Vampire TV shows stage comeback as zombie TV shows fade

Several years ago, you almost couldn’t change the channel on your TV without landing on a vampire show. The first half of the decade was flooded with shows about blood-suckers, including “True Blood,” “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Strain.” But the trend petered out. Those shows and others have since been canceled.
In its place came a wave of zombie shows, riding on the success of AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” But now zombie shows seem to be ebbing. Ratings are way down for “The Walking Dead”; Syfy recently canceled “Z Nation” after five seasons; and the CW’s “iZombie” is preparing to air its fifth and final season starting in May.
But it looks like vampire TV shows could be staging a comeback.
Earlier this month, Fox premiered “The Passage,” a drama series based on the trilogy of vampire-themed novels by Justin Cronin. It joins Syfy’s vampire apocalypse show “Van Helsing,” which was just renewed for a fourth season.
In March, FX is set to air “What We Do in the Shadows,” a comedy series based the 2014 film of the same name. It follows three vampires who have been roommates for hundreds of years.
Meanwhile, the CW has ordered a pilot for a possible series based on the 1987 vampire movie “Lost Boys.” Rob Thomas, showrunner for “iZombie,” is executive producing the new show, according to Deadline.
The following are lists of TV shows featuring vampires and zombies. I’ve included only English-language, live-action series.

Vampire TV shows:

Angel (WB, 1999-2004)
Being Human (BBC, 2008-2013)
Being Human (Syfy, 2011-2014)
Blade (Spike, 2006)
Blood Ties (Lifetime, 2007)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB, UPN; 1997-2003)
Cliffhangers: The Curse of Dracula (NBC, 1979)
Dark Shadows (ABC, 1966-1971)
Dark Shadows (NBC, 1991)
Death Valley (MTV, 2011)
Demons (ITV, 2009)
Dracula (NBC, 2013-2014)
Dracula: The Series (syndicated, 1990-1991)
Forever Knight (CBS, USA Network; 1992-1996)
From Dusk till Dawn: The Series (El Rey, 2014-2016)
The Gates (ABC, 2010)
Kindred: The Embraced (Fox, 1996)
The Lair (Here TV, 2007-2009)
Moonlight (CBS, 2007-2008)
My Babysitter’s a Vampire (Disney Channel, 2011-2012)
The Originals (CW, 2013-2018)
The Passage (Fox, 2019-present)
Penny Dreadful (Showtime, 2014-2016)
Preacher (AMC, 2016-present)
The Strain (FX, 2014-2017)
True Blood (HBO, 2008-2014)
Ultraviolet (Channel 4, 1998)
The Vampire Diaries (CW, 2009-2017)
Vampire High (YTV, 2001-2002)
Van Helsing (Syfy, 2016-present)
Young Dracula (CBBC, 2006-2014)

Zombie TV shows:

Death Valley (MTV, 2011)
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC, 2015-present)
Helix (Syfy, 2014-2015)
In the Flesh (BBC, 2013-2014)
iZombie (CW, 2015-present)
Santa Clarita Diet (Netflix; 2017-present)
The Walking Dead (AMC, 2010-present)
Z Nation (Syfy, 2014-2018)

Photos: Promotional art for “The Passage” and “Van Helsing.”

TV midseason report card: Passing grades for ‘Almost Human,’ ‘Agents of SHIELD’

TV networks are at the midyear mark of the 2013-14 season. So it’s a good time for reflection.
Among the new shows I started watching this fall, Fox sci-fi cop series “Almost Human” and ABC comic book-hero drama “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” are keeping my interest, but barely. Both are competently made, but lack the must-see factor of some of the serial dramas I watch.
On “Almost Human,” the pairing of Karl Urban and Michael Ealy as human and android cop partners is the best thing about the show. The actors have great chemistry. I wish the plots were a little darker and deeper though. There needs to be some through line or story arc for the series otherwise it’s just a cop procedural set in the future. Yawn.
And for the love of God, give something more substantial for supporting actors Lili Taylor and Minka Kelly to do. They’re both wasted on this show. They just walk around the office and relay information to the main characters.
As for “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD,” it’s a favorite of my 10-year-old son, but I could take it or leave it. It needs more danger and better villains.
I tried watching “The Tomorrow People,” but it got old fast. A few episodes in and the show felt redundant and pointless. I didn’t care much for the protagonists either. I was hoping for more of a “Heroes” or “X-Men” vibe, but the characters were vanilla and they all shared similar superpowers. Boring.
I also canned Lifetime’s “Witches of East End.” I enjoyed watching the lovely Julia Ormond, Madchen Amick and Jenna Dewan-Tatum, but the show moved at a glacial pace. It kept hitting the same notes over and over without advancing the story. Viewers need regular payoffs to keep watching. I didn’t feel rewarded.
Among returning shows, I crossed off my watch list CW’s “The Vampire Diaries,” now in its fifth season. Too many characters dying and coming back to life. Too many doppelgangers (actress Nina Dobrev had three look-alike roles at one point). Too many of the same angsty conversations. I had had enough.
I’m frankly pretty sick of vampires at this point. I declined to watch new vampire shows “The Originals” on the CW and “Dracula” on NBC for that reason.
My favorite returning shows are “The Walking Dead” on AMC, “Supernatural” on the CW, “Revolution” on NBC and “American Horror Story” on FX.
Shows I like to watch with my kids include NBC’s “The Voice,” Animal Planet’s “Finding Bigfoot,” Discovery Channel’s “Gold Rush” and Cartoon Network’s “Adventure Time.”
Midseason replacement shows on my potential watch list include the CW’s “The 100,” NBC’s “Crossbones” and “Believe,” and ABC’s “Killer Women.”

Photos: “Almost Human” promotional art. 

The 2013 fall TV season: initial impressions

After reading up on the fall 2013 TV season and checking out many of the trailers, here are some of my impressions:

• ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” looks like a surefire hit. A spin-off of the hit superhero movie “The Avengers,” the show was developed by Joss Whedon of “Firefly” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fame. 
• There are going to be way too many vampire shows on TV this fall. We already have “The Vampire Diaries,” “True Blood” and “Being Human.” This fall, we’ll also get “The Originals,” a spin-off of “The Vampire Diaries”; and “Dracula” from the producers of “Downton Abbey.” 
• The Robin Williams sitcom, “The Crazy Ones,” on CBS looks wretched. So it’ll probably be a big hit. 
• We’ll see no shortage of shows that would work better as feature films. These include CBS political conspiracy drama “Hostages,” NBC’s action thriller “The Blacklist,” and ABC’s racy girl comedy “Super Fun Night.” 
• Literature in the public domain is the source of many shows this fall. New shows based on off-copyright works include “Sleepy Hollow,” a modern-day retelling of the 1820 short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving; “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland,” based on the 1865 novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll; and “Dracula,” based on the 1897 Gothic horror novel by Bram Stoker. They will join returning shows “Beauty and the Beast,” based on the traditional fairy tale first published in 1740; “Grimm,” inspired by “Grimms’ Fairy Tales”; “Once Upon a Time,” based on assorted fairy tale characters; and “Elementary,” based on the Sherlock Holmes detective stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 
• The new fall shows I’m most interested in watching are “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “The Tomorrow People,” which looks like “The X-Men” mixed with “Heroes” and cast with CW pretty people. 
• A few midseason replacement series look intriguing as well. They are Fox’s “Almost Human,” the CW’s “The 100,” NBC’s “Crossbones” and “Believe.”

Photo: Promotional art for ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (top) and Fox’s “Almost Human.”

‘Supernatural,’ ‘Revolution,’ ‘Walking Dead’ bright spots of 2012-13 TV season

The 2012-13 TV season is drawing to a close and it’s time to assess the hits and misses.

The Hits 

“Supernatural,” which just concluded its eighth season on the CW, continues to find ways to entertain and surprise me. The finale featured a great cliffhanger, capped with angels falling from heaven.
The mythology around the Winchester brothers as demon and monster hunters is every bit as rich as the worlds created by Joss Whedon of “Firefly” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fame.
The post-apocalyptic science-fiction drama “Revolution” is my pick for the best new show of the season. It was created by Eric Kripke, who also created “Supernatural.”
NBC’s “Revolution” improved as the first season progressed, especially as details emerged about what caused the global blackout.

In its third season, zombie apocalypse drama “The Walking Dead” hit its stride. The body count increased and the situation grew more dire for the survivors. The AMC horror drama series has gotten more intense and suspenseful.
Fantasy-adventure cartoon “Adventure Time” is perhaps my favorite show. Creator Pendleton Ward has made a show that works for both adults and youngsters. He’s created a weird and amazing world and populated with colorful characters. The Cartoon Network show packs a lot of heart, humor and intelligence into each 11-minute episode. The dialogue is brilliant and I frequently find myself quoting from the show.
I also liked the second season of the FX show “American Horror Story,” called “Asylum.” It was sick and twisted, but compelling TV.

The Pretty Good 

I’m still watching “The Vampire Diaries,” but after four seasons it’s definitely past its freshness date. In a perfect world, the CW would look to conclude the series before they drain all the blood out of the story. I’m about ready to bail on this show, especially with a spin-off series, “The Originals,” coming this fall. Two shows is too much for this property.
NBC’s serial killer drama “Hannibal” has moments of brilliance, but I’m looking for more suspense and surprises. Hopefully the producers will improve upon the show in season two. I want it to feel more like the Hannibal Lecter movies “Red Dragon” and “Silence of the Lambs.”
ABC canceled two shows that I rather enjoyed, but won’t miss too much. They are edgy sitcom “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apt. 23” and supernatural drama “666 Park Avenue.”

The Misses 

Like a lot of viewers, I opted out of the second season of NBC’s musical melodrama “Smash.” The first season was entertaining enough, but a narrative mess. I also felt like the finale of the first season was a good place to end the show.
I tried watching ABC’s soapy drama “Revenge” at the start of its second season, but quickly gave up. I wasn’t a huge fan of the first season. The narrative in the second season got too confusing for its own good, adding some new conspiracy to an already far-fetched plot.
I also sampled the premieres of “The Following” starring Kevin Bacon and “Zero Hour” starring Anthony Edwards. Neither grabbed me.

Photos: Scene from “Supernatural” season eight (top); promotional photo from “Revolution”; “Adventure Time” title card; “666 Park Avenue” advertisement; and “The Walking Dead” season three poster.

Apple’s iRing would join long list of rings in pop culture

Apple is rumored to be working on a ring that would act as a television remote control. A Wall Street analyst who reported the rumor called it the iRing.
Product designer Victor Yanko envisioned the iRing back in 2007 as a way to control your iPod. He created a physical model of the ring for his Yanko Design website.
If it comes to pass, the iRing would join a long list of notable rings in popular culture.
Consider the following powerful rings.

The “One Ring to rule them all” from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth fantasy novels.

DC Comics superhero Green Lantern and his power ring.

Cartoon hero Underdog and his ring with a secret compartment holding a super-energy pill.

Rings with magic powers feature prominently on the TV series “The Vampire Diaries.” Some rings allow vampires to walk in the sunlight. Other rings protect humans from death by supernatural beings.

And finally, there’s the pope’s ring.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi kissed the papal ring worn by Pope Benedict XVI as U.S. President George W. Bush looked on during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on April 16, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

‘Supernatural,’ ‘Awake,’ ‘Smash’ are highlights of the 2011-12 TV season

The broadcast network TV season has become less relevant with the rise of original programming on cable TV and even Internet video services like Netflix and Hulu.
Shows on cable channels like AMC and TNT don’t require the same size audience as those on the major networks of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC to be considered successful. So, edgy or complex storytelling on the broadcast networks is mostly doomed to failure.
That explains why the broadcast networks are playing it safe with traditional cop and lawyer shows and low-cost reality TV programs.
Here are my highlights and disappointments from the 2011-12 TV season.

‘Supernatural’ continues to surprise after 7 seasons

Some critics grumbled about this season’s plot line on “Supernatural” involving the Leviathans as the big bad villain. (See Huffington Post review of the season finale.) But I thoroughly enjoyed this year’s main arc, especially corporate Leviathan leader Dick Roman, and the stand-alone episodes.
I’m excited to see how the writers handle season 8, with the demon-hunting Winchester brothers split up. At the end of the season finale, Dean is stuck in Purgatory and Sam is left to deal with demon leader Crowley. “Supernatural” airs on the CW.
(See EW article on the season finale.)

‘Awake’ ends after one season

NBC’s “Awake” lasted only one season. The drama about a man living two realities – one in which his wife is alive, but his son is dead, and the other in which his son is alive, but his wife is dead – was a bold risk. It was a mind-twisting story that was obviously tough for uncommitted TV viewers to stick with.
“Awake” would have been a better fit for cable TV, on a channel like AMC or FX.
I’m glad the producers were able to come up with a satisfying series finale in what should have been its first-season finale.
(See articles about the finale on EW, Hitfix and Many Media Musings.)

‘Smash’ strikes a chord with music lovers

NBC’s “Smash” isn’t a smash hit, but it’s pretty darn good.
I like musical theater and enjoy seeing the stage-craft involved in putting on a Broadway show. I like the leads, especially Jack Davenport and the beautiful Katharine McPhee, and the original songs are top-notch.
However, I wish the show was more realistic and edgy. Much of the storytelling is pretty conventional and some of the characters lack depth and motivation.
Still, I’m looking forward to seeing how the show’s Marilyn Monroe musical shapes up in season two.
(EW wasn’t a fan of the finale. The reviewer found it “exasperating.”)

‘The River’ comes to an end

ABC’s found-footage horror series “The River” never caught on with viewers. It suffered from monster-of-the-week storytelling early on that turned off viewers. But once the show found its sea legs, it was a pretty good ride.
Like other shows this year, it had a premise that probably couldn’t sustain itself for several seasons. So, even though it didn’t get a second-season pick-up, it was fun for viewers who stuck with it.

‘Vampire Diaries’ maintains high quality

Season three of “The Vampire Diaries” had the second-best cliffhanger of the year, after “Supernatural.” Human protagonist Elena Gilbert (played by Nina Dobrev) died, but unexpectedly arose as a vampire in the season finale’s final moments.
The show is a hit for the CW, which will likely run it into the ground. In the best of worlds, the producers would set an end date for the show (maybe after season 5) and go out on top. But this is show business, not show art.
(See EW article on the season finale.)

‘Revenge,’ ‘Missing’ and bric-a-brac

ABC’s drama series “Revenge” is a hit with viewers. But my wife likes it more than I do.
Loosely based on “The Count of Monte Cristo,” “Revenge” isn’t hard-edged enough for me. Plus, lead actress Emily VanCamp doesn’t have the chops to pull off her role.
ABC promotes the show as a “guilty pleasure,” which usually means something is so bad it’s good. In truth, “Revenge” is neither that bad nor that good.
I gave several other shows a try this year, including “Ringer,” “Missing” and “Terra Nova,” but didn’t stick with them. All three were canceled, so no great loss there.
The CW’s “Ringer” started off well, but got more and more far-fetched as it went on. Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar was good in it, but she couldn’t carry the series on her own.
ABC’s “Missing” was a C-grade Hollywood feature stretched into a series with lousy writing, poorly staged action and a lead actress (Ashley Judd) who was out of her depth.
Fox’s “Terra Nova” had expensive special effects, but strictly pedestrian storytelling. The new prehistoric world it portrayed didn’t seem dangerous enough. “Terra Nova” was too family-friendly when it should have been a high body count, survival action show.
Among cable shows, I enjoyed the second season of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” (pictured above), even though it dragged its feet moving the story along. I also liked the first season of FX’s “American Horror Story,” dark and down beat as it was.

Related stories:

“4 Big TV Gambles That Failed This Season, and What That Means for the Next One” (The Wrap; May 13, 2012)

“The 2011-12 TV season in review: What went wrong, what was done right, and what should have been” (EW; May 22, 2012)

‘Supernatural’, ‘Vampire Diaries’ renewed

Two of my favorite TV shows were renewed this week for next season. Thank heaven they’re on the CW.
A top-rated show on the CW or any cable network would be a bomb for the big four networks. So I’m glad “Supernatural” and “The Vampire Diaries” are on the CW, because they wouldn’t have survived on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox.
Science-fiction, horror and fantasy shows have a tough time making it on the big networks because they tend to attract a niche audience. (Consider ABC’s “No Ordinary Family” and NBC’s “The Event,” which are both likely to be canceled after their first seasons.)
This fall, “Supernatural” will begin its seventh season and “Vampire Diaries” its third. (See articles at EW and TV by the Numbers.)
Hear, hear.

Two years on Twitter

I signed up for Twitter two years ago Friday.
Since then I’ve posted 2,128 tweets, most of them retweets of interesting news articles.
I haven’t posted many standalone comments on my observations and thoughts. Mostly I’ve just used Twitter as a news feed and to publicize my professional and blog writings.
I recently spent some time sorting through all those tweets looking for representative samples of my standalone comments over the last two years. What follows is a few of them organized by subject.

First tweet

Signing up with Twitter to see what all the fuss is about. (April 22, 2009)

Family observations

Embarrassing parent moment: my kids, 5 and 7, in the car singing along with Rihanna’s song “S&M.” (March 26, 2011)

What song will Enrique Iglesias be singing when he’s old and fat?: “Tonight I’m Loving Food” - joke my son, 7, came up with. (March 18, 2011)

My preschool daughter needed words starting with “i” for school today. She came up with ice cream, iguana, iPhone and iPod. (Nov. 16, 2010)

Watching the Notre Dame football game Sat., I asked my Dad if the ND leprechaun had a name. He suggested Tony. Where’s his sitcom deal? (Oct. 12, 2010)

Just got back from taking my daughter, 4, to the Disney On Ice princess show in Bridgeport, CT. Good father-daughter bonding event. (Jan. 1, 2010)

My son Christopher, 6: “I wish I was Santa Claus.” Why? “Because then I’d only have to work one day a year.” (Dec. 20, 2009)

Daughter is princess. Son is a Star Wars Clone Trooper. For Halloween, of course. (Oct. 31, 2009)

At son’s insistence, tonight watched “Star Wars: Ep. 1: The Phantom Menace.” It was as bad as I remembered. Of course, my son, 6, liked it. (July 6, 2009)

Father’s Day: Watched Empire Strikes Back with my son. Bonded over Darth Vader’s “Let’s rule the universe as father and son” bit. (June 21, 2009)

‘The Walking Dead’ saves fall TV season

AMC’s zombie apocalypse series “The Walking Dead” is easily the best new show of the year.
It depicts the end of the world through the stories of a group of survivors. The characters are interesting and the stories are exciting and scary. And because it’s on cable, it doesn’t pull any punches with gore and violence.
The first season is only six episodes, but the series has been renewed for a 13-episode second season.
Two other new shows I’m watching are “The Event” and “No Ordinary Family.” Neither of them is must-see TV.
NBC’s “The Event” has been picked up for a full season, but its prospects for a second season are shaky. The science-fiction/government conspiracy show has been steadily losing viewers. Serialized television shows have to keep the plot moving swiftly or viewers will flee. (Example: AMC’s “Rubicon,” which was canceled after one season.)
ABC’s “No Ordinary Family” would be a better show if it weren’t so Disneyfied. The show about an ordinary family that gets superpowers is best when it takes a darker turn. The show can be sappy when dealing with family or teenage problems.
Two returning shows I like are still top-notch entertainment – “Supernatural” and “The Vampire Diaries.”
I had my doubts about whether the CW’s “Supernatural” could go on after last season’s war between heaven and hell, but I’m glad I was proven wrong. Season six shows that there are still good stories left to tell about demon hunters Sam and Dean Winchester.
CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” isn’t showing any sophomore slump. It keeps the plot twists coming.

Photos: “The Walking Dead” cast (top) and “The Event” cast (bottom)

‘The Event’, ‘Hawaii Five-0’, ‘The Walking Dead’ top my fall TV viewing list

After consulting Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide and online sites, I’ve decided to add three new shows to my viewing list this fall. Whether I become a faithful viewer is another issue.
Two of those shows premiered Monday – “The Event” on NBC and “Hawaii Five-0” on CBS. The third – “The Walking Dead” on AMC – doesn’t premiere until Halloween night.
I caught the pilot episode of “The Event” last night and it didn’t grab me. Its jumbled timeline and incessant plot teasing are not the way to attract a devoted following. Supposedly major questions are answered in the second episode of this sci-fi tinged drama. But I’ll give it two more episodes to prove itself. This summer, I gave AMC’s slow-moving conspiracy drama “Rubicon” three episodes before quitting it.
I recorded “Hawaii Five-0” to my DVR, but haven’t watched it yet. From what I’ve read, I’m not sure they’ve taken this remake in the right direction. But we’ll see. The original, starring Jack Lord, was dark, violent and ominous. The new one seems more like a buddy cop show with humor and action. Plus, they’re going to focus on each character’s backstory. I wish TV writers would focus more on the front story.
The most exciting new show for me has got to be the zombie-apocalypse survivor drama “The Walking Dead.” It’s got a great pedigree in director Frank Darabont (“The Shawshank Redemption”) and executive producer Gale Anne Hurd (“The Terminator” and “Aliens”).
The preview footage looks terrific. I’m psyched for the Oct. 31 premiere. Season one of “The Walking Dead” will include six one-hour episodes.
I have a soft spot for the sci-fi, horror and fantasy genres. I like shows that go beyond the usual police procedural, courtroom drama or family sitcom. I like to be challenged, surprised and entertained.
Among returning shows, only the CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” and “Supernatural” are on my must-see list.

2009-10 TV season in review: Lost, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries stand out

The 2009-10 TV season is winding to a close this month, starting with season finales for two of my favorite shows – “The Vampire Diaries” and “Supernatural” – airing Thursday.
For my money, “The Vampire Diaries” is the best new show of the season. It’s attracting solid ratings for the CW, but doesn’t get much respect from critics. That’s likely because the critics passed judgment on the show based on the first few episodes, which were admittedly weak. And then they stopped watching.
I kept with it and am glad I did. It’s a terrific Southern gothic soap opera that keeps adding layers to its characters and is building a dense mythology. At its heart, “The Vampire Diaries” is about two vampire brothers (one “good” and the other “bad”) in love with the same human girl. But there’s a lot more going on here than “Twilight”-esque teen angst. “The Vampire Diaries” keeps the shocking revelations and plot twists coming at a brisk pace. It’s a gas.
“Supernatural” is another CW show about two brothers, demon hunters Sam and Dean Winchester. This season they’ve been battling Lucifer and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I love the show’s combination of horror and humor. This was supposed to be its final season, but “Supernatural” has been renewed for a sixth season. I hope that’s not a mistake. Too many shows outstay their welcome.
Other season finales I plan to watch include “House” (Monday May 17), “V” (Tuesday May 18), “30 Rock” (Thursday May 20); “Lost” (Sunday May 23), “24” (Monday May 24) and “FlashForward” (Thursday May 27). For a complete list of season finales, check out EW.com.
“Lost” is racing toward its finale after six seasons and it's going out at the top of its game. The trippy sci-fi drama defies easy explanation.
“30 Rock” is still a lot of fun, but comedies have never been appointment TV with me.
Fox’s “House” and “24” are both past their freshness dates. Now in its eighth season, “24” has already been cancelled. Though it might return as a feature film. “House,” which is in its sixth season, should set an end date before it starts to stink.
Two new ABC shows that started promisingly – “FlashForward” and “V” – both took turns toward mediocrity and suffered.
“FlashForward” had a great premise: The world’s population blacks out for 137 seconds and they “flash forward” to see visions of their lives six months in the future. But miscasting (milquetoast Joseph Fiennes in the lead role), bad scripts and plodding pacing crippled the show. It almost certainly will be canceled, according to TV Series Finale.
Alien invasion show “V” had a great pilot, but went downhill from there. Now it’s pretty silly – a resistance force of five people vs. thousands of visitors from outer space. Please. And why hasn’t someone just skinned an alien and shown the world that they’re lizard people under their cloned human skin? Problem solved.

Photos: Title shot from "The Vampire Diaries," and Winchester brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) from "Supernatural."

‘FlashForward’, ‘V’ on the bubble

I have a knack for picking shows to watch that end up getting cancelled after a season or two.
This is mostly because of my taste in eclectic and sci-fi/horror/fantasy shows. Also I tend to watch broadcast networks, which don’t have the financial resources anymore to support unusual, lower-rated programming.
ABC’s “FlashForward” and “V” are two freshmen shows I like that are in danger of cancellation. Both are flawed, but entertaining nonetheless.
A couple of weeks ago, Walt Disney Co. canceled the excellent syndicated movie review program “At the Movies” during its first year with new hosts Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott.
With ABC’s “Lost” ending this season, I’ll have more time to watch all the movies on my Netflix list.
One surprise was the CW’s renewal of “Supernatural” for a sixth season. I love the show, but it’s building up to a series finale this season with the apocalypse and war between heaven and hell. I’m not sure another season can top that. Sounds like a pure business decision to renew it.
The only remaining show on my must-see list is the CW’s “The Vampire Diaries,” which has matured into a terrific show.

Fall TV season summary: ‘Vampire Diaries’ a pleasant surprise, ‘Jay Leno’ a flop

One month into the fall TV season, “The Vampire Diaries” has been the most pleasant surprise. Meanwhile, NBC’s experiment with “The Jay Leno Show” has gone awry.

‘The Vampire Diaries’

The series premiere of “The Vampire Diaries” on the CW was a little shaky. Early episodes dragged. Pacing was slow. The writing and directing were on the level of your average teen drama.
Since then, the makers of the show have amped up the action, added depth to the characters and thrown in some neat plot twists. “The Vampire Diaries” has become an epic, southern gothic “Dark Shadows.”
The show is about two vampire brothers who compete for the affections of the same young woman and cause turmoil in a small town.
The show is by no means perfect. It lacks realism (a town with that many strange deaths is going to attract outside attention) and its writing can be pretty bad (please, let’s lose the diary motif and narration). But “The Vampire Diaries” is still a compelling show.

‘FlashForward’

ABC’s “FlashForward” is not as good as I’d hoped it would be, but its central mystery is so fascinating that I’m hooked for now.
The sci-fi drama suffers from occasionally cheesy dialog and hammy acting. But the big plot turns, such as tonight’s ambush of the Mosaic team members by unknown assailants, are thrilling.
“FlashForward” is about the aftermath of a worldwide disaster in which the human race loses consciousness for 2 minutes and 17 seconds. While unconscious, people see a vision of their lives six months into the future. What or who caused the blackout? Was there a reason why it occurred? Can people change the future in their visions? All intriguing questions.

Returning favorites: ‘Supernatural’ and ‘Dollhouse’

“Supernatural” is my favorite show on network TV right now. The CW show about two brothers who hunt down demons, ghosts and ghouls is now in its fifth and last season. And it’s a doozy.
Lucifer has been released from hell and Armageddon has broken out. And it’s up to Sam and Dean Winchester, played by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, to try to stop the end of the world.
Joss Whedon’s trippy “Dollhouse” on Fox continues to deliver the goods. But unfortunately it looks like a candidate for cancelation with ratings dipping in its second season. (See article at EW.com.)

‘The Jay Leno Show’ a missed opportunity

A lot of people hate Jay Leno. They find his jokes lame and his shows pedestrian. NBC’s five-nights-a-week primetime experiment just gives them more fodder.
I happen to like Jay Leno. He’s an affable guy and can be a sharp interviewer. But his new show is a stinker.
To turn things around, he’s going to have to play up the variety aspects of the show. It shouldn’t all be about Jay. He should be introducing talented new comedians and musicians to a nationwide audience. Leno should quickly dump the bits that aren’t working, such as “10 at 10.” His show should strive to have one good bit a night that can go viral online to promote the show.
There’s still time to retool the show to make it work. But Jay’s going to have to rely on others to help carry the show.
On the horizon, I’m still looking forward to watching “V” on ABC and “Day One” on NBC.

Slim pickings this fall TV premiere season

Thank God for Netflix.
This year’s fall network TV season offers a skimpier selection of interesting new shows than prior years.
I’ve made notes to check out four new shows and only one of them I’m dying to see.
Of the four, one has aired – “Vampire Diaries.” It premiered Thursday on the CW and it was just OK. A little too much “been there, done that” in terms of story. Still it had enough interesting elements to get me to tune in for a couple more episodes. But it will have to improve to keep my interest.
I’ll be checking out “The Jay Leno Show” on Monday, but I don’t think it will be appointment television unless he gets a standout guest. The show runs 10-11 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday on NBC. I’ll probably just watch it every now and then to wind down from the day before going to bed.
Another show I’ll be checking out with low expectations is the remake of sci-fi television show “V.” It’s bound to have better special effects than the campy 1980s original. It premieres Nov. 3 on ABC.
The only new show on my must-see list is ABC’s science-fiction series “FlashForward” from David S. Goyer and Brannon Braga. It premieres Sept. 24. (See preview above.)
As for returning primetime shows, I expect to continue watching “30 Rock,” “Dollhouse,” “House,” and “Supernatural.” Another favorite, “Lost,” won’t return until January.
Now in its final season, “Supernatural” looks to be one of those rare shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Battlestar Galactica” that goes out on top in terms of quality. The fifth season premiere on Thursday was terrific.