Television Lineup for Spring 2012 Thoughts and Reviews

I did a couple of reviews for television last year so I thought that I could give some thoughts and tell you what is good and bad for the spring line up.  Also If the show started in the fall and continued into the spring, I'll probably only talk about the Spring schedule but may recommend episodes from the fall as the shows highlights. I'll avoid revealing spoilers for dramas, but will touch upon them in some fashion. I'll be using a A to F scale to grade this, I think I can give a more detailed answer with them. Here we go.

The Walking Dead
The show has managed to find its style on the show it wants to be. Unfortunately it took one and half seasons to get there. The Walking Dead is similar to dramas that have a set location (ex: ER and a hospital), once that idea is implemented into the viewers mind, the small setting isn't too bad. There's a lot to look forward to each week. The highlight characters being Rick and Shane which have the most interesting things to do. Yes Darrel is a fan favorite, but his most interesting trait is his crossbow, as a character he doesn't do anything close to the progress Rick and Shane have made. Shane development into the shows Anti-hero that has understandable motivation has been spectacular. On there other side Rick's determination and anti-Shane actions have also been well done. Rick and Shane are doing things while the show for the most parts sits around. Humans are the real threat in the world, the "Walkers" are more of a natural disaster that can be worked around. The actions humans will take after said disaster is what is terrifying. Shane and Rick make it worth the ride.

Highlight episodes: Save The Last One (Ep3), Better Angels (Ep12), Beside The Dying Fire (Ep13)
Overall season Rating: B+


Hell on Wheels
AMC has been one of the better stations in dramas....well ever. Mad Men and Breaking Bad are two of the best dramas in history. The Walking Dead is still pretty great with some flaws. The Killing... well let's skip over that, it's a show besides great acting that is doomed to fail. Hell on Wheels tried to be the new Deadwood, but basic cable could never make that happen. Hell on Wheels falls into strange plot developments and doesn't offer much to keep the viewer interested. It starts off fine but goes off the tracks as the season goes on.

Highlight Episode: Pilot (Ep1)
Overall season rating: C-


Mad Men
it's been 17 months but cool came back. Mad Men is great for many reasons. Two worth noting here is that over five seasons the show has never compromised in plot development. The show is carefully built and has never done anything that seems out of place for the kind of show it is. The problem I had with the second season of Friday Night Lights (SPOILER COMING) was the killing of the rapist angle. It seems so out of place it really put me off the show for a while. Mad Men on the other hand is in its fifth season and its reputation remains untarnished. Season five is a bit more light hearted than previous seasons but the integrity is the same. Once you get into the show, it's never really bad. Mad Men feels like a collection of short stories that all make up for some of the best television out there.

Highlight Episodes: Signal 30 (Ep5), Far Away Places (Ep6), Lady Lazarus (Ep8)
Overall Season Rating: A- 


Game of Thrones
The show where if you know who lives is more of spiller is back and just as fantastic as ever. The show prides itself on two aspects, a shifting story and interesting characters. As the show has proven with it's random and frequent deaths of characters the story is ever chugging and this interesting. The characters are also the highpoint of the show because of their motivations. Many characters are understandable evil actions (Jaime Lannister), other questionable good ones (Catelyn Stark) and the endless ones where their actions are neither good or bad but just fascination (Tyrion Lannister). Game of Thrones contains some of the most interesting plot developments you'll find out there and shouldn't be missed. Peter Dinklage is on his way to sweeping award season again.

Highlight Episodes: What is Dead May Never Die (Ep3), The Old Gods and The New (Ep6), Blackwater (Ep9)
Overall Season Rating: A- 


New Girl
If you're looking to laugh, you might want to look elsewhere. Yes there are chuckles here and there, but the show for the most part relies on awkward humor done wrong. However the show picks up with Max Greenfield, the show stealer of the show. He has the found the way to nail that lovable douchebag. Zooey Deschanel has the leading character aura but Jess as a character is a bit off. It's mostly that she is given to do in other characters tory. New Girl is a easy and often fun show to watch, but isn't one of those great television shows.  However when the show is one target, it's rather quite good.

Highlight Episodes: Jess & Julia (Ep11), Valentine's Day (Ep13), Fancyman Pt.2 (Ep18)
Overall Season Rating: B


The Office
Post Micael Office has been really messy. For the large part episodes are really poor but sometimes you'll find a one that resembles the show that seems long gone. The characters we once loved have become boring. Dwight seems more of a parody of himself now (in the way he's really over the top), Andy is annoying. Jim and Pam have become the show off couple (no longer the love birds you root for). The supporting cast remains consistent with only Ryan and Erin rising above the main cast downfall. I say better end it before it becomes a show that went off on a down note. Until then I'll keep watching out of habit

Highlight Episodes: Trivia (Ep11), Special Project (Ep14)
Overall Season Rating C+


Up All Night
The show's first season is not too bad. In fact some episodes are down right funny. I haven't seen every episode having missed the first third of the season, but of what I saw I liked, but then again there some episodes I was better off not watching.

Highlight Episodes: Preschool Auction (Ep14), Travel Day (Ep16)
Overall Season Rating: B-


South Park 
The show is falling down that road I saw The Simpsons go.  It's been on for to long the show is simply becoming stale. The current season has been all over the place. Some have been great and others sort of boring. If the creators took the time to work on the show, 2-3 weeks per epodes, I'd imagine the show would never go down hill. However Matt and Trey are tying their hands at other things and I can't blame them. I don't want South Park to go, but just be worth watching again.

Highlight Episodes: Reverse Cowgirl (Ep1), Jewpacabra (Ep4)
Overall Season Rating: B


Happy Endings
I said in the fall that Happy Endings had become on of the best shows on television. The spring schedule just proved that. Many aren't looking for a modern day and fast paced Friends but Happy Endings has found out exactly what it wasn't to be. The jokes in the show a a mile a minute and the continuous laughs make the show fly by. Much like friends the characters all have their strong qualities. Brad and Alex have been the stand outs in the spring schedule. Elisha Cuthbert has come along way from the pilot to one of the funniest dumb blondes on TV. Definitely give it a shot, it's fantastic.

Highlight Episodes: The Butterfly Effect Effect (Ep15), You Snooze, You Bruise (Ep19), Four Weddings And A Funeral (Minus Three Weddings And One Funeral) (Ep21) ( I even limited these to Spring only)
Overall Season Grade: A-


Don't Trust The B**** In Apartment 23
I started watching this show because I like Krysten Ritter and stayed just for that reason. The show isn't the brightest but at least keeps material fresh (James Van Der Beek playing a version of himself helps). Like Happy Endings the jokes are very fast which keeps the show interesting enough to avoid focusing on weak plot points. I get a couple of chuckles and thats all I expected.

Highlight Episodes: The Wedding (Ep4), It's Just Sex (Ep6)
Overall Season Grade: B-


Parks & Recreation
The replacement to The Office in jokes and heart has had great season. The show focused season long on Leslie's campaign for City Council and by season end even as a viewer I felt involved. As a said previous the show has a a great combination of heart and laughs. The show has a good record of quick and gratifying laughs as well as though that build up through an episode.  Ron Swanson proves again why he's one of the best characters on TV right now. Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn made for great guest stars. Please let this show stay around for a while because it's on fire right now.
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Highlight Episodes: The Comeback Kid (Ep11), Dave Returns (Ep15), The Debate (Ep19) (Limited to Spring, great season)
Overall Season Rating: A-


Community
I'm going to sound biased here because I love this show but I think this is the best comedy on TV right now. The show manages have wickedly entertaining gimmicks (8bit video games, History Channel style battle retelling, heist films, musicals, Law & Order etc) and make epodes around them. The show thus provides a huge amount of variety and something new each week. However the strong characters make each gimmick fun as we see the beloved characters work their way through it. In a lot of ways Community builds up on realistic people but throws them in wild and impossible situations. It's like reading a book ore playing a game and immersing yourself in a world you'll never be a part of but would love too. Season long the show impressed and proved why it is a reckoning force of Television.

Highlight Episodes for Spring: Pillows and Blankets (Ep14), Basic Lupine Urology (Ep17), Curriculum Unavailable (19)
Highlight Episode for Fall: Remedial Chaos Theory (Ep4), Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps (Ep5), Documentary Filmmaking: Redux (Ep8)
Overall Season Rating: A- (Tempted to give it an "A", I planned on it, but I figured since of the 22 episodes I gave three "B"s, the lowest grade, I figured that can't make a whole season an "A")

How I Met Your Mother
Seven seasons in and Ted has not grown. Marshall & Lilly have grown from the cute long lasting couple to people ready to be fit parents, Robin has romantically grown to a person that could have a long lasting relationship and even settle down, Barney has moved toward marriage and then Ted has done nothing (well he has a his job, but  the show is about his love life more than his job). Where Ted is now is almost exactly where he is seven years ago. It's debatable that Ted is the weakest main character on a a rather good show in current television. The cast is aging and the antics feel rehashed. Quinn and Kevin were means to an end. They weren't people to join the cast so any chance of them in the marriage question seemed silly. Seven season has gone by and Ted has done nothing new. The show might be better watched and thought of now as a hangout comedy like Friends and I'm taking it too seriously. I realize that is a possibility but this still feels like a weaker season due to the characters not progressing (that is in part due to large progression already). The show is still enjoyable but The Burning Beekeeper feels like a series low. If judged based on the Spring alone, this half of the season is much weaker.

Highlight Episodes: The Ducky Tie (Ep3), Disaster Averted(Ep9), No Pressure (Ep17)
Overall Season Rating: B


Suburgatory
An easy show to watch due to vast arrange of characters and the charm of Jane Levy. For a while I was convinced this show felt fresh and made fun of cliches (a car horn cutting out a swear for example). However the overall plot for each episode has been done to death so much before that it feels like "oh it's this show's double date episode". However the pacing of the show and (once again) varieties of characters do still make it fun more than just every now and then.

Highlight Episodes: Fire With Fire (Ep15), Down Time (Ep18), The Motherload (Ep22)
Overall Season Rating: B


30 Rock
So it's heard to for me to say but this is 30 Rock's weakest season. The show has become fixated on the misleading jokes which we more welcomed in briefer variations. 30 Rock has become perhaps to meta for it's own good (a strange thing to say for somebody who loves Community). The characters are being to outstay their welcome like The Office has but at least next season will be the last. Even at It's lowest 30 Rock can still be quite funny. The season has some high points that make dealing with the weaker episodes tolerable but not worth it.

Highlight Episodes: Dance Like Nobody's Watching (Ep1), Leap Day (Ep8), Meet The Woggels! (Ep16)
Overall Season Rating: B-

Dark Shadows (**1/2 out of ****)

Tim Burton has this ease it seems in making films. He's done so many at this point that even his weaker films are still entertaining. Dark Shadows is classic Burton but is not his best. It's a fine film but drags a bit until you ask yourself "well there can't be too much left until this ends".

Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp, his 8th collaboration with Burton) is the heir to a fishing industry in the 1760s. He's rich, handsome, kind and intelligent, not a bad way to live. His serving girl Angelique (a fun and sexy Eva Green) falls in love with him, but when she doesn't return those feeling she curses him (don't piss off a witch apparently). Barnabas become s vampire and is imprisoned for nearly 200 years. When he escapes the year is 1971 and the world is not what he remembers. He reunites with his surviving family (the always lovely Michelle Pfeiffer, Johnny Lee Miller, Gulliver McGrath and Chloe Grace Moretz) as well as some other charming characters played by Jackie Earle Haley and Helena Bonham Carter. Barnabas seeks to restore his family's glory but his vampiric curse won't make it easy. Angelique won't let him nor his family succeed.

Dark Shadows is fun often and a tad boring others. If it weren't for this mix the better scenes would radiate more instead appearing to just picking up the slack. Helena Bonham Carter and the always beautiful Eva Green are the saving graces to the film. They along with Depp provide this sense of looniness that made Burton's Beetlejuice so wonderful. This isn't Burton's best work but as a director that is so comfortable behind the camera you won't see him ever make a really bad film either.

**1/2

Safe (**1/2 out of ****)

Jason Statham is back to killing people in ridiculous fashions and over the top ways. About time if you ask me. Here Statham plays a a man that has had everything taken from him by a Russian mob, he sees a girl being chased one day and the next you know Statham is thrusted into a guardian role as he is being chased by every gun wielding maniac who want this girl for reasons to be revealed. The plot is so simple it's boring. The over the top action is what makes up for it. There's some careful and great editing here that help makes each fight scene a bit more exciting then much of Statham's past work. One of these days Statham will find that action movie that combines great story telling a nod fun action, today is not that day. 

**1/2 out of ****

The Avengers (*** out of ****)

Of course this movie was going to be big, but how big is a studio's dream come true. Box office aside (which is hard to ignore since it had the biggest opening weekend ever) the film had to live up to some serious expectations. Five films have been leading up to this moment and if the praise and box-office were weak, there would never be such a film again. The Avengers manages to beat the impossible and succeed widely in making a glorious blockbuster. The Avengers made a simple and classic super hero extravaganza with fantastic results.

Thor, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Black Widow, The Hulk and Captain America join Nick Fury and the Avengers initiative. Their current mission is to stop Loki who is planning on unleashing a otherworldly army on Earth so that he may rule it with a iron grip. It's classic good vs. evil in the grandest scope imaginable. Perhaps a stronger story would've helped but it is more than acceptable as it is.

The Avengers is thrilling blockbuster due to the ideology of that the word "blockbuster" really means. The term is used to describe big budget action/adventure with a bit of comedy targeted to a wide audience. The Avengers lives up to expectations as this end all blockbuster. It doesn't mean it's perfect though. A bit more detail on this nameless army would have helped for one. The Avengers is a the move taking the world by storm and is not to be missed.

Note: Seeing as their five films leading up to this, one might not have seen them all. It is highly recommended you see some before, in fact here's a list for them.


Thor - the one that should definitely be watched beforehand, introduced the main villain, and two of the heroes, a must see before The Avengers.


Iron Man - sets up for the sequel, recommended.

Iron Man 2 - Highly recommended but not as much as Thor. introduction of Black Widow and heavy on Nick Fury.

Captain America- Should be watched but not as much as those above.

The Incredible Hulk- Can be skipped, Mark Ruffalo replaced Edward Norton so not much is carried over.

*** out of ****