I am going to bare my boob-tube-watching soul for you now and list the shows I DVR and why. Perhaps this will be cathartic and I will pick up a good book tonight instead of grabbing the clicker. In no particular order:
1) Human Target - New this season, action-packed, like a mini-movie every week, lots of car chases and fun fight sequences... and Jackie Earle Haley is in it. Totally enjoyable fluff.
2) Leverage - Similar to the above, more interesting for the elaborate con games. A nice ensemble of actors who manage to lift their characters out of "stock" mold, especially hunky Christian Kane as the bruiser. And Timothy Hutton is a classic.
3) 24 - I can't stop watching this series, although no season equals Day 1 in my opinion. I like to count the number of times per episode Jack Bauer repeats himself louder, like: "Where's the file?! WHERE'S THE FILE?!"
4) Bones - I came to this series slowly but now I love freakin' Emily Deschanel! And her interplay with hunky David Boreanaz. And the odd but lovable fellow scientists. And, and, and.
5) House - Dad got me into this one. My friend Scott won't watch it because he's a bit of a hypochondriac and watching doctors diagnose mystery diseases would be torture for him. Hugh Laurie manages to make a completely unsympathetic character compelling, and the ensemble cast is solid.
6) Project Runway - I have a love-hate relationship with reality TV. I can't stand most of it, but I love these specialized competitions. I thought I'd lose interest here since I can't sew to save my life, but this manages to keep me glued without too much silly drama. Enough silly drama, just not too much.
7) The Bachelor - I know, you just threw up in your mouth a little bit. This is indeed the most tawdry of all of the dating shows (at least Flavor of Love is honest about its freak factor...) and especially this season, where they showed the Bachelor shirtless 4 or 5 times in the first few minutes, once even soaping himself up in a shower. Ug. I mean, he's hot, but come ON. And all that editing to make 'characters' out of those poor girls? Double ug. So why do I subject myself to this? I'll tell you why - I am a hopeless, hopeless romantic. And I am single. So if I watch two people on the journey from a first hopeful meeting all the way to a proposal, even under these circumstances, I can believe it might happen to me. Maybe when I have a boyfriend again I can stop watching this stupid show.
7) Top Chef - Back to "good" reality TV! Again, love the competition, and since I cook a little bit, I love it even more. Padma's a little annoying, but I really love going on the journey with these chefs. I just wish I could taste the food.
8) Supernanny - How can so many people be such horrible parents? I'm not a total Judy Judger, I do understand how they could slowly get themselves in a hole, but even though I don't have kids I have learned so much from JoJo myself. I can't wait to say, (in her accent) "That's not assseptible." (I also frequently watch The Dog Whisperer which holds a parallel interest for me, but I don't actually DVR it so it didn't make the list.)
9) What Not To Wear - Stacy and Clinton are amazing. I don't think I was ever a fashion disaster, but I've paid close attention to these two over the years and think they would be proud! My favorite part is seeing how confident their participants get after the makeover.
10) Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - Speaking of makeovers... . This show nudges up against exploitation of the families, and I always worry that after the cameras are off they won't be able to afford the taxes on the new property or it will get vandalized. But I cry every week, darn it! I'm so happy for the kid who doesn't have to sleep in a chair anymore! The mom with cancer who has a quiet place to relax after chemo! Walls and ceilings without holes! All of it.
11) The Biggest Loser - Kind of like the people on WNTW, I cheer for these folks making a life-changing transformation. I have to trust they're doing it as healthily as possible, cus they drop LBs so fast, but they're inspiring. I used to do dips and push-ups and sit-ups during the commercials but the DVR took that away. I mean, I can't not fast-forward through the commercials, come on.
12) Survivor - Because this is the one reality show I think I'd do. And also, there's hunky Jeff Probst. But I usually fast forward past all the scheming and yapping to camera for the challenges.
13) Deadliest Catch - Kittra and Susie got me into this. If I had to be a crab fisherman, I think I could. I wouldn't want to, but what these guys do is incredible, and yet mundane, and also so foreign to a gal who lives in NYC. And Mike Rowe is a narrating king.
14) Family Guy - I have become addicted to this show. It is genius. That's all I have to say.
15) Castle - Oh, Nathan Fillion, finally one of your shows stuck! The hardest-working actor you hadn't heard of. Not really a fan of his detective counterpart, but it's all about him anyway. Very funny, and I love the relationship with his family. You know you've already met who is eventually discovered as the killer in the first 15 minutes, but it's a fun ride.
16) V - I am still on the fence about this one. What did they give us, like three episodes before the break? I liked the old V with Marc Singer. We'll see.
17) FlashForward - Very intrigued! I like Joe Fiennes and John Cho a lot. Great premise. Surprising, can't quite figure out where it's going - even though we're supposed to know exactly where it's going! Kinda creepy too.
18) Glee - Love it love it love it love it. This show makes me happy. The songs, the musical talent, and Jane Lynch is so incredible as Sue Sylvester I can't think of any word to accurately describe how incredible she is.
19) Grey's Anatomy - I watched it at first because a fellow Dartmouth alumna created it. And then I couldn't stop. It's a bit soap-opera-y, sure, and the McDreamy McSteamy cuteness got on my nerves, but I seem moved to cry at least once every episode. And Sandra Oh is brilliant.
20) Lie to Me - (We're almost done, can you believe it?) A gimmick of a show, but it's starting to find its legs and Tim Roth aces it.
21) LOST - I am a LOST loyalist through and through - I never left. Some of the most insane moments on TV, the kind where you have to stuff your fist in your mouth to keep from screaming in amazement. Final season, makes me a little sad. But then again, great shows like Six Feet Under and Battlestar Galactica had to end as well to make room for what was to come.
Twenty-one shows on my DVR. At least they don't all happen at the same time, I'd never leave the house. Because while the DVR is great technology, and allows me to keep up with shows when I'm performing, and skip the commercials, it also makes me crazy! I think tonight I will crack open that book.
After I catch up on the last two episodes of 24, that is. I'm behind.
