More TV Shows! More! More!

Continuing my last post about TV shows that are worth checking out.

2. True Blood. This HBO show is about vampires in Louisiana, so we were immediately intrigued. The premise is that vampires (as a race, I guess) have "come out" and revealed themselves to the American public. While they do require blood to survive, they (supposedly - hint, hint) now survive on synthetic blood invented by some asian scientists. So they don't need to drink human blood...or do they!!!!! From what we can tell, as in other vampire series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, and even classic ol' Dracula, True Blood not-so-subtly draws a distinct parallel between drinking blood and sex. They pretty much hammer this point home by showing lots and lots of dirty sex, talking about sex, and portraying vampire blood (V-Blood!) as  a drug that enhances sex. Also, having sex with a vampire is "the best sex you've ever had in your life". Also, some vampires have sexual minions. Also, sex.  Everyone has sex. That's basically the gist of it. In truth, I like the religion-soaked, backwoods, gothic and haunted setting/tone of the show, so I am willing to slog through the jack-hammering pelvises. But it hasn't fully been approved yet, because I'm waiting for it to give me something a little...smarter I guess. An example of why we may end up trashing this show is a choice line from the episode we watched the other night that made KM roll her eyes ALL OVER:

(After Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill have sex and he feeds on her blood for the first time, they are soaking in his hot tub)

Bill (tenderly, towards Sookie): "Perhaps you might obtain some Vitamin B12 to replenish your fluids"

Yikes. Oh, there is also a bar called Fangtasia, and you should know that Sookie has some sort of power to read people's thoughts.

Here is a clip where Bill conveniently explains all of the backstory:


And here is the opening sequence, which I think is the best part of the show.

3. Twin Peaks. Amazing in too many ways to count. Good for a day with weird weather, but really just good anytime, especially with cupcakes or pie.

In contrast to shows like True Blood, each episode of Twin Peaks lives up to the intro sequence:

4. Freaks and Geeks.  Tragically, Freaks and Geeks only lasted one season, but it's a damn good season. I wasn't in high school in the 80's, but it doesn't really matter because Freaks and Geeks pretty much captures, in a realistic way, (i.e. with female characters that aren't rich popular gangleaders or cheerleaders) the experiences of high school. Like the first time you got high:

5. 30 Rock. I'm sure enough has been written about this show and why it's funnier than anything else on T.V. Like everyone else on the planet, I'm glad Tina Fey was born. 

- KE