True confessions time: For the last three weeks, I’ve been in TV detox. Aside from the occasional Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica episode (and my usual diet of horse racing), I’ve barely turned on the telly. In fact, my DVR has taken to sending me adorable e-cards in an effort to reconnect. (She knows I’m a sucker for pictures of kittens hanging from tree branches.)
Tonight, however, my sabbatical ends with the series premiere of Showtime’s Secret Diary of a Call Girl. EW’s TV critic Gillian Flynn gives the half-hour dramedy an A- in our latest issue, and I concur. Call Girl is sexy, smart, and intermittently hilarious, and series star Billie Piper (pictured) is downright revelatory in the title role of Hannah/Belle. I’ve already zipped through the first four episodes (thanks to Showtime’s preview discs) but I’m planning to rewatch the pilot tonight; it’s that fantastic. (We’ll also have a TV Watch on the show on EW.com tomorrow morning!) (Update: Click here to read it!)
Of course, with my unfortunate tele-fast coming to its inevitable end, here’s what I want to know: What other current and upcoming TV series should I be adding to my DVR schedule? I’ve already got My Life on the D List in the queue, and I’m secretly pre-obsessed with NBC’s The Baby Borrowers. Give me a list of three additional shows worth watching. (Yes, I’m putting a limit on your list — ’cause I’m strict like that!)
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Project Runway will be back on Bravo. Catch it before it goes Lifetime medicore!
Are you as disappointed with Catherine Tate on Doctor Who as I am? I had such high hopes that she would be a great comic foil for the Doctor – but it has been pretty bland – I was glad to see Martha Jones show up for two episodes.
1. The Closer
2. Weeds
3. Swingtown
Trying to actually AVOID television – that’s my summer TV obsession!
My 3 Must Watches of Summer are: The Closer, Burn Notice and Saving Grace. I am sure I will add Weeds to this list but I am currently only current through Season 2 and must watch 3 before starting 4. Whew!
1. The Closer
2. My Boys
3. Burn Notice (thanks EW for telling me about this one. Love it!)
1. Mad Men
2. The Closer
3. So You Think You Can Dance
Bonus show: The Olympics
1. Weeds
2. Burn Notice
3. Big Brother
4. The Mole
Psych, Mad Men, My Boys–2 fluff, 1 substantial
Burn Notice, My Boys, and So You Think You Can Dance! How could our resident AI obsessive miss out on the fantastic dance magic of SYTYCD?!
1. Burn Notice
2. Eureka
3. The Closer
1. Army Wives
2. Burn Notice
3. The Closer
I know the limit is 3, but I can’t forget Project Runway!
1. My Boys
2. Burn Notice
3. America’s Best Dance Crew
1. My Boys
2. Army Wives
3. Project Runway
I’ve noticed a decline in my TV viewing, too. It started with the strike. But I am looking forward to:
1. Psych
2. Burn Notice
3. Summer Olympics
1. last comic standing. the formula is tired. the winner never goes onto any big fame. and bill bellamy isn’t the best host. but the comics are – gasp – actually really funny. just fast forward through the bad ones, throw on while you’re making dinner, and you’ll see what i mean.
2. legally blond: the search for the next elle woods. what’s better than watching young theater girls compete to be in one of the most annoying (yet enjoyable) musicals of all time? it’s a train wreck and i can’t look away!
3. degrassi. new season starts in july. i mean, need i say more?
1. Psych
2. Project Runway
3. It used to be Weeds, but I won’t be watching this season. We’ll see what takes this spot!
1. So You Think You Can Dance
2. Legally Blonde: The Search for the Next Elle Woods
3. Design Star
And just for this year, the Olympics
The Next Food Network Star.
The Next Food Network Star.
So You Think You Can Dance, the better (I know, it’s heresy I speak) younger sister of American Idol.
I saw a commercial last night for a new show starring Simon Baker. I think it’s called The Mentalist. I don’t know anything about plot or characters, but Simon Baker’s smile is enough to get me to watch the pilot.
1. So You Think You Can Dance. It’s just like American Idol, except all the contestants are actually talented, the judges actually know what they’re talking about and actually critique the performances, and the host actually is that great (and wears FABULOUS clothes).
2. Burn Notice. It’s got hottie leads, witty dialogue, and Bruce Campbell. What’s not to love?
3. Okay, I can’t put any one show here. I WOULD have put Damages, but becaused of the darned strike it won’t be back for quite a while now. I could put Project Runway, but quite frankly, I think they’re rushing it a bit after the last season, and this has me worried. And I’m not ready to give this spot to In Plain Sight just yet (I hope it gets better). So I guess that leaves me with The Closer, but I really only watch it because Kyra Sedgwick is pretty awesome in that role.
1.Doctor Who (Disappointed with Catherine Tate? Far from it! She’s the best companion they’ve had since the show came back–and this is coming from someone who is obsessed with Martha. Tate has a perfect chemistry with Tennant–and she’s funny, beautiful, and compassionate. It’s the writers’ fault that her arc has been completely overshadowed by the impending return of Rose. Sci-Fi channel butchers the show, so try to download the BBC’s broadcasts–her performance in “Forest of the Dead” is nothing short of amazing.).
Battlestar Galactica, but it’s over now for god knows how long, and Hell’s Kitchen, which is almost over too. So I guess I’ll read a lot of books until the Olympics come on.
So you think you can dance
Big Brother-although I have not watched it as much the past two seasons
And sadly Rescue Me-which will not be on this summer…
Swingtown
30 Days
Otherwise, the only others I DVR/am starting to DVR are Doctor Who and Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
1. Burn Notice
2. Psych
3. Eureka
So You Think You Can Dance, religiously
Weeds
My Life on the D List.
(If it weren’t for Lost and The Office not being on I’d vastly prefer the summer season!!)
1. Doctor Who – Court, I totally agree with you about Catherine Tate! She quickly became my favorite companion (which really surprised me since I loved Rose so much). I love that she doesn’t let the Doctor get away with certain things and challenges him frequently. I also love that there is no romantic interest from either of them. I was tired of mushy companions!
2. Psych – Can’t wait for the return of Sean and Gus!! I also can’t wait for the Season 2 DVD to be released so lots to look forward to this summer.
3. So You Think You Can Dance – This was tough as I’m also looking forward to Burn Notice. But I figured I would give the third shout-out to SYTYCD because it’s the only reality show I watch and I think it’s the one that showcases the most talent. I never miss an episode!
Wit Battlestar over, the only thing I will be watching this summer (on TV) is So You Think You Can Dance. I’m catching up on the first seasons of Mad Men and Burn Notice, but that’s on my iPod, and Weeds I’ll be watching online bc I don’t have Showtime. So Only SYTYCD is “appointment TV” right now.