Shows I am watching this year.

LOST is gone.  This hurts me more than you can imagine.  I was a LOST fanatic.  I was one of those people who would spend time at parties talking about the show.  I would tell non-LOST fans they were stupid for not watching.  I loved the show, and I am one of the few who loved the ending.

I have come around in my feelings about other people and LOST.  I really do feel that if you give it a chance LOST will provide you with 6 solid seasons of entertainment.  However, I recognize that it will frustrate the shit out of many people and therefore is not for everyone.

Enough about LOST though, I really only use it as an example of the fact that my shows are quickly and quietly dropping off the air.  The Wire has been gone for some time, with no more DVD seasons for me to whip through.  Battlestar Galactica ending two years ago leaving in its wake the promising Caprica (a pilot I actively anticipated, enjoyed, and never followed up on).  I need to fill the voids that these shows have left in my heart.  Luckily this year a number of shows have come out that have the potential to fill those holes.  Now three weeks into the season we have seen some shows get cancelled already and others gain ground as likely candidates to be staples in my watching schedule.  Lets take a look at the new shows I am giving a chance:

The Event


Here is a show that has the potential to replace LOST.  Now I don't think that any show can really do that entirely but I do need a show that I can theorize about on a regular basis.  And here is my first prediction.  They aren't aliens, they are people from the future.  If you liked LOST give it a shot.  The main character is very much a young Jack Shepard.  Except he is a hacker and not a doctor, he doesn't sweat in a weird semicircle below his neck and he bangs a girl EVEN HOTTER than Evangeline Lily.  The Event seems to have a good thing going.  Hopefully they can keep it going.  The one thing that will make this show for real is if they can figure out a legit story arc.  If they start to fuck around like Heroes they will quickly lose me (like Heroes) and the audience will fall apart leading to cancellation.  Good luck NBC you need a solid show like this.

Boardwalk Empire

Scorsese and Wahlberg come together on HBO to bring us the Sopranos of the 20s.  I like booze, I like mobsters, I like morally inept protagonists that I can root for despite their obvious lack of good guy stature (Cite: Tony Soprano, Hank Moody).  A young Al Capone makes an appearance in Episode 1.  Steve Buscemi is amazing as always and OMAR (Michael K. Williams) of The Wire fame is a gangster. How can this be bad?  So far I am definitely all in after 3 episodes.  A few things I suggest you look for while watching the show: 1. Their use of language (Michael K. Williams character uses the term "motherfucker" in episode 3 and Steve Buscemi turns to his friend and says "What's a motherfucker?") 2. The way the show is framed in the wake of the War (one main character is a war vet) and 3. if you are from Canada like myself you can enjoy the use of Canadian Club Whisky in each and every episode.  I highly recommend this show for anyone who enjoys anything (especially The Sopranos).

Running Wilde


I have given this show 3 episodes and I will give it a few more.  Arrested development creators bring our favourites back to the screen in a very similar style show (narrarated by a little girl, same humour, the auxillary characters are the funniest parts).


I continue to watch The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and The Mentalist.  I am also flying through a few back episodes of Fringe, Criminal Minds and Community so that I can pick them back up this season.  More on those shows next time.