write about the fall season starting up and the first new show I watched (Hellcats, last night on the CW), but I just finished a difficult email to a friend and find myself thinking about other things. It's interesting that often to go forward one must first go backward.  It seems so illogical, not to mention inefficient. And if there is one thing I hate, it's inefficiency. But I'm learning that often the quickest way for me to move forward and through something, on to a better place, is to take a step back. It's like turning off onto the wrong path and needing to back up to where I got off track so I can go forward in the right direction. In recovery I often hear the phrase "two steps forward, one step back." Usually said in frustration with oneself. But maybe it's necessary. Maybe it's because life leads us all down the wrong path sometimes. Or maybe it isn't the wrong path, just the wrong path for a certain person, or a certain time. I remember a visiting pastor once saying how we have to wait for things sometimes because we aren't ready for them and if we got them before being ready it wouldn't work. I think I believe that more than I did even then. Looking back on the past year or so I can see where I've had to turn around because even though I thought I was going in the right direction, it turns out I was off track. And getting back on track was often a difficult, painful process for me, but so worth it in the end. I don't know if this makes sense to anyone but me, but that's OK, because learning this lesson has improved my life, my understanding, my outlook. I think it's also helped me to see patterns in my behavior and stop making the same mistakes over and over. Now I can make new mistakes! How exciting.