Friday, September 21, 2007

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Friday, Sept. 21, 2007

Now that the Big Brother feeds are over, it's time to get back to normal on the blog! Well, as normal as I get, anyway.

While it's relaxing not to have Big Brother constantly taking over my blog, it does put me in a quandary as to what I should watch tonight. Unless I want to watch repeated live feeds, I have no live feeds! Yeah, I know I could read -- I have plenty of novels in my To Read pile. And, I really should spend some time on a work project I've been putting off.

But I wanna watch my TV! Here are some of the slim pickings at hand this evening:
  • CBS has an entire block of reruns for its primetime hours -- Ghost Whisperer, The Unit, and Numb3rs. Bleh.
  • NBC has a rerun block, too -- 1 vs. 100, Las Vegas, Law and Order: SVU. Feh. The only show I watch out of those is the L&O one and that episode's much too recent for me to watch again. Feh.
  • FOX actually has a new Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader on at 8 PM ET/PT, but I just don't like that show. I know I'm smarter than when I was in fifth grade and that's all that matters. At 9 PM ET/PT, they have a new Nashville on. Never saw it, don't want to. Meh.
  • ABC has a repeat America's Funniest Home Videos on at 8 PM ET/PT, then two new back-to-back 20/20 episodes to fill out the evening. Eh.
The cable listings aren't much better (in my opinion) with the only thing catching my interest being a new Meerkat Manor on at 8:30 PM ET/PT on Animal Planet. I don't have premium channels, so I couldn't tell you what's on HBO or Showtime.

So, with Letterman in repeats, I have a whole half-hour of TV I want to watch tonight.

Or, do I?

My birthday was recently and, amongst other things, my brother gave me a gift certificate for Amazon. com. My order arrived today. And, guess what? It's TV on DVD! Yay!

Since I don't have HBO yet got hooked on The Wire (after missing the first episode) on BET, I wanted the real thing without all the horrible BET ads -- so, I bought the first season of The Wire. Woohoo!

The other thing I bought is something I want to see whether it lives up to my childhood memories or not. Y'see, I was a rather strange young child and my parents really didn't monitor my television watching habits (nor my reading ones, nor my movie-watching) much at all. When I was five, my favorite show was The Twilight Zone even though it gave me nightmares. By the time I was nine, I was hooked on The Fugitive -- the original with David Janssen. I had watched it on and off since I was eight or so, often from the top of the stairs as my parents watched and I was supposed to be in bed. The Twilight Zone has been rerun for decades, but I've never seen the original The Fugitive in reruns anywhere. Now I have the first season of the show on DVD! Super YAY!

So, it's a good thing there isn't anything on TV which interests me tonight. I think I have to start a search for a one-armed man.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

i'm with you jackie. there's nothing on. i have a few chapters to finish in a book i'm reading and two more in the wings. i don't even have cable.

there's a movie on - crazy in alabama - with melanie griffin that maybe i'll check out, although i do believe i saw it. that's on wphl - 17 for me -- you're only off one state -- do you get that channel?

i used to not be bored on a friday night - played cards. but then one of the women ran off with one of the other women's husband, so that went to hell in a handbasket real quick. i couldn't stand the drama anymore, so i just stopped.

i could clean my house, but i cooked a lot today and i actually vacummed, so that's enough housework, wouldn't you say?

enjoy your weekend!
maryanne

Anonymous said...

Well Jackie, I'm with you...nothing grabbed my interest on TV tonight. Usually I'm line dancing on Friday nights but no dances tonight. :(

I do have 2 weeks of General Hospital to catch up on so I think I will be organizing cupboards in my new craft room and watching Jason, Sonny, Dr. Drake, and that funny Spinnelli(a.k.a. The Jackal). Tomorrow night it's off to the movies to see Jodie Foster's new flick--"Brave One". just saw Russell Crowe in "3:10 to Yuma". Good western and the story of what a father will do for his son's respect.

What happened to Word Verification??

Anonymous said...

I LOVE Twilight Zone!

If you haven't gotten into Meerkat Manor, you've missed one of the cutest shows around. I love this show. I've been watching since the beginning and I'm hooked. For those who don't know, these are not cats, these are little critters whom are related to the weasel. Cute as can be. They have a heiarchy like pack animals. One Alpha female and one Alpha male. I love the show!

Penny

Anonymous said...

Meerkats is a must for me, I watch the full hour (repeat of last week's + new one). Las Vegas on NBC, tape What Not to Wear (TLC) and Numbers at 10.

Bring on the new shows...please!!!

Anonymous said...

Jackie, are you trying to tell us "THIS SUCKS!"? There is nothing on tonight, I will agree with you there. Guess I will either play computer games or read. That is after I finish preparing my dogs their suppers for the next week (I cook for them).

Maryanne, sorry, but I had to laugh at your statement.... "i used to not be bored on a friday night - played cards. but then one of the women ran off with one of the other women's husband, so that went to hell in a handbasket real quick." That would put a damper on a group.

~~Silk said...

I was out last night and missed Survivor. With BB that wasn't a problem - 4-part full episodes were posted on YouTube. Anybody know where I can find last night's Survivor on the internet?

Silk

Anonymous said...

I'm going to watch a L&O SVU rerun on USA and then on CMT they have this interesting show about the tryouts/training to become a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. I watched the series last year and this year is the second season and I must say I really enjoy the show. I'm excited because soon enough TLC will be airing new episodes of 'Little People, Big World' and 'Jon & Kate plus eight'. Both are great shows that I enjoy watching - does anyone else watch them besides me?? Have a great night. Leene

Anonymous said...

ABC.com/Survivor/China

~~Silk said...

Anon 8:32 - Thank you. I found it at about the same time you posted. I'm happy now.

Silk

Anonymous said...

I'm really glad there's not much on tonight! I discovered a couple of other programs out there that I Tivo'd, that have been begging to be watched. I got started watching The Closer kinda late in the game, but got hooked quickly. I still have the last 3 episodes to watch. Other one I found is Damages, on the FX channel with Glenn Close and Ted Dannson. Very good! I have about 4-5 episodes of that one to watch.

Now that BB is over, I won't spend so much time glued to my computer and catching everyone's comments. I'll have a chance to watch my ABC soaps when I get home from work, as well as get some puttering done while watching them. . . . It's not so easy to putter and comment on BB at the same time, so I've got lots of puttering to get caught up on!!

And just a couple of comments about Survivor...

While I'm not arguing that Chicken was a good choice to leave, I'm ready for Courtney to have her torch doused!!

I liked Leslie. It seemed most of the negative comments were about her leaving the temple. Nothing else. Based on my own beliefs I can understand her not wanting to stay. Whether it was meant to be a religious ceremony or not, it did seem to be. I think it's great to learn about and be exposed to other beliefs and cultures, but I only worship one God.

And on that note, I'm going to go see if LuLu stopped Jason from shooting the bad guys son!

Happy Friday, everyone!

PDX Granny

Anonymous said...

Jackie,

I laughed at your descriptions of watching TV from the top of the stairs when you were supposed to be asleep. I'm in a somewhat reminiscent mood tonight, and have a couple of similar memories (and my parents let me read anything, but at least marginally monitored TV).

In the early 70s we moved to Missouri and for the first time in my life I was a sickly kid with asthma and allergies. At that point in time, we were quite the pharmacological combination as a family. I was on meds which totally wired me and would keep me up at night, and my mother was taking Valium (Mother's little helpers) to deal with the stress of having a kid in the ER a couple of times a week. That combined with the fact that my dad had to be at work somewhere around 0445 every morning, meant my folks would go to bed not long after they put me down.

After I was sure my parents were asleep, I would sneak into the living room, turn the volume almost all the way down on the TV and turn it on. I usually caught the end of the nightly news and saw the body bag count from Vietnam, watched Johnny Carson, and then....test patterns. I would read for hours by the light of the television test patterns.

My other memory is visiting my maternal grandparents. My Papa was a nightowl (I clearly inherited from him) and would watch TV late at night after the rest of the family had gone to bed. If I positioned myself just right, I could lay backwards in the bed (head at the foot) and crack my bedroom door and see the television. Papa watched mostly sports and at one point got into professional wrestling in the heyday of The Von Erich Brothers and Andre the Giant, but whatever was on late, he would watch. I didn't realize it until years later, but he knew I was watching, and would scoot his chair to the side so I had a clear view. When it got too late, he'd scoot back over and block the TV again.

I'm not sure why, but tonight's post somehow reminded me of those very precious TV memories.

Julie

PS: And while I'm aware football is not your cup of tea, I'm watching the Oklahoma/Tulsa football game. Go Big Red!

Joanie said...

Julie,

I love your story about your Grandpa and the TV. It's amazing the stuff we do as kids that we think the adults don't know about. Maybe that's why when kids try pulling the same stuff on us we aren't to surprised.

And on another note...it's raining here in LA LA land....Yippie!!!!!

jk in los angeles

Anonymous said...

I got to see the rerun of the finale of Design Star and was so happy that Kim won instead of having to see the hyperactive Todd jump all over a HGTV show all next season. Way to go,Kim.

I watched "Nashville" last week,just cause there was nothing on and guess what? There's a whiney,spoiled brat on that show too! She's the daughter of former QB Terry Bradshaw,and from what I can tell,she has very little talent.

But my best viewing of the night...my Cleveland Indians won and we're two games away from clinching the AL Central!! GO TRIBE!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Sharon, I loved Design Star! I am glad Kim won too.

I enjoyed reading the childhood memory stories.

Anonymous said...

Watched Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and LP/BW last year and will this year too!!!

PSU beat Michigan!!!!

Anonymous said...

julie--loved your story!! The things we have stored in our memory banks. Mine are the smell of my grandpa's pipe and his stories of General Custer. I often wonder what my own grandchildren are "storing" away to be remembered as adults.

PDX Granny--I'm two weeks behind on GH so right now Jason is on the island with Carly and the boys--but the turf wars are heating up!

Next Friday a new Las Vegas with Tom Selleck at the helm--yeah!!!

Anonymous said...

Julie ~

Thanks for sharing your precious childhood memories!

It seems like I keep reading and seeing different things about BB8 that catch my attention. On the AOL BB Spoilers Message Boards someone linked an article from Andy Cohen's Blog (he's the Sr.VP of Production & Programming at the Bravo TV network) informing us that Amber DID get fired from Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas because of her Anti-Semitic remarks. This is the text from his Sept. 19, 2007 blog:

"I got some good Amber scoop on the BB8 set last week: Amber doesn't know it yet but while in the house she was fired from her cocktail waitress job in Vegas because of her vocal hatred of Jews. (Actually by the time you read this she's probably in tears... then again she's always in tears...) I am glad that with the removal of Amber and conclusion of Celine Dion's three year run, Vegas has finally rid itself of the last traces of anti Semitism. (I am kidding about Celine, of course.)"

I really hope Amber can recover from this and gets the therapeutic help that she so desperately needs.

Anonymous said...

I am a native Nashvillian and am retired from the Music Business. Watched "Nashville" show & was embarassed just as my peers were.
-EDD

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to the documentary Ken Burns has coming out on Sunday about WW2. It'll be on PBS, and should run a couple of weeks.
He did such a good job on all his other shows, I have great hopes for this one.

dla said...

Joanie,

It is raining cats and dogs in Las Vegas, as well!

While I am typically not a fan of rain, this is a welcome respite after the heat of the summer....

Should make for a beautiful night's sleep!

Cannot find a thing to watch on TV, so just have it on as background noise while I play on the laptop.

So excited for the new season to begin!

Jackie, I hope you enjoyed your evening with THE WIRE!! I have the DVD's and have loved that from the beginning.

Deanna said...

Julie... What a touching story..Thanks!

I too watched last years Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader tryouts and have started watching this year. I've been fascinated with them since I was a little girl and my mom would watch that movie about them.

On Amber... I'm saddened to hear she lost her job, though I'm not surprised. She is a mother with a child to support, so I hope she can cash in on her 15 minutes of fame and make a lil cash to get by. I don't condone what she did or said, but I feel for the lil one... I too hope she gets the help she so clearly needs.

I miss everyone(on here)...I miss BB...I miss the Donatos!!! Lol!!!
Hopefully everyone starts popping back in here more often. I'm definitely going through withdrawals... :(

Anonymous said...

Hey everyone, I found an interview with Amber (I sorta stole it without asking permission to copy it so I can't use my usual name.) and here's what she said:

AMBER: First, my crying. Everybody looks at me and laughs because I cry so much. But they portrayed me crying all the time. I spoke to my family [about what was shown on TV]. Yes I did cry a lot, but they didn’t show my fun side, my laughing side. It’s very embarrassing. I’m proud that I cry but my daughter was watching and it offends me that they only showed me crying. I had so many times in the house when I didn’t cry, they really showed my character not to be me and that really bothers me.

[The second thing is] I made a comment when I was upset with Eric – I made it about Jewish people and people from New York. I just want to tell the people I offended that I am very sorry. I did not mean to offend anybody and I was upset with Eric at the time. Being upset, people tend to say things they don’t mean. That came from a really bad place, and from the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry – I send my apologies to anyone I offended. I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. The words just came out and I was upset with Eric. I have friends that are Jewish and friends from New York. I am not prejudiced and I am truly truly truly sorry.

P.S. I also heard the rumor that she had been fired from her job. Also, there is another rumor that the BB producers made fun of her at the wrap party.

However, I'm not sure if she said all that stuff before or after she went off on ERic. I honestly can't remember.

meb said...

pdx granny... I watch The Closer and love it. Also started watching Damages and must say, it is certainly something different. You still have 4 episodes to watch, so won't say too much here, but would love to chat with you about it when you get caught up. Always loved Glenn Close, but shades of Fatal Attraction (her mental state)in this one. Scary.

Julie...loved your reminiscing.

Anonymous said...

anon who posted the amber interview. link the story. i'd certainly like to read it.

Anonymous said...

Amber inverview

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/big-brother/exclusive-interview-amber-from-11293.aspx#

Anonymous said...

i watched "Saving Grace",every episode and I liked it a lot. They are starting a whole new rerun of the season. I was hoping that Jackie will watch it and give me her opinion on it. Anybody else watch it? She is one messed up person and I cringe at some of the language and what goes on,but I am pulling for her "last chance angel" to come through in the end! I have always liked Holly Hunter and I love Laura San Giancomo from "Just Shoot Me",but this is totally opposite of that.She needs saving...bad!


And nan in the nw....oooh,I can't wait for Tom Selleck to take over on Las Vegas. Be still my heart! He's just gotten better and better from Magnum days and I could stare at him all day.Tom and Sam Neill could park their boots under my bed any ole day.......LOL!!!

Deanna said...

The Amber interview showed the delusional girl...again!

She didn't cry as much as showed??? Ummmm...Oookkkkaayy!

She didn't want Nick out? Then why suggest it in the 1st place to Dustin???

She said Dick chose to be mean??? And she chose to be good???@@

She claimed her Jewish comments were said in anger over Eric and she didn't mean them... Well, then she just threw her mom under the bus for that one. Since she wasn't name calling him, but basically repeating to Jameka what her mom & sister told her about Jewish people. If she was truly mad at Eric, she should have called him a M-Fer, not bash Jewish people with thoughts from her family.

Sadly, the girl had many problems. She has turned her life around and found God, but unfortunately thinks she is God and judges all as if she is better. She thinks she is good and labels others as bad... She needs a good therapist.

Anonymous said...

DEANNA said... The Amber interview showed the delusional girl...again!

I thought the same thing when I read the interview. I also thought, well, at least she doesn't have a low self esteem problem! I also noted her bad grammar and how she repeated herself over and over.

I hope she gets help when she returns home.

meb said...

Sharon... I also watch Saving Grace. (Man...is there anything I'm not watching?)

I hope her angel comes thru for her too cause she is one messed up lady. There is not an episode that she isn't in bed with somebody, and usually it's someone else's husband.

When she was shot and the vest caught the bullet, but she died until the paramedics brought her back...the clip of the angel trying to get to her was phenomenal. She asked him if he saved her and he said no, he thought he had lost her.

I've loved Holly Hunter ever since I saw her in The Firm with Tom Cruise. She was so good in that one.

She is nothing but skin and bones tho... she looks anorexic. Hope not.

The finale was excellent. I'll look forward to its return.

Auntie Leigh said...

To Leene....I like that Dallas Cheerleader show too. I used to love the Meerkats, too, until the charming Carlos was found dead and it all just seemed too sad. They (the show) should have given him antibiotics. If they can give him a radio collar, they can give antibiotics, is my opinion. Leigh in Santa Cruz