Shake-shake, shake it like a rattlesnake...
Several television networks have been releasing their "upfronts" over the course of the last week. This is basically how they announce what their fall schedule will be and how we find out which of our favorite shows will and won't be returning for another season.
I tend to go through and pick apart each network when the upfronts come out, but I don't really think I'm going to be doing that this year. I think I'm just going to point out a few of what I deem to be the highlights of the announcements.
For example, CSI: Miami IS DEAD! Finally killed off!
If you recall, Katie and I did pick David Caruso to get off'd as part of our Celebrity Death Pool. Since he's in otherwise decent physical shape, I'm going to count his show's cancellation as the first official #WIN for our Death Pool predictions! Maybe that's what I need to do from here on out... not predict actual deaths, but the "deaths" of stars via television program cancellations. Could be fun.
I'm happy to see that Happy Endings didn't meet an unhappy ending. Although the second season has paled in comparison to the debut half season, Katie and I still enjoy watching it on a weekly basis. So its return is definitely welcome.
I gotta admit I'm a bit surprised that Unforgettable was nixed. We don't watch it and never planned to as it held no interest for us, but it always seemed to be one of those shows that appeared to be doing well. But I'm not surprised that CBS killed off A Gifted Man. We did watch that show and liked it for the most part, but I couldn't see it returning, to be honest with you. It had a short shelf life.
What always surprises me, though, are the shows I hear being canceled that I never once heard of when they were airing. Bent? Best Friends, Forever? The Secret Circle?
The only forthcoming show I know anything about is Elementary, a CBS rip of BBC's brilliant Sherlock, which is a modernized reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books and stories. I love Holmes and always have and I also love Sherlock and its stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. While I'm not looking forward to yet another U.S. ripoff of a BBC series and I don't necessarily care for Lucy Liu being cast as "Joan Watson," I do like Jonny Lee Miller and will give it a shot just because I want to see him be successful. The last show I remember watching him in was the sorely overlooked Eli Stone. I miss that show.
As for the rest of the new stuff, I don't really know enough about them to make an informed decision. I guess as previews show up, we'll make a call. However, I know that with a baby coming due in a handful of months, we're going to be extremely selective about new stuff because we've already proudly trimmed a lot of fat from our viewing schedule.
Katie sent me this little gem last night. It's about a guy who was buying mulch at a Wal-Mart and got bitten by a rattlesnake that he thought was a twig sitting on the bag.
I already have issues with the cleanliness of most Wal-Marts and the inevitable urge to shower in bleach after shopping there. Now I have to worry about snakebites? In-store??
I do love the part about how they are working to "ensure there is no additional rattlesnake activity." Sounds like they're implementing an anti-gang unit. The next thing you know, the store will be divided into territories not based on colors and cultures, but on rattle count. Oh, don't go near the Six Shake Snakes' territory by the pharmacy! You could pay with your life!
I'm sorry, but I am disappointed to see CSI Miami die. While I never have been much of a David Caruso fan, I still liked the show. It beats some of the reality CRAP that consumes the networks. Just when you think they couldn't think up another stupid scenario, they do!!
Posted by: Suzanne Apgar | Tuesday, 15 May 2012 at 11:10 PM
Admittedly it's better than reality, but that's truly not saying much. We stopped being able to tolerate that show four years ago. We stopped the other two CSI shows at least two years ago as well. But Miami was first to go.
Posted by: kapgar | Wednesday, 16 May 2012 at 07:04 AM
I already know one of our favorite new shows from this year has been axed: Alcatraz. I don't tend to watch loser shows (as in, the TV shows I do watch tend to come back season after season), so I'm a little heartbroken about this cancellation.
Posted by: Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks | Wednesday, 16 May 2012 at 10:43 AM
We wanted to get into Alcatraz but never did.
Posted by: kapgar | Wednesday, 16 May 2012 at 12:01 PM
Happy Endings was my favorite of the new show this year (2011/2012). I had a hard time keeping up, even with regular broadcast TV and my Hulu.
Ok.. I have to say it... the Wal-Mart customer should have uttered "I am tired of these mother fucking snakes on this mother fucking mulch!"
Posted by: Marty Mankins | Wednesday, 16 May 2012 at 12:20 PM
Oh that would've been classic! Go Samuel L. Jackson on them!
Posted by: kapgar | Wednesday, 16 May 2012 at 02:33 PM
David Caruso is possibly the worst actor I've ever seen. CSI: Miami was almost unwatchable because of him. And in related news, CSI:Miami was still on?
Posted by: Kevin Spencer | Wednesday, 23 May 2012 at 12:15 PM
Believe it or not, yes it was.
Posted by: kapgar | Wednesday, 23 May 2012 at 02:11 PM