Fri 30 Oct 2009
Most improved Sophmore show?
Posted by Brad L under Brad L.
[33] Comments
Now that were almost 2 months deep into the fall schedule, what would your pick be for the most ‘improved’ Sophmore show? Now – ignore the ratings – I’m talking about story lines, characters, etc.
Your Choices:
CASTLE
LIE TO ME
PARKS & RECREATION
90210
DOLLHOUSE
THE MENTALIST
FRINGE
SOUTHLAND (Joking…)
…and anything else I might be missing. We can toss in Cable shows as well.
33 Responses to “ Most improved Sophmore show? ”
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Vicodin….
Purchase vicodin. Codeine vicodin. Effect of vicodin….
Parks and Recreation for sure!!! Every episode this season has been a laugh riot!
I love Dollhouse too but the first two episodes this season were a little bumpy for me and it isn’t as consistent as Parks & Rec.
Castle is pretty much more of the same (nothing wrong with that, it’s escapist fun). Lie To Me is definitely much better, but not massively. Parks is substantially better, but overshadowed by the hilarious Community and Modern Family. I don’t watch 90210 because I have taste. Dollhouse hasn’t really had enough good episodes in S2 to warrant most improved — the first few were about the same as S1.
You’re missing The Mentalist off the list, but that’s more of the same anyway.
Also missing Fringe (which definitely hasn’t improved, yet).
My vote would probably go to Parks, just because S1 barely made me laugh or care about those characters, while S2 is bringing much more right from 2×01.
I’ve gonna vote for Parks, too. This season has been much funnier than last. It still feels like Office-lite but it makes me laugh every week.
Castle was great last season and it’s been great this season, too. No change. One of the best shows on TV right now.
First episode of Lie To Me seemed no different to the ones that I saw last season, so no change there either. And not a show that interests me.
Don’t watch the other two…
I added FRINGE and THE MENTALIST to the list. I just listed some examples but anything that is in its Sophmore season (or concluded in the case of TRUE BLOOD is fine as well)
90210 of course!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m gonna go with Castle, the halloween show was great.
LIE TO ME actually regressed. The way they’ve changed characters with no explanation. The guy who always tells the truth is now an entirely different character. It’s just weird to watch.
TRUE BLOOD in terms of quality is likely the most improved sophomore show. Last year’s new shows pretty much sucked with the exception of THE MENTALIST and CASTLE, so it’s like saying “which sophomore show doesn’t suck as much as it did last year?”
Roth’s swagger when he walks freaks me out on LIE TO ME.
The writing and acting in Fringe has improved tremendously this year.
Parks and Rec without question.
I’m going to go with Lie to Me (can’t say about Parks & Recreation). But they’ve definitely made a point to get away from formula and go more toward character in Lie to Me and the result is much more compelling.
Castle remains as awesome this year as last. Shame more people aren’t watching.
Cammy makes a good point about LIE TO ME, they did ditch the formula from last season, and the look into Lightman’s character has been much better than season 1’s formulaic shows. However, it’s still weird to watch him walk, and the fact that blatantly honest guy is no longer blatantly honest means less humor.
Nick,
You getting my e-mails to the group?
Try the Forum, I’m about ready to open it to the public.
Parks & Recreation. I almost didn’t watch this season because the first one sucked, but I’m glad I did. It has been hilarious.
Parks and Recreation for me. It’s turning out to be the funniest show every Thursday (followed by Community). Office and 30 Rock just seem…stale. Michael Scott just continues to get dumber each season.
Nick the ‘blatantly honest’ guy stopped being ‘blatantly honest’ toward the end of season one and there were if memories serves a couple of episodes where that change was done and addressed – it was done in the aftermath of them investigating someone for stealing a company pension or something. I can’t remember exactly but that particular Lie To Me change didn’t occur this year but last year.
Personally though I enjoy Lie To Me and I enjoy Tim Roth (swagger and all) in it I wouldn’t however call it the most improved show because it was pretty good last year as well. However more episodes like the hostage one from two weeks ago would be welcomed.
In terms of the most improved Sophmore Parks is getting much improved buzz this year but I haven’t actually watched anything from the second season to judge. The one and a half episodes of Dollhouse I’ve seen make me believe that that show is as poor as it was last year. The small bits of Fringe I’ve seen lead to me to believe that it’s actually gotten worse not better. Castle is I think much improved this year in terms of its consistency not only from episode to episode but also within the episodes themselves in terms of lines falling flat etc.
Alex, so his one lie from last season has entirely changed his personality? Great. That makes total sense. In reality, his character was the hardest to write (you’d think it would be easy, but it’s not) and they took a stupid way out. We know he lied once, it doesn’t make him change his personality and normal behavior. It wasn’t a life altering event.
My point was that (if memory serves) he stopped always telling the truth after telling that big lie in season one and that they at least made an attempt to deal with and explain why over the span of a couple of episodes last year.
True Blood is another show that improved from last year. The writing got a lot better as did the acting. So has Dexter. And yes, Alex, Fringe has improved in the writing department. Saying Fringe is bad is like saying The X Files or Battlestar Galactica were bad. Fringe has been very much like the X Files this season.
Anyone else think that Parenthood has never seen an episode of the X-FILES prior to say Season 8?
Ive seen many X Files episodes. But, the ones that immediately come to mind Duane Barry about an institutionalized man who believes he’s had encounters with aliens, Folie a Deux, which is about a man who believes his boss and co workers are monsters. It starred Brian Markinson. Then there was another one about a suspect taking orders from an ATM machine to kill somebody. There are plenty more that Ive seen. But, the list is just too long to get into in this post. Why? Because there were 201 episodes of the X Files. The list is just too long.
I would say Parks and Rec!
Parenthood, that’s nice you can use IMDB. I still don’t believe you’ve seen an episode prior to Season 8 if you’re making a claim that FRINGE is as good. That’s just insane. I expect that from TwiMom’s and their stance that TRUE BLOOD is better than say ALL IN THE FAMILY.
Fringe. And the acting has improved too.
Most improved, hmm well I loved True Blood season two but I loved one as well, but if we are going with best season two then I’d have to give it to True Blood.
I am enjoyed the way the various characters are interacting on Castle. The relationships are growing.
Fringe has gotten much better. Its still not a great show and will never be as good as pre season 8 The X-Files. I wasn’t sure I was going to stick with it last season, I couldn’t even stay awake through an episode but I find I actually look forward to it this season.
Why is it that some shows like True Blood take time to get good?
I’m going to go with Castle, simply because I don’t really watch the others. I’d say, though, that Castle is essentially the same. It’s just as great as it was last season–a fun show that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Leverage.
And I’m gonna have to agree with Parenthood. I enjoy Fringe way more than I did X-files.
Also, I meant that Fringe has been very X Files-like in it’s style. I didn’t mean to compare it in the writing. I apologize for the misunderstanding.
Lie to Me is much more compelling this season
“Then there was another one about a suspect taking orders from an ATM machine to kill somebody.”
An automatic teller machine machine? What’s one of those?