TV Watch: "Shameless"

William H. Macy and Emmie Rossum star in Showtime's new hit "Shameless"

The problem with cable television series is that they tend to show a lot of sex, especially among non-married individuals, drug and alcohol abuse, crime commission, and the entire array of man's worst and basest actions. "Shameless" has all of that.

The greatness of cable television series is that they don't hide from any of those very real elements of the struggles, tragedies, and triumphs of modern men and women. It would be nice if families were perfect, whatever that is, but as human beings we are imperfect. To ignore rather than explore that imperfection would be a disservice.

Showtime has become perhaps the leading television network for presenting quality series, and it's new creation "Shameless" gives it yet another hit. The Gallagher family is certainly shameless in their actions. They are willing to and do lie, cheat, and steal in an effort to keep their dysfunctional, lower-class "white trash" family afloat.

The family is also shameless in their love, affection, and dedication to one another individually and the entire family as a unit. In this regard they do what so many other cable television series have been able to do, they draw us in and get us to sympathize, empathize, and root for their efforts to overcome the great obstacles that are thrown in our life paths by both circumstance and our own poor decisions.



The "name" star of the show is veteran actor William H. Macy playing family patriarch Frank Gallagher. Calling Frank an alcoholic is an insult to alcoholics everywhere. Frank is a fall-down drunk, saved from homelessness only by his inspired children. The back story says that the family was once intact until the mom left for reasons that have yet not been fully explored. When she took off, leaving him with six kids to raise, Frank instead took to the bottle, leaving the kids to largely raise themselves.

The job of raising those kids has fallen on eldest daughter Fiona, played by the edgy-beautiful Emmie Rossum, the real star of the series. Fiona works dead-end jobs, organizes the household, juggles the roles of big sister and surrogate mother, all while also trying to find herself as a woman. Besides her family obligations, the show also highlights her relationships, particularly with hustler boyfriend Steve played charmingly by Justin Chatwin.

The eldest Gallagher son is Phillip, known as 'Lip', played by Jeremy Allen White. Lip is a high school genius who has decided to utilize his intellect to make money for the family in illegal pursuits such as charging other students to take their SAT exams for them in exchange for money. The middle son, Ian, is played by Cameron Monaghan as a teen exploring emerging homosexual feelings. The youngest son, Carl, is played by Ethan Kutkowsky as an early serial killer, the kind of dark kid who tortures animals and draws pictures of his family dead at his hands.

The youngest daughter, the tween Debbie, is played by Emma Kenney, and is probably the most sympathetic character to this point. Deb seems to have a good head on her shoulders, wants only the best for her family, and is always trying to help others. She clearly has a good heart, and is beginning to struggle with the reality of her dysfunctional family while doing everything she can to help the clan individually and as a group. She is basically a tiny Fiona, without the worldliness of maturity.

The supporting cast is good as well, especially Shanola Hampton and Steve Howey as mixed-race neighbors Veronica and Kevin. As best friend to Fiona, 'V' and her live-in boyfriend Kev are almost members of the Gallagher family, not always to Kev's liking. Lara Slade Wiggins has a regular role as Lip's girlfriend, Karen, whose family is going through it's own issues. Playing her kooky mom is veteran comedienne Joan Cusack.

The show airs original episodes every Sunday night at 10pm on Showtime, with replays during the week and the series available to subscribers via OnDemand services. It is currently approaching the end of the first season. The show features outstanding acting turns by both the adults and the kids involved. Despite having plenty of action involving those kids on the show, it is in no way for kids to watch. This is an adult TV-MA series all the way with sex, drugs, booze, and mature themes and situations dealt with on a regular basis.

For some reason, cable series seem to have a fascination with the gay topic. There are absolutely more gay characters involved in cable series than you will ever run into as a percentage in real life in most families. In that regard, "Shameless" is no different in featuring the issue with one of the Gallagher sons. But aside from that, there is much to like here. The acting is top notch, the issues are real ones faced by many in America's oft-neglected underclass, and the togetherness of the family is commendable.

Some who are a bit more squeamish and sensitive than I am about showing even hetero-sexuality and dealing with mature, serious issues will cringe at the shamelessness of "Shameless". For me, this is yet another homerun for cable television in general, and for Showtime in particular. I am looking forward to watching the Gallagher clan battle their demons for years to come, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a new show to enjoy.

NOTE: this is a continuation of the "TV Watch" series of articles, all entries of which can be read by clicking on that below label. Also, as always, the title of this post is a link to further information on the main topic.

TV Watch: Breaking Bad

The AMC network, home to the best drama show on television in the award-winning 'Mad Men', has another major hit on their hands, one that I was personally just introduced to this year. 'Breaking Bad' just began the run of it's 3rd season, and the quirky human-interest drug-dealing drama is well worth anyone's time.

The show is based around the life of high school science teacher Walter White, a man whose intellect is well above his current position and pay grade. As played wonderfully by Bryan Cranston, White suffers a serious setback when he learns that he has cancer and does not have long to live. His wife, Skyler, played smartly by the beautiful Anna Gunn, turns up pregnant with what will be their 2nd child. Timing is everything.

Walt then makes a dramatic decision that will change thier lives forever, and will setup the story line. He decides that he is going to become a drug manufacturer, and cooks up a new brand of meth that is extremely high-quality. He hopes to make enough money from the distribution of the drug before he dies to setup his family financially after he is gone.

To that end, Walt solicits the help of one of his former students, Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul. Pinkman has a talent for both the science end, where he helps out Walt as his assistant 'cook', and as a dealer as well.

As if the idea of having a cast led by a man who is dying of cancer, about to have a baby, and turns to illegal drug manufacturing to support them after his death isn't enough fodder for controversy, the cast and the plot are made even more tense by the fact that Skylar's sister, Marie Schrader, played by Betsy Brandt, is married to a highly motivated DEA agent named Hank Schrader, played with intensity by Dean Norris.

There are some tremendous supporting acting turns over the course of the first three seasons as well. RJ Mitte plays Walter White Jr, the featured couple's high school aged son with special needs. Raymond Cruz plays Tuco Salamanca, a crazed Mexican drug lord who initially does business with Walt and Jesse. Bob Odenkirk is introduced as a colorful TV-style shady lawyer named Saul Goodman. And Jane Margolis makes a pivotal turn as Jesse's season 2 landlord-turned-girlfriend.

Walt's efforts as a drug manufacturer, in battling his cancer, and in struggling through the situations of his family and home life make for an intriguing, well-written, well-acted story line. It is all kept moving along with featured looks into the other characters lives as well, particularly those of Skylar, Jesse, and Hank. The 3rd season is just a few episodes old now, airing new shows every Sunday night on AMC, and it is proving the most dramatic and interesting season yet.

As I have posted here a number of times, HBO and Showtime have led the way over the past decade with quality drama and comedy programs such as The Sopranos, Sex in the City, Rome, The Tudors, The Wire and many others. Now networks such as AMC and FX are joining the parade of great shows being churned out on cable television. 'Breaking Bad' is the latest that I can highly recommend. You can catch up on previous seasons and episodes in a variety of places including OnDemand, online, or through Netflix.

TV Watch: LOST

For the past few years when I would watch something on the ABC television network I saw commercials for "LOST", a program that I had never watched. Over time I would hear numerous friends and family members talk about this show, see and hear references to it in popular culture, and wonder what all the fascination was about.

Sometime late last spring I decided to do something about it. I signed up for the 'Netflix' service and began to receive DVD's of "LOST" beginning with the pilot episode. That first introduction to this new series was a revelation. The production value for a pilot episode of a TV program was equal to what you would normally expect to find at a movie theatre in a motion picture. I was hooked.

There is a very famous anonymous quote that goes: "For those who know, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none will suffice." Suffice it to say this quote applies perfectly to the "LOST" experience. If you have never watched the show, I cannot recommend it more highly. You can catch up as I did through Netflix, or via any number of internet resources.

I became addicted to the program, rifling through episode after episode, eagerly awaiting the next DVD shipment and then devouring the four episodes that it contained. Waiting days for the next shipment was at times grueling. That is the nature of the show. It is high quality, and it is highly addictive.

Tonight on ABC, "LOST" begins it's final season run. The producers and writers have promised that all of our questions regarding the show will finally and fully be answered. It's stars have begun making the rounds on talk shows and in magazines trumpeting the season. Fans like me have been waiting and waiting for the beginning of the end, and tonight it finally arrives.

For the uninitiated, "LOST" is the story of the survivors of the crash of an airliner, Oceanic Flight 815 onto the beach and into the waters just off of a tropical island. It follows their struggles to recover after the crash, to organize themselves, to explore the island, and ultimately to overcome what turn out to be numerous challenges, some human, some mystical, some mysterious.

There are initially 71 human survivors from what were 324 people on board, as well as a dog who survives, spread across 3 sections of the aircraft wreckage. That first season saw 14 regular speaking parts, making it the largest ensemble program in television history, and enabling the show to establish numerous relationship pairings and conflicts. From that very first season the show was not afraid to kill off major characters, and it has never been beyond introducing new ones.

New characters are brought on to the program in a variety of manners over the years. Remember, there were 71 survivors and only 14 initial speaking roles, so plenty of room to begin to introduce others as main or secondary characters. The show also establishes early on that it will explore the main characters past lives leading them up to the crash, so it will frequently 'flashback' to a character's life and experiences prior to the island.

Series creators J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Jeffrey Lieber envisioned a story line involving drama, fantasy, adventure, and a touch of science fiction. What they have achieved is simply a television masterpiece. Though the high quality of production and the strong writing are the backbone of the show, it is the actors that make us ultimately suspend belief, that make us feel this could really happen. That make us care.

Matthew Fox is the show's leading man, playing Dr. Jack Shephard, a man who has struggled in life with his relationships, particularly with his father Dr. Ben Shephard, played in a recurring role by John Terry. The balance to Jack's complicated heroic character is that of John Locke, played by Terry O'Quinn. Josh Hollway stars as bad boy and hunk James 'Sawyer' Ford. Evangeline Lilly plays the surprising Kate Austen, who ultimately is locked in a love triangle with Jack and Sawyer.

Also in the mix are Naveen Andrews as Sayid Jarrah, a former member of Iraq's Republican Guard. Emilie de Raven plays the very beautiful and very pregnant Claire Littleton. Dominic Monaghan plays her sometimes protector, rock star Charlie Pace. Jorge Garcia is rotund lottery winner Hugo 'Harley' Reyes. Daniel Dae Kim and Yunjin Kim play Korean married couple Jin-Soo and Sun-Hwa Kwan.

These characters, a host of other survivors, and others who have been on the island previously or who eventually are also drawn to the island end up being challenged by one another, a deadly 'smoke monster', a mysterious underground research facility, a doomsday clock, time travel and displacement, their own personal fears and demons, and ultimately get caught up in a struggle between good and evil themselves.

Like every group of people, be they family, friends, co-workers, teammates, or survivors of a plane crash, there are many facets to each of the character's personalities. There is good and bad in each and every one of them, and over the first five seasons they have each had their personal demons exposed and their motivations explored. Despite all of the mythology, religious undertones, and the supernatural, it is these human stories that make "LOST" the quality drama that it is at it's core.

The lush paradise of Hawaii provides the gorgeous and mysterious island that is itself a character in the program. In one of the early shows, Charlies asks the question that grows on everyone's mind: "Where are we?" The answer is yet to be revealed, with speculation ranging from a simple island in the middle of the ocean to a sort of purgatory between Heaven and Hell.

Not since "The Sopranos" has a television series captured my imagination this way. In sifting through the hundreds of channels and thousands of hours of programming junk, there is much to like about television today, particularly on cable networks. "LOST" is that very rare thing today, a blockbuster program from one of the old school networks that actually lives up to the hype. I can't wait to welcome back the characters, and start to uncover the mysteries of "LOST" beginning tonight.

NOTE: This is a continuation of the "TV Watch" series, all entries of which can be viewed by clicking on that label below this article at www.mattveasey.com

TV Watch: Sons of Anarchy

The best gang show on television this side of 'The Sopranos' has just concluded it's 2nd full season, and fans of this emerging masterpiece will be happy to learn that 'Sons of Anarchy' has just been renewed for a full third season that will begin airing in September 2010.

For the uninitiated, the show centers on the activities of a biker gang, also known as an outlaw motorcycle club (MC) called the 'Sons of Anarchy' which alternately is known by the nickname 'Samcro' or 'Sam Crow', a moniker loosely based on an anacronym for the official full name of the 'Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original' charter.

The show airs on the 'FX' network with in-season first run episodes coming on Tuesday nights at 10pm. Prior episodes are available through the Comcast OnDemand service in the TV Entertainment section.

'Sons' centers largely around both the MC and family activities of three main characters. Charlie Hannum is a revelation as Jackson 'Jax' Teller, a young Vice-President of the MC and the son of deceased club founder John Teller. Katey Sagal plays Jax' mother, Gemma Teller Morrow, the matriarch of the family and the MC. Widow of the founder, she is now married to the new President of the MC. That character is Clarence 'Clay' Morrow, played by veteran actor Ron Perlman.

The 'Sons' run an automotive repair business as a cover front for their real business, a lucrative gun-running operation. They are in complete control of the small town of Charming, California in which they reside and base their operations. While somewhat of a menace to law enforcement in the town, the MC does try to keep the town clean of drugs and other illegal crime operations.

The prime conflict developing in the show is that during the first season, Jax stumbles across a sort of manifesto that his late father wrote just before his death. In it, John had been planning to take the club 'clean', getting it out of all illegal activities. Jax begins to see this as a birthright, as his destiny.

His mother Gemma is aware of the manifesto, but is against that direction knowing that her current husband Clay has no intention of changing course. Much of the internal family activity revolves around Gemma running interference and playing mediator between these two most important men in her life as they begin to butt heads more and more regarding the direction that the MC should take. Other interesting plot lines are developed around the main characters and the fine supporting cast.

That support is led by Maggie Siff as Jax' love interest Dr. Tara Knowles. A former love of Jax in the past, Tara returns to town and their relationship once again takes off after a major traumatic incident, causing strain on her career and both of their personal lives.

The other MC members include Mark Boone as club Secretary Bobby Munson, Kim Coates as the wild Sergeant-at-Arms Alex 'Tig' Trager, Tommy Flanagan as Scottish club member 'Chibs Telford, Theo Rossi as club Intel Officer Juan Carlos 'Juice' Ortiz, Ryan Hurst as 'Opie' Winston, William Lucking as Opie's dad and fellow club member 'Piney' Winston, and Johnny Lewis as Kip Epps, a young Iraq War veteran trying to join the club.

Their principle nemesis is a white separatist organization known as 'The League' that is trying to muscle in on Samcro's gun business, and that manipulates the local black and Hispanic gangs against one another and against Samcro. Veteran actor Adam Arkin plays that organization's clean cut evil leader, Ethan Zoebelle, and Henry Rollins plays his right-hand man and a true neo-Nazi in AJ Weston.

Law enforcement in Charming walks the line between wanting to shut down Samcro but realizing that it may be the lesser of two evils. That faction is played by Dayton Callie as Chief Wayne Unser, and by Taylor Sheridan as his Deputy Chief David Hale. From the Federal angle, Ally Walker plays ATF agent June Stahl, trying hard to shutdown Samcro and put the members behind bars.

The first two seasons have seen the development of the characters, with an interesting enough first season followed up by an even better written and more well acted second season that just ended. The first season ends with the death of a major character, something that 'The Sopranos' became well known for, and the second season finish only leaves fans thirsty for more next year.

At times, shows like 'Sons of Anarchy' slip through the cracks for many TV viewers who habitually only watch the 'major' networks such as ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, and Showtime for their series. But 'FX' has both 'Sons' and their outstanding comedy "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' to offer (I'll cover them in my next 'TV Watch' installment), and AMC offers perhaps the best dramatic show on television in the previously reviewed 'Mad Men' series.

While it doesn't contain the 'R' rated language and sexual scenes of other cable shows, it remains edgy enough. And in the familial struggles and the struggles of Jax to possibly reform the MC, there is also a chance at redemption here. If you were a fan of 'The Sopranos' but haven't watched 'The Sons of Anarchy' as yet, give it a shot. Once you get to know the characters and follow the plot line after a handful of episodes, you will be hooked.

NOTE: This is a continuation of the 'TV Watch' series of television program reviews. To see all entries in the series, click on that below Label.

TV Watch: The Tudors

The folks at the Showtime cable network have proven that they are just as adept at creating entertaining, high-quality television programming as their HBO network rivals. Sunday evenings now belong to 'The Tudors', an excellent historical period piece that tells the story of King Henry VIII of England.

Henry was the 2nd monarch of the 'House of Tudor', which drew its identity from the family surname of Henry's father, King Henry VII, whom Henry then succeeded to the throne. The Tudors had originally gained power in the aftermath of the 'War of the Roses', and in the period of their rule from 1485 until 1603 the five monarchs of the ruling family succeeded in uniting England with Wales and Ireland as one kingdom. Their reign also resulted in great social, legal, and political questions of marriage, divorce, and the succession rights of women raised, debated, and answered.

Henry VIII, whose reign began at the age of just 18 years and lasted until his death in 1547 at age 56, was a particularly flamboyant and controversial figure. This was due both to his personal and religious actions, views, and rulings. In his personal life, Henry was married six times, with the first three of his wives each bearing him children who would each eventually accede to the throne.

Henry treated his wives cavalierly, moving from one relationship to another at his sexual whim, and these relationships and the events surrounding them form one large part of the Showtime series. Henry also was noted for establishing the 'Church of England', which broke from the Catholic Church after Henry was excommunicated by the Pope following his divorce of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

Despite his political struggles with Rome following the split, Henry was known to advocate Catholic ceremony and doctrine throughout his life, and for much of it he brutally suppressed the Protestant reformation of the church. Henry's struggles with his faith and the various religious authorities and figures of the time form the other major highlight of the series.

Henry VIII himself is played in 'The Tudors' with energetic, ravenous intensity by Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Other notable starring turns during the first three seasons come from Henry Cavill as Henry VIII's brave and dashing friend and aid Charles Brandon, James Frain as his political right-hand man Thomas Cromwell, Jeremy Northam as Henry's friend and religious confidante Sir Thomas More, and Natalie Dormer as his mistress and later his 2nd wife, Anne Boleyn.

These are just a handful of a dozen or so outstanding acting turns in 'The Tudors', which also benefits from first-rate costuming, sets, and locations which send you back in time to the 16th century with credibility in every scene. Now in its third season, this is one of the finest series in recent television history, a truly great drama, and one which you should not miss.

TV Watch: American Idol

On September 4th, 2002, Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson stood on-stage for the announcement of the winner of the first-ever 'American Idol' television singing contest. 'Idol' was supposed to be a simple little summer 'replacement' series, something to fill the summer months when viewership and advertising revenues are lower due to the main network programs moving into reruns. The show proved a stunning success, and the finale drew over 50 million viewers for this final announcement.

The program's three recording industry judges: industry executive and manager Simon Cowell, producer and manager Randy Jackson, and former hit recording artist and choreographer Paula Abdul had selected the participants from a national casting call, but it was the public who voted via cellphone for the finalists. When their results were tabulated and announced on that early September evening, it was Kelly Clarkson who was crowned as the first-ever American Idol winner.

In the ensuing years, Clarkson has gone on to become a major pop star with nine Top-10 chart hits including 'A Moment Like This', 'Miss Independent' (for which she received a Grammy nomination), 'Breakaway', 'Never Again', and the Grammy-winning 'Since U Been Gone' among others. Her latest hit, 'My Life Would Suck Without You' is the #1 song in both the United States and Great Britain. Clarkson has proven to be a huge success story and beloved alumni for the show which is now in it's 8th season, but she is not the only one.

Season Four was dominated almost from it's first show by Carrie Underwood, who has gone on to become one of the most popular and award-winning 'country' artists in America. Underwood's songs have made her a hit on the Pop, Country, and Christian charts with variety that ranges from 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' to 'Before He Cheats'. That same season saw another finalist, Chris Daughtry, emerge with a strong rock following that has enabled him to enjoy sustained success on the Pop, Rock, and Christian radio airwaves with songs like 'It's Not Over', 'Home', and 'What About Now'.

Season Six winner Jordin Sparks dominated last year's charts with her hits 'One Step at a Time' and 'Tattoo', and last year's season Seven winner David Cook may prove to be one of the best Idols of all over time.

Some of the Idol finalists who didn't make it into the top five on the shows voting have gone on to successful film, stage, or recording careers as well. Season Three back in 2004 yielded a 6th runner-up in Jennifer Hudson who went on to win the Academy Award, Golden Globe, SAG, and Grammy in 2007 for her work in the previous years' motion picture 'Dreamgirls'.

Will any of the remaining 2009 finalists reach these levels of success? It's hard to say, but a number of them have shown incredible talent already. My own list of favorites goes three deep and includes two of the males, Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey, as well as female Alexis Grace.

Every once in awhile the singers lay a dud with a performance, and it can get tiresome hearing Randy Jackson call someone 'Dog', watching Paula Abdul praise nearly everyone and struggle with criticism, and listen to Simon Cowell and host Ryan Seacrest act like they are involved in a feud. New fourth-wheel judge Kara DioGuardi brought a lot to the early rounds, but seems to have settled in to a 'you've got the pipes, you've got the chops, you picked the wrong song sweetie' level of repetitiveness here in the Finals. And the 'group song' choices are often so lame as to become boring and contrived.

But the fact is that the program is a juggernaut, one of the most popular programs in the history of American television with well over 30 million loyal viewers. This season has perhaps the deepest field of legitimate talent, and the final ten weeks of the competition should be extremely competitive and entertaining on the Fox television network's 'Death Star', a nickname that the program has been given by industry experts from other networks who want no parts of matching up with the media giant that 'American Idol' has become.

TV Watch: Taking Chance

Every other review that I've done in these 'TV Watch' items has been about a television series, and so HBO's 'Taking Chance' is the first movie-length program that has made the grade.

An official selection of the Sundance Film Festival, this true story is one of the most moving and emotional war films of all-time, yet it contains no more than a couple minutes of actual combat action. Instead, 'Taking Chance' tells the story of two men who never meet in life, but whose paths cross in a most unusual and pivotal manner.

Kevin Bacon plays the starring role of United States Marine Colonel Michael Strobl who served his country well in Operation Desert Storm back in the early 1990's and who then drifted later in his career into an office-type desk job position. Strobl is now an analyst with the Department of Defense, and he struggles with his desk job role, particularly when he passes over an opportunity to serve in Iraq in order to remain home and close to his wife and two young children.

His struggle is that of a former warrior who still feels the call of the battlefield, and the responsibility that only those who have warn the uniform can know. That responsibility is not only for your country or municipality, as those in the military or in other uniformed service such as police officers know, but also to your fellow men and women in uniform.

To put it directly, Strobl wrestles with the idea that he may not have done enough in his career to earn his Marine title. He spends some of his off-duty time searching through the Department of Defense website, scouring the casualty lists to see if anyone that he knows or has a connection with has been injured or killed in battle.

One day as he searches the site he comes across the name of PFC Chance Phelps and notices that Phelps comes from the same small hometown as Strobl himself came from. Strobl feels the call to do something, and volunteers for the mission of escort duty, the person who travels with the deceased body from its arrival on U.S. soil through to the funeral home.

This is the dramatic story of Lt. Colonel Strobl and PFC Chance Phelps, their travel together from Philadelphia to Minnesota to the final resting place at Phelps' family home in Wyoming. It is the story of the emotional reaction of regular people, from airline pilots, ground crew, and service staff to Strobl's fellow passengers, to all manner of regular people along the way who take the time to stop and reflect as they see Chance's body being transported, or as they become aware of Strobl's assignment.

Chance Phelps was inspired, as were many young Americans, to join the military after the attacks of September 11th, 2001. These fine men and women understood that the United States of America is not the product of words on a paper, but is in reality the product of men and women like them who were willing to stand up and fight for freedom and democracy. P

helps was just 19 years old when he was killed in Iraq, but he was highly decorated for such a young man. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with Valor, among a number of other decorations. He was also a wise-cracking young man with an infectious sense of humor which he never lost right up to the day he died.

The folks at HBO put together some of the finest work on television today, and that they bring this kind of quality film to the small screen is no surprise. Kevin Bacon does an outstanding, understated job of somehow in the end relating that his is really the supporting character. It is Chance Phelps who is the star, and the story of Michael Strobl taking Chance home is one that you simply should not miss. NOTE: This is the latest in the 'TV Watch' series, all the reviews of which you can read by clicking in to that below label.

TV Watch: '24'

After an extended delay that cost we fans of the Fox television series '24' almost the entire year of 2008, Jack is finally back. Intrepid U.S. counter-terrorist Jack Bauer that is, and he's on a mission to stop yet another crazed terrorist from laying waste to the land of the free and home of the brave.

This time around there are many new challenges facing Bauer and the series producers have also decided to bring some of today's top public issues into the discussion. These early episodes of the shows 7th season have brought the issues of coercive interrogation, torture and communications interception into play, and future episodes will be exploring these issues even more closely.

Taking on modern issues and putting them firmly into play is nothing new for the folks at '24', who this year have cast actress Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor, the first female President of the United States. She follows on the heels of the early years of the show which featured regular character David Palmer as the first African-American U.S. President.

For those who have not followed closely, the basic plot of '24' surrounds Keifer Sutherland in a career-defining role as a U.S. undercover operative named Jack Bauer. Bauer has spent most of his adult life in highly sensitive, dangerous, and at times violent deep undercover operations for the government.

During most of the series he has publicly re-emerged and become a member of, and at times the head of, the fictional CTU (Counter-Terrorism Unit), and each season he and his CTU buddies are up against some major terrorist group planning some major strike against America. In fact they are often up against multiple groups with disparate agendas with multiple threats against our country developing as the day moves along.

I say as the 'day' moves along because that is the other major plot vehicle in the show. As it's name implies, '24' seasons happen within the span of one 24-hour day. Each episode shows what is happening during a particular hour of that time frame from the perspectives of Jack, his CTU co-workers, the President, the terrorists, and even in some of the characters families and personal lives.

I have a bit of a weird history with '24' in that it was one of those shows that always looked interesting to me, but was difficult to follow because of what I believe is one of it's main problems - it is network television. With a job like mine in police work, this didn't always prove conducive to my schedule, and once I missed the first season I just let it drop for a few years. I really believe that a show such as '24' could be so much better under the greater creative freedom and with the expanded viewing opportunities that a cable network such as HBO or Showtime could provide.

Anyway, I finally purchased the first four seasons after they were finished, and I caught up on DVD. Let me tell you that there is no better way to watch a television series than on DVD or recorded in some other way that allows you to fast-forward through commercials. These days I always 'DVR' the episodes on Comcast and then watch after they air for this very reason.

In any event, I caught up with Jack and his pals quickly through their first four years, and my opinion is that while the show remains well made they have been chasing their tails a bit since the 1st season. That first season of '24' was simply one of the best dramatic television seasons that I have ever seen, full of interesting plot twists, a solid story line, and strong acting. It showed Jack as both an agent and a family man, and his efforts to balance these roles and ultimately combine them when his family became involved in his work responsibilities.

If you have never followed the show it is well worth pursuing it on DVD or some other medium, starting from the beginning. In this current season, which began actually with a 2-hour television movie titled "24: Redemption" that aired back in late November, Jack battles a new enemy.

Instead of the radical Islamists and their sympathizers that have appropriately reared their heads in previous seasons, here it is an African dictator bent on genocide and keeping America out of his efforts to control his country with violence that is providing the danger. He also is up against the challenging fact that he is being questioned by a government panel investigating past allegations of torture and prisoner abuse.

All this on his plate, and his CTU has been disbanded, so he has no official agency to help support him. How can Jack Bauer possibly succeed without all of the CTU agents, gadgets, gizmos, and quirky-teckie support personnel? That is another twist which reveals itself early on, but I won't ruin it for you.

Suffice it to say that I am very glad that Jack is back. In these days of terrorism and other threats in reality to the very existence of our way of life, it is comforting to know that there are actually real people out there like him trying to keep us safe.

NOTE: This is a continuation of the 'TV Watch' series highlighting various programs that I recommend. All the articles in the series can be viewed by clicking in to that below label.

TV Watch: Big Love

The 3rd season of the outstanding HBO drama 'Big Love' from Executive Producer Tom Hanks kicks off tomorrow (Sunday) night at 9pm. For those who have access to a service, such as Comcast's OnDemand product, that allows you to catch up on the first two seasons, now is the time to catch up on the interesting and well-acted story line.

The basic premise of 'Big Love' is a polygamist Utah family trying to emerge from the shadowy cult-like past and into mainstream society. As a Catholic, there is no way that I will ever advocate the family lifestyle of the featured Henderson clan. As a Christian, however, there is much to take from their struggles.

There is a basic recognition, love, and respect for God here, albeit with a number of misguided principles and interpretations inherent in some of Mormon teaching and in the polygamist community in particular. 'Big Love' also draws strength from its extremely talented cast who you will mostly know from their motion picture work.

The show is set in the suburban town of Sandy, Utah. Family head Bill Henderson, played by veteran actor Bill Paxton, was born and raised in a polygamist cult community, but escaped as a teenager and eventually blended into normal society. But after establishing himself with a normal family, fate brought drastic change to the Henderson clan.

In the show, he has set up three single homes in a row. From the outside they appear to be three different families. But a shared rear yard shows the true story. In each home lives one of Bill's three wives, and with each wife lives the children that they have conceived with him.

His first wife, Barb, is literally known within the setup as 'First Wife', and is played by Jeanne Tripplehorn. At one time in the past, Barb and Bill had a 'normal' one-on-one marriage, had three children, and belonged to a mainstream Mormon church. Then one day, Barb became extremely ill and was near death.

A young woman from Bill's former community named Nikki, played by Chloe Sevigny, came to live with the family and help with Barb's care. It was the beginning of the end for the Henderson's normalcy. Largely thanks to Nikki's help, Barb recovered. But a relationship had formed between Barb, Bill and Nikki, and Bill became 'inspired' to return to practicing what is known as the 'Principle' of a polygamist lifestyle.

In this lifestyle men are permitted to take any number of wives as they are inspired to and to have children with these women, as long as they can afford to properly support this expanded family. They also are responsible for bringing this family up in God's teachings.

After a period of struggle with this idea, Barb decided to stay with Bill and enter the lifestyle, and they took in Nikki as a 2nd wife. This eventually spread to a 3rd wife, the very young and perky Margene, played by Ginnifer Goodwin. It is this 3-wife setup that is in place as the series began.

The show covers the challenges of family life in such a setup. From within, the three wives have the challenge of sharing time with Bill, and sharing a life with one another as 'sister wives'. There is also an issue within Bill's first family in that the oldest daughter Sarah, played by Amanda Seyfried, is not totally on board with the whole polygamy setup.

Further stress is put on the family by their ties to the polygamist cult community of Juniper Creek. With both Bill and Nikki having been born and raised there, and still having family ties there, the community insinuates itself into the family constantly, never in a postive way.

Juniper Creek is led by Nikki's father, Roman Grant, who is played by Harry Dean Stanton, and who is set as Bill's main antagonist in the first two seasons. Other co-starring turns come from young Douglas Smith as the Henderson's eldest son Ben, and from veteran actors Grace Zabriskie, Bruce Dern, Mary Kay Place, Brian Kerwin, Joel McKinnon Miller, and Tina Majorino, all of whom are familiar faces.

Bill Henderson supports his family with a chain of Home Depot-like hardware stores, and is attempting to expand into the gaming industry, with the business dealings adding intrigue and challenges to the family. And now adding further strain is a relationship that he has entered into with a woman named Ana, played by Branka Katic, who he may have designs on making wife #4, something that at least two of his current wives will not welcome easily.

The acting is tremendous in this series, and there is a basic loving, redemptive family story here underneath all of the challenges of an extremely dysfunctional family. I highly recommend 'Big Love', a quirky but ultimately satisfying family drama, for adults with a discerning mind and heart.

NOTE: This is a continuation of the regular "TV Watch" series of articles, all entries of which can be viewed by clicking on that below 'label'

TV Watch: The Journey Home

There is a regular weekly television program on EWTN called 'The Journey Home', and during this program various individuals are highlighted who each have made that 'journey home' to the Catholic Church from some other religious denomination.

The program is inspirational both for Catholics and for those of other Christian faiths, as well as for complete non-Christians. It is an evangelical program in that the guests speak to their own individual, personal experiences in coming to the Church, or back to the Church after being away.

The regular host is Marcus Grodi, a former Protestant minister who himself returned to the Church a number of years ago. Grodi is the founder and head of the Coming Home Network, which is a group that helps folks on this journey towards a fuller, more complete relationship with Jesus Christ.

It is so very important to remember that Christ Himself founded just one Church, not many. He did not make Peter the head of His Church, and then tell his followers that if something came up while Peter and his successors were spreading and refining the Word, they should take a walk and start their own church. Taking that kind of action to its logical conclusion would, in fact, result in church after church branching off because some individual or group did not like some particular church law or decision.

It was the vanity and ego of Henry VIII that began the Protestant movement to begin with: how do you expect to start a system of belief based itself on human vanity and pride and have it be sustained in perpetuity? That statement is not meant as an insult, it is meant as a challenge.

Today's Protestants really need to ask themselves two very important questions. First, the Gospels that you correctly follow, but that you go no further than in your system of faith - where did they come from? Secondly, what exactly is it that your are 'protesting' as a Protestant? The answer to both questions is the same: the very 'one' Church (this is what Catholic means - one) founded by Jesus Christ.

Often we are simply a product of our upbringing. Our family may have historically attended a particular church, held a particular belief system, and we simply incorporated that into our own lives without looking too closely at the reasons.

Also, there is a great deal of selfishness in today's world. We don't want to be told what to do, we don't want to follow rules. We want to 'decide for ourselves' and not be forced into compromising our own personal positions on certain issues such as abortion, homosexuality, family, and more. So we gravitate towards a church that allows us to keep our position, or at least more easily, one that does not challenge us to something more.

The Roman Catholic Church is not the enemy. It is not some 'beast', it is not full of pedophiles, it is not hypocritical. Is it perfect? Absolutely, in that it was founded by Christ and ultimately is guided by and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Are the men and women who lead particular ministries or programs or schools sometimes a challenge? You bet they are, after all, they are human.

The challenge for individuals is not to leave the Church, or stay away, but to challenge yourself to stay or return. The problems of the world are with people, not with the Church, and good people with good hearts can only help improve Christ's Church from within.

You can continue to coast along outside of the world of the Church, and even sling barbs and accusations and obscenities at it from out there. But I challenge you to examine yourself and your life, and your current belief system. Really do some looking, searching, praying.

I often simplistically equate the struggle within to a statement made by Tom Hanks in the film "A League of Their Own." In the film, his head coaching character of Jimmy Dugan tells his star player this about baseball: "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great." I put it to you that it is the same with the Church. It is not easy, but it's that very hard that makes it great, that challenges you to think, to do, to be something more.

The title of this entry, as all posts here at my blog are, is a link to further information. In this case it is a link to the Coming Home Network, a good place to start your own journey home. Another would be that very EWTN program of the same name, airing each Monday at 8pm. No bells and whistles, no fire and brimstone here, just a simple conversation among returnees.

My own prayers go out to anyone who might read this and be inspired to take a closer look at returning to the Catholic Church. We are always ready, willing, waiting to open our arms to you when you open the eyes of your heart to the Lord's original Church, the only one that He established. God bless you.

NOTE: this is a continuation of the regular "TV Watch" and "Sunday Sermon" series, all entries of both can be viewed by clicking on either 'label' below this article

TV Watch: Faith & Culture

'Faith & Culture' is the 2nd show in recent weeks that I am recommending from the EWTN Catholic network, following my previous recommendation of "Crossing the Goal" (which airs a new episode tonight at 9pm.) The program generally airs on Wednesday nights at 11pm eastern time, and if that is too late for you or conflicts with your local newscast, it is well worth recording on your DVR or other device to watch at a more convenient time. 'F&C' is hosted by Colleen Carroll Campbell, a former speechwriter to President George W. Bush as well as a noted columnist, author, commentator, and a fellow at the respected Ethics & Public Policy Center. Campbell is attractive, articulate, bright, and incredibly effusive in the expression of her faith. As she discusses issues, you can both feel and see the sincerity and the excitement for her Catholic Christian faith in her eyes and voice. The format for 'F&C' is similar to what you may have been exposed to with PBS' 'Charlie Rose', a one-on-one interview program between Campbell and a featured guest. This guest is gleaned from the ranks of politicians, authors, activists, artists and others who discuss with her the most important issues of the day. Being on EWTN there is, as you would expect, a strong Catholic slant to the discussion. How do certain books, movies, songs, social developments, and legislation affect not only the entirety of American society, but Catholics in particular, and how does the resolution of these issues jive with Catholic doctrine. Among the guests that Campbell has interviewed for the series are Rick Santorum, Chuck Colson, and Phyllis Schlafly. The issues that she has tackled include the family, life and death, media, politics, cyberspace, human cloning, stem cell usage, Evangelicals, the Supreme Court, feminism, marriage, abortion, literature, science, sexuality, Hollywood, and a host of other topical issues. You may find controversy, depending on your side of the issue being discussed, but the one thing that you will not find with CCC hosting 'F&C' is confrontation. This is not a debate show, it is a presentation of the issue that is then framed in a Catholic response context. The guests can sometimes seem dry, but they are always informative. Campbell's direction of the questioning and her enthusiasm always make it worth watching, no matter the speaking talents of the guest. EWTN has another solid entry with 'Faith & Culture', and if you give the series a couple of watches I am sure that you will be hooked.
NOTE: This is a continuation of the 'TV Watch' series, all of which can be viewed by clicking on that below label.

TV Watch: Crossing the Goal

EWTN, the 'Eternal Word Television Network', is the American television network which broadcasts Catholic-themed television programming. The network has come under some attacks and criticisms since Mother Angelica, the pithy nun who founded the network in 1981 and grew it into the most recognizable world wide media voice of the Catholic Church, left the network in 2000 due to health concerns. These attacks have generally been from that ultra-conservative wing of the Church that sees Vatican II as a form of blasphemy and its modernization as a bastardization of the faith. The facts are, of course, far from what these radicals would have you believe. God inspired not only the early Church leaders in the time of Christ, but also many holy men and women prior to His arrival here on earth, and many more since He died for our sins, rose from the grave, and moved on to His kingdom in Heaven. The very modern EWTN mixes rebroadcasts of traditional Catholic elements, such as a taped version of Mother Angelica herself leading a saying of the rosary, with more modern stylized programming. The goal of course is to not only grow the Church, but reinforce its teachings and its principles to today's Catholic community. One particularly insightful and well done show that highlights this combination of modernity with tradition is the Friday night "Crossing the Goal". The show uses a sports talk show inspired styling and theme to direct spiritual teaching particularly towards today's men. "Crossing the Goal" was created by and features former New Orleans Saints pro bowl wide receiver Danny Abramowicz who discusses a wide variety of Catholic and life topics with his regular panelists Brian Patrick, Curtis Martin, and Peter Herbeck. The men conduct their discussions with frankness and honesty, and with a confidence that is specifically focused on the role of men today in the Church. The set itself and the panelists make today's American men comfortable with their personalities and stylings based on the many sports talk programs from ESPN, Fox, and other networks. But rather than talking about football and baseball, the panelists talk about love, family, responsibility, and other such topics. "Crossing the Goal" brings the teachings of the Church to a level that can be easily understood even by the most neanderthal of men. It also is easy to watch for those busy guys who might normally only concern themselves with working all week, yard chores on Saturday, and the Eagles game on Sunday. It makes important, sensitive topics palatable to the regular work-a-day male, but also is interesting and informative enough for the highest thinkers in our midst. Bottom line is that "Crossing the Goal" is a touchdown for the Church, for EWTN, and for anyone who gets into the habit of watching regularly. It broadcasts at 9pm on Friday nights, but also rebroadcasts at numerous times during the week. Just click into the title of this entry above, which as always is a link to more information, to find out when you can enjoy and be inspired by this outstanding program.
NOTE: This is a continuation of the Sunday Sermon series and the TV Watch series, prior items from which can be read by clicking into the below label.

TV Watch: Brotherhood

The bad boys of Boston are back for a 2nd season on the Showtime cable network. 'Brotherhood' is all about Irish-American family life, politics, and organized crime, and is set in the modern day in Boston, Mass. It is the story of two brothers, Tommy and Michael Caffee, one supposedly a 'good guy' and one the proverbial 'bad boy', but sometimes it becomes hard to tell which is which. The actors who portray these characters are asked to carry the load for the show, and they do it incredibly well. Tommy is played by Jason Clarke. He is a billed as an old-school ward politician who lives by the credo 'loyalty = votes, votes = power'. Tommy will do anything for his family and his constituents, as well as to further his own career, and is extremely loyal on the homefront. Michael is played by Jason Isaacs. The show began last year with his return after seven years from an Irish mob-imposed exile. He quickly exhibits what are billed as 'bull in the china shop' ways of operating in trying to re-establish his mob affiliations and power. Needless to say, having a criminal like Michael as a brother is never a good thing for an ambitious politician like Tommy, and it causes frequent friction between the brothers. The glue that holds their family together is their aging mother Rose Caffee, played by Fionnula Flanagan. She is the atypical Irish family matriarch, trying to keep Tommy's career moving forward and Michael out of trouble as best she can. As in any truly great ensemble piece, the supporting actors have to be very good, and they are in Brotherhood. They include Ethan Embry as Detective Declan Graves, Annabeth Gish as Tommy's wife Eileen Caffee, Tina Benko as Michael's longtime love Kath Parry, Kevin Chapman as Irish mob boss Freddie Cork, and Sopranos veteran Matt Servitto as Tommy's sometime political mentor and sometime rival State House Speaker Donatello. A true-to-life pol/crime/family tale that mixes elements of those Sopranos with the real-life Bulger brothers, Brotherhood is another entertaining cable TV series winner. Click on to the 'TV Watch' label below for writeups on all the series that I have recommended.

TV Watch: True Blood

The newest product introduced for this season by the award-winning HBO television folks is one of the farthest-fetched ideas to date, and yet once again proves to be a winner for the cable network that has taken television series development to an art. Cable series such as HBO's cultural icon 'The Sopranos', Showtime's controversial 'Dexter', and AMC's homage 'Mad Men' have used their loosened cable restrictions to leave the old networks in the dust. The latest entry by HBO is the vampire-inspired 'True Blood', starring Anna Paquin ("The Piano", "Finding Forester", "X-Men", "Almost Famous") as quintessential small-town girl Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a waitress, and the story revolves around her life, her family, her friends, and her experiences at the bar/restaurant at which she waits tables and in the small town in which she resides. The quirks in this particular HBO drama? Sookie can read your mind. She is constantly bombarded by the thoughts emanating from the minds of everyone around her, often to her dismay. She is fairly up front about this ability, so most in her little town of Bon Temps, Louisiana either know of her 'gift' or suspect it having heard rumors. Perhaps enough of an interesting plot line, especially with the right actors involved. But that's not the real kicker. The real story behind 'True Blood' is that it is set in today's modern world, and that vampires are indeed real. After centuries in the shadows of myth, legend, and fantasy, vampires have finally 'come out of the closet' thanks to the Japanese invention of a synthetic blood product. As a byproduct of the development and use of the synthetic blood, vampires have found that it enables them to feed their 'habit' without having to do so on human beings, and so they "come out of the coffin" if you will with the product becoming marketed to them as a drink known as 'TruBlood'. The resulting tensions, apprehensions, fears, and fighting of undead vampires suddenly being thrust out into the open with the living hearken back to every previous human cultural experiment. From the freedom of slaves, to massive waves of immigrants, to gays coming out of their own closets, Americans have repeatedly had to learn to live with new groups asserting some previously repressed rights as they attempted to blend into our great living experiment of a national melting pot. 'True Blood' hits on all these old chords as the undead attempt to blend with the living. Of course there are just enough of the vampire community who don't want to leave the old ways behind so easily, and enough of the living who don't want to embrace even those who do want to blend, to keep things tense on both sides. Into Sookie's life walks one Bill Compton, played by Stephen Moyer as a sort of modern day Barnabas Collins from the 1960's legendary series 'Dark Shadows'. Compton is a dark, dashing, handsome 173-year old former Confederate soldier and vampire who embarks on a true May-December romance with Sookie, and the story largely revolves around this relationship. Other characters being played well in these early episodes include Ryan Swanten as Sookie's troubled, womanizing brother Jason, Sam Trammell as Sookie's bar owner-boss with a crush on her named Sam Merlotte, Nelsan Ellis as a cook at the restaurant and a small-time local drug dealer, and most especially the beautiful Rutina Wesley as Sookie's strong but sensitive best friend Tara Thornton. There are a couple of graphic sex scenes, and some allusion to drug use and some violence, but it's nothing that we haven't seen before from that legendary Sopranos crew. This is a well-made, well-acted offering with a truly fantastical premise, and we can only hope that the writing and production keep up the early pace. If so, then HBO has another hit on it's ever-growing list of them with 'True Blood'. Now is the time to start watching, as the network just aired episode 6, with all available now through Comcast's OnDemand service.

(NOTE: You can find all of the previous 'TV Watch' reviews by clicking into that below Label)

TV Watch: Entourage

Last Sunday marked the debut episode for the 5th season of the HBO hit series
'Entourage', the show that has sometimes been tabbed as a male 'Sex & the City'. The show focuses on the life and career of Vincent Chase, a hot rising young actor played by Adrian Grenier. Vinnie is a kid from Queens with great looks and some acting chops who goes to Hollywood and quickly makes it big. He is helped by the three guys in his entourage: Eric 'E' Murphy is played by Kevin Connolly and is Vinnie's best friend since childhood who takes on the role of managing Vinnie's career; another longtime friend known only as 'Turtle' is played by Jerry Ferrara and is the gopher of the group; and finally there is Vinnie's older brother, Johnny 'Drama' Chase played by Kevin Dillon. 'Drama' had some limited fame from a TV series in which he starred years ago, and is always trying to get back into the acting game and out from under the considerable shadow cast by his kid brother. The 5th wheel in this dramedy is Vinnie's agent, Ari Gold, one of the great characters in television history as played by Jeremy Piven. These five largely stick together through the thick and thin of Vinnie's turbulent acting career, and receive assists from a number of repeat characters in bit parts such as Ari's gay Asian assistant Lloyd, played by Rex Lee, Ari's wife played by Perry Reeves, Vinnie's publicist Shauna as played by Debi Mazar, and Ari's rival Dana Gordon as played by Constance Zimmer. This troupe is ably produced by Mark Wahlberg and a strong supporting crew that suck you into the rarely seen, if ever seen in this detail, behind-the-scenes world that a major Hollywood celebrity lives in. From home and personal lives to the show business world, from the nightclubs to the beaches to the film festivals, Entourage takes you places that no other show on television has ever gone, and does it very well. If you've never watched it, try to pickup the series from the beginning by ordering the DVD's from Amazon or some other such source, and as with all new series that you begin following, give it 3-4 episodes so that you begin to 'get it'. It won't take long, believe me. Part drama, part comedy, all entertaining, Entourage is simply one of the best series in the history of cable television, which makes it one of the best of series of all-time, period, and the boys are back with all-new episodes now every Sunday night at 10pm on HBO.

TV Watch: Mad Men

The Showtime and HBO networks have become masters over this decade in developing and producing great television series, the best that TV has to offer. HBO has led the way with the granddaddy of them all, The Sopranos. They have also given us Entourage, Sex & the City, The Wire, Big Love, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Rome, Deadwood, Carnivale, Six Feet Under, Da Ali G Show, and more. Showtime has given us programs like Dexter, Brotherhood, The Tudors, Sleeper Cell, Weeds, Californication, and The L Word among others. AMC has now gotten into the action, and their new drama 'Mad Men' takes a back seat to none of the HBO/Showtime offerings. The first season of Mad Men is set in 1960, and follows the lives of the office staff at a Madison Avenue advertising agency. Jon Hamm stars as Donald Draper, a superstar in the advertising industry working at the mid-level 'Sterling Cooper' agency. The plot line largely revolves around Draper in his work and home lives, with January Jones as his wife Betty. Hamm and Jones do an outstanding job, but they are not the only memorable characters. Vincent Kartheiser as young budding ad man Pete Campbell, Peggy Olson as Draper's newbie secretary Elisabeth Moss, John Slattery as firm partner Roger Sterling, and the spectacular Christina Hendricks (scene-stealing every time she appears) as office manager Joan Holloway all shine. And there is more, a tremendously deep supporting cast of office staff and family members that make Mad Men one of the best ensemble series to come along in years. The actors aren't the only excellent work being done on this show. The production staff does an outstanding job of recreating the world of America at the time just before Kennedy's Camelot, before Vietnam became a dirty word, before anyone knew what a hippie was. It was a time when smoking and cocktails were in vogue, and when there was no such thing as political correctness. This show is available locally on Comcast's OnDemand feature service, currently showing the full season one. Season 2 is scheduled to begin airing live in late July 2008. As with most series, it takes watching 2-3 episodes before you really get hooked, but this one will absolutely do it for you.