If you want something really, really bad...

So, renewal/cancellations seem to be about through now, yes?

Most of the shows I watched made it through. With some dinosaurs it`s not even a question anymore. Like, hands up who thought Big Bang Theory was gonna get cancelled? Yeah, thought so. Some renewals also put some shows into I`m certain-they-will-be-renewed-next-year-as-well-territories. Both Grimm and Person of Interest are now going into their respective Seasons 4. And therefore syndication-stuff. Meaning, baring any cataclysmic ratings collapse, they will each get a Season 5 as well. Both are reliable and solid performers, something more valuable than big hits that bleed viewers year to year.

Also, most of the decisions didn`t surprise me. Other than renewing Beauty and the Beast. Like Seriously, CW? I thought this was gonna get axed for sure. And I even tentatively still watch it so this isn`t hate-speak but it was the fucking lowest-rated drama show of their entire Season.

And in the end the cancellation of Community surprised me, too. It wouldn`t have every other Season before this one but I thought for sure they were going for "Six Seasons and a movie" now. Hm.

The Tomorrow People was not unexpected but also a little bit sad. I mean, the show itself was never particularly good. Its subset, though, which I like to call the "John Young show"? That was reasonably fine. Oh well.

A bit sad CW didn`t pick up Bloodlines. Not because it was good or anything but for the sole reason I had hoped Singer and the nepotism duo would go there. Think about it, it could have been a paradise for their dog-fucking fantasies.

Almost Human and Dracula have been cancelled as well. Both expected. And both could have been executed much better. Some shows, the premise already sucks. These two could have had potential but alas.

Oh, and I see CBS picked up the NCIS New Orleans thing. Well, I hated the backdoor Pilot so I doubt I`ll be watching. But hey, they could have X-overs with the Originals seeing as they are both set in the city. Now, I think NOLA is fascinating but is there something to the sudden uptick in its use as a show location?

As for the Pilot schedule - and I say this as someone who loves superhero stuff in any variation - I`m not terribly sure being avalanched by five million comic book-y shows AT ONCE will be a good choice. I spoiled some of my favourite food ever (well, it used to be) by overconsumption.

Meanwhile, I`m at the point where I would sell my soul for ONE (good) Sci-Fi space adventure show. I mean, I`m sure there is still an audience out there and yet noone, absolutely noone puts even one on. With the lack of competition, it should be guaranteed some success at least.

If you think about it, the shows that found favour in recent years because they were new and fresh in a way (and brought on oodles and oodles of copies and clones) were something that wasn`t on in general. Right now, everybody only seems to be following trends, atm superhero genres. Where are people MAKING trends?

Does anyone know what could be the cause of downloads not being able to complete? Like, literally go to 99 % when only a few bytes are still left to go and then stop? All browsers, all the time. Even small data, like 5 MB. I mean, I can`t even dl an anti-malware programm like this (if need be) because nothing will properly download. I could with the netbook and transfer it, though.

Just, is anyone familiar with the problem? This is so annoying.

edit:  Unsub turned out to be the Firewall. Hm.

That`s it, Vampire Diaries is going on my "I may watch it once the Season is over and I can see where it went" list.

This show used to be legitimately good from mid-Season 1 to all of Season 2, still enjoyable in Season 3 and admittedly I liked parts of Season 4. But this year, I`m sick of the writers aiming for the nadir of the nadir of storytelling - and succeeding every time. I just love annuling development for the lulz because that in no way makes me feel I wasted years watching it in the first place. *sarcasm* And their deluded interviews, obvious incapability to figure out what isn`t working and passive-aggressive asshole tweets. It`s like they think they are the SPN TPTB.

I knew dividing attention between running three shows would be too much but the old warhorse should be something of a self-ran, not an implosion. And The Tomorrow People ain`t good either, at least as long as they refuse to center it around John. That leaves The Originals which is legit good. But a batting average of 1 out of 3? Not that impressive.

Thank God Teen Wolf is currently rocking so hard.

A belated Happy New Year to all.

Hoping against hope of achieving at least some this time, I made some resolutions for 2014, namely:

- get in shape more; yes, losing weight would be an important sub-goal but it`s not just that, as I noticed on my last vacation when a simple hiking trip nearly made me collapse: I`m in lousy, lousy shape, I was never very sportive but it used to be better than that

- trying out my new keyboard, no, I can`t play but I bought it (two years ago) to actually learn to play a bit and since then it`s sitting there, gathering dust

- getting together with a couple of old buds where we have been saying we should get together some time for ages now

- read more books; again, I love it but in recent years haven`t read all that much because when I get home from work, I usually slump right in front of the computer and stay there till bedtime and on the week-ends I catch up on all my shows

- go out a bit more, I love going to the movies but, like with reading, rarely do these days

For the last two, I would actually welcome some recs. Like what kind of movies you guys are looking forward to. I usually miss so much because I don`t even know what`s coming out.

But I`d especially grateful for book-recs. In the spirit of starting out, I just finished the Ruby Red Trilogy by Kerstin Gier, a cute little time-travelling fantasy romance tale which was actually quite enjoyable and have the Hunger Games lined up. Which is not to say I only read youth lit, my taste buds are actually pretty diverse, fantasy, Sci-Fi, romance, comedy etc. Not too much into autobiography and stuff that gets marketed as "the rousing tale of one woman`s dramatic journey to..."
Or as I like to call it "you move to the African bush, what did you expect, lady?" I can love protagonists who are dark and broody and even mean but stupid is a deal-breaker.

So hit me. Metaphorically. :)

Christmas break is almost upon us and most of the fall shows aired half their Seasons by now (seriously, I think they crammed in more this year than last at this point) so I figured a final 2013 awards list was in order:

Best returning show: Arrow - firing on all cylinders right now, seriously, THIS is the comic book show of my geek dreams at the moment
runner up: Person of Interest - some fantastic arcs

Worst returning show: Vampire Diaries - last Season had problems, this one is a DISASTER, maybe it`s the showrunner being spread too thin but I sure hope they fix the hell out of it in the spring, so far they managed non-sucky writing for only one!!! character
runner up: none actually

Slashiest returning show: Haven - let me bathe in the Duke/Nathan of this year and forget everything else
runner up: none

Best new show: The Originals - after the backdoor Pilot, I was SO sure this would suck and get killed in the ratings but I`m surprised by how good it is,
runner up: Sleepy Hollow - the cast is great and I like the stories, at the beginning of the Season, this one would have easily made number one but I feel it bottomed out whereas Originals is climbing in quality

Worst new show: Atlantis - probably noone is even watching it and only my OCD will get me to finish this Season but why isn`t it at least trashy fun and cutely slashy?
runner up: neither Agents of Shield (it improved somewhat) nor The Tomorrow People (it has pretty, pretty John who would be such an interesting main character) but they are still both on the naughty list

Best slashy new show: Almost Human - penis envy, nough said :)
runner up: Dracula - Dracula and Renfield FTW

Guilty pleasure: Reign - I can`t help it, it`s cracky fun with gorgeous costume, the milquetoast prince if prettier than all the girls and who would have thought that Anne of Green Gables can rock a villain?
runner up: Witches of East End, I guess - it`s silly and soapy but the supernatural elements can be entertaining

I know Person of Interest must be really dividing fans right now but while I think there were some missteps in the previous episode, I found the newest one positively mesmerizing. At once just like I expected it to go yet nothing at all how I imagined either. ( Spoilers for 3.10 )

Thank you so much for the Birthday wishes and messages, guys. :)

Sleepy Hollow - love, love, love. Definite keeper.

Agents of Shield - it`s bland, generic and boring and everything I wouldn`t expect from a Whedon show. I mean, even Dollhouse generated a feeling for me: hatred. This one? Somehow I`m feeling so confused because I SHOULD like it and apparently, I`m missing something because I don`t. Buzzuh?

The Tomorrow People - what do you know, it`s bland, generic and boring, too. Doesn`t help that I find the side guy both much hotter and way more interesting than the lead. Also, if said lead is supposed to be Stephen Amell`s cousin, why isn`t he at least hot? I know, shallow, table for one.

BBC`s Atlantis - it`s like Merlin got turned into a vampire and lots its soul. Seriously, why is this so boring? There isn`t even trashy fun and slash. That was all these writers ever managed and now they don`t even get this right.

Haven`t watched Reign yet but word of mouth ain`t so great to begin with anyways.

In terms of my returning shows, they all do okay right now. The only one I`m side-eyeing atm is Vampire Diaries. At least they explained one of the most boring romances in TV.

So that new Atlantis show on BBC premiered yesterday? Totally missed that.

Anyways, I just watched the first ep and it was better than I imagined. The lead came across as much more likeable and alive than in the promos. Yes, it is a Merlin clone and you can expect from these people the same tropes and failures with which they butchered Arthurian legends. However, I believe this will work better because a) to be forewarned is to be forearmed and b) I don`t foresee getting emotionally attached to the characters.

Because that is what was the problem on Merlin. Caring too much meant it hurt what they were doing to those poor characters. You got angry and disappointed. Whereas this should just work as a light, fun-hearted romp, mindless popcorn entertainment. Never really going deeper. Yes, there is obvious slash bait but while the Merlin Pilot was goofy and campy, the Merthur was the one aspect that was instantly on point for me. On Atlantis, I see where they`re going and I`m not getting off at that station.

Did anybody watch the premiere episode of Sleepy Hollow?

I adore the movie and went through phases of "YAY" when the show was first announced to "NOOOOO" when they ix-nayed the period setting and would instead put it in modern times. Then back to "Cool" when I saw the first trailer.

My first verdict would be: the trailer didn`t lie. It looks fun, genuinely scary at times and I do like the twist they took to turn it into a larger story. Not their fault that I`m probably going to be soured on what used to be some of my most favourite genre stories for the next fifty years due to some asinine other take on it.

The leads are unknowns - at least to me - and I really like them both. The guy playing Ichabod is a major charmer and certainly easy on the eyes. Abby, the female lead, is sympathetic and competent without being oversold. Thank you, unknown writers. (No idea who created this show and too lazy to look).

For now, a definite keeper.

Also tried out Under the Dome (edited because the show bored me so much, I couldn`t even remember its proper name :) which just wasn`t my cup of tea. The premise sounded cool but somehow I envisioned something like those Fringe episodes where they went to a "cursed" town, only longterm. Instead it quickly turned into another variation of "asshole characters doing asshole things (which I could live with) AND being boring doing so (which I can`t)." A most definite "nay".