The answer to the heading for this series is: NOT MUCH !
The Boomer Culture offers this personal log as one man's take on the world of television. If you're like me and spend most evenings with a television clicker in your hand, you need a short cut or two.
Grading explanation
Yellow......don't watch unless forced.
Green...Watch only as last resort.
Purple...good show.
Monday
Lizard Lick Towing...it was cute last year...but it's strictly bad rasslin' this year. Skip it.
Duck Dynasty...Lots of repeats but there seems to be a new one every so often. I enjoy the comedy. You know it's contrived but at least it's "over the top" done well.
Manhunters: (C & I) just starting to watch this..it's o.k.
Ice Cold Gold: Animal Planet (APL) new for me. 8 Miners/adventurers go to Greenland prospecting for gold in remote, rugged, yet beautiful terrain. Great scenics and videography.
Wild Justice: National Geographic Wild Channel (NGW) I enjoy this animal cop show. Game Wardens from various places catching the poachers. I like it.
Rangers Baseball: Fox Sports Southwest...I enjoy Baseball, football and car racing. Some of the time I mute the television while I read or write. I can keep up with it when I want to and not have a lot of noise in the room. Drives my wife nuts. Following baseball takes me back to a simpler time. There oughta be a law saying batting averages are more important than politicians speeches or celebrity news.
Tuesday
The Big Bang Theory..I can't tell you when I have watched re-runs as religiously as I have with this program. Drew Carey had a good show. Maybe the Three Stooges or Amos and Andy were this good but I can't remember anyone else with writers this clever.
NCIS Mark Harmon.....No matter how many knock offs the producers and copy cats come up with, Ricky Nelson's brother in law has them all beat. Great cast, predictably good interaction, good mysteries..this is the anchor for the week.
NCIS Los Angeles....the best thing they have going is following Mark Harmon's show. Typically, the plots are wilder, more exotic and very lame. The chit chat between characters is almost painful at times. I get the idea they are going for the 13 year old audience.
I miss: Sherlock Holmes, the English Benedict Cumberbatch version, Justified and Southland, my three favorite shows. Their seasons are far too short. The English detective mysteries are good when you can find them.
Wednesday
American Hoggers....I can't find my notes on last Wed. but I think it was the first night I've caught a full show this season. It was also the night I gave up on the show. I like the hog hunt. I like the jeeps, dogs, guns and cowgirls. But I can't stand the over play of the fractious family or competitor drama. It's too obviously contrived and way over Jerry Springerized. I watched this last year or tried to, the longer it was on the worse it got. I am interested hog hunting so I thought I might learn a thing or two. Nope, I already knew how to be a pain in the rear.
The old man, is obviously the producers idea of a "Texan". He is just plain pitiful. He is falling down stupid. His cowboy movie cliches are just too painful and predictable. The imposition of this character and the stupid family drama killed what should have been a good series.
There is enough excitement in the chase and actual hog hunting, to make this work. If the producers would just let the characters be normal Texas folks running their small business I think people would love it.
Thursday
Two and a Half Men: This is far better without junkie Charlie Sheen although the constant gay inferences are annoying. For me it's the lead to "Person of Interest". I can take it or leave it and am looking for an alternative.
Person of Interest: I like this program. I like the concept and the actors. I watch it.
Sherlock Holmes: Unfortunately, I am a sucker for anything involving Sherlock Holmes. This one does it's best given the settings etc. I watch it in hopes of a good mystery. It's o.k. but can't compete with the Cumberbatch version.
Hillbilly Blood--Discovery Channel--The two main characters try to keep this in a documentary mode detailing how mountain folks might live "off the grid". They live a simpler, hunter, gardener, gatherer, barter lifestyle. I have a feeling the network would rather it be more "hillbillyish" and less survivalist. I like the show and find it informative.
Friday
Didn't watch television. At least nothing memorable.
Saturday
Reba: repeats on Country T.V.
Rangers game: ...this time on MLB at KCWX HD I haven't a clue what that is but it's not near the other sports channels. It is among the local affiliate channel numbers.
Late Nascar Practise: mute and continued reading. It's was background.
Sunday:
Nascar Race: various channels..I never know if it will be Fox, Speed or one of the big three. I usually can find race time info in the sports section of the paper. I don't know if I will continue watching after Batesville, Arkansas home boy, Mark Martin, retires. I've watched it his entire career so I guess I will stick with it until our former neighbor finishes his career.
Guntucky: CMT ...I am a gun guy...so I thought I would try this one..the other gun store show, Sons of Guns, the one in Louisiana, is to much drama, cussin, tattoos, piercings and blowing things up. I can't bear it.
Oops..Guntucky...first minute... we have a brand new mohawk on a grown man who looks like he would be much more comfortable in a 70's leisure suit. The guy is a business owner...this makes no sense...first scenes and he's having drama with a family member. Next scene he's doing sophomoric pranks with firecrackers. Come on. So this is how a gun store owner is portrayed ? I owned a gun store. I know plenty of gun store owners and none acts like this idiot. This show all about show biz bull hockey, subtle social commentary, on the firearms industry. Click..next case ! Won't be back.
There is a third Gun Store based show and I do watch it. It's called Wild Wild West and is set in Alaska. They act like fun loving adults. I love Alaska. They have invented a distinctly Alaskan gun and I want one. It's a stainless .50 cal. Marlin lever action. I think that Marlin model number is 336. It's makes sense they would come up with this gun. When your clientele is constantly in grizzly or brown bear territory, they need something really reliable with serious, serious knock down power. Think .45-70 kicked up a couple of notches. Oh yeah !
Ice Cold Gold...Animal Planet...Second viewing ..same episode...full show this time...This I think is the actual night for original programming..I may be wrong as I have found this program on for three nights running..repeating the same show, of course. It's a good show. Only one drama queen so far. But he's just a whiner on a tough camping trip. It appears to be an actual prospecting group with real skills. If they stay true to form they can knock out that bunch of out of work construction guys that went to Alaska etc.
Vikings...History Channel...I started off liking this series but the further I got into it the more squeamish I became. I don't have a problem with the blood and gore. That's true to life for that period. It's the social sub plots that are bothersome. I had to quit watching it. The scenery is excellent, the attention to historical detail is wonderful. I've gone back and tried it twice since tuning out. Still can't do it.
Well, now you've seen my first attempt at What's on T.V. ? I'm sure it will evolve some but for now it is what it is. I look forward to lots of comments.
John B. Boykin
It's the Boomer Culture
We are moving the blog to:
http://www.boomerculture.com
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