Kath here, parachuting in for new mom Margot, who barely has time to remember her own middle name never mind watch TV or go to movies, so busy is she with her little guys.
And given that I am el-cheapo, I also have not been to any movies lately (although I did watch Sex and the City three times on the flight home from London). We do, however, spend an inordinate amount of money on TV in this household, so I thought I’d do a little top 5 preview on all the shows I’m getting excited about for this NEW! TV season.
First and foremost, my absolute, all-time, fave show EVAH is back, and with a lovely Canuck twist. That’s right: my top pick for Fall 2008 is…
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA
There are no words to express how much I loved the American version of this show (I actually only watched Season 4), and I am already gearing up to love SYTYCD Canada every bit as much. First of all, my favourite choreographer is back but in a bigger role…Jean-Marc Genereux is top judge. Secondly, holy wow but can Canadian dancers dance or what?!!? There is a lot of talent in this little pond, folks, so don’t be shy…set that PVR for CTV on Wednesdays AND Thursdays (starting again October 1st).
And if you just can’t catch the show, check out my other blog, This Is Kat, for my take on the best numbers and my favourite dancers of each episode.
Okay, I’ll admit it. I had to look up Gabon — but then again, I have had to look up a number of the other Survivor locales in previous seasons, too. And no, I did not have to look up Africa, China or Australia! To save you the trouble, Gabon is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo and the Gulf of Guinea.
Billed as "Earth’s Last Eden", this season of Survivor pits 18 hapless castaways against each other in the inevitable fight for ONE MILLION DOLLARS (said in best Doctor Evil voice). And if you didn’t catch the heavy-handed clue in the subtitle, the main theme of the series apparently shapes up to be a battle of good vs. evil (oh, goody. I love that kind). And in case you still didn’t catch it (some times I can be that dense, too, so don’t feel bad), the clue is Eden. As in garden of. But then the producers of Survivor are masters of the heavy-handed — and often deliberately misleading — clue.
But there is a first for this, the 17th season of the first mega-hit reality show: it’s filmed in HD, which is a thrill for anyone who owns a big-screen, high-definition TV. Sometimes we just like to watch something other than FOOTBALL and NATURE SHOWS in HD, ya know?
It premieres Thursday, September 25 on CBS. At 8pm ET/PT but do that timeshifting thang if you wanna. Just be sure to record the HD channel – it’ll be worth it this season!
This Emmy-award-winning reality program (it has won ALL SIX Emmys in its category since the creation of the category!) is anther hit for CBS. Premiering Sunday, September 28 at 8pm ET/PT, this is one the whole family can enjoy…especially the armchair "quarterbacks" like me and my hubby; totally convinced that we could kick ass on "The Race" after our 2 week European holiday!
This is one show that really is more about good ol’ human ingenuity and teamwork than how you look in a bikini (sorry, Survivor…I still love ya though). And even though the first episode has yet to air, I already have a favourite team. Meet Anita and Arthur, beekeepers and organic blueberry farmers by day, Santa Claus and Mother Nature by night. Dontcha just want to hug them and then sing some folk songs and ask them for really wise advice? I do.
Ha! I so do not watch only reality TV!
Well, finally we humble Canadians will get to watch Season 2 of HBOs smash hit as it follows Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn on their train-wreck of a marriage. And be warned…things will get darker this season, as Anne fails to deliver the promised son (darned Elizabeth…what a nobody she turned out to be!)
Likely there’s not a person out there who doesn’t already know the outcome of their relationship, which makes Henry’s deathgrip on Anne’s "little neck" (she’s famously quoted as saying " and I have a little neck" on the way to the scaffold) all the more meaningful in the poster above.
Wheuh. Gives me the heebie-jeebies. Still, there’s not a chance that I’ll miss this show. But do not. I repeat, DO. NOT. let your children watch it. Seriously. Unless you want to be paying for psychiatrists for the next 20 years.
The Tudors premieres on September 30th at 9pm (local) on CBC.
This hilarious MuchMusic dish-fest is definitely also not for the junior set, but after a long day of work and, well, work (aka caring for the family) this is a delightfully fun way to unwind. Plus, it makes you feel smart! And not only smart compared to regular people: smarter and better than big pop stars who make millions of dollars!
Mondays at 6:30 pm or catch reruns on Much at other dates & times.
Thanks Kath for the great reco’s!!
South of the border I’m really looking forward to Worst Week (Mondays at 9:30 on CBS). Think Meet the Parents without all that unnerving Ben Stiller weirdness & a fiance that you actually like, not cheer for our poor main schlep to leave. We watched the first episode on Monday & we both almost peed.
Ooo, what else? Sarah Connor Chronicles (Monday at 8pm on FOX), because I can finally look at Brian Austin Green & not see David Silver. And Lena Headley kicks some serious butt. Gotta love some butt-kicking women!!
My TIVO/PVR is in high gear on Mondays because of How I Met Your Mother & Big Bang Theory on CBS. And also Dancing with the Stars, which seems to have it’s most interesting group of “stars” yet. Somethings gotta give, so I will probably drop Stars & catch up with it online. Or I could just get another TIVO!!
I like J.J. Abrams’ new show Fringe (Tues at 9pm on FOX) particularly because I have a bit of a crush on Joshua Jackson. The show is pseudo X-Files, so I’m definitely giving it a chance.
Friday Night Lights is now on Wednesday (I know, wrap your head around that), but only on Directv (channel 101 at 9pm), but fret not, it will return to NBC midseason.
Really the only other ones I’m psyched about are 30 Rock (Tina Fey you are a G-E-N-I-U-S) & Desperate Housewives for the sole reason to find out what the #$@% is going on with the flashforward 5 years. They went all Lost on us, & I love it.
Speaking of Lost, it returns (as well as Battlestar Galactica & 24) midseason, so keep your eye out for that.
Phew, well that was my $39.50 on the new tv season. Can’t wait to hear what everyone else is looking forward to!!
I can’t wait for The Amazing Race! And, of course, I LOVE my SYTYCD!!