Tellyman: Week Two

Heroes comic image of Claire

So, continuing a new theme of talking about shows on the telly every week, this is week two. In case you don’t get it, my title this week and last is trying to play on the Batman: Year One and Year Two comic stories. I’m not Tellyman and I don’t know who is. Maybe he has utility belt, but not a slightly-too-young-sidekick.

Yeah, I know…

I don’t know how much longer I will really keep this up, but I at least planned on doing it for the first three weeks since debuts are spread out over that time. Anyway, here’s what I think of week two…

This past week saw the series debut of Heroes and season premiere of Smallville, so I guess an extra dose of comic book type viewing. The image above is from a web comic on the nbc.com site to promote Heroes. The book is penciled by Michael Turner and Koi Turnbull of Aspen Comics, so it is good stuff. The first part mostly follows Mohinder Suresh and fills in a few little tidbits we didn’t get in the show. If you are already a fan, I suggest you check it out. There’s also a blog written by Hiro.

If you didn’t check out the first episode, you should do so on-line and definitely watch tonight. My feeling is this will be one of my favorite shows this year besides Lost. That’s high praise, so it probably means it will get cancelled. I guess we’ll have to see how the public at large takes to it, but the production values are very high and the cast has a few familiar faces. Watching the first episode felt like watching a movie and that’s always a good thing in my book. Three and a half hours until episode 2.

Smallville was excellent and it is almost too bad they pretty much tied up the whole Zod story right off the bat. Looks like Clark will be fighting bad dudes from the Phantom Zone this year instead of meteor freaks. I wonder if his ally Raya from the Zone was really killed or if she was sucked out along with the baddies and survives due to being on Earth and now having the usual Krytonian powers. Maybe she’ll turn up again, but probably not. Just seemed like they killed her too quick in the Zone and deliberately didn’t focus enough on it.

On Ed’s recommendation, I checked out the first episode of Kidnapped on nbc.com and then watched the second episode Wednesday night. So far, it is pretty good. I’m not real sure how they are going to keep this up for a full season, but I guess they have something figured out. If this goes a 24 track where they start making stuff up as they go along, it will go off the track and suck. I hope to not be investing time in this and they don’t resolve it. Then again, I’m not that into it, at least yet, that it would bother me like the cancellation of Harsh Realm did.

I also took the opportunity to watch the pilot of Six Degrees on abc.com since I had missed it. I also watched the second episode this past week and so far, I can take it or leave it. It would seem New York is very, very small and I’m not buying it, but I am interested in a few of the characters. My feeling is this one will get cancelled and it won’t matter. It’s also likely I fall behind on watching the Media Center recordings and I just stop watching altogether if it isn’t cancelled. I guess I am just watching because JJ Abrams’ company is producing, which isn’t a good reason at all, so you know what… let’s just call this one now. I’m done.

As for the rest, How I Met Your Mother featured the return of Lily, but focused more on just how much of a dick Barney is, and gawd love him, I love it. He’s gotta be the worst wingman ever and honestly the only reason to watch the show. Studio 60 was good again and I am definitely going to keep watching this one. Sorkin be damned!

This past week My Name Is Earl was better than The Office, so a reversal of the first week. Randy had some great moments and watching Nadine Velazquez “jump for Earl” in a bikini is something not to be missed; at least if you are a guy. The Office featured Michael and Dwight out of the office for a convention where they meet up with Jim and his new boss Josh. You spend most of the time feeling bad for Michael and wishing they were just back in the office. It would seem to be better when more of the cast is involved or being harassed by Michael. The valuable lesson it does impart is it is best to leave your blacklight at home when staying in a motel and let ignorance be bliss.

Lastly, I watched Jericho again and I think I am going to give it three more episodes, so five total, before making a decision. It is straddling the line of believability. From the end, it looks like a lot more cities besides Atlanta and Denver got nuked. It will be interesting to see who is really responsible given it seems like single bomb/missile strikes for each city. Early bets on domestic terrorists given the mysterious Mr. Hawkins’ presence and knowledge.

New this week will be the series premieres of Veronica Mars and Lost and the series debuts of Friday Night Lights and The Nine.

To keep track, here’s my updated list:

  • Monday: Mother, Heroes, Studio 60
  • Tuesday: Veronica Mars, Friday Night Lights (tryout)
  • Wednesday: Lost, Kidnapped, Jericho, The Nine (tryout)
  • Thursday: Earl, Office, Smallville
  • Friday: Las Vegas
  • Saturday: nothing
  • Sunday: nothing

What are you watching? Got any recommendations besides the British version of The Office?