by Otessa

The theme this week is WHAT TO WATCH ON TV (and your computer/smartphone) RIGHT NOW.

• 1. Homeland –

Have you been watching this? It is truly excellent.  I steered clear at first, mainly from fear that it would fall into a routine & didactic “Us versus Them” villainization, which can be so sadly common in American programming. (The show’s poster/marketing campaign did little to dispel that fear).  But, guess what?  I was wrong — wrong &  very happy to be served my words back in the form of humble pie. This show is so much more. In terms of truly grasping how complicated the situation is, and how co-mingled and yet divergent the region is — the show wins. Not to mention that the casting, acting, colorways, & sets are all amazing.  (And while I do wish they had actually shot more of it in DC, not North Carolina, the locations are great. Plus it was inspired to cast the actor from Band of Brothers, as a questionable character in this series.)

While the show’s 1st season may have just wrapped at the end of 2011, I highly recommend catching up if you missed it.

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2.Downton Abbey –

again, it’s amazing.  (Sundays @ 9pm est, on PBS)

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3. The Walking Dead

Yea, I’m still watching it. I like it, although sometimes I think it suffers in its pacing. Although I do give brownie points for its insistence on character development. Yet, despite this, I find it odd that I have trouble remembering the characters’ names. And this is not just me, this is apparently common with other watchers. How can there be so much character development, and yet we don’t have the ability to distinguish one character from another? Also, what ever happened to the police band walkie-talkie sub plot (with the other father/son) from season 1.  Notice how they just dropped that like a hot potato, with no narrative to-do.  Fridge logic, much?

(Sundays @ 9pm EST, on AMC)

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4. The River

Ok so the jury is still out on this one. But it seems to fill a void left by Lost. I have hope for this one — because, for as much as it does wrong (ahem, superstitious Latina daughter, relegated to being very much “Other”) — but, for as much as it does wrong, there is much that it does right. So, I am looking forward to seeing how they pull it all together, and perhaps the wrongs will end up being red-herrings.

(Tuesdays @ 9pm EST, on ABC.)

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5. Series 6 of Skins

I have only just started series 6…and quite frankly I haven’t gotten hooked on this season yet at all. But, let’s face it, it is my duty as a filmmaker of teen stories and narrative ne’erdowell-ism… Skins is my kindred and I must show them much love.

(Hasn’t come to the US yet. Currently airing on Britain’s e4 on Monday nights. Get creative with your web-searching to find it.)

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6. Shameless

one of the few times the American version can stand up (with pride) next to the British version.

(Sunday at 9/8c on Showtime.)

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7. Portlandia

Carrie Brownstein!

(Fridays at 10/9c on IFC.)

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8. Southland

This tip is from Ashley. I haven’t watched it, but it has Regina King in it, so how could you go wrong.

(Tuesday nights on TNT.)

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9. Rogue Cop School

 

This is brand-spanking new web series, which we recently picked up. It’s hilarious. I love the Professor character (so does everyone over here at 2020 HQ)…and you can watch it HERE on the 2020 website. Hooray!

It is made by Alexis Perkins, who is also a fellow alum of Columbia’s MFA film program, which makes me smile.

(Every other Tuesday, on twentytwentyproductions.com)

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10. RAW HEAT

COMING later TODAY… this one is another new show of ours!

This one is a riotous buddy-cop stake-out show… with gorgeous cinematography, hilarious fight sequences, ridiculous junkies,  tex-mex food, and and bad attitudes. Love it.

Here is the hot-linked show page.

(Tuesdays on twentytwentyproductions.com)

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11. DATES

Also a new show on the 2020 web TV channel.  This one is a personal FAVORITE!!  And IT PREMIERES TOMORROW! Eek.

Here is the hot-linked SHOW PAGE.

Case in point about why this is awesome: there is a scene in this show where a sweet, mild-mannered boyfriend asks his overbearing girlfriend if he can use the bathroom. And she says, “no”.

It’s just comic gold. The acting is great. And PSBTW the lead is also played by the series’ creator, Garrett Smith, which just goes to show how multi-talented he is.

(Every other Wednesday on twentytwentyproductions.com)

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And now for some QUESTIONS ??? What do you watch?

Has anyone seen Angry Boys?  –Betty White’s new show: Off Their Rockers?  –Luck?   –I Just Want My Pants Back?

(Are they awesome?) Also, how weird is it that MTV is getting back into scripted TV, considering how they killed it in the first place.