Lost - Season 3

Just finished watching the return of Lost on my DVR. (I was out singing karaoke last night, so I couldn't see it when it aired, but that's better anyway, because I like to skip the commercials.) One of the best episodes this season, as far as I'm concerned, but that might be because the flashback focused on Juliet (played by the beautiful Elizabeth Mitchell.)

No spoilers. Suffice it to say that this episode actually gave some answers to some questions, while still maintaining plenty of mystery and new questions.

One of the guest stars was Robin Weigart, who played Calamity Jane on Deadwood, another of my favorite shows. This makes three Deadwood actresses who have appeared on Lost now. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Jericho TV Series on CBS - I'm Hooked

About 3 months ago my friend Shane emailed me about this new show Jericho and said from what he'd read about it online, it seemed to be almost like a Lost knockoff. I was intrigued, but I hate getting in on a tv show if I'm not there from the beginning, especially this new brand of one-word-title shows that have an overarching plotline. But I found out the other day that I could download the first 11 episodes on X-box Live, so I've been watching them with my wife, and I've got to tell you: We're hooked!

CBS has a winner with Jericho. The star of the show is Skeet Ulrich, who many might remember as resumbling Johnny Depp in a vague sort of way. His performance as the mysterious prodigal son who returns home just before a nuclear explosion in nearby Denver is terrific. His father is played by Gerald McRaney, who a lot of folks will probably remember from such silliness as Simon and Simon and Major Dad. His performance on this show is anything but silly.

Emily Sulivan, a former girlfriend of Jake's, is played by Ashley Scott, who was also in Birds of Prey. She's a great looking gal and a better actress than many women who look that good. Gail Green, Jake's mother, is being portrayed by Pamela Reed, who, if I'm not mistaken, played one of the main characters in one of my favorite all time movies, The Best of Times. Another major character is the mysterious Robert Hawkins, who seems to be amazingly competent for someone who claims to just be a cop from Saint Louis (or whatever city he said). He's played by an actor I'm not familiar with, Lennie James.

My wife and I have finished the first half a dozen episodes and so far there hasn't been a clunker in the bunch. In fact, she was mad that I'd only downloaded one episode for her to watch yesterday. I do my best, but downloading these shows on X-box Live takes time even with my high-speed connection. I guess they're pretty big files.

The rest of the season comes on February 21, so I should be ready to watch some more of the show by then, even though I'll be in Vegas with the Mrs. celebrating my birthday.

But to sum it up, watch Jericho if you can, because it's one of the best dramas on tv right now. It's our 2nd favorite show after Lost. I'm including a few links to some Jericho websites below for your further edification:

• Official CBS Jericho tv show website (Includes a web show called Countdown about Hawkins' preparations for the attack.)
• Wikipedia Jericho article (Includes links to Wikipedia articles for all the main characters and the actors who play them.)
• Jericho Talk (A discussion forum for the show.)
• Strange Horizons Jericho Review

I'm sure I'll post more about Jericho soon, because like I say, I'm hooked.

My 4 Favorite TV Shows

I realized last night as my wife and I sat down to watch some tv that we're really only into 4 tv shows. We bought the DVD boxed sets to each of them, and we watch them on tv regularly. (My wife actually has some other programs on television that she likes, but this is about what WE like as a couple.) Our favorite tv shows are:

1- Deadwood - HBO's unique and colorful Western practically redefines a genre that most people think of as being more or less dead. (After all, how many new Westerns are debuting this fall on the major networks?) Ian McShane, by the way, is a brilliant actor. The DVD boxed sets were expensive but well worth the money.

2 - Boston Legal - I think I've expressed how much I enjoy this show a few times on this blog before, but we still love it. There's a great fansite for Boston Legal here that I visit regularly, by the way.

3- House - I grew up as a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, so it's only natural that I like this modern update of Sherlock Holmes recast as a Vicodin-addicted doctor who specializes in differential diagnosis. Hugh Laurie is the real reason to love this show, because his performance is just SO great. Hard to believe that this guy was in Stuart Little movies.

4- Lost - For a long time, I didn't even take a look at this show, because I've always really liked shows that the general public doesn't like. (Arrested Development for example, which really ought to be on this list too, but isn't.) So I always operate from the erroneous assumption that anything that the masses love isn't worth watching, but boy was I wrong about Lost. I'm on record with many of my friends as saying that the first season of Lost is possibly the best season of television ever made.

And those are our favorite television shows.

Why I Love Boston Legal

I haven't been an avid television watcher now in years. Just haven't had the time for it. Between drinking, playing shuffleboard, playing poker, working, and listening to live country music, there's been precious little time for anything. And all of those things took a backseat to my children when they were born. So there's just not much time for television.

But Boston Legal is a show that has completely won me over. I tuned in originally because I'm a big fan of William Shatner. I love the character of Captain Kirk, always have, and I always will. I didn't expect to get pulled in to a television show that I refuse to miss every week. The last time I've been this involved in a television show was over 20 years ago when I was addicted to Moonlighting.

The two shows actually have something in common. The reason that I love the shows is because of the chemistry between the shows' two main characters. In Moonlighting, it was the chemistry between Maddie and Dave. In Boston Legal, it's the chemistry between Alan Shore and Denny Crane. Just because their characters don't have a sexual chemistry doesn't mean they don't have chemistry. And that's the cornerstone on which Boston Legal is built--Alan Shore and Denny Crane's friendship.

There was a very touching moment at the end of last night's episode. (Actually, there's a touching moment at the end of just about every episode.) It's the epilogue, and Denny Crane tells Allan Shore, "You know, I used to be a VERY remarkable man." And Shore looks at him in disbelief, and replies, "You ARE a remarkable man, Denny." And there's something so heartfelt and real about the interaction between the two that you believe it. You feel sorry for this great man who is gradually losing his mental faculties, and you feel sorry for his friend who is having to watch him go through it.

And that's what I love Boston Legal.