My Fall Hulu Queue

Fall's arrival may mean that True Blood is over, but it also means that network television is back with new seasons. Here's what I'll most likely be watching. (Click here for the unabridged fall television TV Guide listings.)

Shows that I may feel compelled to write about:

- Mad Men, obviously. There are still 4 more episodes in the season!

- Gossip Girl. Yes, I realize that I'm not 14. But a small part of my soul always will be. This show is wildly entertaining, soapy as hell, very funny, and the fashion is incredible. So whatever, judge me all you want. I love this show. I probably won't write much about it, though, because the Vulture recap says it all, and then some. Highly recommended reading.

- Glee. Another one for the 14 year old girl category. Overproduced a cappella renditions of classic and modern pop songs? Not one, but two will they? won't they?'s? Jane Lynch? Yes, please. I think the second half of last season dragged a little, but they did do an entire Gaga episode.

- Modern Family. I watched this at the recommendation of a friend about halfway through the season last year and was immediately hooked. This show is insanely funny.

- The NBC Thursday night comedy block: Community - 30 Rock - The Office - Outsourced. See my previous post about Community -- I think it's one of the best shows on television right now, along with 30 Rock. And my expectations are high for Steve Carrell's last season of The Office, which is definitely one of my all time favorites. I'm sure I'll watch Outsourced, too, because why not? I haven't heard anything about it one way or the other yet. And I'm looking forward to Parks & Rec when it's back on in January. Amy Poehler and Will Arnett just need to stop popping out children.

- SNL. The cast is shaping up this season and Jon Hamm is already slated to host again! I'm the kind of SNL fan who likes the show even when everyone else thinks it's bad.

Other shows that won't need recapping:

- House. I love Hugh Laurie, bottom line. This will be an interesting season with House and Cuddy together.

- Bones. I can't help it.

- Stewart & Colbert occasionally, though I rarely watch them anymore since they left Hulu last year.

New shows that I'll check out on a rainy day:

- The Event. I need a new Lost, and so does America.

- The new Will Arnett show on Fox. I have a bad feeling about this already.

Now, the question remains whether I'll physically be able to watch this much TV-- my old 4 day/week work schedule left my Friday mornings generally pretty open for catching up on the Thursday night shows, in particular. There's also the new season of Weeds, but those episodes are so short and so addicting that I usually cruise through an entire season in less than 24 hours when it's all over.

Mad Men S4 E7: That's Not True

All I can say is that this was an incredible hour of television. I don't think that an episode of Mad Men has ever been so moving, or so well acted. Not only was the episode smart, heartfelt, and visually beautiful, but it was the Don and Peggy episode that the viewer (me) has been waiting for for four seasons.

We know that Don and Peggy are kindred spirits, whether they (he) acknowledge it or not, but we finally see, for an entire hour, the culmination of all of the secrets that they've kept for one another in the small and huge gesture of Don briefly holding Peggy's hand. It was such a tender movement, but the look on his face was deadly serious. Somehow Don and Peggy have finally reached common ground -- during Don's steepest downward trajectory and Peggy's highest upswing.

I think that the thing that makes this episode most effective is the tension building between where Peggy wants to be and where she feels obligated to be. It's such a relatable feeling -- being exactly where you want to be, but being pulled elsewhere by other forces. Or knowing that what you want isn't what you're "supposed to" want. As always with Mad Men, though, the beauty is really in what goes unsaid -- except when Peggy says, "that's not true."

True Blood S3 E12 (Season Finale): About As Useful As Tits On A Turtle

The season finale managed to be simultaneously anticlimactic and too cliffhanger-y. Last year's finale was a total let-down, too -- but at least it tied up the season's major plot lines fairly well. To make things easy, I'm just going to list the things that I didn't like:

Plotline: Sam's family drama
Result: Sam shot at Tommy after Tommy stole all of the money from his safe after Sam got belligerently drunk and kicked him out of his rental.
Why I'm disappointed: This plotline was so boring to begin with, and after it all, Sam just ends up shooting at Tommy? I doubt he hit Tommy, but even if he did, is that the road that Sam's headed down -- heartless killer? It was nice to see the flashback into Sam's grifter past a few episodes ago, but this whole thing seems like a big dead end.

Plotline: Lafayette & Jesus' romance/drug use
Result: Jesus is a witch and so is Lafayette.
Why I'm disappointed: I'm not actually that disappointed with this one. It was really fun seeing L with a love interest this season and witches have lots of future story possibilities.

Plotline: Jason's career and love aspirations
Result: Jason is now the king of inbred meth capital Hotshot
Why I'm disappointed: The whole exploration of Jason's feeling like a has-been was uninteresting from the beginning because we've know that about him -- and he about himself -- since Ep. 1. He's basically a well-intentioned, dim-witted set of abs with blonde hair and always has been. It was interesting seeing him lose his mojo after shooting Eggs, but the whole blackmail-Andy-to-become-a-deputy plot was pretty lazy. And Crystal is so annoying, and her family tree so twisted, that it was hard to watch. I hope that Jason doesn't stay in Hotshot long next season.

Plotline: Tara's torture/rape/continued destruction
Result: She cuts her hair and blows outta town
Why I'm disappointed: I guess I'm not that disappointed about how this one ended up, either. A girl (Tara) has her limits. I hope she's on the upswing. My only complaint is that her hair transformation would have been MUCH more complicated than the scene in front of the mirror implied.

Plotline: Jessica and Hoyt
Result: Together at last!
No disappointment here. I'm not that concerned about Momma Fortenberry because Jessica's an effing vampire.

And finally, the important part:
Plotline: Bill/Sookie/Eric/Pam/werewolves/King/Queen, etc.
Why I'm disappointed: ERIC DIDN'T KILL EDGINGTON. What the hell?! As excited at first as I was to see Godric again, that was so far out of character, and left field, of Eric to weirdly temporarily imprison the king in cement. I'm not really sure how the logistics of that whole scenario even work. And if Eric could get out of the cement, so could Edgington. It was pretty badass of Bill to throw Eric in, though. And it was incredible when Sookie kicked Bill out of her house. So the whole buildup to the big "showdown" was for nothing. We'll have to settle for the showdown between Bill and the queen, which I have a sneaking suspicion that they'll gloss over next season. That last Matrix-y shot of Bill reminds me of that still from Lost of the polar bear that looked more like a Muppet than a scary animal. And now Sookie's off to fairy land. Snore.

Overall, I felt pretty unfulfilled by the finale, like I did last season. C'mon, True Blood! You've been nominated for a Best Drama Emmy -- let's act like it!

Hackey Sack That

Pretty cool, JJ.



For background:

Mad Men S4 E6: My Pencil is Dull

Victor Kiriakis!

I feel drunk just watching Don in this episode. The shit spiral continues. Though, those flashbacks were interesting -- it was weird to see Don acting so forward and eager... and then conning his way into Sterling Cooper. And I know that Holly will recognize Don/Dick's blackout hookup from JOAN OF ARCADIA. Hilarious.

Peggy was definitely the highlight of this episode -- what's the opposite of a shit spiral? Gold square? Whatever it is, Peggy's in it. Is this the first episode that we've seen this new art director in? I don't remember him from any earlier episodes, and he's obnoxious. Peggy wins in the end though -- like she's consistently been winning all season. Whatever happened to that journalist guy from the closet? Her reaction to Don's hiring Roger's wife's cousin was great.

The scene between Pete and Ken was wild. Pete is really drawing his line in the sand now that he has his name on the wall, in the most insufferable way possible. I always interpret Ken to be the nice, competent, easy going person who is so thrown off by Pete's out-of-left-field territoriality that he just shrugs him off. The transition from Pete's "we play by MY rules" speech to "how's your fiance?" was incredible.

Mad Men S4 E5: Christ on a Cracker!

This was a heavy episode. Betty is the worst mother in the history of mothers and Roger is a racist WWII vet. Don went out with the vapid blonde again, mostly to experience Benihana (a slightly different event than the Office's Benihana Christmas!) but then has a nice moment with the sociologist. I honestly hope nothing ever happens between those two. I loved last season how Sally's teacher knew exactly what Don was about -- and called him on it -- but went for it anyway. I don't think that they can really do that again with Dr. Whatsherface because a) she's smarter than the 25-year old teacher was and b) it's already been done. Hopefully she has a good lesson up her sleeve for Don, or something, because I can't believe that she's not involved in some greater plot arch.

Most of this episode made me feel pretty uncomfortable, honestly, so I'll conclude with the totally awesome image of Peggy riding the motorcycle in an empty soundstage. Though, based on my recent personal experience with learning to drive a stick, I have a hard time believing that she would be riding that thing so effortlessly unless she's a trained motorcylist.

True Blood S3 E11: You Know I Love You More When You're Cold and Bitter

In the words of Pam last week: Blah, blah, human drama, blah. Nothing surprising in the human world this week -- so let's skip to the point: Estonia saves Sookie and Bill comes to the rescue, and I have to say, it pained me to see Pam all chained up. She's a (hilarious) good guy! Eric baits Russell with the prospect of daywalking and they all end up back at Fangtasia. Eric and Pam share another really touching moment as he's saying goodbye, he finally gets a taste of Sookie's blood, and then lures Russell out into the sunshine. My question is, though it may be answered within the first few seconds of the finale, if Russell can upend a moving car without batting an eyelash, wouldn't he be able to simply rip Eric's arm off to separate from him? Can't wait to see the finale.

True Blood S3 E10: Blah, Blah, Vampire Emergency, Blah

So that's what Sookie is. And then it finally happened: Eric and Sookie kissed, while both of them were awake. Will that have long-term ramifications for Sookie and Bil's relationship? Who knows -- maybe not. But Eric's clearly checking items off of his bucket list in anticipation of the showdown with the king. I'm not sure if that scene did justice to all of the buildup -- it might just be their height difference.

Jesus and Lafayette's trip on V was pretty entertaining, and enlightening about their backgrounds. I guess it makes sense that Lafayette's got a little something supernatural going on. Poor Tara missed out on that gene. I forgot that she had been into Jason a few seasons ago, which in True Blood time is like 2 months ago. That was a really sad scene to watch. So was all of the Sam action. Did that backstory remind anyone else of anything?

It's about time that Jessica and Hoyt are reunited, in the same fashion that Sookie and Bill were united to begin with. And Russell staked a human prostitute lookalike. The cliffhanger doesn't concern me all that much, because I have a hard time believing that Eric would really sell Sookie out to the king, so I'll leave you with this: