Old TV Watch Project: Summer Edition

It's getting to that time of year where it's time to start thinking about summer. If you don't know, the TV summer starts at the end of May and runs until September. To keep the blog going over the summer, I'll be writing about several cable shows as well as expanding the Old TV Watch Project to multiple weekdays. In this post, I detail all the options for shows that I would want  to cover as a part of the Old TV Watch Project (at least for now). I would love to have your input on which shows I should cover, so please vote in the sidebar on the shows that you want me to cover this summer. The list of shows is after the jump.



Here are the shows along with information about each show.


Torchwood: Children of Earth (2009)

• This is a British show that is a spinoff of Doctor Who. Season 4 is premiering in the US on July 14th and I would like to cover the miniseries third season of the show that aired back in 2009. This is a five hour miniseries that was very well received when it aired in both the UK and the US. If this is chosen, I'd be willing to cover it weekly over 5 weeks or strip it (do one post on Mon, one on Tue, one on Wed. etc). 
• Key Cast Members: John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Gareth David Lloyd, and Kai Owan

My So-Called Life (1994-1995)

• This show is considered to be one of the best teenage dramas of all time. It followed self-aware teenagers while they dealt with high school. It was the first show to depict teenage years as difficult and confusing (before then, shows would portray those years as light and happy, with no real consequences). The show was cancelled after one season because it couldn't find an audience and because star Claire Danes didn't want to return to the show.
• Key Case Member: Claire Danes\

Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)

• This is considered by many to be one of the best dramas of our time. The way that this show portrays football culture in Dillon, Texas is the reason why many people think this. In addition to this, the show has very good writing, as well as a very strong cast and very strong characters (Connie Britton's performance is considered to be one of the best of our generation). This show is one of the most acclaimed shows of all time, and because of this it was able to last five seasons. The first two aired on NBC and the last three aired on DirectTV's 101 Network before airing on NBC. My plan for this show would be to cover season 1 this summer, do a post on season 2, do season 3 in the fall, season 4 in the spring, and the final season this summer.
• Key Cast Members: Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Zack Gilford, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, Taylor Kidsch, Michael B. Jordan, Matt Lauria, Aimee Teegarden, Scott Porter

Party Down (2009-2010)

• Even though this show only lasted two seasons, it is one of the funniest shows of the past decade. The show is about a group of aspiring actors and writers who work for a catering company named Party Down. I've watched the first season and it really is one of the best comedies of our time. It never holds back on anything and it is hysterical (although, it is not made for younger viewers). If I were to cover the show, I would do the complete series in one summer.
• Key Cast Members: Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, Meghan Mullally, Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, Lizzie Caplan

Mad Men (2007-Present)

• Usually, I try to avoid covering shows that are currently on the air, but I'm willing to make an exception for this show. This series is one of the best shows of all time. It's considered to be this because of its very accurate portrayal of ad men in the 1960s, as well as a strong cast, strong characters, and strong writing. I'm really not doing justice to how good this show is. I with this show, I would somehow fit in four seasons before it returns in March to AMC.
• Key Cast Members: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, January Jones, Christina Hendricks, John Slattery

Pushing Daisies (2007-2009)

• I really loved this show. This fantastical show about a pie maker who can bring dead people back to life is very well conceived and very well executed. This is one of those shows that was cancelled too soon (in my opinion, it was because of the 10 month hiatus imposed by the writer's strike). This is a very unique show in terms of the visuals and the writing. I would love to cover this show because I would love to look deeper on every episode.
• Key Cast Members: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi, McBride, Jim Dale, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, Kristen Chenowith

Angel (1999-2004)

• This spinoff of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is much darker then the original, but that doesn't mean it's worse. Joss Whedon is a creative genius and he created a fantastic show. He took a very interesting character from Buffy and gave him his own show, to great results. This is a great show and I really want to look at this show, especially in relation to Buffy (which I will not be covering).
• Key Cast Members: David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, Alexis Desnoff, Amy Acker, James Marsters

Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)

• This show is considered by many to be one of the best sci-fi shows of our time. (The other biggie is Firefly, which I've been covering for several months here.) The show is about the war between the Cylons (which are robots, who are programmed to look like humans) and the humans many years into the future. It's been praised for its characters and the depth of the story that it tells. The show ran the length the showrunner wanted, ending after its fourth season.
• Key Cast Members: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park

Veronica Mars (2004-2007)

• This series centers around Kristen Bell, who plays Veronica Mars, a high school student and private detective. It has been acclaimed by many for not just being a high school drama, but for being a character study as well. It's known for being a noir piece, and telling story in a very interesting way. The show is still missed after being cancelled by the CW after its fourth season.
• Key Cast Members: Kristen Bell, Percy Daggs III, Teddy Dunn, Jason Dohring, Ryan Hansen

Kidnapped (2006-2007)

• This show may have only lasted one season, and it may not be too well known, but it interests me. I'm wondering how good this show (which is essentially a 13 episode miniseries) was. Its ratings may not have been great but the show has an interesting premise and a very talented cast.
• Key Cast Members: Jeremy Sisto, Dana Delaney, Will Denton, Carmen Ejogo, Delroy Lindo, Mykelti Williamson, Linus Roache

Reaper (2007-2009)

• This series, about a man who has to work to the devil because of a deal made by his Mom recieved universal acclaim when it first aired in 2007. It looks like a lot of fun and the type of show that I like to watch/review. Plus, you can't go wrong with Ray Wise as the Devil.
• Key Cast Members: Brett Harrison, Tyler Labine, Ray Wise, Missy Peregrym

Twin Peaks (1990-1991)

• This is one of the most famous serialized mystery shows of its time. It's about solving a murder in the town Twin Peaks. When it aired, it had a huge cult fanbase who wanted to know the answer to the ultimate question, who killed Laura Palmer?
• Key Cast Members: A lot of famous people listed in the sidebar here.

So those are the choices for coverage in the summer (and if it's a multi-season show, the fall and spring as well). I'll be picking 3-4 of these shows to cover, and I'm hoping that you will help influence my decision. 

Please do one of three things:

• Vote in the poll in the sidebar
• Take this survey (which also includes a second question about preferred days of the week)
• Comment on this post with your choices (or even other suggestions). (Just as a note, I'd prefer if the show is available on Netflix watch instantly, as all of these shows are,)

I'll be taking your choices into consideration from all three sources. (Counting them in the same place)

So that's it. Please share your input so I can make this a great summer for both you and me. If you have any questions you can leave them in the comments or contact me by other means.

(Just as a note: Firefly reviews will continue to run until early-mid June)