How Is This Show Still On?!

[Smilla]

It kills me to post this, but my beloved Burn Notice really needs to go after this year. The writers have been phoning it in for two seasons, all the actors look bored and I don't think it has anywhere else to go plotwise.

[Deleted]

I know, they're really stretching for ways to bring in new Big Bads and keep Michael from being even marginally happy. Bruce Campbell is still awesome though.

[bklynred]

I've never thought HIMYM or The Big Bang Theory were funny, so their producers must know where the bodies are buried on those two. I agree that the CSI: massages meant well, but they ultimately haven't worked. Most of my shows are cable--basic or otherwise. I agree that Psych's gotten a little dull, but I was a late fan to it so I've gotta stand by it.

I think ending In Plain Sight this year is a smart move. Some shows just aren't meant for ten years' worth of scripts. I'll miss East Bound and Down, but knowing ahead of time it would only have three (four?) seasons kept me engaged for all those seasons.

[Laira]

Yes, American TV can learn a lot from the British. They know how to make a good show for a pre-determined amount of episodes, instead of dragging it out year after year, long after the basic premise is exhausted and the good characters leave.

[Mugsy]

I actually think CSI (original) has been greatly improved by the addition of Ted Danson. Fishburne was great, but they made the two big mistakes with him of A) giving him too much personal storyline, and B) dragging a storyline through the season.
Procedurals are popular when they stick with focusing on the stories, not the characters’ personal lives. They also suffer when a storyline continues across episodes; most people aren’t watching these shows for serialized plotlines.
I think CSI:Miami should have been cancelled 10 years ago (which is probably its entire run). I never understood why this show was popular.

[NappingAthena]

I've finally given up on Criminal Minds, because I think it should go. Firstly, because it started to go downhill last year with the Prentiss storyline, which they then decided meant that you need to know more about the characters personal lives, instead of just a bit here and there. Secondly, the mystery is gone-what I mean by that is that in the first few years you would only see flashes of the bad guy, and mostly discover things as the team did, but lately they spend as much time with the unsub as the main cast and I don't like that. Plus, its gotten too violent.

[Sunnyhorse]

Mugsy, I agree about Ted Danson. I'm really enjoying his character, although I wish they'd flesh D.B. out a bit more. I am kind of annoyed by Elisabeth Shue's character -- for fuck's sake, producers, hurry up and let us in on the backstory, wouldja, because she's not that appealing as things stand. I'm getting tired of the cutesy references to stuff we know nothing about in the two characters' shared past.

We watch CSI: Miami purely for comedy value because it's so damn bad, but, as I understand it, it is super popular outside of North America, hence its ridiculously long lifespan. Did I read that the season finale, a couple of weeks back, was also the series finale? (We had a storm here and so the satellite didn't get it onto our DVR -- need to watch it online before CBS pulls the ep, I guess.)

[newmanium]

Apr 16, 2012 17:09:11 GMT -4 Smilla said:

It kills me to post this, but my beloved Burn Notice really needs to go after this year. The writers have been phoning it in for two seasons, all the actors look bored and I don't think it has anywhere else to go plotwise.

True, but I want a Sam spinoff.

[Mugsy]

I think the issue with Criminal Minds getting too violent is that a show like this needs to one-up itself to keep viewers interested. It might sound callous, but a "basic" serial killer who abducts random young women to rape and murder is too ordinary, I suppose. Plus, it seems like a killer who kills for no reason isn't good enough; there has to be a type of victim, a reason from childhood for the crime, and so on. Thus, they have to keep coming up with more elaborate and twisted stories.
Honestly, in real life how many "serial family annihilators" have there been? Yet, on Criminal Minds, at least three in eight years.

Funny, I agree that we need a bit more info about Ted Danson and Elizabeth Shue's characters on CSI: Original, even though I normally hate that personal crap on procedurals.

[Laira]

Supernatural is rapidly heading into HITSSO territory. They're on their 5th or 6th apocalypse now, the brothers are estranged for at least the 8th time, and they're recycling plot lines. Much as I enjoy the man-pretty, I really think they should have packed it in a couple of seasons ago.