2015 - 2016 TV Season

[ballettmaus]

I kind of gave up on this after the "Wicked" season. Is it worth getting caught up on?

Personally, I loved S4B but then I'm a fan of Regina's character. I thought that S5A was too much; they had like the core character's story in flashbacks (set in Camelot) and the present (like they had in S3B) and then they had Camelot character back stories and another side story with Merida who was also part of the arc. I loved Merida as a character but there was one episode which, apart from a 30 second scene or so, didn't feature any of the core characters. (or maybe it was the episode which had a lot of Belle in it, I can't really remember as I multitasked during the episode as I'm usually not interested in stories which the core doesn't have a part in and I don't really see Belle as a core character, more of a supporting character).
I'm still watching because I want to see where the story of Emma/Hook, Regina/Robin and Snow/Charming and Henry goes, and because I love the happy-ending/hope/Disney thing they have going, so I guess whether you should get caught up on it depends on why you were watching it.
5B sounds like it could be interesting. It's set to premiere this Sunday, so I'll guess we'll see if it is or if it's still ten stories going on at once.

Here's an updated list on renewals http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/abc-renewals-once-goldbergs-quantico-872554

 

[Lucy25]

I just read on Twitter that The Middle will be back for an 8th season. This has been my favorite show for years now, but even I can see that it has overstayed its welcome. Modern Family will be back as well as Fresh off the Boat.

 

[Nan]

Here's an updated list on renewals http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/abc-renewals-once-goldbergs-quantico-872554

Thanks. I love the core characters as well and at one point, I just thought they were getting too far away from them and the cast was getting too big. I may give it another try.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I watched The Family and it was too creepy for me (the perils of living alone). Also the cop annoyed the heck out of me. I thought her acting was too heavy-handed and OTT.

 

[Susan1]

I watched The Family and it was too creepy for me (the perils of living alone). Also the cop annoyed the heck out of me. I thought her acting was too heavy-handed and OTT.

Rats. I DVR'd it. Should I not watch it after dark or at all?

 

[Artemis@BC]

I didn't think it was that creepy. And I live alone too. (*shrug*)

I agree that the cop was over-acting, but everyone else was really good so I was able to get past that.

 

[manhn]

I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to it. Andrew McCarthy hasn't aged.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Andrew McCarthy scared the crap out of me, but I'm highly sensitive to characters like the one he's playing.

 

[ballettmaus]

Thanks. I love the core characters as well and at one point, I just thought they were getting too far away from them and the cast was getting too big. I may give it another try.

Well, S4A explored some of Emma's past, also had several flashbacks of the Frozen guests with and without some storybrooke characters and S4B felt Regina centric in storybrooke. It also included some Emma story and flashbacks were into various characters' pasts. S5 was more like S3B and then it included flashbacks of the new characters, so I guess you could say 5A moved away from the core characters and their story the most. From what I have read it looks like that'll change again in 5B.
I have a tendency to skip over flashbacks when I don't care about them or feel they don't contribute to the story all that much or I start multitasking, usually doing household chores.

 

[Cachoo]

There is a fantastic news program on HBO called "VICE" and I wish it could be seen everywhere. Well I discovered the added "Viceland" channel on my tv guide yesterday and I've been watching since. I especially like Ellen Page's "Gaycation" and a news program called "Noisy." So far I've seen programs about Kendrick Lamar and what is happening in Compton and the music scene in Brazil on "Noisy." There is a food inspired show with Action Bronson called "F***, That's Delicious." It all feels very fresh. I'm going to watch a show that explores films and I think Vice has chosen Werner Herzog and Todd Haynes as two subjects I will see this week. There is so much more. I'm addicted.

 

[cocotaffy]

There is a fantastic news program on HBO called "VICE" and I wish it could be seen everywhere. Well I discovered the added "Viceland" channel on my tv guide yesterday and I've been watching since. I especially like Ellen Page's "Gaycation" and a news program called "Noisy." So far I've seen programs about Kendrick Lamar and what is happening in Compton and the music scene in Brazil on "Noisy." There is a food inspired show with Action Bronson called "F***, That's Delicious." It all feels very fresh. I'm going to watch a show that explores films and I think Vice has chosen Werner Herzog and Todd Haynes as two subjects I will see this week. There is so much more. I'm addicted.

About the creation of Viceland, here is an interview of its creator Spike Jonze with Colbert :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFgI51dLYFM

 

[A.H.Black]

Is it sweeps week? It seems like every cable network is running its blockbuster movie series this weekend.

 

[ballettmaus]

Is it sweeps week? It seems like every cable network is running its blockbuster movie series this weekend.

Maybe it was all of last week and ends today? Would make sense considering that CBS and NBC shows are on hiatus now and the last of ABC's shows are returning from winter hiatus today.

 

[DaveRocks]

I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to it. Andrew McCarthy hasn't aged.

I enjoyed it, too. I initially planned to watch because I saw Zach Gilford in a preview. I loved him in Friday Night Lights. I'll be watching tonight!

 

[manhn]

I now fast forward all scenes of Madam Secretary involving Tim Daly being all dashing and heroic and perfect. Wow, that means I saw Elizabeth in two scenes. Hope she can get nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The Stevie storyline was pretty good.

 

[VGThuy]

I just saw the latest episode of Girls, watching more out of habit than anything now, and I was just introduced to Hiro Mizushima. I hope he's in more episodes.

Spoiler

Glad Shosh decided to stay in Tokyo.

 

[ballettmaus]

I now fast forward all scenes of Madam Secretary involving Tim Daly being all dashing and heroic and perfect. Wow, that means I saw Elizabeth in two scenes. Hope she can get nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The Stevie storyline was pretty good.

Well, I don't think he was "all dashing and heroic and perfect" in the majority of the scenes, however, I do think that there was a lot of focus on his new job. Hoping that was because it was the introductory episode and we get back to business as usual the next time. What bothers me is that Henry has proven time and again that he's not cut out for this kind of work; he got way too invested already and he just started! Let him do the intelligence gathering and be a college professor and let others who are trained for it analyse the information. That said, I did love all the Scenes between Henry and Bess and the domestic scenes with the whole family.

Loved Once Upon a Time. Hoping that the season will live up to what this episode promises it can be.

 

[AliasJohnDoe]

TV ratings for Thursday March 03/2016: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/03/04/tv-ratings-thursday-march-3-2016/

TV ratings for Friday March 04/2016: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/03/05/tv-ratings-friday-march-4-2016/

TV ratings for Sunday March 06/2016: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/03/07/tv-ratings-sunday-march-6-2016/

Sorry for not posting last few ratings. Internet wasn't working.

 

[Jenny]

It's interesting that only the mainstream networks are reported, when one would think that something like last night's series finale of Downton Abbey on PBS would have had a significant slice of the pie. Factor in last night's Democratic debate (there have been too many to count, but a lot of people do watch them), and shows on the cable channels, and one wonders how much of the viewing public was actually captured by the main networks.

 

[Buzz]

You missed Saturday's ratings.

 

[BaileyCatts]

I'm glad Quantico is back although I realized I have no freaking clue what is going on anymore. I hate these freaking hiatus breaks! I expect it over Thanksgiving or Christmas weeks, but to be gone for like 2 months ... I hate that! Just run the damn series start to finish please. And what the hell was with the ending and the computerized voice phone call? I could not hear or understand one single word that was said in that phone call. Not one word! Why the hell do the producers do crap like that. I truly have no idea what the ending was all about. Makes me so mad.

 

[Anemone]

Oh I so agree about these ridiculous hiatus breaks. If you're only going to order xnumber of episodes, and it is only enough for half a season, then order two shows! Run all the episodes of one in the fall before Christmas, and run the other show afterwards.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I've been hanging on to Quantico just to see the final payoff but I was falling asleep on last night's episode. I don't know if I can take much more of the bad acting and the ridiculousness of it all.

 

[jeffisjeff]

Quantico was definitely NOT a case of "absence makes the heart grow fonder." I watched last night, but I am done.

 

[Artemis@BC]

Quantico was definitely NOT a case of "absence makes the heart grow fonder." I watched last night, but I am done.

Ditto for me. The long long hiatus was a tactical error on their part, IMO.

Not that it was my all-time favourite show before that, but there was enough to keep me interested. I didn't even make it through half of last night's episode before deciding to quit.

 

[ballettmaus]

Oh I so agree about these ridiculous hiatus breaks. If you're only going to order xnumber of episodes, and it is only enough for half a season, then order two shows!

You do realize that that would mean spending twice as much money, right?

Run all the episodes of one in the fall before Christmas, and run the other show afterwards.

That would not be possible since there are not 22-24 weeks between late September and Christmas. Madam Secretary, for example, started on October 4 and ran until Dec 13. They skipped Dec 6 but aired consecutively on all the other Sundays. Let's say, they had aired Dec 6 and also started a week earlier, and ran a week longer (which would have been the Sunday before Christmas) then they would have managed a total of 13 episodes before Christmas. Even starting another week earlier would have only brought them to 14. So, there would be 8 episodes left.

And as for airing a show afterwards - I have no idea how many weeks there are until early May, however, they'd skip certain dates because of award shows, the Superbowl etc, so they might not be able to squeeze a whole series into after Christmas either.

I would much prefer consecutive episodes as well but I think I also prefer the half season method ABC is doing than the let's show an episode then none for two weeks, then another two, then none for a week then another one... that CBS and NBC seem to be so fond of.

 

[Jenny]

I now fast forward all scenes of Madam Secretary involving Tim Daly being all dashing and heroic and perfect. Wow, that means I saw Elizabeth in two scenes. Hope she can get nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The Stevie storyline was pretty good.

I had no issue with this episode - I'd much rather see Henry's A team at the White House dealing with real issues than Elizabeth's sniveling junior staff any day. Nadine is fabulous and Blake is fun, but the rest of them can go any time.

As for Henry, he wasn't all dashing and heroic and perfect. In the end, they declared it wasn't his fault, but someone still died based on his insistence that the man wouldn't be a problem. But he didn't factor in that a good person is often vulnerable to very bad people - huge mistake.

Meanwhile, we saw that Elizabeth is way ahead of him in ability and power - I loved the line when they Arizona senator said "but I think you already know the answer" and she said "of course I do. I'm the Secretary of State." Now that she's comfortable in her role and confident in her ability, she's in a position to help Henry the way he helped her when she was uncertain and too emotional in her early days on the job.

And yes, the Stevie SL was a good

 

[Erin]

I've been hanging on to Quantico just to see the final payoff but I was falling asleep on last night's episode. I don't know if I can take much more of the bad acting and the ridiculousness of it all.

That and it seems to be the same storylines over and over. People don't trust Alex and are pissed off at her over something. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I think the hiatus was particularly rough for this show given the two timelines, as I've completely lost track of who is with whom and who isn't getting along in the various timelines. I'm not sure that it's worth it to try and figure it all out.

 

[Jenny]

I find that one of the most difficult things to keep track of in any series is who knows what secrets. There was a moment in the Downton finale (this is not a spoiler) when I'm apparently not the only one who thought "wait, Isobel doesn't know about Marigold??" And if the issue goes across many seasons, it's practically impossible. Sometimes I think shows overestimate how closely we are following them, making it confusing (and really, one sometimes wonders if the writer of one episode is fully aware of what the writer of another episode did), and therefore losing viewers who can't follow the plotline and don't care enough to figure it out.

 

[VGThuy]

When that happens, I thank Pod for Wikia.