Next week sure will have to work hard to beat this week.
I finished The IT Crowd from BBC (via Netflix). GREAT series that has that slightly "off" British sensibility.
I also finished the Netflix-exclusive fourth season of Arrested Development. I liked it, but found binging wasn't as fun as watching 2-3 episodes at a time, so I stretched my watching out over the past few months.
Watched Dogma for the first time since it was in theatres. Liked it back then; respect it now. It's a shame it caught so much flak in the religious community as I think it really was respectful of the belief in religion-- even if it did it via showing the hypocrisy that organized religions suffer from. ...And a lot of dick jokes.
Sammy Hagar released a new single ("Knockdown Dragout") from his upcoming album. Had a little Kid Rock and a lot of Joe Satriani, and that's a good thing. Sounds like The NFL Network will be using it this season, so good for him. Guys his age are retiring, and he's killin' it right now-- celebrating 40 years in the business as well as getting attention he hasn't had since his Van Halen days.
And just a few hours ago, BBC announced that Peter Capaldi will be the next Doctor Who. I'm not a giant Doctor Who fan, but I do enjoy it, and I think it's awesome that the BBC is making it such a social media/geeky event. This is a production company/network that knows how to treat its fans right (except for the stupid-expensive DVDs). Fifty years of Doctor Who is a huge deal-- and it's just getting more and more popular.
And it's hard to imagine that in fifty years and over 700 television episodes, only eleven (soon to be twelve) people have been The Doctor. I don't know Capaldi's work well, but he held himself very well in the short interview today. I am looking forward to seeing what a more mature and dignified actor will bring to the role (not a knock on Smith; but older U.K. actors-- I'd say "British", but I know he's Scottish-- just have a gravitas about them).
And now we have to wait until Christmas to see a glimpse of him in his new role...
Okay... on to the premieres...
Monday, 8/5
The Bachelorette (ABC; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.
The Fosters (ABC Family; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Tuesday, 8/6
Hard Knocks; HBO. 9 pm CST. 8th Season Premieres.
The Legend of Shelby the Swampman; History. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Wednesday, 8/7
Broadchurch; BBC America. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Detectives investigate a murder of a young boy in a small town.
And the review I read said this 8-episode season will solve the murder-- and won't use last-second gimmicks to pull the rabbit out of the hat.
It stars David Tennant, who is a heck of an actor. I caught the last half-hour of his run as The Doctor today, and it had me crying like a baby. I didn't even need to see how it all happened again; Tennant had it all in his performance. A guy who knew he was dying saying goodbye-- in a very Tenth Doctor way-- and then declaring "I don't want to go" before his body gives out. Just powerful stuff.
I can't wait to see what he brings to this new role.
And another Who connection: Arthur Darvill has a role as well.
Friday, 8/9
Magic City (Starz; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Strike Back; Cinemax. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Saturday, 8/10
The White Queen; Starz. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
This 10-episode series follows the pre-Tudor Plantagenets family, who were crazy-dysfunctional.
And because it's Starz, expect plenty of sex scenes...
Hell on Wheels; AMC. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Sometimes the show is a little "too much" (too much of a lot of things), but stars Anson Mount and Common are just damn great to watch. And after last season's deaths, it'll be interesting to see what they do with who's left.
Sunday, 8/11
Marvel's Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. Disney XD. 10 am CST. Series Premiere.
Then Hulk, She-Hulk, A-Bomb, Skaar, and Red Hulk all live and fight bad guys together.
If it's anything like the comics, they could end up being more dysfunctional than The White Queen.
...But I wouldn't count on any sex scenes...
Breaking Bad; AMC. 8 pm CST. Mid-season Premiere.
It's been nearly a year, but technically, it's the rest of the final season.
Low Winter Sun; AMC. 9:04 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A cop kills a dirty cop-- and then gets caught in the Detroit underworld while trying to cover it up.
I've heard good things-- and AMC has a pretty good track record for original dramas. You should check it out.
Talking Bad; AMC. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
AMC brings this Talking Dead-style show to Breaking Bad's last few episodes.
