Earlier today, I told you about the 5 TV shows I’m watching this season, so it’s only fitting that I complete the list by telling you about the shows I just might be avoiding like the plague. Who knows? My opinion might change halfway through the season — as it did with Heroes — but given the material that serves as the basis for this quintet, my hopes aren’t exactly high.
Seemingly unlike the rest of North America, I’ve developed a severe disdain for certain reality TV shows, two of which make an appearance on this list. There is still some good reality TV — Hell’s Kitchen is always entertaining — but most of it is utter garbage. I don’t care about these lame dating shows, even if they feature the former lead singer of Poison. Yup, full HDTV can’t even save these shows for me.
Anyways onto the list. Forget about the top five, here are the bottom five.
- Chuck: Lame premise, lame actor, lame name. I tried sitting through the pilot episode of this on Monday and I just couldn’t stand it. Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski, a Nerd Herd employee at a big box electronics store (Geek Squad, anyone?), receives a video with some highly top secret information and there are people who are out to get him… or rather, to get the video. Sorry, it just didn’t work for me. Furthermore, the “Chuck” name is already taken by two guys way cooler than Bartowski: Mr. Norris and Mr. Liddell.
- Kid Nation: I didn’t catch the pilot, but I saw bits and pieces from what I believe was the second episode. When I first heard about this show earlier this year, I thought that it could be interesting. A Wild West take on the Lord of the Flies. Unfortunately, it isn’t like that at all. Instead, CBS being what it is, just created Survivor for Minors. The children are broken up into tribe-like factions, complete with representative colors and reward challenges.
- Survivor: China: Speaking of Survivor, why can’t CBS just let this franchise die? The first Survivor was an innovative idea, setting the stage for reality TV as we know it. What is completely unbelievable is that their journey to China is actually the 15th season of Survivor. Yes, there have already been 14 bloody Survivors before this. It’s time to move on, because I stopped caring after season 3 or so.
- K-Ville: Speaking for myself, I can’t possibly picture Anthony Anderson playing any character other than the loud-mouthed sidekick for DMX in some poorly conceived action flick. Every time I see him on screen, whether it be the silver screen or the boob tube, I can’t help but be reminded of his famous line from Romeo Must Die: “Name’s Maurice… bitch.” A buddy cop show with Maurice? No thanks.
- Lost: Season 1 was electrifying. It was incredible to see a random smattering of people thrown onto an island, left to fend for themselves and develop some sort of civility. And then it got lame with the hidden hatch and the whole underground enter-the-code fiasco. I tried keeping up with season 2, but eventually lost interest (no pun intended) and never came back. Seeing how John Locke, who plays old man Terry O’Quinn on the show, recently won an Emmy Award for his performance, the show may have picked up some renewed steam, but it’s still not enough to turn me around.
There are several shows that I’m undecided about like Journeyman, Carpoolers, and Big Shots, but if I have a glowingly positive or utterly negative experience with any of them, you’ll be sure to hear about it on Beyond the Rhetoric. Till then, happy channel surfing!
Didn’t Big Shots feel like a mans version of desperate house wives?
K-Ville looks pretty horrible, I agree, but Anthony Anderson has been on The Shield and he was absolutely fantastic. As for Lost, I can definitely see why you lost interest during season 2, but in my opinion, the latter half of season 3 was right up there with the first season and the finale was possibly the greatest hour of television that I’ve ever seen.
For the most part I agree with your list. I’m a Survivor nut so I’ve seen pretty much all of them and still agonize through the horror. You’ll be happy to know that #16 is already on deck an will be a second All-Star match up that will also be set in China. Yippie.
Journeyman has potential, I’ve not watched Big Shots yet and Bionic Woman has potential. btw.. you forgot to add Cavemen to the do not watch list, I’ll give that one 2 shows before it’s canceled.
The china trip is ok, My girlfriend makes me watch then all so you kinda get use to it.
Chuck sounded interesting to me, but it’s on at the same time as How I Met Your Mother. I may download it while it’s still available on iTunes.
Heroes is going to be questionable this year. It’s on at the same time as Two and a Half Men and season 2 is not available on iTunes.
Kid Nation never sounded too terribly interesting and I thought the pre-air hype about how horrible it was for the kids was going to prove to be overblown. Now that I’ve seen your synopsis, I don’t need to bother with it at all. Thanks!
Survivor is one I haven’t cared about since season 1, and I only watched a handful of episodes of it. Watched a couple of season 2, I think. Don’t think I’ve watched any of it since.
K-Ville? I think I’ve seen enough cop shows for a while. Law & Order: Everyday, CSI: Everyday, isn’t this genre about tapped out? Is there even room for a comedy in the genre?
I’ll probably watch Lost. It had some surprises last year, but the loss of Mr. Eko is a downer, plus the long hiatus they put between the first and second half of the season is a killer. Now, they actually had to promise to end the show in order to try to win back viewers. Like I said, I’ll probably keep watching, but it may be like watching a train wreck in slow-motion. And, Paramount put J.J. Abrams in charge of Star Trek? Train Wreck XI.
I have no interest in these shows either. Although I am excited to see the new seasons of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
You’ve got to buy the Lost DVD from last season and get back in the game. Here, check out this analysis. It really gets you hooked.