Favorite Shows: Down the Tubes?

Yes, I am afraid that the tv shows I once considered the salvation of television have become prey to the curse that brought tv to the lows of the '90s and early 2000s. Poetic, yes?

Well, we're still not quite in that horrible of a rut (Family Matters or Full House anyone? I didn't think so), but the fact is all my favorite shows have taken a turn for the worse over the past few weeks/months. We'll start with Heroes.

The first season was very, very good. The show did a good job connecting viewers with the characters as they go through the process of discovering their special abilities. The line between good and bad was clear with some (Sylar: bad, Peter: good) and murky with others (Nathan, Mohinder). The whole key and climax of the season was the "Save the Cheerleader, Save the World" concept, which kept it simple, interesting, and fun to watch. The second season was also good, although not quite as good as the first because it began to get a little complicated as it followed certain characters back and forward in time (always a bad idea unless you're Steven Spielberg and you don't take it too seriously), and there were too many different quests to follow. Season 2 was cut short because of the writers strike and did not have a very fulfilling finish. Now I will get into the disaster that is season 3 or whatever the current season is, its really that confusing. All of a sudden, all of the characters have done a complete turnaround: the good have become bad and the bad have become good. There isn't really much development or explanation over why the characters have all had a change of heart. Some characters find out they are related to others and suddenly they decide to become murderers or world-savers. There is no goal or anything to work toward. It goes one episode to the next without any kind of development because there is nothing to develop. The attachment to the characters that was built in the first season is gone because these characters are all different. I think the biggest disappointment for me is Noah, who in the first and second season was so pivotal because of his loyalties, which he struggled with. The things he did to protect his daughter were awesome and sometimes very intense. He was ready to bring down the company running everything, and do whatever it took to do it. Now he barely has a role at all, and he's just working for the company again like nothing ever happened. It is so ridiculously complicated now with so many different stories to follow and nobody coming together that I have no idea what is going on half the time. So that's Heroes.

My next big show disappointment will surprise you. Its been my favorite show for four years now:

Yes my friends, I have said it. Season 5 of The Office sucketh so far. I like the addition of Holly, but she has been more focused on than old classics like the Dwight/Jim rivalry. I haven't seen Jim put Dwight's stuff in jello, hide his desk in the bathroom, tape him up in a box to spy on people, or send him faxes from the future in a long time and I really miss that. Andy was virtually non-existent until last night's episode (which was mostly funny, but still had problems which I will shortly discuss). Holly has been a more central character than even Pam, one of the key figures of the first four seasons (no Pam, Michael, Jim, and Dwight, no show). The biggest problem is that The Office is starting to take itself seriously. Jim's relationship with Pam isn't fun to watch anymore, and the Michael/Holly drama (if you didn't watch last night you'll see what I mean) is too serious for this show. I mean its ok for an episode here and there, but in all of the episodes this season so far, there has been a crucial moment of drama, and that is not what this show is. It is a light-hearted comedy with some elements of drama that are ok as long as you stick to the comedy. Too much drama this season, not enough Dwight & Andy (although last night was a breath of fresh air -- the only thing missing was Jim). I find myself wishing Dwight would take Ryan back to the beet farm on a journey of self-discovery. Anything to lighten things up.