Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Netflix-Inspired Bite-Sized Reviews: Part One

(I also considered naming this post "Netflix: The Neverending Journey." I also considered making it one post, but then it got real long.)

I love Netflix now as much as I did when Netflix and I first got together. As you may recall, Netflix saved me from my crippling addiction to purchasing seasons of TV shows on DVD (now I only buy the really, really good ones).

Most of what I rent is TV shows instead of movies. What can I say? I'm a big fan of TV (as, yeah I'll say it, an art form, not [just] as an excuse to veg out on the couch). And now, for your enlightenment (or, more likely . . . because I want to), I will now give you the lowdown on the shows Netflix has lovingly sent to me. (Maybe I'll do the movies some other time? If anybody cares?)

In rental order, from least to most recent:

Project Runway: Season 1
Project Runway is so good that it justifies the existence of reality television. It's been worth all the dreck just to get to Project Runway. (That said, I regret having rented this because it contributed to my delay in purchasing that particular season.)

St. Elsewhere
I rented this for William Daniels purposes. He was great, but there just wasn't enough of him to justify continuing to watch this show (I stopped after the first six or so episodes). It's surprisingly similar to current medical shows, with a big ensemble cast and the same issues (medical ethics, STDs going around the randy staff), but it's glacially-paced.

Big Love
Great show. The characters can be maddening, but they're meant to be. The first season is a little better than the second.

Popular
A cult favorite, but apparently you had to be there. Eminently skippable.

The Closer
Very very good show. It's a procedural crime show but actually interesting and well-acted. However, for a reason I still can't explain, I never got around to watching Season 3 and it sat around here for months until I gave up and sent it back. I should give it another try sometime.

Firefly
It took awhile for Firefly to grow on me, but then it did. Smart, funny, interesting sci-fi (cowboys in space!)--just don't listen to the theme song.

Dexter
This show is over-hyped. People say it's so challenging and interesting because the protagonist is a serial killer. But A) he only kills really bad people, so it's as easy to root for him as it is for any vigilante hero and B) it's not as deep as people pretend it is because he explains his motivations and feelings in voiceovers. That's not challenging, it's easy. I don't regret watching it, but I just didn't care about it.

Lost
I tried to watch the pilot and it simply did not grab me. I suppose I should give it another chance, but I think it's just not my style.

Lois and Clark: Season 3
This show isn't good, but it has a lot of nostalgia value for me. This is a prime example of saving me from a frivolous purchase since I do own the first two seasons (although I like those better anyway).

Joan of Arcadia
Season 2 isn't as good as Season 1, but it's still a very good show. This is one whose cancellation I still mourn. Sweet and funny, even if Joan sometimes bugs.

3 comments:

Chestertonian Rambler said...

Dexter may not be challenging, but it is endearing and morbidly funny. So it has that.

Also, you might appreciate this book:
http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_id,7847/title,Pride-and-Prejudice-and-Zombies/

Rachel said...

Yeah, I'm not saying it's bad--but people talk about it like it's a masterpiece, and it is not.

And have you heard about this?: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118000187.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Anonymous said...

May I suggest The Wire? It's very dense and there's a lot of the street terminology that may be difficult, and the predominantly minority cast is different than most stuff on TV, but the show is television gold or perhaps even platinum. It's at least silver, for sure.