NEW Shows POLL - REVOLUTION, MOB DOCTOR, Bones Premiering on 09/17

[Ian J. Ball]

The ALAN SEPINWALL Memorial* (New) Shows Poll:

* No, Alan's not dead. He can now be found at 'HitFix'
( http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/ ).

Note: I am only on planning on doing these polls this week (on those
days when there's actually new scripted stuff, which is basically just
*today*), and next week (so-called "Premiere Week" - so pretty much
every day next week)...


Two new and one returning series had their premieres tonight (09/17/12).

The new shows were:

The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)

Revolution (NBC - new!)


The one returning shows was:

Bones (FOX)


So, what did you think?

All comments welcome; grades are good (letter grades preferred by this
author! ha!).

--
"Surf-crazed aliens... Of course." - Amber, "Alien Surf Girls",
Episode #1.1, "Wipeout".
Wait a minute... "Of course"?! "*Of course*"?!! Did I miss a step here??!!

[David]

On Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:47:50 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
<ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

>So, what did you think?
>
>All comments welcome; grades are good (letter grades preferred by this
>author! ha!).

Uncle Leo!

[shawn]

On Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:47:50 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
<ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

>The ALAN SEPINWALL Memorial* (New) Shows Poll:
>
>* No, Alan's not dead. He can now be found at 'HitFix'
> ( http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/ ).
>
>Note: I am only on planning on doing these polls this week (on those
>days when there's actually new scripted stuff, which is basically just
>*today*), and next week (so-called "Premiere Week" - so pretty much
>every day next week)...
>
>
>Two new and one returning series had their premieres tonight (09/17/12).
>
>The new shows were:

I've only watched about half of each of these shows so I can't say for
show what I think of the entire show.

>The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)

Seems okay. A bit ridiculous in some of the things that happen (like
the FBI wouldn't keep a close on eye on all of the associates and
notice the connection between the doctor and Moretti?) but otherwise
decent acting and an okay script.
C+

>Revolution (NBC - new!)

Full of completely implausible things but the worst part is that the
story just lags. There is a potential for so much more but the script
doesn't fulfill any of the potential. That's why I quit watching about
half way through. I may come back to it but I'm not sure it's even
snark worthy (though there's plenty to be snarky about like arrows
that not only stop someone cold when they hit them but drive them
backwards.)

D-

[Obveeus]

"Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

> The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)

Grade: B+
Some stuff didn't make much sense, like our hero doctor walking right up to
all these mob guys and talking to them without ending up on FBI surveilance,
but at least the episode featured one mob guy pointing that out to her. The
adversarial nature between our lead and the hot black doctor seemed forced,
too. Still, the pilot had one good twist and set up the premise for the
series well...and I really like the lead actress even if she isn't writing
about baseball anymore.

> Revolution (NBC - new!)

Grade: C-
All kinds of nonsense in this show. I'm perfectly fine with accepting the
'sci-fi' premise (what if the world no longer had power except for secret
reason/people X) and I don't care much about the show not doing the throw
away effects that introduced this premise to the professional degree that
most viewers here seem to need. What bugged me more was the little things:
a really old asthma inhaler still working. The kids sneaking off to hunt
and finding a rolled vehicle from 15 years earlier only minutes from their
home. The seeming lack of ingenuity from the remaining population - almost
no 'technology' at all, such as steam power / coal power / etc...

[Arthur Lipscomb]

On 9/17/2012 4:47 PM, Ian J. Ball wrote:
> The ALAN SEPINWALL Memorial* (New) Shows Poll:
>
> * No, Alan's not dead. He can now be found at 'HitFix'
> ( http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/ ).
>
> Note: I am only on planning on doing these polls this week (on those
> days when there's actually new scripted stuff, which is basically just
> *today*), and next week (so-called "Premiere Week" - so pretty much
> every day next week)...
>
>
> Two new and one returning series had their premieres tonight (09/17/12).
>
> The new shows were:
>
> The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)

I forgot about this. I'll have to catch the repeat on Friday or on
OnDemand.

[anim8rFSK]

In article
<ijball-NO_SPAM-1A6...@news.eternal-september.org>,

"Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

> The ALAN SEPINWALL Memorial* (New) Shows Poll:
>
> * No, Alan's not dead. He can now be found at 'HitFix'
> ( http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/ ).
>
> Note: I am only on planning on doing these polls this week (on those
> days when there's actually new scripted stuff, which is basically just
> *today*), and next week (so-called "Premiere Week" - so pretty much
> every day next week)...
>
>
> Two new and one returning series had their premieres tonight (09/17/12).
>
> The new shows were:
>
> The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)
>
> Revolution (NBC - new!)
>
>
> The one returning shows was:
>
> Bones (FOX)
>
>
> So, what did you think?
>
> All comments welcome; grades are good (letter grades preferred by this
> author! ha!).

Bones
C
Not nearly as awful as the awfully awful season finale it feeds off
from, but still only okay. Bones looks stupid as a blond, but at least
it didn't help disguise her in any way, shape, or form. It was so
obviously a bad wig it would draw attention to her all by itself; I was
shocked when they tried to pass it off as a dye job at the end. It
would have gotten higher marks if somebody had actually killed the
stupid super killer I hoped never to see again. And why would we hand
him back to the Egyptians anyway? And why does nailing him for one
murder absolve Bones of a different one?

--
"Every time a Kardashian gets a TV show, an angel dies."

[Nadegda]

anim8rFSK explained on 9/18/2012 :

Exactly. Great post.

[Robin Miller]

anim8rFSK wrote:
> In article
> <ijball-NO_SPAM-1A6...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> "Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:
>
>> The ALAN SEPINWALL Memorial* (New) Shows Poll:
>>
>> * No, Alan's not dead. He can now be found at 'HitFix'
>> ( http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/ ).
>>
>> Note: I am only on planning on doing these polls this week (on those
>> days when there's actually new scripted stuff, which is basically just
>> *today*), and next week (so-called "Premiere Week" - so pretty much
>> every day next week)...
>>
>>
>> Two new and one returning series had their premieres tonight (09/17/12).
>>
>> The new shows were:
>>
>> The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)
>>
>> Revolution (NBC - new!)
>>
>>
>> The one returning shows was:
>>
>> Bones (FOX)

I've only watched Revolution so far, and it merited a solid F, at best.
It was infuriatingly bad at points. I'm a very easy grader, and I've
liked almost all the recent sci fi shows on TV. But this was just
dreadful in just about every way.

--Robin

[icebreaker]

"anim8rFSK" <anim...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:anim8rfsk-57159...@news.easynews.com...

> Bones
> C
> Not nearly as awful as the awfully awful season finale it feeds off
> from, but still only okay. Bones looks stupid as a blond, but at least
> it didn't help disguise her in any way, shape, or form. It was so
> obviously a bad wig it would draw attention to her all by itself; I was
> shocked when they tried to pass it off as a dye job at the end. It
> would have gotten higher marks if somebody had actually killed the
> stupid super killer I hoped never to see again.

That was set up in the episode. Bones' Dad said the guy needed to be killed
after he was arrested and so letting him go at the end facilitated that for
a future episode. Now letting him go was just stupid as they had already
proven he had hacked into the FBI database. That should have been enough to
hold him regardless of whom he claimed to be or set himself up to be. I'm
really tired of supercriminals who always think 30 steps ahead of the good
guys.

And why would we hand
> him back to the Egyptians anyway? And why does nailing him for one
> murder absolve Bones of a different one?

I'm not sure what you're getting at here. Angela showed the guy had
manipulated the video that was being used to charge Bones.

[icebreaker]

"Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote in message
news:ijball-NO_SPAM-1A6...@news.eternal-september.org...

> The new shows were:
>
> The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)

C-

I am really astonished someone at Fox actually let this one on the air. I'm
a Jordana Spiro fan, but this was just bad in so many ways. First IRL the
FBI would have all these guys under surveillance nearly all the time so
there's no way she wouldn't be seen coming and going. The hospital stuff is
so over the top. We have bitchy black doctor jealous of our heroine who
lacks the brass ones to do what's right and be a good doctor, loverboy
doctor who allows himself to be bullied by our heroine, chief of surgery
doctor who doesn't have the balls to sack bad doctor who, it seems,
routinely kills patients because he's not a very good doctor, and our
heroine who's the best surgeon in the whole world and isn't afraid to break
rules to be so. So is the mob going to threaten to kill her or her family
each week if she doesn't off some other gonzo who makes it to the hospital.
Are there that many in witness protection in Chicago that'll need surgery?

> Revolution (NBC - new!)

D-

Watch this be a big hit for NBC. This really insults one's intelligence in
so many ways.

> The one returning shows was:
>
> Bones (FOX)

C

Bones didn't waste much time digging out from last season's ender. I really
disliked how they contrived to let the guy get away at the end just to set
up for the future though.

[Lord Vader III]

On 9/18/2012 12:59 AM, anim8rFSK wrote:

> Bones
> C
> Not nearly as awful as the awfully awful season finale it feeds off
> from, but still only okay. Bones looks stupid as a blond, but at least
> it didn't help disguise her in any way, shape, or form. It was so
> obviously a bad wig it would draw attention to her all by itself; I was
> shocked when they tried to pass it off as a dye job at the end. It
> would have gotten higher marks if somebody had actually killed the
> stupid super killer I hoped never to see again. And why would we hand
> him back to the Egyptians anyway? And why does nailing him for one
> murder absolve Bones of a different one?

I didn't really understand why he was being handed over either (and so
quickly to boot). Nailing him for one murder didn't absolve Bones of
the other one. Angela finally cracked the code he used and she was able
to prove the video was manipulated.

I'm really hoping this storyline is done with but, if I was a betting
man, I'd say we'll see Pelant again. Hopefully, if he does come back,
they can just have Max shoot him and kill two birds off the show with
one episode.

LVIII

[anim8rFSK]

In article <k39rq8$mi1$1...@dont-email.me>,

Yeah, but she showed that AFTER they let Bones go free.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <k395of$unv$1...@dont-email.me>,

It's amazingly bad, isn't it?

[Nadegda]

anim8rFSK formulated on Tuesday :

Yes, it is.

[suzeeq]

There's some hints by the producers that Flynn helped Pelant go free -
he's now in the terrorism branch of the FBI. Bones went free because
Angela decoded the pyramid thing and found how Pelant had inserted
Brennan into the video footage, not because they got Pelant on the
murder of his teacher.

[icebreaker]

"anim8rFSK" <anim...@cox.net> wrote in message

news:anim8rfsk-21A15...@news.easynews.com...

The US Attorney announced Bones was no longer a suspect at the gathering at
Bone's home. This was after Angela had demonstrated the forgery.

[number6]

On Monday, September 17, 2012 7:47:51 PM UTC-4, Ian J. Ball wrote:

> The new shows were:
>
>
>
> The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)

The premise was fine ... acting was fine ... story line fine ... but there was just too much implausibliity and nonsense side issues ...
And how scenes moved back and forth seemed to suggest that Scotty was running a teleporter ...
Grade C and if not careful can go on life support ...

> Revolution (NBC - new!)

I'll give it a chance ... but too much was set up like Jericho ... which went from a great premise to WTF ... rather quickly ... I fear the same here ...
too much implausibility ... too much of just throwing things in ... they've not set up how things got to where they are much ...

Grade I incomplete ... but they better get their term paper in quick ...

>
> The one returning shows was:
>
>
>
> Bones (FOX)
>

I liked it as a fitting conclusion to the cliffhanger ... and none of the usual requisite sexual innuendo and conversations put the story off track ... although at the end I felt like ... Didn't the Mentalist with Red John already do this ... ?
That brought it down to a "B" ...

[Barry Margolin]

In article <7eab26c2-74da-4340...@googlegroups.com>,

number6 <snum...@aol.com> wrote:

> On Monday, September 17, 2012 7:47:51 PM UTC-4, Ian J. Ball wrote:
>
> > The new shows were:
> >
> >
> >
> > The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)
>
> The premise was fine ... acting was fine ... story line fine ... but there
> was just too much implausibliity and nonsense side issues ...
> And how scenes moved back and forth seemed to suggest that Scotty was running
> a teleporter ...
> Grade C and if not careful can go on life support ...

Was anyone expecting the mob to have been involved in gunshot kid dying,
to send a "message" to the mob doc? How utterly cliched for it to be
another doctor just exercising his ego.

--
Barry Margolin
Arlington, MA

[Nadegda]

Barry Margolin formulated the question :

Exactly right, Barry.

[suzeeq]

No they didn't.

[David Johnston]

I was going to watch them, but then I realized something else was on.

[EGK]

I REALLY hated this whole plot. The magical computer hacker who can do
anything and everything by just touching a few keys on a keyboard? Give me
a break. Someone posted in last year's finale that all they had to do to
catch him was man an old fashioned stakeout and catch him physically leave
his home after he magically bipassed the monitoring device. And They
never did say how Angela proved anything. She just puts on her "thinking
face" and voila, it's done. It's was lazy plotting and writing but Bones
is often like that when the writers do these two-parters.

anim8rFSK was much more generous in grading this piece of putrid crap than I
would have been.

[David]

On Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:47:50 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
<ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

>The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)

This had a deceptively good trailer, which was the only reason I gave
it a chance. But it's a mediocre medical drama and it doesn't do much
with the conflict between her two lives and makes her double-life way
too easy, voiding much of the premise's drama. Though Michael
Rappaport getting shot was a pleasant surprise, just because it's
Michael Rappaport. I might give it one more week to see if it can do
more with her conflicts, but given the ratings it's likely to be gone
by baseball playoffs time anyway. Grade: C

>Revolution (NBC - new!)

First off, I don't care that the science is implausible or that 16
years after lights-off the world looks like "Life After People."
That's part of the show's premise. "Science has gone insane," as the
Google guy said. And I'm looking to be taken on a journey with a show
that isn't in a lazy weekly rut, not looking to nit-pick so I can feel
smarter than some group of TV writers. Right now "Revolution" is just
potential and could easily go off the rails a la "The Event" (though
I'd say "Revolution" has a much more solid pilot) but I'm on the ride
until it gives me a reason not to be. Grade: B, but could veer wildly
in either direction.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <u05h5852lpntub1iq...@4ax.com>,

Yep

And They
> never did say how Angela proved anything. She just puts on her "thinking
> face" and voila, it's done. It's was lazy plotting and writing but Bones
> is often like that when the writers do these two-parters.
>
> anim8rFSK was much more generous in grading this piece of putrid crap than I
> would have been.

Hee hee, well, remember, it was on the same night as Revolution and a
double header of The L.A. Complex and a Warehouse the Thirteenth that
started out great and turned to crap in a hurry.

[Mason Barge]

On Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:47:50 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
<ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

>

>The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)

B. We'll see.

>Revolution (NBC - new!)

F-.

One of the worst shows in tv history, just bad on so many levels. I feel
bad for Billy Burke, whose competence in delivering lines is wasted, and
would almost remove the minus because of him, except then he has to go do
a sword-fighting scene that NO actor could rescue.

Gus is of course a terrrific character actor, but the character is
straight out of the can.

It makes me pine for "Jericho".

>The one returning shows was:

>Bones (FOX)

C-. This one jumped the shark with the baby business.

[Robin Miller]

Shockingly, horrifically, really unbelievably bad.

And I like _all_ the sci fi shows: V, Flashforward, Terra Nova, Falling
Skies, The Walking Dead, Jericho, Terminator: The Sarah Connor
Chronicles, etc. In other words, I have an exceedingly low threshold for
what I consider watchable science fiction TV. And this was just ...
unacceptable.

--Robin

[Ed Stasiak]

> Ian J. Ball
>
> Revolution (NBC - new!)

This could have been cool, if NBC had bought the TV
rights to S.M.Stirling's "Emberverse" series, which while
it ain't no Shakespeare, is better written then what we're
likely to get from NBC.

Most importantly, the books begin with the electropocalypse
and show how people would deal with the situation, which
is the most interesting part of ___pocalypse stories, IMO.

But NBC instead chose to ignore all that and jump right into
the mysterious mystery of the magical USB necklaces (which
they can't and won't explain to viewers until the end) and the
predictably cheesy love story between Hot Daughter and
Dream Boat Milita Dude.

Well, I'll still watch as there isn't much else on but I predict it'll
go the route of "Terra Nova" (canceled after one season).

[anim8rFSK]

In article <k3aagl$tob$1...@dont-email.me>,

That's an excellent word for it: unacceptable.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <4i9h581j463boadm1...@4ax.com>,

Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:47:50 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
> <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:
>
> >
> >The Mob Doctor (FOX - new!)
>
> B. We'll see.
>
> >Revolution (NBC - new!)
>
> F-.

So you're saying you liked it a lot better than Robin did? :D

>
> One of the worst shows in tv history, just bad on so many levels. I feel
> bad for Billy Burke, whose competence in delivering lines is wasted, and
> would almost remove the minus because of him, except then he has to go do
> a sword-fighting scene that NO actor could rescue.
>
> Gus is of course a terrrific character actor, but the character is
> straight out of the can.
>
> It makes me pine for "Jericho".
>
> >The one returning shows was:
>
> >Bones (FOX)
>
> C-. This one jumped the shark with the baby business.

Absolutely.

[Nobody]

On Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:17:13 -0700, anim8rFSK <anim...@cox.net>
wrote:

> Robin Miller <compl...@invalid.com> wrote:

Re: Revolution

>> Shockingly, horrifically, really unbelievably bad.
>>
>> And I like _all_ the sci fi shows: V, Flashforward, Terra Nova, Falling
>> Skies, The Walking Dead, Jericho, Terminator: The Sarah Connor
>> Chronicles, etc. In other words, I have an exceedingly low threshold for
>> what I consider watchable science fiction TV. And this was just ...
>> unacceptable.
>
>That's an excellent word for it: unacceptable.

Wow, it's THAT bad? Worse than "you can't spell Disgust without SGU"?
Worse than Defiling Gravity? Now I wish I'd watched it just for the
train wreck factor.

[Mason Barge]

On Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:20:21 -0400, Robin Miller <compl...@invalid.com>
wrote:

There were two on broadcast and I can't remember the names.

One had a bunch of colored lights falling into the water in was south
Florida, and aliens taking over people's bodies. The other was a bit on
the lighter side and had giant monsters spawning in the ocean. It was
very stupid but really enjoyable, especially the intolerable little kid
who kept a baby one as a pet.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <7ash58le04pancn4t...@4ax.com>,

The latter is SURFACE with Lake Bell as 'large breasted girl' and Nimrod.

The former is the one with Kari Matchett. There were two almost
identical shows that season, the other was a crapfest by Brannon Braga.

[Ian J. Ball]

In article <7ash58le04pancn4t...@4ax.com>,
Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:20:21 -0400, Robin Miller <compl...@invalid.com>
> wrote:
> >Nadegda wrote:
> >> anim8rFSK formulated on Tuesday :
> >>> In article <k395of$unv$1...@dont-email.me>,
> >>> Robin Miller <compl...@invalid.com> wrote:
> >>>> anim8rFSK wrote:
> >>>>> In article
> >>>>> <ijball-NO_SPAM-1A6...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> >>>>> "Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> The ALAN SEPINWALL Memorial* (New) Shows Poll:
> >>>>>>

> >>>>>> Revolution (NBC - new!)

> >>>>>>
> >>>> I've only watched Revolution so far, and it merited a solid F, at
> >>>> best. It was infuriatingly bad at points. I'm a very easy grader, and
> >>>> I've liked almost all the recent sci fi shows on TV. But this was
> >>>> just dreadful in just about every way.
> >>>
> >>> It's amazingly bad, isn't it?
> >>
> >> Yes, it is.
> >
> >Shockingly, horrifically, really unbelievably bad.
> >
> >And I like _all_ the sci fi shows: V, Flashforward, Terra Nova, Falling
> >Skies, The Walking Dead, Jericho, Terminator: The Sarah Connor
> >Chronicles, etc. In other words, I have an exceedingly low threshold for
> >what I consider watchable science fiction TV.
>
> There were two on broadcast and I can't remember the names.
>
> One had a bunch of colored lights falling into the water in was south
> Florida, and aliens taking over people's bodies. The other was a bit on
> the lighter side and had giant monsters spawning in the ocean. It was
> very stupid but really enjoyable, especially the intolerable little kid
> who kept a baby one as a pet.

The former was ABC's "Invasion" with Kari Matchett and Eddie Cibrian
(among others); the latter was NBC's "Surface" with Lake Bell and
Leighton Meester (among others).

--
"Surf-crazed aliens... Of course." - Amber, "Alien Surf Girls",
Episode #1.1, "Wipeout".
Wait a minute... "Of course"?! "*Of course*"?!! Did I miss a step here??!!

[anim8rFSK]

In article <5jqh58l42vtgtuqir...@4ax.com>,

It's free on iTunes.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <7ash58le04pancn4t...@4ax.com>,
Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:

Oh, the latter was where we first saw Keith Olbermann, playing himself
on his real show, helping the aliens kill tens of thousands of people.

[William December Starr]

In article <7ash58le04pancn4t...@4ax.com>,

Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> said:

> There were two on broadcast and I can't remember the names.
>
> One had a bunch of colored lights falling into the water in was
> south Florida, and aliens taking over people's bodies. The other
> was a bit on the lighter side and had giant monsters spawning in
> the ocean. It was very stupid but really enjoyable, especially
> the intolerable little kid who kept a baby one as a pet.

"Invasion" (ABC, 2005-06, 22 episodes) and "Threshold" (CBS, 2005-06,
13 episodes plus 4 unaired, per <http://epguides.com/Threshold/>).

-- wds

[William December Starr]

In article <anim8rfsk-0430B...@news.easynews.com>,
anim8rFSK <anim...@cox.net> said:

> Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> One had a bunch of colored lights falling into the water in was
>> south Florida, and aliens taking over people's bodies. The other
>> was a bit on the lighter side and had giant monsters spawning in
>> the ocean. It was very stupid but really enjoyable, especially
>> the intolerable little kid who kept a baby one as a pet.
>
> The latter is SURFACE with Lake Bell as 'large breasted girl' and
> Nimrod.

Crap, I just now realized that when I responded to this I saw
"spawning in the ocean" and jumped to "Threshold" without thinking.
You're right, of course, that was "Surface" that Mason was
remembering.

> The former is the one with Kari Matchett. There were two almost
> identical shows that season, the other was a crapfest by Brannon
> Braga.

Now that _was_ "Threshold," which came close to being saved by its
cast. Well, came within shouting distance of it anyway.

-- wds

[Ian J. Ball]

In article <anim8rfsk-BAE4C...@news.easynews.com>,

'Cos they CAN'T GIVE IT AWAY!!!!

[Robin Miller]

Unfortunately, it wasn't funny bad. It was just stupid, maddeningly so
at some points. I just didn't understand how something like that could
even be made.

--Robin

[Robin Miller]

That was an odd TV season, with three science fiction series on
broadcast networks, these two plus Surface, which Ian mentioned.
Invasion was the only one that made it through a full season. I liked
it, mostly because I've always enjoyed William Fichtner and Kari
Matchett. I remember thinking that it even had some chance of getting
renewed. Looking at its IMDb entry, Lisa Sheridan almost launched a
career with it. She was a regular on Journeyman a year later, but not
much since.

Threshold was sort of OK, and sort of cheesy ("fractals"?), and I didn't
watch Surface for some reason.

--Robin

[Mason Barge]

Ah thanks, "Invasion". I was surprised to see on imdb that it got a
second season.

>There were two almost
>identical shows that season, the other was a crapfest by Brannon Braga.

Yeah, but Threshold went, like, three and out. That's a football term :)

I actually enjoyed watching all three of them, although "Invasion" was
easily the best of them. Of course, the other two were total jokes so
that isn't saying much. Anything with William Fichtner gets a full letter
grade of extra credit.

But then, I watched "V".

SURFACE was actually hilarious. The episode where the bratty kid's pet
monster gets loose at his teenage sister's pool party was priceless. It
was kind of a low-budget soft-porn "ET" knockoff.

[Mason Barge]

On Wed, 19 Sep 2012 02:26:59 -0400, Robin Miller <compl...@invalid.com>
wrote:

Yeah, it was a big fad. Alien/monster invasion with ensemble casts and
single word titles. And just as big a fad to just drop them with no
resolution whatsoever.

Threshold, I thought, was pretty good.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <ocnj58dg7leirl6jm...@4ax.com>,

Ian liked that scene a lot.

My favorite was at the end when they had Nimrod in the car and they're
all pointing at it screaming LOOK IT'S GOT SIX LEGS and ... it didn't.

http://images55.fotki.com/v268/photos/1/173897/5269298/NIMROD7-vi.jpg

My other favorite scenes all involved Lake Bell, hopefully wet.
Although I did enjoy Keith Olbermann as his evil self.

And that final scene where all the bad guys had abandoned world for some
underground polar lair on the giant subway or whatever they did, while
Olbermann killed hundreds of thousands ... I mean, really, what the Hell
would have happened in season 2?

[Adam H. Kerman]

Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:17:45 -0700, anim8rFSK <anim...@cox.net> wrote:

>>Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>Robin Miller <compl...@invalid.com> wrote:

>>>>[Revolution] Shockingly, horrifically, really unbelievably bad.

>>>>And I like _all_ the sci fi shows: V, Flashforward, Terra Nova, Falling
>>>>Skies, The Walking Dead, Jericho, Terminator: The Sarah Connor
>>>>Chronicles, etc. In other words, I have an exceedingly low threshold for
>>>>what I consider watchable science fiction TV.

>>>There were two on broadcast and I can't remember the names.

>>>One had a bunch of colored lights falling into the water in was south
>>>Florida, and aliens taking over people's bodies. The other was a bit on
>>>the lighter side and had giant monsters spawning in the ocean. It was
>>>very stupid but really enjoyable, especially the intolerable little kid
>>>who kept a baby one as a pet.

>>The latter is SURFACE with Lake Bell as 'large breasted girl' and Nimrod.

>>The former is the one with Kari Matchett.

>Ah thanks, "Invasion". I was surprised to see on imdb that it got a
>second season.

It didn't have a second season. All three shows were 2005-2006 season. They
ran through Invasion's 22 episodes 10 pm ET Wednesday ABC September
through May without hiatus, although it was off plenty of weeks for
holidays and reruns.

>>There were two almost identical shows that season, the other was a
>>crapfest by Brannon Braga.

>Yeah, but Threshold went, like, three and out. That's a football term :)

Threshold's monster-of-the-week stories sucked, but the main cast
was mostly excellent. CBS aired 9 of 13 episodes. Charles S. Dutton was
wasted. Peter Dinklange and Brent Spiner were loads of fun. Carla Gugino
was intelligent and interesting and managed to keep a straight face
taking the plot seriously.

>I actually enjoyed watching all three of them, although "Invasion" was
>easily the best of them. Of course, the other two were total jokes so
>that isn't saying much. Anything with William Fichtner gets a full letter
>grade of extra credit.

>But then, I watched "V".

>SURFACE was actually hilarious. The episode where the bratty kid's pet
>monster gets loose at his teenage sister's pool party was priceless. It
>was kind of a low-budget soft-porn "ET" knockoff.

I agree. The best scenes in Surface were with the kid raising the monster
as a pet. I remember that episode fondly. Also, Lake Bell's character
had to strip down to lingerie or she wore a two-piece bathing suit in
almost every episode. It greatly improved her character. I didn't like
the Richard Dreyfuss-like character, boring.

Invasion, without the soap-opera elements revolving around Eddie Cibrian's
character and his wife, was quite good. Tyler Labine was actually well
used, a conspiracy-theory nut who actually happened upon an ongoing
conspiracy to cover up the alien invasion. Fichtner was excellent.

[Tony Calguire]

So, we have Invasion, Surface, and Threshhold...

but didn't one of those shows have a differfent one-word title that they
changed at the last minute, which would add to the confusion?

[William December Starr]

In article <k3cth2$ajm$1...@dont-email.me>,

"Surface" was called "Fathom" for a while when it was being
developed and announvced, I believe.

-- wds

[David]

On 19 Sep 2012 14:26:19 -0400, wds...@panix.com (William December

Yes it was changed because of the "Fathom" comic book.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <k3bnsr$kkv$1...@dont-email.me>,

I hope that neither you nor your S.O. will take it the wrong way if I
say I love you. :D

[chicagofan]

anim8rFSK wrote:
> Robin Miller<compl...@invalid.com> wrote:

>> Nobody wrote:
>>> anim8rFSK<anim...@cox.net> wrote:
>>>> Robin Miller<compl...@invalid.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Re: Revolution
>>>>> Shockingly, horrifically, really unbelievably bad.
>>>>>

>>>>> I have an exceedingly low threshold for
>>>>> what I consider watchable science fiction TV. And this was just ...
>>>>> unacceptable.
>>>> That's an excellent word for it: unacceptable.
>>> Wow, it's THAT bad? Worse than "you can't spell Disgust without SGU"?
>>> Worse than Defiling Gravity? Now I wish I'd watched it just for the
>>> train wreck factor.
>> Unfortunately, it wasn't funny bad. It was just stupid, maddeningly so
>> at some points. I just didn't understand how something like that could
>> even be made.

> I hope that neither you nor your S.O. will take it the wrong way if I
> say I love you. :D
>

LOL!!! I think I lasted about 10 minutes. I didn't like the phony way it looked on my TV. Were the colors a lot
different for anyone else.... and why?
bj

[Robin Miller]

Hey, love is always a good thing!

:-)

--Robin

[Mason Barge]

She was awesome. I'd watch her swim around underwater in a skimpy bathing
suit for an hour. Who needs characters? Plot, schmot.

>Although I did enjoy Keith Olbermann as his evil self.
>
>And that final scene where all the bad guys had abandoned world for some
>underground polar lair on the giant subway or whatever they did, while
>Olbermann killed hundreds of thousands ... I mean, really, what the Hell
>would have happened in season 2?

I don't remember the ending, sigh. I might not have seen it.

[Tony Calguire]

wds...@panix.com (William December Starr) wrote in news:k3d2ob$ngt$1
@panix2.panix.com:

>> but didn't one of those shows have a differfent one-word title
>> that they changed at the last minute, which would add to the
>> confusion?
>
> "Surface" was called "Fathom" for a while when it was being
> developed and announvced, I believe.
>

Yes! That's it. Thanks, guys.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <fnek585jl9kgat2v9...@4ax.com>,

Oh. Well, Olbermann and his show and CNN betray the human race and tell
everybody that there will NOT be earthquakes and a devastating flood on
the SE coast of the United States even though they know damn well there
will (I have no idea what Keith Olbermann had to gain by murdering tens
of thousands of people except he's evil), and about 10 feet of water
comes in and never recedes ... I have no idea what the mechanism of that
was. Meanwhile our heroes find the secret base which has gigantic
subway tunnels that go to Antarctica or the center of the Earth or
someplace, and all the bad guys leave, and all the various surviving
protagonists meet up and are stranded in the second story of a church
with Nimrod and .... the end.

[Jim G.]

Mason Barge sent the following on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:06:21 -0400:

I really liked that one. A lot. The cast, the setting, the whole bit.

> I was surprised to see on imdb that it got a
> second season.

Did it? I could have sworn that it was one season that got retooled
midway through in an attempt to save it. My mind is definitely on the
way out.

> >There were two almost
> >identical shows that season, the other was a crapfest by Brannon Braga.
>
> Yeah, but Threshold went, like, three and out. That's a football term :)
>
> I actually enjoyed watching all three of them, although "Invasion" was
> easily the best of them.

I don't remember SURFACE, but I agree that INVASION was better than
THRESHOLD.

> Of course, the other two were total jokes so
> that isn't saying much. Anything with William Fichtner gets a full letter
> grade of extra credit.
>
> But then, I watched "V".

Let's face it. We skiffy fans tend to be desperate and easy, with low
standards. The sluts of the television world.

> SURFACE was actually hilarious. The episode where the bratty kid's pet
> monster gets loose at his teenage sister's pool party was priceless. It
> was kind of a low-budget soft-porn "ET" knockoff.

I wonder why I took a pass on this one. There had to be something about
it that turned me off, but I can't recall what it would have been.

--
Jim G. | Waukesha, WI
"Get down off the cross. We need the wood." -- Pete Latimer, WAREHOUSE 13

[Robin Miller]

Jim G. wrote:

>>
>> Ah thanks, "Invasion".
>
> I really liked that one. A lot. The cast, the setting, the whole bit.
>
>> I was surprised to see on imdb that it got a
>> second season.
>
> Did it? I could have sworn that it was one season that got retooled
> midway through in an attempt to save it. My mind is definitely on the
> way out.
>

>

>> SURFACE was actually hilarious. The episode where the bratty kid's pet
>> monster gets loose at his teenage sister's pool party was priceless. It
>> was kind of a low-budget soft-porn "ET" knockoff.
>
> I wonder why I took a pass on this one. There had to be something about
> it that turned me off, but I can't recall what it would have been.
>

Interesting. I did the same thing: really liked Invasion, and for some
reason completely passed on Surface. Well, I think I might have watched
the first episode.

BTW, a later post in this thread makes clear that Invasion got a full
season (22 eps), but not a second.

--Robin

[Mason Barge]

On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:27:53 -0400, Robin Miller <compl...@invalid.com>
wrote:

>Jim G. wrote:
>
>>>
>>> Ah thanks, "Invasion".
>>
>> I really liked that one. A lot. The cast, the setting, the whole bit.
>>
>>> I was surprised to see on imdb that it got a
>>> second season.
>>
>> Did it? I could have sworn that it was one season that got retooled
>> midway through in an attempt to save it. My mind is definitely on the
>> way out.
>>
>
>>
>>> SURFACE was actually hilarious. The episode where the bratty kid's pet
>>> monster gets loose at his teenage sister's pool party was priceless. It
>>> was kind of a low-budget soft-porn "ET" knockoff.
>>
>> I wonder why I took a pass on this one. There had to be something about
>> it that turned me off, but I can't recall what it would have been.
>>
>
>
>Interesting. I did the same thing: really liked Invasion, and for some
>reason completely passed on Surface. Well, I think I might have watched
>the first episode.

Well, make that three of us then. It was a good show.

But I also liked "Surface", although for a completely different reason. It
was just funny as heck sometimes, and the whole baby monster thread was
just so preposterous, I couldn't bring myself to hate it.

[Jim G.]

Robin Miller sent the following on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:27:53 -0400:

> Jim G. wrote:
>
> >>
> >> Ah thanks, "Invasion".
> >
> > I really liked that one. A lot. The cast, the setting, the whole bit.
> >
> >> I was surprised to see on imdb that it got a
> >> second season.
> >
> > Did it? I could have sworn that it was one season that got retooled
> > midway through in an attempt to save it. My mind is definitely on the
> > way out.
> >
> >> SURFACE was actually hilarious. The episode where the bratty kid's pet
> >> monster gets loose at his teenage sister's pool party was priceless. It
> >> was kind of a low-budget soft-porn "ET" knockoff.
> >
> > I wonder why I took a pass on this one. There had to be something about
> > it that turned me off, but I can't recall what it would have been.
> >
> Interesting. I did the same thing: really liked Invasion, and for some
> reason completely passed on Surface. Well, I think I might have watched
> the first episode.

I have no idea why I passed on it. Maybe the comedy side of it turned me
off, or something. I'll have to look at IMDb at some point to see if
there's anything there that can remind me of my reasoning.

> BTW, a later post in this thread makes clear that Invasion got a full
> season (22 eps), but not a second.

Yeah, that's what I thought, but I wasn't sure. They definitely retooled
some things midway, though, and I recall being not particularly
impressed with the changes. Still, I'd been hoping for more. The setting
and atmosphere of the thing really appealed to me, as did all of the
cast who come to mind.

--
Jim G. | A fan of the good and the bad, but not the mediocre
"Get down off the cross. We need the wood." -- Pete Lattimer, WAREHOUSE 13

[Mason Barge]

On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 15:00:53 -0500, Jim G. <jimg...@geemail.com.invalid>
wrote:

>Robin Miller sent the following on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:27:53 -0400:
>> Jim G. wrote:
>>
>> >>
>> >> Ah thanks, "Invasion".
>> >
>> > I really liked that one. A lot. The cast, the setting, the whole bit.
>> >
>> >> I was surprised to see on imdb that it got a
>> >> second season.
>> >
>> > Did it? I could have sworn that it was one season that got retooled
>> > midway through in an attempt to save it. My mind is definitely on the
>> > way out.
>> >
>> >> SURFACE was actually hilarious. The episode where the bratty kid's pet
>> >> monster gets loose at his teenage sister's pool party was priceless. It
>> >> was kind of a low-budget soft-porn "ET" knockoff.
>> >
>> > I wonder why I took a pass on this one. There had to be something about
>> > it that turned me off, but I can't recall what it would have been.
>> >
>> Interesting. I did the same thing: really liked Invasion, and for some
>> reason completely passed on Surface. Well, I think I might have watched
>> the first episode.
>
>I have no idea why I passed on it. Maybe the comedy side of it turned me
>off, or something. I'll have to look at IMDb at some point to see if
>there's anything there that can remind me of my reasoning.

Oh, it's no great mystery. Surface was very, very stupid and often quite
bad. The comedy was half-unintentional.

Lots of cute girls in swimsuits, though.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <eofs5854t19ckmtuu...@4ax.com>,

That's why I watched it. He's asking why he passed on it.

[Mason Barge]

Most people do not have such a complex algorithm as you for deciding what
shows to watch. I.e., "very very stupid and quite bad" is a deterrent
from watching :)

[anim8rFSK]

In article <gs4u58pu62rjjkfqe...@4ax.com>,

[Mason Barge]

19-year-old Leighton Meester. And her "high school" friends. Yum.

http://s1.uri1.com/image/be6/c39a5736ef2be837f00122da141c317a.jpg

[Jim G.]

Mason Barge sent the following on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 09:52:04 -0400:

He's nothing if not consistent. :)

[Jim G.]

anim8rFSK sent the following on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 07:55:52 -0700:

So you're saying that it had some cute girls in swimsuits?

[Jim G.]

Mason Barge sent the following on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 18:46:23 -0400:

That'll do it, then.

> Lots of cute girls in swimsuits, though.

3D beats 2D every time, and it's been my universal experience that there
are *always* cute 3D girls around somewhere close by. :)

[Jim G.]

anim8rFSK sent the following on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:20:04 -0700:

Heh. Seriously, though, aren't there enough *decent* shows out there
with cute girls so that you can skip the horrendous shows with cute
girls?

Plus, if I were where you are, I'd be spending my free time aimlessly
wandering the ASU campus and taking in the cute and tanned and sparely
dressed coeds long before I'd be sitting in front of a television
watching a bad show. Slap an audiobook on your iPad and hit the quad! :)

[anim8rFSK]

In article <p74168tm0jkqemute...@4ax.com>,

Not some. Lots.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <dj7168h9711dmgmm6...@4ax.com>,

The girls at ASU are just that ... girls. They haven't even grown
calves yet.

[Mason Barge]

On Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:27:31 -0500, Jim G. <jimg...@geemail.com.invalid>

Yeah, but every time I try to use freeze-frame and zoom on one, it causes
all kinds of commotion.

[shawn]

On Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:28:11 -0700, anim8rFSK <anim...@cox.net>
wrote:

So you are waiting the cankles to grow in?

[anim8rFSK]

In article <8ln168d40edv4usqa...@4ax.com>,

Ack!

[BTR1701]

In article <dj7168h9711dmgmm6...@4ax.com>,
Jim G. <jimg...@geemail.com.invalid> wrote:

> anim8rFSK sent the following on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:20:04 -0700:
> > In article <eofs5854t19ckmtuu...@4ax.com>,
> > Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> wrote:

> > > Lots of cute girls in swimsuits, though.
> >
> > That's why I watched it. He's asking why he passed on it.
>
> Heh. Seriously, though, aren't there enough *decent* shows out there
> with cute girls so that you can skip the horrendous shows with cute
> girls?

Cute girls are like money. You never have enough.

[BTR1701]

In article <7h71685mpctdnmqfb...@4ax.com>,

It's when they insist on making it 4D that problems arise.

[~consul]

'tis on this 9/19/2012 2:36 PM, wrote David thus to say:
> On 19 Sep 2012 14:26:19 -0400, wds...@panix.com (William December
> Starr) wrote:
>> Tony Calguire <calg...@tcfreenet.invalid> said:
>>> So, we have Invasion, Surface, and Threshhold...

>>> but didn't one of those shows have a differfent one-word title
>>> that they changed at the last minute, which would add to the
>>> confusion?
>> "Surface" was called "Fathom" for a while when it was being
>> developed and announvced, I believe.

> Yes it was changed because of the "Fathom" comic book.

That would have been a good tv show ... :(
--
"... respect, all good works are not done by only good folk. For here, at the end of all things, we shall do what needs to be done."
--till next time, consul -x- <<poetry.dolphins-cove.com>>

[Mason Barge]

Actually 3D is a bit big for me. I like a nice C to D.

[Jim G.]

anim8rFSK sent the following on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:13:03 -0700:

So you're saying that it had lots of cute girls in swimsuits?

[Jim G.]

anim8rFSK sent the following on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:28:11 -0700:

Arizona girls must walk funny when they're young. :)

[Jim G.]

Mason Barge sent the following on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:37:38 -0400:

I suspect that you're getting some electrical interference from your
wife. You can fix that by moving yourself and the remote farther away
from the source of the interference. I recommend at least one mile.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <fvm3689e65clvbh61...@4ax.com>,

That's another way of phrasing it, yes.

[BTR1701]

In article <gtn368hrc76jifekc...@4ax.com>,

I was talking dimensions. Three dimensions are great, but when they
invoke the fourth dimension (time) and start getting clingy, things
aren't as fun anymore.

[Mason Barge]

I was also talking about dimensions!

[Jim G.]

BTR1701 sent the following on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:34:36 -0700:

I dunno. Like money, you only need enough to make you happy. And like
money, it's possible to be so obsessed with that next dollar that you
don't take the time to enjoy the cash that you already have in your
wallet.

And having said that, why in the heck am I taking a conversation about
cute girls so seriously? Must ... stop ...

[Jim G.]

Mason Barge sent the following on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:20:18 -0400:

I knew a girl back in the day who was so well endowed that I'm pretty
sure her breasts were in different time zones.

She had reduction surgery after her first kid years later. Apparently
pregnancy had made those puppies even larger, which I didn't think was
possible, given our current understanding of the laws of physics.

[suzeeq]

Gravity has an effect after a while...

[Jim G.]

suzeeq sent the following on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:44:42 -0600:

So does chronic back pain and constant gouges in your shoulders from bra
straps, apparently.

[suzeeq]

Yep.