Let’s discuss something a bit different. Remember when TV shows used to come on during the fall and spring season? And summer was for reruns? I was just talking shows with a client, and realized how many are on for me right now
Wednesday has Suits
Thursday has Wayward Pines and Graceland. And Barbecue Pitmasters on Destination America (freaking awesome channel)
Friday has Defiance, Killjoys, and Dark Matter. Also, sorta Tanked and Treehouse Masters is about to come back
Sunday is the Next Food Network Star and Cuthroat Kitchen, with this season’s The Strain starting this Sunday
Tuesday is Chopped.
I also love Continuum, though that is supposed to be ended this fall with a 6 episode finale. I kinda gave up on Haven. Got tedious.
Plus stuff on Smithsonian (if you’ve never seen Aerial America, check that out), Food Network, Travel Channel, and Cooking.
What do y’all watch?
Nothing
Movies, Cardinals baseball, Daily Show
Really, John? Wow. I know a few people who are like that.
Dodgers! Of course, most games are on too late for me to spend the money on the MLB package. Devils hockey, though, always get NHL center ice.
What kind of movies?
Tonight Aquarius, Wayward Pines, Under the Dome and Complications, followed by Graceland.
Not sure if I’ll follow Wayward Pines & Under the Dome much longer. The words “jump” and “shark” keep coming to mind. Give the DVR a workout tonight.
Major Crimes
Proof
Looking forward to the second season of The Strain.
From well written dramas to goofy comedies. Classics, sci-fi, action adventure, westerns, war, comedy, drama, musicals, Disney … Casablanca, The Grey Fox, Big Lebowski, 12 Angry Men, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Winter’s Bone, King and I, Shawshank, Fiddler on the Roof, Terminators, Up, Wall-E, Sting, Star Wars movies, Bourne movies, Lord of the Rings movies… anything with Eastwood, Denzel, Jennifer Lawrence etc etc
No chick flicks, no Adam Sandler (except Happy Gilmore), Rob Schneider or Jim Carrey movies (except Truman Show), Matrix movies, Marvel comics movies, Titanic, no M. Night Shyamalan (except 6th Sense), no vampire or zombie movies (except Zombieland)
The television is set to HGTV, so that’s the first thing that comes on. The various shows, House Hunters, Rehab Addict, Buying Alaska and Fixer Upper get watched. Other shows are old Perry Mason reruns and Big Bang Theory.
In the morning, sitting on the couch before it’s time to leave for work, Early Start on CNN before 5:00, then at 5:00 I’ll flip back and forth between the Weather Channel — I need to know the weather for my job — and Fox & Friends Early; the Fox News girls all have short skirts and great legs! (I freely confess to being a sexist pig! :) )
Bar Rescue on Spike, The Last Ship on TNT, Under the Dome on CBS and during the winter, The Vikings on the History Channel. Also just about anything on the Military Channel.
Currently I am back from an extended and I do mean extended overseas work assignment and I am working on putting together a detailed report of the environmental impact of what we are purposing to do. Shortly I will be off again and My posting time will come to an end here.
Im sure at least a couple will be thrilled to see me gone.
As for TV…the last movie I watched….It was Divergent that my wife made me sit down and watch….and then we watched a Movie called a “Fault in our Stars” Starring two of the divergent cast about two teenagers with terminal cancer who fall in love. It was actually a very good movie.
I gave up on Under The Dome after the first season. There was so much shark jumping and divergence from Stephen King’s book. Seriously, how does a very rural Maine town end up with this big fight club/black market with inner city ruffians? Seemed patronizing.
Interesting list, Jeff: we’re probably pretty close in the movies we watch, despite a vast difference in politics. I love a good zombie book, I read tons of them, and I mean tons. Yet, most zombie movies and tv shows suck.
Bar Rescue is a fun watch.
Be sorry to see you go, Liam. You’re always welcome.
Pawn stars, Aerial America and Over Canada are very good.
Really enjoyed Texas Rising. I love net flix. Turn, Breaking Bad, Sherlock, Downton Abby,The Killing, House of Cards is as good as it gets and The Walking Dead.
William, if you like Zombie movies I am sure you have seen The Walking Dead. I just finished watching Season one and two and found complelled to givemy friends muy feedback about it. You may find this interesting, unless you have not seen this series. If not then do not read the below.
Get Netflicks and watch it first.
How to survive a Zombie Apocalypse!
Based on watching Season 1 and Season 2 of “The Walking Dead.â€
1. Get a dog. Not a dog that will attack the Zombies. One that will bark when he sees a Zombie. This is for when you walk out into a big empty field, look down for a moment at a half eaten cow and then realize a Zombie is right beside you.
2. If you have cops in your group, get a new group. Cops will shoot first and think later, like they do now.
3. If you have a kid under 15 put them on a chain leash like “Mongo†in “Blazing Saddles,†otherwise they will constantly wander off into the woods.
4. When the Zombie Apocalypse occurs, go to the nearest Wal-Mart. Be careful not to mistake their customers for Zombies. Seal yourself inside.
Wal-Mart will have everything you’ll need. If possible choose their superstore location. Once inside, safe and secure you can then tan yourself on their roof if you want.
5. If however, you find yourself on a farm, do not spend your precious time gossiping about the other group members. Arrange to go into town with the WHOLE group.
While some of you guard the perimeter of the group, others will go into the stores and get all the canned goods, gasoline, foodstuffs, and equipment you can carry. Also, get a dog.
6. Back at the farm build a fence around the farm that Zombies can’t get over. Electrify with power from a generator that you got in town. Make sure the fence won’t fall over the first time a Zombie leans on it, as in the last episode on Season 2.
7. If you are fat and a male, the zombies are going to get you. If you are fat and an ethnic male the cops are going to get you.
8. If you ask someone to go into town to pick you up a pregnancy test, ask them to also get you a motorbike helmet, leather pants, a leather jacket, boots and gloves that are Zombie bite resistant. Make the trip count. Also, get a dog!
9. If you are going to drive a motorbike, wear the leather clothes. If you are in Georgia and it is hot… tough.
10. When you have unlimited abandoned vehicles to choose from, do not choose an old 1960 camper van. They are unreliable and for some reason Zombies can get into them through the front door. Same goes for school buses.
11. If you find yourself in a tank. Stay in the tank. Drive the tank. Be the tank.
12. At night do not go into the woods and shoot your gun off. Stay inside and play cards.
13. If you decide to have sex with your husband and his best friend at the same time, do not be a shit disturber, and get them both riled up by telling one that the other is dangerous and the other that you are very very sorry. This will only make them go off half-cocked especially if they are cops.
14. If you are a minor member of the group, speak up. Otherwise the Zombies will get you because no one will protect you, and they won’t miss you after you’re gone.
15. If you are the oldest male bleeding heart liberal in the group shut up about your philosophy. You’ll be annoying. Instead stand on top of the camper with a gun, like all the other bleeding heart liberals do.
16. If you are a scientist and a Zombie Apocalypse occurs, take the opportunity to study why Zombie clothes are full of holes and thread bear, while living people’s clothes are not, even though they have been wearing them for the same amount of time.
17. Try not to mention every half an hour comments like, “They are no longer human.†Or that’s no longer “state name.†“State name is dead.†Everyone knows already.
18. If you are worried that a member of your group will accidently shoot you during a major Zombie gun battle. Here’s a tip. Wear a hat. Zombies don’t wear hats!
19. If you are worried that you might shoot a live person pretending to be a Zombie, here is another tip. They are the Zombies that do not have thread bear clothes or holes in them.
20. If you are an actor in a Zombie TV series and your lines are getting less and less, and other members are not gossiping about you, then you’re a goner. Don’t buy a new house or car. You’ll soon be unemployed.
.
My wife watches walking dead Phil. I had her read your list. She was laughing and nodding.
In some ways Ill be glad when retirement comes in the not too distant future then perhaps I can watch a zombie show or two.
They seem like comedies from what your saying….Right now I think I watch about 1 hour of tv a week and thats usually the weather channel.
Great list, Phil, and, really, beyond the humor, it is dead on.
Something in zombie books and shows that drives me nuts is that they forget that Zs are attracted to sound. Throw a rock at something loud to distract them and hide. Get or make a slingshot. Break windows or something from far away. Fireworks. This gets mentioned every once in a blue moon, then the characters forget.
Forget up close weapons. Get a good spear that goes in and out of heads easy.
Get a bicycle. Why the hell do they walk? Bikes are everywhere.
Go someplace with few zombies because there were few people. Better yet, get a boat. Learn to sail, even if badly. Find a brick building, dig a trench with steep sides.
We are very lucky that now there is so much great television available especially through NetFlicks.
“The Walking Dead” is pure escapism and is very entertaining. It does make you think what you would do in similar circumstances.
I guess the answer to all our questions is that if all the charactors were smart, there would be no drama. People would protect themselves, and little else would happen. I am pleased you read my comments. it is nice to know that i am not the only one thinking these things.
Good luck on your retirement Liam. There is a world of great TV series awaiting you to help you spend your time.
Thank you again for this blog topic and the ability to comment.
I guess the answer to all our questions is that if all the charactors were smart, there would be no drama.
You have a point there, at least for TV.
For books, one of the greatest series is by TW Brown, the Dead series. 11 books so far, plus a few side books, with 1 more left, and most of the main characters do smart things. Unfortunately, they can do everything right, but it is a bad situation. TW has no problem whatsoever in making damned sure you know that this is horror, and will kill off even main characters, kids, pets, and throw in horrible stuff, sometimes that you didn’t see coming.
Kristal Stittle also has a great series, and makes sure you know It Is Horror.
Mark Tufo is a can’t miss, great characters, great plot, even throws in some vampires.
Thank you for the referrals. I will be sure to check them out. Also I know AMC is bringing out “The Walkinfg Dead” Prequel.
I still have three more seasons to watch. I wish I was retired but alias not yet.