TV’s "good ‘ol days"

Now that that my television is finally free of political ads, I’m ready to return to my favorite shows. But I’ve noticed this year that my list of favorites it dwindling. I’ve given up on some shows and simply not allowed myself to get sucked into others. I still can’t help thinking that for all the great new advancements in TV technology, the content we now watch in all its high-definition glory just isn’t as good as it used to be. Though I do appreciate your suggestions for when I do want to chill in front of the tube. 

The shows of my youth are still tops for me. I confess I was a little bit too excited when I heard that Disney might be making a sequel sitcom to Boy Meets World. Though it doesn't top other favorites of mine like The Cosby Show and Full House, I have fond memories of watching Cory, Topanga and Mr. Feeny.

Nostalgia is a powerful thing. I thought the same thing when Old Navy started running TV commercials around back-to-school time this year featuring the old cast of Beverly Hills 90210. That’s brilliant marketing given the fact that many of those Kelly, Brandon and Dylan fans are the very same people now clothes shopping for their elementary-aged kids.

Of course we all know a sequel is rarely as good as the original. But that’s ok. Thanks to Netflix and Nick at Nite, we can keep watching the originals, too. I even indulged in my boyfriend’s recent kick of watching several seasons of The Brady Bunch and Happy Days on Netflix.

So I guess there’s still no shortage of things to watch. But if the networks decide to bring back another Who’s the Boss or Growing Pains, I’d probably check those out too!

Is there any must see TV?

I'm headed on vacation this week (a.k.a. a visit to my in-laws in Western New York), so I'm putting readers in the driver's seat for the week...let me hear ya. I hope everyone is enjoying the Olympics (assuming you share my obsession)!

My TV time has dwindled dramatically in the last year and a half (although my knowledge of Sesame Street and other PBS Kids characters has hugely expanded), but I still appreciate some mindless tube time at the end of a day when I can get it. And yet I still often sit down to find my DVR empty (except for my husband’s shows from Discovery and History channel) and I end up tuning in to a repeat episode of House Hunters. And so I wonder, what’s out there that’s worth watching?

The truth is, I don’t find a lot of time to watch TV, which is why I’m even more interested in quality over quantity these days. We recently considered ditching cable in our household altogether and spending less on a hulu subscription (since we rarely watch anything live anyway), but a couple of weeks ago we gave in to a good deal on Direct TV, so now we have lots more channels…and I still don’t have anything to watch.

My media-savvy hubby read that there are a bunch of new comedies coming out this fall, which has me hopeful (though I anticipate being greatly disappointed with at least 90 percent of them). My repertoire from the last TV season often includes Parks & Recreation, Survivor and Amazing Race, Modern Family, Parenthood, and currently, So You Think You Can Dance. And that’s about it. Returning blog readers will notice I finally let go of The Bachelor, Glee, and Dancing with the Stars. 

So, what are you watching? Or renting? I'm looking for a few good shows! 

Say it proud

A couple nights ago while watching the So You Think You Can Dance results show, I sent Jen the following text message: I'm going to become a Mormon. Not my typical deep thought during SYTYCD. But Jen didn't even have to ask me what I was talking about. She instantly knew that the Mormon's new ad campaign had won me over.

If you've watched even a single commercial break in the Twin Cities this week, you must've seen their new ads. (This one's my favorite.) These people talk about their jobs, families and hobbies—showing they're just like everyone else. And at the end, they subtly declare their faith.

And you know what? I think it works. The Mormon church won't say how much they've spent on the campaign, nor has it been around long enough for any measurable results. But people are talking about it in the media and at the water cooler. Even me—who has no intention of ever really becoming a Mormon. And that's the whole point right there.

Oh, we Christians get people to talk too. But how come the Mormons get a cool ad campaign and we Christians get Kirk Cameron, low-budget theme parks and Abreadcrumb & Fish evangi-tees?

But I suppose the Mormons "we’re just like everyone else" approach doesn’t really work for us. We're not nearly as extreme (or cheesy) as our faith is sometimes made out to be in the media. But we're not like everyone else either. We may be typical when it comes to our jobs, families or hobbies, but there's a reason for this hope we have, and that feels good.

Watch me Wipeout

I can’t believe I’m about to write about the TV show Wipeout on my blog. It’s the show that my husband (and a few blog readers I know) are crazy about, yet I just don’t see the same level of hilarity. If you’ve never seen it, it’s basically a game show series in which contestants compete in the world's largest obstacle course…and there are always plenty of wet and muddy slips, falls, and hits.

This summer, I do often watch it (more accurately, I watch the first half and sleep on the couch for the second half). I admit, I do laugh at least a couple times each episode. Actually, I laugh the most at my husband as he breaks up in hysterical laughter again and again. However, this week there is a new dimension to Wipeout in my household. Brace yourselves…we now own the Wipeout Wii game.

Last night we tried it out for the first time and I confess that we both had a pretty good time. Don’t get me wrong, I completely stink at it (and Phil isn’t much better), but that made for some pretty funny animated wipeouts. I kid you not that it probably took us 100 attempts to successfully make it across the infamous “big balls” obstacle (I will gloat and say that I was the one to finally succeed).

So, you’re all invited to stop by sometime and play along with us, as I think I can guarantee it will provide some good laughs. And to all fans of Wipeout, "Good night…and big balls."

Chic bottoms

I was an advertising and public relations major in college. In exploring these two fields of study, I discovered that I had some skill for PR...and little to no skill in advertising. At least not for the creative side of it. But I have a huge appreciation for it. And I would like to pat the creator of this commercial on the back:

The tagline at the end is simply brilliant. I wasn't even sure this was a legitimate product until I saw a behind-the-scenes story on the making of the ad on The Today Show. Did you know they use butt doubles? Yeah, for the close-up butt shots, it's not the same little blonde kid. That's awesome.

Jen, I implore you to please get your hands on some of these while supplies last. I want my nephew to be this cool.

Now when there's a lull in your Fourth of July BBQ conversation, you can discuss the virtues of jean diapers. You're welcome. Have a great weekend!

All aboard the hot tamale train

Oh, So You Think You Can Dance, how I love you! Welcome back to my television screen, where I will replay your contemporary, jazz and hip hop routines over and over again until my vocabulary overflows with adjectives like "raw," "organic," and "buck."

On Thursday, we got to meet the top 11. I'm pretty pumped about the new format this season where I get to see some of my old favorites as the all-stars. So far, my new favorites are Lauren and Kent.

The top 11 also got 11 seconds to introduce themselves to America. Kind of reminds me of how we all need the standard "tell me about yourself" response to rattle off in job interviews. (Except in job interviews I don't usually talk about my plan to become a professional contemporary, Broadway, hip-hop, salsa dancer...even though I'm determined to find a way to make this a highly sought after skill in my corporate office.)

If you had 11 seconds to introduce yourself to the world, what would you say? I'm a writer, definitely not a speaker, so my 11 seconds would probably sound something like Kent's when he immediately got tongue-tied. Thinking they'd just do another take, he stopped for a moment and then said "what?! I don’t get to re-do it?" Finally, at about the 10-second mark, he just shouted "I'm single!" Bless his cute little heart. I'm sure we can all think of millions of seconds we’d like to re-do, but instead I guess we just do our best with the one take we get (and hopefully learn to laugh at ourselves for our flubs of all sizes).

Ooo, did you catch that? A life lesson and a dance lesson all in one episode! Nice. Enjoy your weekend folks and don't forget to check out the Tony Awards on Sunday!

Finales…finally

It’s almost May, which means that almost every show on TV tries to up the entertainment value as they fight for the sweeps ratings and wrap up their seasons. As someone who admittedly watches too much TV, I’m approaching this year’s season finales with mixed anticipation.

I can’t wait for the reality show finales. It’s not because I’m excited to watch, but because I can’t wait for most of them to be over. Chief among them is American Idol…has there ever been a less entertaining season of that show? From what I’ve seen, Dancing with the Stars has also turned out to be pretty blah (not that I was ever a huge fan). Survivor and The Biggest Loser have been just OK. The Amazing Race will be good only if good-guy cowboys Jet and Cord come out on top.

As for my favorite comedies… We’ll see if The Office can top the hilarious episode where Pam had her baby. And unfortunately, the Glee finale is already nearing, even though the new season just started. At least we’ll have a few more weeks of their musical genius.

As for the dramas, I’ve lost most of my interest in Grey’s Anatomy. And, while 24 has been a bit of a letdown this season, I’ll be tuning in to the final six hours of Jack Bauer in the show’s final season.

If you want to set your DVR or mark your calendar for your favorite season finale, see a complete list here.

Next, it’s on to the summer shows…So You Think You Can Dance will likely be tops for me. And, for the sake of the hubs, I’m sure I’ll be subjecting myself to Wipeout. (I only like that one because I get a kick out of Phil’s hysterical laughter at stuff that is only moderately funny to me.)

So, what will you be watching?

Must see TV?

I've been sitting in two straight days of presentations from people talking largely about things I don't understand. Basically, my brain is mush. After all of this, I need to spend some quality time this weekend doing something that requires absolutely no concentration or thought whatsoever. As I plan my upcoming mindless activities, it's probably time to share with you another one of my favorite things. It's been awhile since we've talked favorites. (Remember this secret weapon of mine?)

Today, I'm talking about my DVR. I know I'm at least 5 years late in adopting this piece of media genius but I'm not a huge TV watcher. There are only a few shows I simply must watch.

Remember those video cassettes? My VCR broke a couple of years ago and I was doing fine without any recording device until I learned last fall’s season of So You Think You Can Dance would air on Wednesday nights...church night. A quick call to my cable company and my eyes have been opened to a whole new, commercialess world.

I find myself recording shows I would never otherwise watch. If I've got 20 minutes to spare before my next commitment…well, that’s just enough time to watch last week’s episode of How I Met Your Mother!

I end up deleting a lot of shows that I realize I will never actually have time for, but, this is one technology I don’t think I will give up anytime soon. In times like this when I need some serious downtime, it's great to have a library of choices to choose from! Gotta go now. Last night's episode of The Office is awaiting me.

The day the music (video) died

Yesterday, MTV announced it's changing its logo to drop the reference to music and instead feature its reality TV stars. Now, my TV-watching doesn't generally lead me to MTV unless I'm following America's Best Dance Crew, but I still found myself a little surprised by this. In its 80s heyday, I remember watching MTV at my friend Jenny Peterson's house (she used to kiss the TV whenever a Michael Jackson video was on) and I also watched the channel with one of my babysitters (I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to be doing this). Even in college, you might've found me occasionally watching the top videos and live performances on TRL (Total Request Live).

These days though, you don't need to spend much time watching MTV to know that the music part is fast becoming history. Just sit through one commercial break and watch the shows they promote. And while I think it's sad they're putting a bigger spotlight on "reality" shows, I have to concede that this probably was the right move for MTV.

Who needs a TV network to watch music videos or hear interviews with their favorite musician anymore? Artist websites, blogs, You Tube and Twitter accounts allow fans to follow the music--and the lives--of their favorite musicians anytime. The artists no longer need a TV network's help to showcase their new music, personality or creativity. I would much prefer to seek out this kind information on the musicians I enjoy when I want it instead of waiting for them (or their videos) to make an MTV appearance. Plus, there is only so much Beyonce and Lady Gaga one can take.

MTV has never even scratched the surface of all the great musical talent out there, most of which never gets the powerhouse record company behind it to help push their videos into the top ten. So maybe this isn't all that newsworthy after all. Just another sign of the times!

Behind the Bell

Before there was 90210 or The O.C., there was that fun bunch of teenagers from Bayside High School who I knew and loved. Saved By The Bell was the TV show that motivated me through my awkward junior high years and made me look forward to high school. I wanted to hang out at The Max with my friends. I wanted to see Bayside beat Valley in the big game. I wanted to be as smart as Jessie, as fashionable as Lisa and as popular as Kelly.

It’s hard to believe that this show actually premiered 20 years ago! Since then, I’ve seen every episode several times. And what would a 20th anniversary of a hit TV show be without a tell-all book? That’s right folks. Our very own Screech (a.k.a. unemployed Dustin Diamond) has just released his book, Behind the Bell.

Truthfully, I don’t really care what went on behind the scenes. I still like the show. Perhaps if the book came out 10 or 15 years ago, the revelations of drug use and womanizing might’ve been groundbreaking. But sadly, I think I’ve become desensitized to young Hollywood stars stirring up trouble. They live in a different reality. It’s great to see some stars rise above it, but it’s almost “expected” these days that they won’t.

Dustin’s interviews on his book tour make him sound sort of bitter and jealous of his SBTB cast mates. Apparently he was the geek on screen and off.

Needless to say, I won’t be running out to buy this book. I’m still holding out for a SBTB reunion though. Bring back Zack Attack and play some volleyball at the Malibu Sands Beach Club. Oooo, I’d be so excited…kind of like Jessie:

Best. Episode. EVER.

I'm a gleek

I was a pretty busy high school student between academics, the dance team, church youth group activities, etc. But, my absolute best memories of high school involved being in our school’s show choir. Sure, it sounds cheesy that we would sing and dance in flashy outfits in national competitions (and even on a cruise ship). It may not have been the coolest activity at school, but the group did include a few football and basketball players who could sing and dance with the best of them. It was, at a minimum, a socially acceptable activity at Bloomington Jefferson Senior High. Lucky for you, we didn’t have You Tube in 1997, so I’ll spare you my “Jefferson Connection” performances on video. You’ll just have to trust me that we were pretty darn good and brought home a few trophies back in the day. And, don't we all look fabulous in fuchsia?

Anyway, given my enthusiasm for show choir, you can probably understand my excitement and sheer elation over the latest show to debut this fall season: Glee. I’m not kidding you when I say I have never been this excited about a new TV show. (Ask my husband who can’t hold in his laughter when I literally jump up and down talking about this show. ) The show is about a high school teacher who tries to reinvent the high school glee club starting with a quirky group of outcasts and the high school quarterback who have failed to see their true potential. Some of the humor is definitely more adult, but the music is great, and the memories it inspires for a choir gal like me are enough to make this my most anticipated show of the fall season. You can pretty much bet this isn’t the last you’ve heard about Glee on this blog.

The end of the Rainbow

Last week marked the end of an era. After 26 years on television, the final episode of Reading Rainbow aired on PBS. Now truthfully, I didn't even know this show was still on the air. Nevertheless, hearing this news mad me a little sad and very nostalgic. And when I heard the show’s theme song, childhood memories flooded back. If you're in my generation, you'll know what I mean when you watch this:

I don't know why books were so much cooler when they were read on TV, but I used to love going to the library in search of the books that were featured on RR. And obviously, LeVar Burton rocked (but more so on this show than he did on Star Trek with the visor thing that I always thought looked like the banana clips we wore in our hair back then).

I guess RR is not being funded any longer because it doesn’t focus on teaching kids HOW to read. But, I think there’s something to be said about a show that teaches kids WHY reading is fun. Although it has been a long time since I've read a children's book, I still love to read, and I'll go ahead and give RR a little credit.

Anyway, someday I may end up with RR DVDs and force them on my children, who will think the show is completely old fashioned. In the meantime...what do you think was the best children’s book ever? “Take a look, it’s in a book…”

My totally hip hop abs

Let's talk about working out for a minute. I’ve never been a health club person, because I’d rather not work out in front of other people. However, then I find myself not knowing what to do from home (running is not really an option I’m willing to consider yet; I’m about one step up from Phoebe on Friends). I’ve tried a few workout videos/DVDs over the years, and I’m happy to report that I actually found some workouts that I really like, and have stuck to for a while. Enter Hip Hop Abs. You’ve probably caught pieces of this infommercial on TV. The first time I saw it, the product started to suck me in with all its hip hoppness. It even includes bonus features where you can learn several dance routines (which I have yet to learn, but someday will, right before my audition for So You Think You Can Dance where I will make judge Mary Murphy scream and cry and put me on the hot tamale train…)

Anyway, I never would have guessed that my first try at this workout series would come from DVDs loaned to me by…my father-in-law (hereafter known as FIL). Yup, during an exercise conversation with my in-laws, I mentioned I was intrigued by the Hip Hop Abs commercials, and my FIL proceeded to leave the room and walk back with those very DVDs, sharing that he really enjoys the workouts. My jaw dropped. I’m just trying to picture FIL working out with Shaun T. (the instructor). Below are photos of my FIL and my faithful fitness instructor, Shaun T. Trust me, FIL is not the target audience.

Anyway, I think this was the first thing I’ve ever ordered from an infommercial, and so far it has been a good investment. As for other home workouts, I also recently tried Wii Fit and think I might like it, but am not sold on whether or not it would be worth the investment. Let me know if you know of any other good workouts I should try in the privacy of my home.