walking with a dead man over my shoulder

Note: This title has nothing to do with this post, but Boingo just came on the "Xmas + Top Rated" party shuffle smart playlist, and it's as good as anything my brain has kicked out on its own in the last ten minutes.

Hey, why don't we skip through a few days of television shows together? That'll be vague (for you)  and fun (for me.) I'll even include links to TV Squad recaps where appropriate, because they're my friends. Nyahh.

Oh, and when you read the day of the week, make the Law & Order "KunkCHUNG!" sound. It'll make you smile, and if you do it out loud, it may get your co-workers to give you a little extra room. Trust me.

Okay, here we go.

Saturday:

Nothing first-run, but I caught a lot of the James Bond marathon on Spike. I was really sick with the flu on Friday and Saturday, so I was drifting in and out through several films, and realized that you can randomly mash together just about anything from a Bond film between 1978 and 1983 (when they went back to Connery) and still end up with a story that makes sense and has continuity. It may help to be running a fever and puking your guts out, though, so approach with caution.

Sunday:

The Simpsons
I think this could quite possibly be the worst episode ever of this once magnificent show. Can anyone think of one that sucked more? This, of course, assumes that you felt, like I did, that it sucked. Okay, I can't talk about it anymore, because my damn wiener kids are listening.

Family Guy
Pretty funny. More Brian and Stewie, with bits of Peter for balance. I'd like to see some more Quagmire (the giggidy variety, not the Commander Kookoobananas variety), Cleveland and Joe stories before this season is over, because the "Peter is stupid" thing is starting to get played out for me. It's funny in little bits, but too much of it gives me a rash.

American Dad
GodDAMN I love this show. I hated it for the first few episodes, but I think it's gotten steadily better and better. I wish all sitcoms were written as well as this one is.

Monday:

Before we get to Monday, did you make the sound? See? I was right, wasn't I? Okay. Moving on.

(KunkCHUNG! Hee Hee Hee!)

Heroes
Dear producers of Lost: This is how you do it. I love every. single. thing. about this show. If I can find a way to not totally fuck up an audition for it, (Let's go to the big board, where we see that Wil is currently 0-2 this season, Bob!) I may  even get a chance to be part of it. As hard as it is for me to let my guard 100% down (been there, done that, saw Fire Walk With Me) each episode makes me happier than the last. I just hope that the creators have the entire thing mapped out already, and that NBC leaves them alone enough to wrap the whole story up before they decide to bring in some new Heroes named Paulo and Nikki.

Studio 60
After an unsteady, but promising, start, I finally feel like the show is settling into its rhythm. The actors all know their characters, and the writers all know the actors strengths. I've been backstage for countless live comedy shows, and this is exactly how they feel, especially among the actors and writers. I realized last night that I heavily identify with Matthew Perry's character as much as I do because I want so badly to be that guy.

Channel 4 News at 11
Man, what a fucking downer.

Channel 2 News at 11
Come on, guys, I turned away from channel 4 to get away from this depressing news!

Futurama
Ah, that's what daddy ordered. Still better than nearly everything in first-run.

Okay, I guess I should get around to finishing my Geek in Review so I'm not late for my deadline. Back to work.

Comments

[Sabrina]

I couldn't agree more with your Heroes pick. I love that show, only why does it have to be, "Save the cheerleader, save the world." Why not something like: Save the brain surgeon, the the world? *sigh* Thanks for the reply about the Vegas convention. My husband and I have never been to a Star Trek Con. He's be itching to go, but I told him if Wil's not there you get to go alone! For some reason he gave me one of those, "WHAT?" looks and walked away...

[Sabrina]

Opps, that was supposed to be: Save the brain surgeon, save the world. lol

[ttrentham]

Funny. I did a somewhat similar TV review on Sunday, although it really just focused on what I ran across on Saturday and then sort of a general overview that I didn't spend enough time on. Anyway...guess we all have some extra time to devote to the tube over the holidays.

[Voodoo]

Hey Wil, Frankly, I agree with your sentiments that Heroes is THE best show on TV. And I'm pulling for you, as your presence would only make it better :)

Voodoo in Denver

[shaynie]

I would be ever so much MORE in love with the show if you got to be on it, too. George Takei is supposedly playing Hiro's father later in the series -- and Masi Oka wants to make a Sulu comment somewhere in there.

But, I completely concur -- it's an awesome show and I still have yet to lose interest in it... Which I'm hoping won't fail in season two like so many other shows.

[Kevin]

Definitely..... Heroes followed by Studio 60 is the best block of programming for me. I am a big Survivor junkie, and that plus CSI follow in second for me. Thankfully I got TiVo. Not enough time for me to watch al lthis TV and work two jobs LOL

[CYB]

It's a dead man's party. Who could ask for more? Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door...leave your body & soul at the door.....

[kaellinn18]

There's a conspicuous lack of Prison Break in your Monday line-up. It's definitely one of the best shows on TV, I think, and as long as they have that show mapped out and don't pull a Lost, it will remain near the top of my must watch list.

[joe34]

Hey Wil,

Heroes is most definatly one of THE best shows on TV. It's one of those shows you care about the characters journey and growth.

Heroes will be succesfull as long they don't introduce too many new characters. I think they have 12 heroes now (people with ablities). I'd like to see Wil as part of the show but with more muscle. Posibly a lite weight boxer type with a killer punch.

[Yak Boy]

I think it might be a tad confusing to introduce a new hero called Nikki, seeing as Ali Larter's character is called Niki Sanders.

[peanutbutter]

Thanks for recommending "Heroes". I haven't watched it and I was waiting to hear a "yay" or "nay" on that one.

Fox finally got me with "House". The show may be formulaic, but Hugh Laurie's hateful, self-loathing character is just fascinating to watch. Couldn't care less about the medical mumbo jumbo.

[Andrew]

Heroes has been appointment TV for me since the first week, but I really enjoyed last night's show for reasons having nothing to do with the plot:

1) David Berman cameo!

2) Austin's own Alamo Drafthouse gets some love! (When Hiro talked about the film fest at the Drafthouse, I was all totally like "I watch movies there ALL THE TIME!!" Geek.)

[G5jaw]

Hi Wil, big fan of yours, been reading your weblog forever. We haven't got Heroes in England yet (I live in Liverpool), But it sounds cool - reckon it would be even better if you were in it! See Ya!

[WindBreak247]

Ok, Wil. I've been reading your blog for weeks, but I finally took the initiative to sign up for a TypeKey account, you pain in the ass.

I'm very happy to see Heroes and Studio 60 props on here. Heroes, to my knowledge is largely successful, but Studio 60, at least early on, was struggling. Hopefully your post will get it some necessary exposure.

Both shows are phenominal, and leave me wanting more every single time they end.

BTW, I found you via the poker bloggers, and if you're interested, you can check me out here, although I can't claim in the least to present an interesting blog.

Ok I'm done now. Sorry.

[Kornham]

Please, please, please get a part on Heroes. I love that show. I would be in all my Wil Wheaton fan glory. I would design a T-shirt called "Diehard Wil Wheaton Fan".

[Tom Boucher]

I managed to watch Simpsons last night thanks to the flu or some lovely stomach virus.

I cancelled recording of it after I was done watching this episode. Everything I liked about the simpsons is dead, and I have no desire to watch it anymore.

STopped reading at heroes, I'm going to watch it shortly, can't wait.

[Quix]

Hey Wil, if you like Heroes (like me), then I highly recommend you check 'The 4400' on USA. It's an amazing show and if I didn't know better I'd think that Heroes borrowed a lot of ideas from it. Give it a try!

[BBTMagazine]

I knew it was "Heroes!"

OK Wil, it's time the fans gave something back...

I have started a petition to get you on "Heroes."

The show will be so much better with you on it!

All Wil fans are encouraged to spread the word, and don't forget - this worked for Bjo Trimble when they canceled Star Trek, we can make it work for Wil!

This can take on a life of it's own with a little help from us.

[Samurai Avon Lady]

Heroes is the first show ever that has prompted me to re-arrange my schedule, simply to watch it.

[Alan]

OMG! I would, like, totally watch Heroes if you got a part on it. You should tell them that next time you audition. Just don't tell them that I'm watching it anyway.

And they mention the Austin Alamo drafthouse this week! Very cool. Remember watching Stand By Me there? Those were good times. (even if it wasn't the original Alamo location or even the super fancy and cool South Austin location).

[Ruth]

Simpsons has totally sucked major balls this season. Are they using the shitty writers for the series while all the good ones have gone to work on the movie?

Family Guy, American Dad, and Futurama are the best shows right now. My dad and I look for the headline on the newspaper in the AD opener so we can laugh our asses off. And yes, even in total syndication, Futurama is still better than almost all first-run shows.

Scrubs on Thursday!

[sarahpalmer]

you're telling me you found no humor in the sight of ipods whipping humans in the future?

[Ryan Waddell]

I'm saving Heroes so I have something to watch during downtime in the summer months (although I expect it'll only last a week or so), just because I have SO many shows that I already watch. Having said that, Studio 60 is easily my favourite new show that I'm actually watching this season. People keep complaining that Sorkin doesn't know how to write sketch comedy... who cares? It's not a sketch comedy show! Sorkin keeps the sketches to a minimum, only really using them as exposition to show us interactions between the characters any way.

[Fluwten McGunch]

Simpsons: R.I.P.

The great memories of the early seasons are being chipped away at by the crap they are broadcasting now.

[Fish]

Uhhh, doesn't Heroes already have a hero named Nikki? Isn't that Ali Landry's good character? Or am I just stupid?