Nialli's unofficial blog on Virgin Media's UK cable TV services
December 20, 2010
Best new US series of 2010?
It's not showing in HD, but over on Five USA this week and next they're repeating the first season of the excellent Justified at 11pm every night. Highly recommended.
I think it says a lot about the weakness of this year's new shows that I'm actually struggling to think of a better one than Justified, which started off OK, but quickly turned out very lame. It just completely lost what little edge it had, and every episode seemed to follow the exact same formula. All it has going for it is Timothy Olyphant's charisma.
Actually, Covert Affairs tops it. It's not great either, but slightly better.
Hawaii Five-O is a decent action show, which I would probably also rate higher than Justified, even if I can't be bothered to watch it.
Same goes for No Ordinary Family. A so-so live action The Incredibles rip-off(ish)
Boardwalk Empire is probably also better in some way, but I found it too dull to bother with.
I thought Justified started slowly but grew into something special. I'm an Elmore Leonard fan of old and the original novels are two of my favourites, so I'm biased anyway. I agree that the new US series this year have been poor. The Event would be better called "The Non-Event" and the reviews of Treme and Boardwalk Empire have been less enthusiastic than the pre-launch hype. Some of the older shows are still good - Mad Men, Fringe and Modern Family are to my eyes better than ever - but I still see nothing that makes compelling viewing like Battlestar Galactica and Lost. UK TV though has been good: Sherlock, Thorne and Misfits were all excellent, so it's not all gloom.
Yes, it's only been the new shows that have disappointed. Most of the "returning champions" have been on good form, particularly Modern Family, which had an occasionally brilliant but somewhat uneven first season.
3 comments:
I think it says a lot about the weakness of this year's new shows that I'm actually struggling to think of a better one than Justified, which started off OK, but quickly turned out very lame. It just completely lost what little edge it had, and every episode seemed to follow the exact same formula. All it has going for it is Timothy Olyphant's charisma.
Actually, Covert Affairs tops it. It's not great either, but slightly better.
Hawaii Five-O is a decent action show, which I would probably also rate higher than Justified, even if I can't be bothered to watch it.
Same goes for No Ordinary Family. A so-so live action The Incredibles rip-off(ish)
Boardwalk Empire is probably also better in some way, but I found it too dull to bother with.
All in all, 2010 has been pathetic for new shows.
I thought Justified started slowly but grew into something special. I'm an Elmore Leonard fan of old and the original novels are two of my favourites, so I'm biased anyway.
I agree that the new US series this year have been poor. The Event would be better called "The Non-Event" and the reviews of Treme and Boardwalk Empire have been less enthusiastic than the pre-launch hype. Some of the older shows are still good - Mad Men, Fringe and Modern Family are to my eyes better than ever - but I still see nothing that makes compelling viewing like Battlestar Galactica and Lost.
UK TV though has been good: Sherlock, Thorne and Misfits were all excellent, so it's not all gloom.
Yes, it's only been the new shows that have disappointed. Most of the "returning champions" have been on good form, particularly Modern Family, which had an occasionally brilliant but somewhat uneven first season.
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