Thoughts on Fall 2011 TV Season

I usually write up a bit more for the new Fall TV Season, but alas, my real-world job has taken over (though in a funny moment, someone at work mentioned this blog yesterday and I didn't blush or feel embarrassed so I guess it's just part of me now).  But I have a moment and want to put down my current thoughts on the 2011 TV season that has begun.

Shows I'm sticking with (unless they get cancelled):
"New Girl" - I think Zooey Deschanel has enough going into this show that I think they'll find good footing with this show concept and be able to keep it up.  It's a little rough now, but I think it'll find a groove.  The three male stars (Max Greenfield, Jake M. Johnson, Lamorne Morris) have the potential to make a great show, but we'll see how it continues.

"A Gifted Man" - I really like Patrick Wilson and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jennifer Ehle.  The concept for this show works pretty well - Ehle is a ghost appearing to her ex-husband (Wilson), a famous brain-surgeon to guilt him into taking care of her medical clinic now that she's gone.  Surprisingly the ghost part of this isn't the least believable part - it's the idea that you can actually do all the things this guy does in a day.  The newly minted Emmy-winner Margo Martindale (from "Justified") is Wilson's smart-ass assistant and a rotating group has come through as the new head honcho for the clinic.  I enjoy it.

Old Shows I still enjoy: "Grey's Anatomy" - I don't know why I watch this, but I know I'll probably never stop.  "The Big Bang Theory" - I love this show.  It makes my "nerd giggle" appear constantly (if you've ever listened to the Reel Insight Podcast, you'll recognize the occasional nerd giggle").  "How I Met Your Mother" - it's still going in really interesting and funny directions and I feel like they're wrapping it up in a great way (though who knows when they'll actually wrap it up).  "Castle" - I'm not sure they'll avoid the "Moonlighting curse" by letting the leads actually get together, but Nathan Fillion is still awesome.  "Community" - now that I teach at a Community College, this show has a whole new meaning.  They're right a lot more than they're funny so far this season.

Old Shows I just found: "Modern Family" - I know I'm quite late to the party, but it was available to watch on  a lot of my flights this summer so I feel all caught up.  "Doctor Who" - I'm only a few episodes in, but it's definitely my kind of show.

Old Shows I've given up: "Project Runway" - I swore when they picked the person I didn't like last season I would stop watching and I have!  "Desperate Housewives" - Wow - it's seriously turned to crap.  Kind of surprised.

I'm sure I'm missing a fair amount of other TV, but that's what I can remember.  What do you watch?

Thoughts on the 2011 Emmy awards

I haven't been watching that much TV of late, but the kick-off for the fall season began last night by honoring the best of last season at the 2011 Emmy awards.  This was a very odd year.  A lot of people won out of left field, and then there were the completely expected that happened exactly as predicted.

First - the wonderful and amazing:
1. KYLE CHANDLER WON AN EMMY!!!!  Coach Taylor from my beloved "Friday Night Lights" was finally recognized for creating a wonderful male role model and half of a model marriage.

2.  Melissa McCarthy will not be nominated for an Oscar for her part in Bridesmaids, but now at least she has an Emmy for "Mike and Molly" and most deservedly.  I have a feeling there was some vote-splitting  between the bigger name comediennes, but I don't doubt the people who voted for Melissa knew what they were doing.

3. Margo Martindale, a supporting character actress you've seen dozens of times plays such a bad-ass on "Justified" that someone paid attention and gave her an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama.

4. I haven't seen "Game of Thrones" yet, but anyone who wants to tell Peter Dinklage he's amazing and should keep acting is fine by me, and giving him the Emmy for supporting Actor is a pretty great idea that I have no problem with.

5.  Because this was the first award of the night it was definitely the biggest surprise, but it set us up for less surprising wins for the rest of the night.  Julie Bowen from "Modern Family" beating Jane Lynch for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy meant it wasn't that big a surprise when Ty Burrell and the show also won.  Still, it was a pretty amazing season (I was stuck on lots of planes this summer and several showed episodes from this show).

Not surprising:
1.  "Amazing Race" reclaiming its Best Reality Show title.  It's won like 7 of the 8 years the category has existed.

2.  Jon Stewart and the Daily Show taking their 9th straight win for variety show.  It might be time they retired the category - and I love and adore both the Daily Show and Jon Stewart, but it would be nice to share some love.

3.  Kate Winslet and Mildred Pierce taking it for the mini-series category.  I haven't seen it yet (can't wait actually) but Kate's outburst thinking they wouldn't win anything seemed somehow not particularly genuine.  False modesty doesn't work when you recently won an Oscar.

4.  "Mad Men" won again.  So?

5. Okay, it was a pretty good show and Jane Lynch was funny, so I don't have another thing that wasn't surprising.  But I guess the fact that Jane Lynch hosted a good show wasn't particularly surprising.