My opinion is very important, and after watching an absolutely sensational episode of one of my favourite shows, I feel like I should share my important opinion with you all with suggestions of which show-wagons you should be jumping on, and which box sets you should own!


ALIAS (5 Seasons)
Of course this is the ONE show that everyone should have watched in my opinion. I think the reason I enjoyed it so much was because it never took itself all that seriously. Yes it was a drama, yes it was pretty grim at times. But by that same token it was also full of ridiculousness and fun humour that really made you go through it all.

Catch: Seasons 1, 2 & 5
Miss: None.



DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (4 Seasons)
The ultimate in guilty pleasure. Desperate Housewives probably wouldn't like to be referred to as that, because actually, its a legitimately excellent tv show. I guess the guilty pleasure aspect of it comes from knowing that you shouldn't enjoy seeing such delicious bitchery between neighbours quite so much.

I'll admit, I loved the first season. Second and third? I didn't catch all that much of. That was for a good reason. The first season nailed the balance between comedy and mystery with an engaging, thought through arc. The second and third seemed to be aimlessly firing out jokes and plots.

The fourth season, however, might be the best yet. I've spent much of this season crying actually. The show deals with much harder hitting subjects in very well thought through, intelligent ways. Acting has never been better and even Susan, who had been criticised for being flat in previous seasons, has a very strong emotional arc of her own.

Catch: Seasons 1 & 4
Miss: Season 2



HEROES (2 Seasons)
I only caught the first season of heroes, and tonight im watching the first episode of season two. I guess i have a thing for obnoxious narration. But Heroes season one was as good as any of these recommended show's very best.
I hear the second season isn't as good. Heres for hoping i disagree.

Catch: Season 1
Miss: ?


UGLY BETTY (2 Seasons)
Ah Ugly Betty. What a surprising genius you are! For an ugly chick.
Indeed, Ugly Betty was a grower, not a shower for me. At first i found it predictable, confused and a little saccharine for my tastes. But about a quarter of the way into the show it seemed to switch gears into something very clever, very funny and very compelling. Season 2 only turned this gear up higher. It functions very well on many levels. America Ferrera, Becki Newton and Vanessa Williams are amongst the highlights of a great cast.

Catch: Season 2
Miss: Season 1, part 1 if you want to be totally confused but dont like less-than-awesome episodes.


CHUCK (1 Season)
Four episodes in and Chuck already is an all time favourite for me. I love love love it. Sure its ridiculous, moreso than Alias ever was, but this show is much more of a comedy than other spy shows, and it stands out for it. It's only flaw is the way it handles the CIA/NSA.

Catch: Everything to date
Miss: Nothing!


FRIENDS (10 Seasons)
Well this is a defacto. It is generic to the max. Unbelievable. Sometimes insulting to ones intelligence. But its hilarious, the characters are all totally lovable and the whole thing has a safe feeling that everyone loves from time to time.
Catch: All seasons apart from the ones where Joey and Rachel are getting it on.
Miss: Joey and Rachel getting it on.



SOUTH PARK (11 Seasons)
See above. Another defacto. I've liked this show since before I should have been watching it. Cartman is comic genius like no other, and the un-pc jokes and the lines they cross just make me laugh out loud. Such a clever show, sometimes too clever for its own good.
Catch: Most Recent seasons.
Miss: Nothing, actually. Christmas specials maybe.



POPULAR (2 Seasons)
LOL! Popular was bloody good television. Dated already, but at its time it was a biting satire of teen life and the typical teen drama, whilst also managing to BE a teen drama. The two leads and the Bryce Johnson are weak, like pretty bad actors. But thankfully the supporting cast are second to none, many of whom have gone on to star in things i love. Too bad this show ended on a cliffhanger that was never quite resolved.
MARY CHERRY WILL TURN THE MOTHER OUT!
Catch: Season 2
Miss: Season 1, part 1.

Others: Less than Perfect, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Will and Grace, Sunset Beach, Family Guy, The Simpsons, Scrubs, Murder she Wrote, Charlies Angels, Dukes of Hazzard, The Ghost Whisperer, LOST (Season 1 only)

I've probably forgotten some, but hey.

The La Deli banner in your signature is very sexy, everytime I see it I want to sex it up really good.

I feel like I've seen you grow, you're now all uber talented. I really do hope you end up working in Toronto, so we hang out like monthly

I should use this opportunity to add that episode 6 of season 4 DH could be one of the very best episodes of tv ever.

Lynette truly is the emotional core of this show.

I am in the process of finally seeing all of Alias. Getting close to the end of Season 3 currently.

I don't know a single person who likes Heroes Season 2.

There are moments of brilliance in the first season however.

Yay Michael.

I have to do my own. Controversial.

Have i blossomed into a motivated young professional yet?
The vomit stains on my shirt and the distinct whiff of alkyhol might suggest differently, but dont believe them, they are a trick your mind is playing on you to distract you from my young-professionalism.

I thought you would hate South Park Michael.

Why?
I've loved South Park from day one.
Seen every episode till the latest season.

I knew Michael has the hots for Jessica Fletcher!

U've never been open about this part of your life before.

I have always been huge on South Park.
Partial to Family Guy too actually.

Just had a four hour desperate housewives marathon. What an incredible season this is.

I'll see the S3 finale of Alias tomorrow...

The season 3 finale was a huge disappointment to me. I was so used to awesome cliffhangers, but they basically ignored that cliffhanger in the season 4 première and moved on.

Thankfully the season 4 finale was all drama and ridiculousness. The Season 4 cliffhanger remains the best of the series, and quite possibly the best of tv.



Anyway, i must say DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and CHUCK are firmly lodged within my top 5 shows of all time. This isnt such a huge achievement for Housewives, which has been around for a few years now, but im only seven or eight episodes into CHUCK and i absolutely wholeheartedly adore it.

The S4 cliffhanger was partly spoiled to me back then

Anyway, S3 finale was pretty good, IMO. Not as good as the other two, but better than most of S3.


Now I've seen the first six episodes of Season 4...and they mostly SUCKED balls. Mediocre, really. The worst Alias has been thus far. I hope it will imrpove.

I quite enjoyed season 4 actually, it definitely improved mid-season when they stopped trying to make it accessible to new viewers.

Season 5 goes way down into the rabbit hole,too far down some complained, and completely disregards anyone trying to "get into" the show to enravel itself in mythology.

You can see in season 5 them setting the threads to transfer the show onto new characters, as Garner, Vartan and Garber at least were all supposed to be leaving after the fifth season. But thankfully the show quickly re-aligns itself with the central characters and works very well.

What I hate abut S4 so far is that it pretty much ignores everyting we have been introduced to before, all the mythology and turns it into your weekly assignement series with new missions each week and no story arc. Bleh

it gets ok after about 8 or so episodes.