CST's Top Television Programs Thus Far - Part 1

I love television.  I mean, who doesn't?  Every night and day, you can sit in front of this box and get sucked into other people's lives when yours is not going so great and all you want is an escape.  But, I have to say, do not do it too much.  Go outside and get some Vitamin D people. You can always DVR it.

It was hard to compile a list of just 10 shows, so made it 11.  However, just remember I am only 31 so there are a lot of great classic shows that I have never seen.  The oldest show on here started in 1985.  There are many shows on the premium cable shows that I never saw.  Also, these are all programs that have had ended their runs, except for two but they have been on so long, and in my opinion so great, I have to put them on the list.  There are some great shows on now but I feel I cannot write about them until they have a final episode because there have been some great ones that ended with not so great finales (Lost, The Sopranos). Finally, these are in no particular order except for number one.  It will always be my number 1!

1. SIX FEET UNDER (HBO 2001-2005)

   Simply put, a tour-de-force in acting, writing, and storytelling. Alan Ball (American Beauty, True Blood) created one of the best television families ever.  I want to watch the entire series (again) before doing an entire blog on it.  There is so much to write on this phenomenal program and the Fisher clan.

2.  FRIENDS (NBC 1994-2004)

 Love it or hate it, "Friends" was a worldwide, pop culture phenomenon.  I mean, it still is. The show is still going strong in syndication and I so very hope it stays that way.  I could not live in a world without Phoebe, Monica, Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Ross, or Smelly Cat.  This is one reason I always looked forward to "Must-see-tv" Thursdays. And the other was........

3.  ER (NBC 1994-2009)

It premiered in 1994 and right before the pilot aired, it was just another hospital drama.  This show was a juggernaut from the word go.  Intense, fast-paced story lines with a very large, even more impressive cast.
A young George Clooney has to dive into a flooded storm drain to save a boy, helicopters fall from the roof and onto doctors who also get their arms sliced off by their blades, interns are stabbed to death, rocket launchers are set off and blow up ambulances, and gun fights with machine guns are just a sample of the peril that went on for 254 episodes.

4. ROSEANNE (ABC 1988-1997)

Again, love it or hate it, or in this case, love her or hate her, this show was a ratings powerhouse for years.  It was the story of the Conners, a midwestern, bottom of the barrel middle-class, blue collar family just trying to scrape enough change to survive life's little obstacles.  And boy, did they have obstacles.  Sometimes, this show was more drama than situation comedy but it always kept the story lines going in the right direction and was never considered cookie-cutter.  The mom spoke her mind, the dad yelled back and kids were smart asses, it was as real as life got.  It started lagging by the 6th and 7th seasons and really got weird in Season 9 with the lottery winning. However, the series finale was one if the best ever with a brilliant twist.

5.  MEDIUM (NBC 2005-2010, CBS 2010-2011)

See blog.

6.  THE GOLDEN GIRLS (NBC 1985-1992)

This show has been off the air for 18 years and is still one of the most watched shows in syndication.  When it was on the Lifetime Channel (Now it is on the Hallmark Channel), even with 3 of its 4 stars now deceased, people were contacting the network asking for tickets to its tapings.  Even when it premiered in 1985, it was far ahead of its time.  In the pilot episode, there were three women, all over the age of 50 living in Miami, who have a gay house boy and talk about sex.  Even in the pilot, these women are sitting around the table discussing orgasms.  "I didn't know it made your eyes roll back in your head," explains Rose Nylund.

Let Me In

3 STARS

If you start watching this thinking you are about to see what is hopefully an exciting horror movie, you will be very disappointed.  That's what makes this film so interesting to me.  Yes, there is blood.  Yes, there is gore.  Yes, there is that ominous background music, but very little.  Yes, there is even a little demon child vampire at the center of it all.


"Let Me In" is about the bond between two young tortured souls who both just want a friend, a fellow kindred spirit who understands their plight.  Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) portrays Owen, a bullied loner living with his alcoholic mother who is in the middle of a divorce.  He retreats to the courtyard of his low-income apartment complex every night after his mother drinks herself to sleep.  Its here he sits at a picnic in the cold New Mexico winter because he would rather be in the cold than watch his mom destroy herself.  Owen soon meets Abby (Chloe Moretz, Kick-Ass), a right-off-the-bat odd 12-year old girl who has just moved in with her dad.  Even though in their first meeting one night in the courtyard, Abby wastes no time telling Owen, "we cannot be friends," they soon find their way to each other.

The two young actors are both destined for great things in their futures in the movie business.  Smit-McPhee and Moretz are both flawless in their performances.  As the viewer, you genuinely feel for both of them and that they are both in need of just some simple friendship.  Moretz especially had a difficult role.  She had to be this little girl searching for a friend, then at times, an un-aging creature of the night who has to kill.  They are joined in this film by two veterans, Richard Jenkins (The Father) and Elias Koteas (The Policeman).  Jenkins, who has one of the most distinguished, but versatile resumes I've ever seen (The Witches of Eastwick, Sea of Love, Stepbrothers, The Visitor, Eat Pray Love).  At first, the viewer would think of him as a bad guy, but he quickly brings out the compassion in anyone who watches.

"Let Me In" is very dark, but its so much more than a horror movie.  I do not see it that way at all.  Its a drama, plain and simple, but for the smarter horror fan.  So when you start it, let yourself in but be careful with those little girls who only go out at night.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

Medium (Television Series 2005-2011)

4  VERY BIG STARS

*I do apologize for the length of this blog. This is about a show on for 7 years so there is a lot to write about.* 

"There really is an Allison DuBois. Really......."

I have been captivated with this show ever since those words graced my television screen graced right before the series premiere in 2005.  I have to say possibly one of the finest network television shows ever.  Fine acting.  Superb writing! Some of the most imaginative storytelling to be on the the small screen in years.  Genuinely creepy at times.  The DuBois family is one of the most wonderfully weird television families ever written, making the Addams Family look like the Cleavers.  Honestly, I do not personally know another fan of the show besides my dad and myself.  I so hope that people read this blog and then go onto Netflix and watch all seven seasons.  I really cannot see how anyone with half a brain could not be disappointed with this show.  I say again though, you have to possess a brain to even half-way enjoy this unbelievable program.

Patricia Arquette portrays Allison DuBois, a medium and profiler who actually exists.  She is married to man named Joe, an engineer, and has three girls.   Although, their names were changed in the series.  Also, as in the show, she resides in Phoenix, Arizona and does often work with law enforcement like the Texas Rangers, as shown in the pilot.  Arquette was a brave, but smart choice as Allison.  Arquette was famous for playing trashy, criminal types (True Romance, Stigmata).  She played the soccer mom role to a T, caring for her family as any mom would but also possessed just enough raw edginess to deal with the crazed lunatics of her job.

I urge you not to go into this program and think it is some cookie cutter police drama about some soccer mom trying to put some excitement in her life.  I like to call many of the episodes deliciously demented.  "Medium" deals with some of the most violent predators, psychotic serial killers, and out right sadistic crimes ever shown on network television. The writing and story ideas are so very smart, some of the smartest I've ever seen.   They really try to make the DuBois family as real as humanly possible.  They live on top of each other in a regular 3 bedroom home.  They certainly have their share of money troubles.  Allison spends most of the show's run driving an old Volvo station wagon.  The only difference is she and her very patient husband have the ghosts of murder victims and serial killers coming in and out of their lives, often coming into their home or even possessing her body all together.  But the majority of her visions come through in her dreams, which is how every episode starts off.  I spent most of the 129 episodes feeling so sorry for Joe. He should get a medal, living in a house of 4 females, all of whom share the gift.  He and Allison have a dynamic that only a man married to a medium can have.  They get into knock down drag out fights just like real couples, except not all of the arguments are over the usual family things.  There are also many episodes where Allison wakes up with one or more of her 5 senses missing or as someone else completely through possession.  For example, in About Last Night (Season 5, episode 4), Allison is possessed by a young hispanic woman who needs her to saw off her hand from her dead body and use the fingerprint to gain access to a computer which will help solve the dead girl's murder.
 
Her kids are a very important part of the show, also dreaming or seeing things normally linked to a case she is working on.  However, at times it could be a totally different storyline all together.  In one episode, the youngest Marie, talks to a voice coming from the home alarm system which is of course connected to one of Allison's cases for the Phoenix District Attorney's office.  The oldest, Aerial, is featured in a groundbreaking episode (Season 6, episode 20 Time Keeps on Slipping) where she keeps losing time, so much that she sees her life way in the future as a married woman with a child of her own.  Bridgette, the precocious middle child seems to have the significant dreams.  In Season 3, episodes 1 and 2 (Four Dreams), Allison and Bridgette both dream about the same case, just in different ways.

I was personally engrossed from episode 1 to the final, which was brilliant, yet heart felt, but closed the series nicely.  Especially if you like anything supernatural or horror in nature when it comes to your movies, you will also love this show.  "Medium" can be damn creepy at times, but far from creepy in a cheesy way. Between The Twilight Zone and The Walking Dead, there was Medium.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon

4 STARS

 I am going to say right off the bat, great movie! Now, thats going against most of what my friends had to say. Right away, it is about an hour too long.  There was a little too much filler and lag in the middle for my taste but,  its Transformers so of course, I had to love it. The 3D was great but, it really didn't need to be a 3D movie. Action and special effects were superb as usual. The comedy was dead on. Shia LeBouf was definitely at his best in this one.

Early reviews had it as being too long which I do agree with for once.  There was too much filler and it did sag in the middle a bit.  Early reviewers also said that Sam Witwicky's parents were not needed. I am sorry but I have to disagree. His parents are always needed.  I think they are unbelievable in all the movies especially the mom (Julie White).  I loved the second one (Revenge of the Fallen) so much because they had a much bigger part.  Now, on the subject of Megan Fox's (MaKayla) replacement, Rose Huntington-Whiteley (Carly).  Yes, a tad bit better actress than Fox, but I have to admit, I missed MaKayla.  Despite the "so not Oscar worthy performances" of the previous movies, she is still a part of them in my eyes and I have to say, I missed her.  Also, she could have gotten dirty just a bit. I know if I slid down a skyscraper, I would have at least gotten some smudges somewhere on my person.

KUDOS! I say again, KUDOS on the new supporting cast. Frances McDormand portrayed a USDA prime rated bitch and did it with class. And yes, Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey was deliciously bad and certainly pulled his weight in this huge summer blockbuster. John Malcovich was simply brilliant as always. His comic timing was on point at all times.

Aside with the length, the movie was great. It's thoroughly enjoyable but it's time to end the franchise. It had surpassed what it can do on the big screen. It is, dare I say, "More than meets the eye."

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

127 Hours

3 1/2 STARS

Wow, wow, oh and did I forget.....WOW!

James Franco gives the performance of his career in this gut-wrenching true story from director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later). 127 Hours tells the true story of Aron Ralston, who in 2003 during a canyoneering trip in Utah, fell in a crevice and got his arm trapped by a boulder against the canyon wall.  He remained in that crevice for five days, sipping on what little water he had with him, suffering paranoia and intense hallucinations.  What made his story so compelling was on the fifth day, after many attempts to dislodge his arm, he purposely breaks it and proceeds to cut it off with a very dull utility knife he had with him.  With an amputated arm, he climbs out of the crevice and gets rescued.

Now, the movie is predictable.  I had read Ralston's story in National Geographic and watched his awesome interview with Tom Brokaw on Dateline so I already knew the plot of the film going into it.  For most of it, 127 Hours sort of drags along with filler.  But, when the shit hits the fan, Franco pulls out a set of acting balls bigger than that boulder that was pinning his arm.  His portrayal is intense, gritty, and awe-inspiring.  He even received a much deserved Oscar nomination for the role.  I do have to warn that the amputation scene is graphic and gave even me, someone who has witnessed two live autopsies, chills. There was even a time when I thought I was going to go numb.  There is never a moment when Franco doesn't make you feel what Ralston was feeling that day in 2003.  127 Hours will definitely make you feel as if you are between a rock and hard place.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

The Walking Dead (Season 1)

4+ STARS
READY FOR SEASON 2!


Finally, a fine horror television series that can only be called groundbreaking.
Finally, a horror television series with real actors that can damn well act and don't all look anorexic.
Finally, a horror television series with real dialogue.
Finally, a horror television series!

This show is developed by Frank Darabont, who works often with adapting Stephen King novels.  Darabont is writer/director of two of the finest movies ever put on film (which also happen to be Stephen King stories), The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. So, it is safe to say this show would have to be superb.

Honestly though, I had my reservations about this show before watching it.  I did not watch the actual season on television.  As with all other shows these days, in the time of everything being on DVD and Netflix, I wait until I can watch the entire season at once.  With what I read about the premise of the show, I thought about how Darabont could pull off an entire series with nothing but zombies.  It sounded a little too 28 Days Later to me.  I can tell you now is, he definitely pulled it off with some very talented writers and actors.

Now, I do not believe in giving too much of a great story away so I will keep the show's events to a minimum as much as possible.  The Walking Dead begins when Rick Grimes (played by British actor Andrew Lincoln), a sheriff's deputy in a small Georgia town, suffers a near fatal shooting and falls into a coma.  When he awakens in the hospital, Grimes finds the world has been turned inside out by a zombie apocalypse.  Grimes finds himself in the company of other survivors and it becomes a constant battle of survival for the group as they try to make their way away from the hordes of undead.

The first season is only six episodes long but, if you are like me and watch it on DVD for the first time, its like a very long movie.  Season two has been picked up by AMC and will begin on, as it did last year, Halloween with thirteen episodes this time and I am very ready.  I strongly urge everyone to watch the featurettes after watching the actual show.  There are some great Making of.... specials for every episode.  The work Darabont and everyone put into this show was nothing short of incredible.  I was in awe of the AMC network with what they let Darbont get away with in this show.  Every episode has what every horror fan loves, suspense, genuine creepiness, blood and gore.  The entire cast (many who appeared in several of Darabont's movies) work their asses off to make this a very character driven piece, whether they are covered in the blood and gore, or in one of the more emotional scenes.  Believe it or not, this show has its tender moments too.  I have yet to meet anyone who has not loved this show.  I think it will appeal to most all, whether you are alive or undead.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.

Hereafter

2 STARS


Upon first seeing the trailer for this film, I thought, Clint Eastwood directing. Matt Damon starring. Yes please!

This movie gets off to one of the most incredible starts I have seen in years.  So, of course after knowing who was behind the camera and in front and then that beginning which was so intense and visually stunning, I was intrigued and had high hopes.  Honestly, the rest of the movie sagged and just dragged on and on.

Hereafter centers on the subject of death and how it is affecting three people, a journalist from France, a young boy in England and a factory worker in the United States.  It begins with the French journalist Marie Lelay (Cecile de France) who, while on  vacation, experiences a monumental disaster.  That, as I mentioned earlier, being an amazing cinematic moment.  We are then introduced to American blue collar employee George Lonegan (Matt Damon) who at one time was a renowned psychic/medium and decides to walk away from his gift to speak to the dead.  London is where the viewer is introduced to twins Marcus and Jason.  Their junkie mother has to go away then a death occurs of course.

It is actually a shame I do not have much to say about this movie.  It is beautifully filmed with some very fine acting. There's just not much going for it.  There is an especially stand out performance by Cecile De France.  She brings much intensity to Marie Lelay that she is almost the center of the movie if it weren't for Matt Damon taking up the entire movie poster.  Damon couldn't really do much in his role since George Lonegan wasn't really much anyway.  But, seriously, how could he say no to a Clint Eastwood film.  I certainly never would.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.