TV Meme: Day 2 - A Show Needing More Viewers

I actually believe that all of the shows that I watch need more viewers. Each and every year I fear that a show I am currently invested in will get canceled - even though the show itself is amazing it may lack the viewers because of one or more different reasons (terrible time slot, terrible promoting, etc.).

The show I picked, however, has quite possibly the most jumbled time slot in any given week - and that is the 9 p.m. time slot on Thursday night.

It originally started on Monday nights and I felt got a decent following, but for whatever reason it was moved opposite Grey's Anatomy and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in its second season, and to no one's surprise the ratings took a hit.

The show I am talking about is, of course, Fringe.

The show originally teamed with House on Monday nights in one of the best pairings in television, but for some strange reason they decided to move it to the most crowded timeslot of the week - and despite the show actually getting better, the ratings fell in its second season.

For the most part, the show is on a continuous plot line of Walter Bishop's and William Bell's science experiments - and the Fringe team is out to clean up everything that happens out of the ordinary (which usually finds it way back to having something to do with Bishop and/or Bell).

Occasionally, there is an episode that is tossed out that really doesn't have much to the ongoing plot line - but every so often it is nice to get away from that (sort of a monster of the week type episode).

For the most part, however, we have been on the plot line of this alternate universe that William Bell and Walter Bishop had stumbled across in the past. And in two seasons, it is nice to see how things have progressed - and I have to say this show has had two of the most satisfying season finales I have ever seen (the first season's finale was amazing).

The best part of the show is Walter (John Noble) and Peter's (Joshua Jackson) relationship - and give and take. Walter has become one of the funniest and best characters on television, and I have to admit that Pacey from Dawson's Creek has seriously come into his own in his acting.


When the show originally started I felt the low point of the show was actually the lead of Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) - as the show has progressed, however, she has really grown on me. I also really enjoyed the character of Charlie (Kirk Acevedo), and I really hope they figure out some way to get him back permanently.

What's difficult for me is that I actually watch all three of these shows (not to mention 30 Rock which is usually on around the 9 p.m. timeslot) so I don't want to tell people to not watch the other shows. But, this show has really progressed and is very interesting - not to mention it sort of blows your mind every so often (something that I need now that Lost has finished).

Fringe

I must say, I am pretty excited.

It doesn't happen very often when a television show actually gets me this interested.

First, I must admit that I am a television addict. My wife is already telling me I watch too many shows. But, there is just one problem - I wouldn't know which one to cut.

That being said, I am promising her that I am only going to start watching one new show this season - and that show is Fringe.

The show actually started a few weeks ago, but it wasn't until this weekend that we finally had time to view it - and actually were able to view two episodes.

I was immediately interested in the show due to the fact that it was produced by J.J. Abrams, who also has helmed another of my favorite television shows Lost.

During the first episode, I noticed that this is no Lost. It is a lot more in your face, with a few kind of gross out scenes - especially in the second episode. My wife has watched the first two, and I am hoping she can stick it out - it's much more fun watching a show with someone, especially your wife. But, I do admit that a few of the scenes even had me a little on edge. It is, however, exactly the type of show I love.

Shows like Lost, Heroes and now Fringe barely allow me to predict what is going to happen. It keeps you interested throughout the entire episode, and every part of that episode is important. It's all very psychological - I absolutely love the fact that I need to pay attention and actually think.

Another reason to like the show: the return of Josh Jackson. You may remember Mr. Jackson as Pacey on Dawson's Creek or Charlie Conway in the Mighty Ducks. I must admit, he is an underused talent.

This actually got me thinking, is it odd to anyone else that out of the four main stars of Dawson's Creek it is actually Dawson (James Van Der Beek) who has not become more of a star - although I did love Varsity Blues.

Anyway, if you are a fan of Lost and can take a few grotesque shots an episode, I highly recommend checking out Fringe.

Random Netflix Movie #1: Lone Star State of Mind

I have been a Netflix user now for about 4 or 5 years. It's a pretty decent service for the price that you pay. They send you three movies at a time and when you are finished with them, you send them back and three more are sent to you. If you time things right you could get up to 12 movies a month, plus get newly released movies the day after they come out.

Anyway, about a year ago, with the whole automatic viewing thing going down, Netflix started allowing users to watch movies directly from their website, whenever they felt like it. Now the selection isn't complete, so you can't just select any movie, but when you're bored and looking for something to watch, it's a free movie to watch.

I have not taken advantage of this until recently, so I thought that I would begin a semi-annual blog post about a Random Netflix Movie that I have watched. I just completed Lone Star State of Mind a movie made in 2002 that stars Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek), Jaime King (Pearl Harbor), DJ Qualls (Road Trip) and Ryan Hurst (Remember the Titans).

The movie is based in Bennett, Texas and is about Earl (Jackson), whose mother marries Baby's (King) father, played by a surprise performance from John Mellencamp. Anyway, Earl and Baby have been dating since the 11th grade, but now technically he is dating his step-sister, which is a joke throughout the movie.

Baby's cousin Junior (Qualls) is a bit of a dumbass, who is constantly getting into trouble. After getting thrown in jail, Baby makes Earl promise to look after Junior, and make sure he doesn't get into any more trouble - which is where the story really begins.

Junior and Tinker (Hurst) decide to rob a pizza delivery boy one night, which turns out to be a front for a drug dealer. Junior steals a bag out of the pizza guy's truck with a lot of cash and drugs in it. Thinking they hit the jackpot, Junior goes out and buys some expensive boots, and Tinker calls a friend from jail about purchasing the drugs. Earl gets wind of this and gets himself involved.

To sum up the story, Baby and Earl are four days away from moving to LA when all of this goes down. The drug dealers find out who stole their money and, obviously, try to get it back from them. But, the guy from jail that Tinker calls also tries to get the money and drugs from Junior, and thus thrusting Earl and Baby in the middle of a shootout.

I won't spoil the ending, but for a movie that I had never heard of and wasn't expecting much it was pretty decent. The star power was pretty good, with a surprise appearance from Thomas Haden Church as well. The accent used by Jackson was pretty annoying though, but you can get by that. The movie in all was pretty good, and worth a watch. If, of course, you have time and are bored. The movie isn't winning any oscars, but Hurst and Qualls were pretty hilarious in their roles, so for that alone I would recommend it.