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.

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As much as I’ve reviewed all the new series and talked about my favorite returners so far, it may be hard to believe that my most anticipated television show has yet to premiere. Even more interesting is this anticipated show won’t even be airing on one of the main broadcast networks. And even more peculiar is it will be premiering and regularly airing on a Friday night. But then the most bewildering thing of all is that it’s not even a completely original show, but both a spin-off and a reboot of the shows that came before it. Don’t worry though, you don’t have to have seen or have any knowledge of it’s predecessors to enjoy this new offering from the television gods.

So yes, despite everything Stargate Universe has still managed to become one of the most buzzed about and top 10 most anticipated new shows of the fall. So sit back and let me have a couple minutes to suggest why you should join me tonight at 9pm on SyFy. Hopefully after you read this you’ll be as excited as I am about it. But we’re not going to take my word for it.

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The ALMA Awards or American Latino Media Arts Awards honoring the accomplishments of Hispanics in entertainment was televised this past Friday. And while it is exciting to see all the Hispanic talent get their moment, what my mother and I were more interesting in seeing was if anyone from Spain was going to perform, present, or anything. This then got us into a discussion about who are the most famous and well-known Spaniards around the world. Which, of course, got me curious and researching to find all the famous Spaniards I could remember. What follows is as much for me as it is for you. Picspam time!

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It’s that time of the year again. Quite possibly one of my favorite times of the year. The time when all our favorite shows that left us hanging this past spring or all the new shows we’ve heard promoted all summer are finally here. One week and counting til the start of Fall TV 2009. Are you ready?

Have you read the releases and watched the trailers for all the new shows? Have you made your TV schedule? Do you know what days and times everything will premiere? Do you have your DVR, VCR, or Torrents set?

Great, then there’s still time to advise you on my picks for this TV season. So, without further adieu:

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This is coming a little later than I would have liked, but better late than never. This is in conjunction with my previous post on the fall lineup.

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Upfront week for the main networks has come and gone. I haven’t even had a chance to look at the shows and schedules til now. But like every year, I’m here to present my choices, interests, and thoughts in the offerings for the upcoming season. And as always, complete upfront information for each channel can be found at TheFutonCritic.

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