Sorry, Isabel, But I'll Probably Never Watch Veronica Mars or (Gasp!) Project Runway

For the first time since Friends went off the air and 24 and Scrubs were moved to spring premieres, I'm actually enjoying the new fall television season. If so inclined, I could theoretically watch one new show every night of the work week. The current Frema-Useless Clutter line-up is as follows:

Monday:
Deal or No Deal
Heroes

Tuesday:
Law and Order: Criminal Intent
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

Wednesday:
Bones (when we remember)

Thursday:
My Name is Earl (occasionally)
The Office
Deal or No Deal

Friday:
Law and Order
Deal or No Deal

Deal or No Deal. Oh, man, I love this show. There's something about wanting to win a shitload of money that everybody can connect to, that makes everybody root for the underdog, because if they can do it, by God, why not you? I love holding my breath as Howie instructs each model to "open the case;" I love trying to remember all the models' names, as it was just last week I realized each case is always opened by the same woman; I love imagining what I would do if I were the contestant and the banker was offering me two hundred and eighty-six thousand dollars to turn over my case, which, hello, the possibility of a million bucks can't compare to the reality of paying off my student loan debt and paying for a starter home in full.

Heroes is good. After watching the first episode, I thought the premise would've been better suited for a miniseries, because how can they maintain such heightened drama for an entire season? It's working so far, though, and I'm anxious to see what happens next. The characters are pretty intriguing, and I'm loving Hiro, the little Japanese man who can travel through time. I like Claire, but I can't look at her without pondering how much she resembles the snot-nose hussy in Roseanne who was always trying to get with Darlene's boyfriend and wondering if she's an actual blonde. I'm not sure what Nikki's heroic abilities are, unless you call stripping for the Internet in your garage and summoning a Sybil-like alter ego to threaten menacing gangsters heroic, and the young Dr. Suresh is without any supernatural abilities at all. It'll be interesting to see how this storyline progresses, that's for sure.

I've always been a fan of the Law and Order franchise, particularly SVU, and back when I had cable, it wasn't uncommon for me to succomb to the nightly four-hour marathons on USA. Once I cut myself off from the good stuff, I convinced myself that weekly prime time does could never be good enough. Now, a year later, I have returned to the show once again, finally experiencing the joy that is watching brand-new episodes on their original air dates. However, I have no idea what happened to Olivia, some blond woman whose cop husband was murdered by a couple of punks is posing as Elliot's new partner, and Munch is trying to get in the pants of one of the forensic pathologists. A little help, anyone?

Bones is good, but for some reason, Wednesday is a hard day to remember to flip through the channels. Plus, I have to catch up on All My Children sometime.

My Name is Earl. Back in college, I was a huge Kevin Smith fan and took weekly Internet quizzes testing the breadth of my knowledge regarding Smithsonian dialogue from Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy. ("I'm not even supposed to be here today!" "In the back of a Volkswagon?" "I brought a lunch, and a soda, and I'm not leaving until I see this sailboat everyone keeps talking about.") When I heard Jason Lee (aka Brodie/aka Banky) was headlining his own show with none other than the sailboat man himself, I was so psyched.

And then I watched it.

It's not that the show is bad, exactly, but there's no oompf. No spark. No clever wit. That's all been reserved for The Office, which rivals Scrubs as the funniest show on the airwaves. If you don't agree, either a) you've not watched the show, in which case you deserve to have a nine-inch stiletto thrown at your forehead, or b) you watched the show and didn't think it was funny due to the large pinecone hiberating in your nether regions, in which case, you deserve to have a nine-inch stiletto THROWN AT YOUR FREAKIN' FOREHEAD. I can't believe Luke and I didn't discover the series until the end of the second season, at the height of Jim and Pam's sexual tension. So riveting!

There's a lot of talk about television on the Internet, about shows I've never seen and probably never will. Veronica Mars? I have no idea what this show is about. Project Runway? It's like The Apprentice for fashion designers, right? Where's the fun in that?

Just another reason I'll never be an A-list blogger.

(Quick, somebody check on Isabel. I have a feeling she's clutching at her chest and shouting unmentionable obscenities in the direction of the Midwest.)

What are you all diggin' right now?

Comments

[Jenabeeb]

Oh yes, yes yes, I totally agree about the Office - LOVE IT! I missed season 1, and some of season two, only really getting into it in the middle of the Jim/Pam drama. But I have since gone and rented seasons 1 & 2 to catch up. It is so frickin funny! I actually wrote about it not too long ago - http://mistressofthedivine.blogspot.com/2006/09/its-beginning-to-look-lot-like-fall.html

[mjd]

Cold Case, Grey's Anatomy, and Boston Legal are what I watch this season. Plus, I feel some commitment to ER; maybe just to help put the old show to rest.

More name suggestions how about fremaville.com, houseoffrema.com, princessfrema.com, or thisisfrema.com...

[CPA Mom]

Law and Order reruns on USA, late at night and Lost Season 2 via netflix DVDs is all I have time for. Live T.V.? What's that?

[Dawnie]

Veronica Mars is an awesome show, but it's hard to get into unless you've been watching it from the get-go (or, like me, got your hands on the Season 1 DVDs a few months before Season 2 started so you could get caught up). However, if you ever get a lot of Netflix time on your hands? I highly recommend at least trying Season 1 on for size.

[Becky]

Olivia is off SVU for something like 6 or 7 episodes... she's on maternity leave. That blond chick is replacing her temporarily, and I think the excuse is that Benson is being "relocated away from the area" or something like that.

[Lost A Sock]

Mmmm The Office! How I do love that show, although this season with Jim out of Scranton is not as fun. But they talked last night! Talked! Bwaaaaaaah! Yes!

I have no set nights for television. Tivo takes care of it all, and we watch when we get around to it. Of course, Thursday night is always late night for us since we can never WAIT to watch Office, Earl, or Grey's. My other current fascination, though I should not really admit to it, is House Hunters with Susan Whhhhang. (You missed me with that shoe.)

[Kelley]

*prying 9 inch stiletto from her forehead, thanks, Frema*

I still haven't seen The Office. I know, for shame. But I need to, and I want to, and I will! I'm still working my way through the second season of Lost on DVD, so you can see that I am hopelessly behind. Am working on it...

[Luke]

I have to say that I don't enjoy Deal or No Deal as much as you do, but The Office is mighty funny. I've been tempted a few times to try putting co-workers staplers and such in Jello, but as the new guy that's probably not the best idea.

[Stacey]

I LOOOVE The Office and Scrubs. My husband and I literally roll around laughing at The Office. "Hug it out, bitch."

Some other shows in our lineup...CSI and CSI Miami, Cold Case, Survivor, Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Lost. Yes. I watch too much TV.

[Lindsey]

OH MY GOSH, Project Runway is SO GOOD!! Please, I'm begging you, you have to give it a chance! But nothing, I repeat nothing, is better than The Office--best show EVER!

I think Isabel is never going to talk to you again :-)

[Silly Hily]

HAHA! You sooo have Isabel pinned.
And yeah, why you gotta be throwing stilettos at me? I thought we were friends.
I've never watched The Office but I have good reason. Really good reason. Two words.....Grey's Anatomy. I've heard fabulous things about The Office but my show is Grey's Anatomy so until they come on at different times, I can't watch The Office. (And yes, I have Tivo/DVR but it hasn't been working lately and I'm about ready to get rid of it plus I don't ever have time to watch anything I record.)
There. Am I excused?

I also love Deal of No Deal for no known reason.

[mjd]

Oh wait, I forgot Monk. Everybody loves Monk.

[butterflygirl]

Sunday-Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters

Thursday-Grey's Anatomy, ER

TLC-Miami Ink & Little People ina Big World

Animal Planet-Meerkats

[Erika]

Brothers & Sisters! Grey's Anatomy! Boston Legal! Lost! Men in Trees! I am ABC's BITCH!

[Isabel]

Serioulsy, you need to watch Veronica Mars. It's about a girl who likes to solve crimes in her spare time. Very "Nancy Drew" except with hott boys and great clothes.

And Project Runway isn't about the "reality" but about the creativity of the designers. I didn't see the vision of the show either until I caught some reruns and was all "I can't believe I missed this before". Seriouisly, it's about the designs.

You really should watch the BBC version of "The Office". I love the Amercian one, but I'll always love the original BBC version the most. We even own it. It's just that good.

And have you watched "Arrested Developoment"? You might want to look into getting the DVD's from someone.

We also love L&O at our house. The actress that playes Olivia is on maternity leave. Her character is doing some undercover work for the FBI, or something. Don't worry-she'll be back. I don't like her replacement that much. I think it's because of the boots she wears. I judge.

Okay, I need to stop talking now.

[Britt]

I know, I know... life just isn't right without a new season of Scrubs, but just think how happy we'll all be in January! (and then how sad we'll be in May since this is most likely the last season-but let's not talk about it).

I was indifferent toward the Office at first, but I fell in love when I saw the episode where Jim talks Dwight into hiding in a box in the warehouse to spy on people.

Do you notice all of the similarities between Scrubs and the Office or is it just me? Like the bobble-head Bob Kelso and the bobble-head Dwight??? And references to "tickets to the gun show???"