TV

Originally published at www.mydestroyer.com. You can comment there.

So, I've had a love hate relationship with network TV. In recent years, love has mostly been nostalgic, and hate has bubbled to the forefront. There are shows that I really want to like, but when seen side by side with cable shows, most network TV pales in comparison.

Last I checked, I'm still part of the major demographic for most mainstream media, but something like Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles just leaves me cold. I get what they are trying to do with the show, and I can seem glimpses of awesomeness. But just how the plots, dialogue and pacing are bootleg concepts of other shows that have done the same thing, and often times better in the past, my enjoyment of the show is somewhat canned. I can stomach the hour of entertainment it provides, and I even sorta look forward to it, but if the show were to be cancelled, I know I wouldn't miss it. So yeah, I like it, but don't like-like it.

I keep thinking if I was 10 years old, T:SCC would be awesome. But I'm not 10. And I love how Summer Glau is really spreading her acting wings playing a role that's so far removed from her character in Firefly.

Another show I'm not in love with, but in the wake of this writer's strike find myself watching all the time is South Of Nowhere. I've been watching entire seasons in one day, and just started the third. Again, if I were a teenager, perhaps this show would be "real", but it's such a simplified slushy compressed version of teen life, that I'm very sure that were I in high school right now, I'd think SON was super lame. There were moments that I found interesting, or at least treading waters not often dealt with in an after school special type of show, mainly the idea of a black child being raised in a white family. During the first season they dabbled on the dude struggling with what it means to be black, and who he is.

Unfortunately by the first episode of the third season, what could've been a really interesting character to follow had deteriorated into every weak stereotype you could think of. Basically, he got his girlfriend pregnant, and died in a drive by shooting, leaving another single black teenager to give birth to another fatherless child. Way to break new ground.

Anyway, that's my rant on TV for now. Thankfully this writer's strike looks about over. Bring on more LOST!!! (plus, some of my other media projects that have been on hold will hopefully get the greenlight soon!)

ADC