I guess if Tom isn’t watching it, then I WILL!

Here’s what I’ve watched so far:

America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 9: I think that’s the right season number. In any case, it’s getting a little predictable. The show is cast for personality perhaps even moreso than modeling ability, with Tyra hoping against hope that she can change these girls’ lives. She should be looking more for modeling acumen, but that’s just me. In any case, we get our stereotypical witch, the shy one with a disability, the one who’s trying hard to overcome molestation, rape, abuse, etc. (probably more than one), the pageant girl who doesn’t stand a chance and is just there for laughs, and a couple of ugly ducklings that scream high model.

Since the models pranced around in bikinis for most of the hour, you barely even notice the dramatic up skirt angles the camera takes when the girls walk down the stairs of the luxury ocean liner they’re on.

Let’s start placing our bets on which one will have the panic attack when Tyra tells her that her hair is getting chopped off.

Kitchen Nightmares: I like Gordon Ramsey. Many have doubted the veracity of this series, and they may turn out to be right. It’s too early to tell. I know this: I enjoyed the first episode, but it had way too quick an ending. The jerk of an owner of the restaurant remained a self-centered jerk through all the fighting, the talks with Chef Ramsey, the life lessons Ramsey tried to teach him, and the gifts he was given. But at 9:55, one discussion suddenly turns the jerk’s life around and he’s a good family man who helps out his people and runs a successful restaurant. RiiIIIiight.

Reality TV is all in the editing. That’s where the story is shaped, even moreso (again with that word) than what the camera guys in the field do. Perhaps it’s asking too much to make a believable edit out of this much material. But at least they stick to the restaurant and the drama surrounding its turnaround. Other shows — Extreme Makeover: Home Edition — are far too busy shopping at their show’s sponsor and talking about what an important job they’re doing to actually bother showing us HOW THEY BUILD THE FLIPPING HOUSE! At least here we see more of the details, as broadly sketched as they might be.

What can I honestly expect from just an hour, though, right? At least they don’t spend half their time teasing what’s coming up after each commercial break. That’s a nice change of pace.

This one’s definitely a keeper on my fall schedule.

Beauty and the Geek, Season Four: I like the new twists on the show this season. And the contestant selection special (clocking in at LESS than the first full hour) was entertaining and mercifully brief. Looks like they’re trying to make the host of the show more personable. We saw him smiling, interacting with people, and not just reading scripts stiffly. Is this CW’s attempt to create their own Ryan Seacrest?
Noticed how all the geeks in the show had to mention their comic book collections. And judging by the coming attractions, they’re heading down to San Diego Comic-Con later this season. I didn’t see anyone mention the show filming at Comic-Con this year, though. Odd.

Also noticed the ThinkGeek “Binary People” t-shirt, and an L33T t-shirt that made me laugh.

My wife is a little worried that I got so much of what the geeks were talking about. I pointed out that just because I know what LARPing is, doesn’t mean I endorse the hobby. I still laugh mightily over the classic “Lightning Bolt” YouTube video.

In the end, though, the show makes me proud to be a geek — because I know that I’m still better than those people, no matter how bad I might ever have been.

In other TV: Won’t be watching Dancing With The Stars this year, in large part because three hours is a lot to ask of me in one week for a premiere. Ugh. I’m still working on cutting down how much TV I watch. The summer was nice that way.

I do want to see REAPER this coming week. And CHUCK, whenever it premieres. I’d like to start back up on BOSTON LEGAL when it starts Tuesday. It’s already adding up too quickly, I’m afraid.

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 23rd, 2007 at 8:40 am and is filed under TV. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.