Fall TV 2008

So what do I watch on TV?

Daily it's the news shows, usually with a political focus. Hardball, Countdown for me. The News Hour with Jim Leher. My wife however favors CNN shows. Also, the weather on KWWL out of Waterloo, IA, the local NBC affiliate.

The thing that I watch that consumes most of my time is the NFL. On TV, it is better to watch good offenses. In the stadium it is better to watch good defense. Since I don't have the money to have tickets, offense rules the day. Usually that means teams like Indianapolis, New England, San Diego, Green Bay, Dallas, Washington and Philadelphia. It's been hard watching this season since there's been injuries and turn over of rosters on all teams but Washington and Philadelphia. But they've shown great offense, a real explosive nature. This weekend helped with the Colts absolutely clobbering the Ravens top rated defense. There's just something about on TV watching offesne the preciscion, the close up replays that TV can do at home. At the stadium, where you can see the whole field, its better to watch defense so you can see the scheme and flow and speed of the players.

Next is the 3 CSI shows. I cried last Thursday as the original debuted and they went through solving the crime of who killed Warrick. It was one of the few times that the science actually played second fiddle making it much more like a Miami episode. The scientist in me looks at half the analysis they do and go, wrong insturment, not enough calibration, wrong method on insturment, etc.

In the spring, after football is over comes 24. I didn't watch the first season, but have caught every subsquent one and seen the first season reruns. Outside of having our foreign policy lifted from this show, there's really nothing wrong with anything about it.

After that comes House. Doctors are idiots, patients lie. House is just entertaining.

I've invested 15 years in e.r., so I'm watching the last season. Don't care if the show is a shell of what it was, that I don't care about anyone anymore. Time invested, stubborness, gonna stick it out this season for no other reason than the Marc Greene flashbacks.

After that comes Star Wars Clone Wars. This series is better than the previous, however pales to the books and comics. I loathe the character of Ashoka, Anakin's padawan. I do understand the concept and it's a good concept, they need Knights, so all avaialable Jedi Knights have to train any potential learner, and he's got to not pass on his bad habbits to her, but her syntax and personality make me shiver.

Stargate Atlantis. I love Rodney McKay, what can I say? Nice long story line with Daniel Jackson from SG-1. We find out there are "evil" Asgard in the Pegasus galaxy.

Last but not least, the PBS "how to shows" which I group together since they're all shown together in a block on Saturdays here. First off is my wife's favorite, Martin Yan's China. Dumplings, noodles, traditional Chinese comfort foods. Next, Steve Ralchain's Primal Grill. It's helped a lot the last few months especially on not burning and keeping the grill clean. The New Yankee Workshop and Ask This Old House. I don't watch these as much, but tell my wife they'll help us with what to look for in a home, Hometime and This Old House.

After that, my wife watches Prison Break. I'm indifferent. She tends to download shows from China off the internet. Since I don't speak the language, I don't watch them.