The 2005 - 2006 Television Season
From “You’re Dead to Me” all the way to "Oh Hello" and “Welcome Back”

Last fall I did a casualty checklist on all the shows I was watching, dropping, or thinking of kicking to the curb in the near future. Now that the 2005 - 2006 television season is wrapping up I thought I'd check back in on where we stand and how some of our favorites shows fared.


Early Casualties:
“Invasion” – This supernatural thriller had a great series premiere and an even better timeslot, Wednesday’s at 10pm after “Lost” – what’s not to love right? That’s what I thought as I watched the pilot. There was some incredibly creepy moments, that Dave guy was a blast, and Eddie Cibrian was going to be wet and/or shirtless all season, sounds like a blockbuster to me! I guess if you chose to stick it out, there were some great moments but by the end of episode 3 I was off like Dorothy in a twister. I guess my instincts were right, “Invasion” as you know didn’t make it to Season 2.

“Alias” – This was one of the hardest choices I had to make in creating a television viewing schedule back in the Fall. I had been a diehard “Alias” fan for 4 years. I basically came when I saw the series premiere back in 2001 and though it was rough at points, “Alias” was always a delicious thrill ride. But, when ABC decided to jam-pack Thursday night even more than it already was, I had to make a choice! I knew this was “Alias’” last season so there was no reason to watch just to give it ratings giving me a sense of accomplishment in making or breaking a show. “Everwood” needed my attention and as it was on against “Alias” and “The OC” many things gave way to a sleepy hollow in Colorado.

“The O.C.” – Again, diehard fan for Seasons 1 and 2. Devout Seth Lover. Devout Summer Lover. Devout Julie Cooper-Nichol-Cooper Lover. But, See Above for Thursday night dilemma.
Then there were the shows that I watched for a good part of the season or at least gave a good try with. These are the shows that I eventually could take or leave and apparently I chose to leave.


The Just Had To Casualties:
“Desperate Housewives” – Wow was Season 2 not the biggest bag of bullshit being produced? I absolutely loved Season 1 of “Desperate” and was really looking forward to another soapy, snappy, sarcastic season too bad we were left with a steaming load of trite acting, tired storylines, clichéd conflicts, and a mystery they paid no attention to which gave us no reason to tune in after midseason. Sure, Bree is still one of the best characters on television but she’s not enough of a reason to watch! Somehow the producers think Teri Hatcher is relatable instead of a plastic surgery horse faced wallpaper actress. Eva Longoria, seriously? The worst actress in showbiz. Her character should have been what Edie was, a side player who gave endless comic relief. Instead they try to humanize her (which I don’t buy for a second) and force character beats that just aren’t there. They Jennifer Anison’d Gabby – they changed the character because the actress became celebrity. I hate when shows do that and its an instant BAN in my book.

“Prison Break” – Wentworth Miller covered in tattoos and in prison, all sorts of hot right there. I was willing and able to overlook the longshot plot of this show. The plausibility of “Prison Break” is so far removed from reality that you can actually just sit back and enjoy the ride knowing you have to suspend major disbelief. I’m fine with that. But to tell you the truth, the acting just wasn’t there to keep me coming back. Robin Tunney, wow – someone confiscate her SAG card. Lincoln Burroughs, could your head be any bigger? It’s like my screen in fisheye mode or something – I just can’t look at it. And even though I loved him as the only Manazon to ever grace the Novac’s porcelain halls – he just isn’t up to par. I have to guess it’s the writing? Either that or he really is just a pretty face – empty but pretty. After its winter hiatus, I checked back into Falls River but quickly used my get our of jail free card. I didn’t care if they broke out or not anymore.
Then there are the shows that I don’t mind watching, I just never do. Either they’ve moved them around so much that I lost track or I’m just too damned busy to keep up with.


The “Oh Look, That Shows Still On” Kinda Casualties:
“The Amazing Race” – I could have sold children on the black market to watch this show last year and every year before it but after the mess that was “The Family Edition” the series lost momentum. As you know I tuned in for a while when they returned to their tried and true format of teams of two racing across the globe in the best game show ever created but somewhere after the geeks were eliminated I stopped watching. Then CBS moved it to when? I don’t even know when it was on at the end of the season but they moved it and it was an even worse time for me so there was no jumping back in. I saw that the hippies won, good for them – maybe now they can buy some soap and a razor… With TAR returning in the Fall on Sunday nights, there is a big possibility I’ll come back to watch teams get Philiminated and to admire his bulge – but no promises.

“How I Met Your Mother” – Could a show suffer a “Dawson’s Creek” major character “who cares” more than “Mother”? Ted at first was this cute quirky awkward guy that I honestly wanted to root for. Then his goofy turned annoying, Robin was acclimated into the group, and that 4 camera setup continued not to mention that horrid laugh track. This is a show that would work better as a true ensemble done single camera style like “Arrested Development.” In the format its in now (typical sitcom with tin laugh track) the jokes fall stale, the energy is at times sucked from the show, and the charcters always seem at arms length. I don’t care enough about any of them to wonder who they end up with in the end. Alyson Hannigan is way underutilized as is Jason Segel. Barney is however one of televisions shining stars! Neil Patrick Harris couldn’t be better than when he’s “suited up” and meddling in each of their lives. Highlights: The recent Barney Hooks Ted Up With a Whore Who’s Not a Whore episode, The Slutty Pumpkin, and The Cockamouse – be free my friend… IT CAN FLY! This show I am still willing to give a chance come fall! I think it has amazing potential and hopefully they will have worked out their bugs come fall – too bad I’ll still not care who Ted ends up with… it’s Dawson all over again.

“Cold Case” – This is an amazing show and I’m glad its getting the recognition it deserves but the Sundays at 8pm timeslot always kills me. I don’t know what I’m doing or why I’m not consistently glued to Philly’s Biggest Nightmare of the Hair Lily Rushing but come fall I will try much harder as it leads in to my dear “Without a Trace!”


Somewhere in the course of the season I found my way back to a show or two as well as picked up a couple!

The “Picked Up Along The Way” Show:
“Battlestar Galactica” – After endless Ausiello talk, podcast romanticism, and Sci-Fi promos I gave in and rented the mini-series of “BSG” back in February. I’m happy to say that I was able to watch all of Season 1 and Season 2.0 before Season 2.1 came on and then finished! Whoever decided to rush out Season 2.0 on dvd while still in Season 2 is a genius. Ron Moore, I kiss you! I’m frakking hooked like a Caprica Junkie sleeping with a Cylon for a fix! I cannot wait until October for this Cylon Occupation to play out! And who knew I would have room for 2 Starbucks in my life?


The “Welcome Back From The Dead” Show:
“Alias” – who knew that after missing 12 episodes I would be intrigued enough with casting coups and spoiler alerts to get drawn back into Sydney Bristow’s tangled web of intrigue? First they cast Amy Acker who seriously needs to be cast in a hit show that’s not going off the air the season she joins. Then they announced that Michael Vartan would be back! Then Anna Espinosa! Then Will Tippin! Then Sark! How could I not come back? Though I’ve not written about it once, when ABC put “Alias” on iTunes last month I watch every episode of Season 5 and was caught up with Prophet 5 before Anna Espinosa kidnapped our pretty oh so pretty Will and eventually became SydPinosa! Though reports since September have not been so glowing, I really think this season of “Alias” has shown! We’ve been brought back to the fundamentals of “Alias” this season and they killed off Nadia, what more could we want? Here’s to hoping Danny is somehow involved in the finale! It’s been long enough in Syd’s world and in ours to not feel duped by Danny’s resurrection – we all know and want Sydney to be with Vaughn but wouldn’t it be amazing if the thing that launched the show also brought it to its end somehow?