Category: Columns
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Controlled madness: On The Vampire Diaries, Nikita and narrative pacing
This summer, I made my way through the first season of Nikita, a series I liked in the early part of last season but one I ultimately lost touch with because I was already watching 71 other things at the same time. Thursday nights are tough, you all know this. Generally speaking, I very much…
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Post-hiatus musings: I don’t want your stupid movies, cult television
After nearly a month, my fairly substantial hiatus here at TVS is over. I am happy to be back providing content for you folks on a regular basis. In my time off, I’ve missed all sorts of television, both viewing- and writing-wise. To combat that, I’ll be whipping up a number of random posts with…
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Brand transition? — On what’s at stake for USA Network this summer
I am entirely enthralled by television network/channel branding. You might know this about me. You might also know that I’m writing my MA thesis on the topic, specifically USA Network’s branding. USA is such an interesting case because they are just so damn successful, even though up until now, their programming has been generally formulaic.…
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Kingdom of disconnect: On ambivalence with Game of Thrones
As you may or may not know, I have not read one single word of the book that HBO’s Game of Thrones is based on. As such, I was sufficiently excited for the television adaptation, as I would be for all new HBO drama series. Despite all the annoying hype and the assertions that the…
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Empty twists: On frustrations with The Killing
I haven’t written about The Killing in a very long time and I think you can guess why: It quickly devolved into a boring mess. I still enjoyed a number of the performances — most notably Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton — but the middle part of this season focused way too much on a…
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Telling the best original stories?: Discussing AMC’s brand development
I have been thinking a lot about television network/channel branding lately. Call it a dual byproduct of writing a MA thesis on the topic and the upfronts season, which always brings forth questions about whether or not a series is “right” for whatever it is a network or channel is trying to do. My branding-on-the-brain…
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On letting go: Musings on Lost’s final season one year after the finale
You’re probably aware of this, but today is the one-year anniversary of Lost‘s finale episode, “The End.” One year ago, the biggest television phenomenon of the 21st century came to an end, overwhelming some and frustrating/enraging more. For me personally, it’s been something of a whirlwind year, especially as far as television goes. I started…
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Misery loves company: Musings on why Community season two has been better than season one
I wanted to write something in celebration of Community‘s season finale tonight, but I have gone back and forth as to what is I actually wanted to write about. A ranked list of the episodes? Nah (at least not yet). A list of the best moments? Boo. More about Pierce? Meh. No, instead I’m here…
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Surveillance Spring Stumping: Why CBS should renew The Good Wife
It’s May, which means we’re very close to the network upfronts. Choices about which series live and which series die are probably being made right now by all the major networks. This of course means it’s time for fans and critics to start stumping for their favorite series stuck on the bubble between cancellation and…
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Surveillance Spring Stumping: Why FOX should renew The Chicago Code
It’s May, which means we’re very close to the network upfronts. Choices about which series live and which series die are probably being made right now by all the major networks. This of course means it’s time for fans and critics to start stumping for their favorite series stuck on the bubble between cancellation and…
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Waiting for Superman, week four: How important is the ending?
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first three pieces here, here and here if you missed them. You…
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Surveillance Spring Stumping: Why The CW Should Renew Nikita
It’s May, which means we’re very close to the network upfronts. Choices about which series live and which series die are probably being made right now by all the major networks. This of course means it’s time for fans and critics to start stumping for their favorite series stuck on the bubble between cancellation and…
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Surveillance Spring Stumping: Why ABC should renew Happy Endings
It’s May, which means we’re very close to the network upfronts. Choices about which series live and which series die are probably being made right now by all the major networks. This of course means it’s time for fans and critics to start stumping for their favorite series stuck on the bubble between cancellation and renewal.…
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Waiting for Superman, week three: What’s the legacy of Smallville?
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. You can the first two pieces here and here if you missed them. As we get…
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Waiting for Superman, week one: How Smallville can stick the landing
With only five more weeks of Smallville, there are mixed emotions in the TVS headquarters. To work out those conflicting feelings, I’ll be writing a pre-episode piece every week from here on out until the final episode on May 13. This is the first one, obviously. Smallville‘s tenth and final season has been a bit…
CB, PhD 