Lessons Learned from Watching Grey’s Anatomy

***SPOILER ALERT. DON’T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN’T CAUGHT UP WITH GREY’S.***

Last night, I completely caught up on all February episodes of Grey’s Anatomy. I feel good. And I take away the following:

1. I may have Addison’s haircut.

2. Taye Diggs is hot.

3. Despite my love for Addison, Addison’s hair, and Taye Diggs, I still cannot watch Private Practice. Approximately 1 minute and 23 seconds in, I deleted BOTH “crossover event” episodes. I will never know your fate, Guy From Melrose Place with the Worms in Your Brain, alas. I don’t feel that sad about it.

4. I mainly blame Judging Amy, for why I can’t watch Private Practice. Something about her character. Some people can’t stand Meredith and/or Izzie on Grey’s for their neurotic whininess. I don’t mind them. But JA, I mind.

5. I really want to know what’s wrong with Izzie. I had read a brain aneurysm, but does it all add up?

6. I have almost forgiven the wayward Denny plot. Forgiven, but not forgotten.

7. Derek and McSteamy brawling it out like boys on the walkway? Stupid. Give me a break.

8. I’m still not over the pregnant lady dying. I guess Derek isn’t, either.

9. When is he going to propose, already? I guess now isn’t a good time to ask.

10. I love Cristine and McKidd together, but they’re just… so sad. Gloomy! Do they ever smile, much less without the weight of the world reflected in their eyes?

11. Calliope and the Ped Surgeon, okay. Mildly amusing. Random? Moving on.

12. The Dragon Lady Surgeon plotline was rushed. Decent, but rushed.

13. Mainly, I feel like I’m back on board with GA.

14. It is the last show on the downstairs (girly) DVR that I’m really attached to. I will program it in upstairs, and then:

15. I’m done. Bye bye, Gossip Girl. Bye  bye, Privileged. Back to Time Warner Cable you go. Perhaps a future post to explain my breakup with the downstairs (girly) DVR, and these two shows.

weeding, by pen

I know you all think I watch TV ALL the time, considering my pen’s picks posts for Fall Fare, among others. But it’s so not true. Because I’m pretty picky these days. My low-capacity DVR’s only at 30% for heaven’s sake. And, from the September list, here’s what’s already gotten the axe:

One Tree Hill. And that’s after several fairly devoted seasons! It was the Crazy Nanny plot that did me in.

Fringe. J.Lo likes it, but we still haven’t gotten the DVR set up right for it. He’ll have to catch up on Hulu, or something, and from there he’s on his own.

90210. I know! M will be so proud. They all but took out the snarky grandma whose house they live in, and while I enjoy some of the actors, and catching up with the old crew, I’m mostly bored. Where’s the edge. Why do the new kids fit in so damn well. Why are they so self-confident? It’s perplexing, and disappointing. Sure, sure, I admire their spunk, but where’s the fear and self-loathing that make up a good teen drama?

Worst Week. I don’t even think I mentioned it originally. It’s like Meet the Fockers, except it won’t ever end. Can’t handle the uncomfortable-ness week after week.

And then, from the October list, we’re barely into the month, and I have very low expectations for Kath & Kim, based on some pretty sad reviews.

I do however, love The Ex List, already, and of course the old standbys: HIMYM, Office, Survivor, Amazing Race. ANTM, ProRun, and Gossip Girl. Grey’s. Life!! It’s so good. And Earl has relocated its mojo. I’m teetering with Privileged as well as Top Design, but we’ll see. SNL has been pretty good, and I’m looking forward to the Thursday specials. But, you know. That’s about it for the shows. Oh, Two and a Half Men and NAOOChristine made the cut as well, but I wouldn’t lose any sleep if the DVR glitched during their time slot.

It’s a cutthroat world if you’re living in my DVR. Please discuss your own INs and OUTs in the comments!

PSA: Gossip Girl

For those of you who share my summer goal of catching up on Gossip Girl, the CW is airing the pilot on Sunday night, and then the following episode on Monday night, so I imagine they will then air the entire season over the course of the summer. Starting at the very beginning. On TV, instead of the stop-start, small-screened jumpiness of online viewing.

Clearly the program schedulers have read our blog and set it all up, just for me. Program those DVRs! and discuss with me.

In related news, the Summer of Books is also well underway, as I spent the better part of this weekend "lolling out in the yard, watching the children play," with a book in hand, or a magazine, whichever. Of course it's going to be scorching hot before you know it, but until them, I'm soaking it up. It's idyllic. It's kind of heaven, letting your mind and self just "be."

Penelope out.

the face of depression in america

Or at least in our house, this is what depression looks like. Here is our upcoming DVRroll of shows to be recorded. Two. Two shows, and one of them isn't even mine.

I'm withering away...

On a side note, it was a complete fluke that I happened to catch a Wal-Mart commercial on the camera as well. And I had nothing to do with that Real World descrip. Sometimes brilliance just happens.

pen's picks, fall 2007

Yowwwwza. Fall 2007 TV starts officially, in my mind, tonight. Next week will be marginally more exciting, to be sure, but tonight on the CW is the premiere of America's Next Top Model, a tried and true favorite. Also premiering are a few try-them-out shows, Kid Nation and Gossip Girl. To mark the occasion of this long-anticipated return of The Good Television, here's a list of what I'll be watching, barring any DVR Scheduling Nightmares.

Old Favorites:
The Office
Survivor: China
My Name is Earl
Grey's Anatomy
Friday Night Lights
How I Met Your Mother
Scrubs (late October)
ANTM
Heroes
Ugly Betty--maybe
30 Rock
Nip/Tuck


High Hopes for*:

MONDAY--
Journeyman: could be like a spin on The Time Traveler's Wife?
Samantha Who? (w/ Sookie from Gilmore Girls)
Aliens in America (w/ Luke from Gilmore Girls)
Chuck

TUESDAY--
Reaper

WEDNESDAY--
Kid Nation: part of me is like, ick, this is going to suck, but the buzz is so alluring
Pushing Daisies: please be good
Private Practice: ugh, the pilot was pretty lame, but I love Addison and so therefore must give it a chance
Gossip Girl: I feel like I should be beyond this, but the reviews have not been half bad, and I do enjoy Bee from the Sisterhood of the Pants. Remaining question: would the books be worth reading, too?
Bionic Woman
Life: what is this one about, really, I don't even know. But the commercials seemed intriguing.

THURSDAY--
There is no room in my heart or on my DVR for anything new on Thursdays, sorry. Oh, except maybe Big Shots. Just because the boys are hot and the show is being touted as a male S&TC doesn't mean it will go anywhere.

FRIDAY--
Women's Murder Club? I don't know if I have the strength.

Will Watch One Time Only, Just to See How Bad it Is:
Cavemen

Will Watch, Despite Full Awareness of How Bad it Is:
One Tree Hill (early January)

Will Miss Until their Return:
ProRun (November)
Lost (January)


Now I completely realize that there will be some Judging going on amongst readers. Isn't that a lot of shows, pen? Don't you have a toddler to take care of, and a baby on the way? Why yes, yes I do. But bear in mind that at least half of the new shows will simply not live up to expectation, and will immediately be axed from the DVRroll. Second, hello, kids' bedtime? TV watching is what all hours after 8PM are for. As to the remaining skeptics, perhaps you don't have a DVR and remain unaware of just how efficiently shows are watched without commercial interruption. It's the only way to live. Should you still continue to judge, I will assume you also lack skills in multi-tasking, i.e. if asked to watch and entertain a toddler, feed a baby, crochet a blanket, plan dinner, and clip coupons all while watching Fine Fall Television, you would turn pale and begin to cry. In which case, I'm sorry you're so weak.

In the meantime, life of course goes on in all its richness, with family and good friends and amusing children, books to read, creative endeavors to pursue, and ebay deals to scout. But ah, Fall TV, how I missed you, glad you're finally back. Yippee!


*For information on any of the new shows, may I recommend EW.com.