Mystical Magick

There are so many shows premiering or returning each year, that deciding what to watch or what to continue watching can be quite a task. Here are some important qualities I use when judging a television series. Then we’ll take a look at some shows I watch and see what comes out on top.

Television Show Pyramid

• A good solid base…: An intriguing premise or story that says something interesting and can be expanded upon over time.
• …on which all other factors are rooted: Good acting, writing, directing, cinematography, music, etc. For the most part these things just have to be average. But when they’re firing at all cylinders, and coupled with all the other qualities, is when we really know we’ve got something special.
• Someone to take us through…: Compelling multifaceted characters that you care about and want to know what happens to them from week to week.
• …the journey to the other side: Good character and story development every episode. Especially standalone episodes, even if it’s a crumb of a scene lodged somewhere within the episode.

The Shows

V on ABC

“V deals with issues of faith in a confusing world; terrorism; political leaders and the hope they offer. Beyond mere intrigue over what will happen next, viewers can debate the meaning behind various characters and plots and relate them to real world issues.” – The TV Addict

“For V to function well as a series, rather than an action-packed TV event, it’s going to need to get to work on its characters and dialogue. The premise, like I said, is rock-solid. And every actor in the ensemble is perfectly capable, with the right material, of being charismatic. But it won’t rise above the level of sci-fi curio unless things get a little deeper, or at least more rousing.” – The A.V. Club

Before the show had even premiered there was news of production problems and even a change in showrunner. Usually these kinds of problems so early in a show means disaster. And truthfully, I expected the worst. Instead, we got a show that is actually an intriguing look at a number of contemporary concerns in religion, politics, terrorism, racism, immigration, etc.

But while the premise and ideas the writers put forth are enticing, the storytelling is unfortunately too formulaic and really a drag on what could otherwise be a good show. Still, the writing in the last episode and the introduction of the Fifth Column as an alien resistance group, gives me hope that the writers may soon be fleshing out and adding more layers to their story.

Must See: 1×04 ‘It’s Only the Beginning’
Returns: March 30

Dollhouse on FOX

“Even without the behind-the-scenes featurettes and commentary that explicitly call out Fox’s interference, it’s obvious just from watching those episodes and the show’s evolution that ham-fisted executives screwed the pooch. They wanted sexed-up action-adventure confined to single-episode stories, killing what was most intriguing about this and all of Whedon’s shows: the through-line, the meta.” – SCI FI Wire

“The real challenge with Dollhouse (and it’s a doozy) was finding a relatable character. … The major story arc of the first season is Echo emerging as a person, a sort of composite of her imprints with a single organizing intelligence/identity. But for most of the first season, she’s not really anybody.” – GeekaChicas

I have a love and hate relationship with Dollhouse. As a fan of Joss Whedon, I love that we were able to get glimpses of greatness. But at the same time I hate that overall this show just wasn’t as good as it could have been.

I’ve been saying it since the beginning, the main problem with the show was not enough mythology and no relatable character. Both of these things we’ve finally gotten in the second half of season two with the awareness of Echo, stepping Victor and Sierra up as characters, and bringing out the mythology and story behind Echo and the Dollhouse. It’s now becoming the show it should have been all along. Sadly, it’s all too little, too late.

Even though many will choose to see this series as a failed experiment, at the least it was an interesting exercise in character development and atypical storytelling. And at the most, it introduced and brought together many great minds and talents. I’m eager to see where the cast and crew go next.

Must See: 2×04 ‘Belonging’, 2×10 ‘The Attic’
Returns: Jan. 8

Gossip Girl on CW

“This season’s Gossip Girl episodes have all been enjoyable, but the season overall has felt disappointing, as there’s been a lack of real scandal or overarching narratives.”…until the last two that is. – The TV Addict

The first couple episodes of the season had us waiting to see if the writers could create storylines revolving around the new college setting. And while we all tried to settle into this new world, their escapades sometimes felt out of place. Thankfully, this season then got a second wind as the writers realized that even more important than the gang going to college is the fact they’re having to grow up as they do so. They are now adults and having to deal with coming of age situations: dealing with the past, figuring out their future, trying to fit in the bigger world, establishing their own identity, etc. So, the show may have left high school behind, but it hasn’t lost its spark or its witty dialogue.

Must See: 3×11 ‘The Treasure of Serena Madre’, 3×12 ‘The Debarted’
Returns: March 8

Glee on FOX

“Writer Most In Need Of Reigning In: Yes, Glee is one of the most delightful shows to come down the pike in ages. But could someone please teach creator Ryan Murphy a lesson or two in pacing and longterm story telling?” – The TV Addict

“While the storytelling still remains a frustrating mess at times, the Fox series’ vibrant musical numbers and talented cast have consistently kept it on my TiVo must list, and I confess that even with its flaws, TV would be poorer without Glee.” – Variety

Yes, Glee is a highly enjoyable show. And yes, it has a great premise and it’s unique, innovative, and quirky. But the series relies too much on that Glee-factor, and not enough on fixing the underlying problems like the uneven pacing, unrealistic storylines, a tone alternating between wildly cartoonish and genuine heartfelt moments, and the archetypal over-the-top characters. So the show still has some things to work out, but I can’t wait until they do and it truly becomes great.

Must See: 1×04 ‘Preggers’, 1×09 ‘ Wheels’
Returns: April 13. But a DVD of Glee 1.0 is now in stores.

FlashForward on ABC

“Show That Should Be Better Than It Is: FLASHFORWARD’s premise is phenomenal, and it understands the importance of a weekly cliffhanger. And yet somehow… it just hasn’t found its groove.” – The TV Addict

I like FlashForward. And I’ve heard from quite a few people who really like it, too. But I’m also hearing a lot of people think it’s boring. What do I think is the problem? A little bit of a couple things. One, the characters. I don’t think people are completely invested in the characters as they should be. Most likely because this is a situational drama and the writers have focused more on the overall mystery and the flashfowards, than the characters in it. Sorry to say, but the writers may need to look to Lost for how to combine a crazy premise and interesting likable characters. I hear a lot of people liked the midseason finale, so let’s hope for better on the flip side.

Must See: 1×08 ‘The Gift’, 1×09 ‘Believe’, 1×10 ‘A561984′
Returns: March 18. But a DVD of FlashForward 1.0 will be in stores on Feb. 23.

Fringe on FOX

“We hope that Fringe will return its focus on this Other Side storyline full-time, not only for the good of the show, but because it means we’ll be seeing a lot more Thomas Newton every show.” – TV Fanatic

Compelling characters. Interesting premise. Good mix of comedy and drama. Shocking sequences that keep you on the edge of your seat. A much talked about season finale last year. Then, why do I find the show so difficult to stay interested in? I seem to have trouble figuring out where the writers are taking us and what is the long term story arc. I don’t think the show has found the right balance of MOTW and plot/character driven episodes. We’re still waiting to visit the Other Side and get back to the greatness of last season’s finale.

Must See: 2×04 ‘Momentum Deferred’, 2×08 ‘August’, 2×10 ‘Grey Matters’
Returns: Jan. 14

Stargate Universe on SYFY

“I, for one, haven’t seen a series with this many ups and downs in quite a while, but I’m happy to conclude that the ups outweigh the downs by a considerable amount, and that those ups make this a series worth watching.” – Den of Geek

Stargate Universe takes the great premise of its predecessors, but exchanged their lighthearted feel for a realistic character-driven drama. But in doing so, I think the show has gone too far to the other side. Episodes such as ‘Life’ that focus too much on the communication stones and the characters’ lives on Earth is the show’s weakest point. Whereas episodes like ‘Light’, ‘Time’, and ‘Justice’ which balance the character-driven elements with it’s science fiction premise are the clear highlights. In order to succeed, the show has to find the right mix of realism and drama with action and science fiction.

Must See: 1×05 ‘Light’, 1×08 ‘Time’, 1×10 ‘Justice’
Returns: April 2. But a DVD of Stargate Universe 1.0 will be in stores on Feb. 9.

The Vampire Diaries on CW

“Show That’s Way, Way Better Than You Think: No doubt viewed by many as a TV version of Twilight, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is instead a surprisingly addictive thriller that just may be the best new show of the fall season.” – The TV Addict

Whether the show is your cup of tea or not is of course a matter of individual opinion. But structurally, this is the way a show should be done. Each episode reveals or develops a new part of the characters and the season story arc. And new information is not simply revealed by exposition, but as the story requires it. Everything just keeps unfolding like a flower.

Must See: 1×03 ‘Friday Night Bites’, 1×08 ‘Haunted’, 1×10 ‘The Turning Point’
Returns: Jan. 21

Categorized as Television

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