A Surprisingly Good TV Night After All

I sat down with some work to do in front of the tv expecting reruns... most shows have already put out their finale and now we are in reruns, gag. I have a DVR so I don't have to watch reruns. Since my favorite Thursday shows are over I was not looking forward to turning on the tv. I am so glad I did.

I mistakenly thought that I had another week until So You Think You Can Dance came back. I was thrilled to see my favorite contest back on the small screen. Why do I like So You Think You Can Dance while I despise American Idol? Talent and training. While there are a few American Idol contestants that truly have some God given talent that isn't enough. There needs to be training for the person to have any chance at success. Otherwise the singer is going to get caught up in lip-synching because they don't have the ability to keep their vocals going for an entire show. Kelly Clarkson may put out a good album, but have you heard her sing live. She doesn't have the breath support or control. I am not going to pay to listen to that, and I am not going to waste my tv time watching it. I would pay to see someone with serious dancing chops move their hips though. I have been awed by some of the dancing in the past two seasons. The dance choreographed on the bench last year was one I rewound to watch over and over again. Thanks Mia! It couldn't have been done as well or with as much emotion with untrained dancers. This is truly a competition of talent not just marketability.

I also watched the second episode of On the Lot. While it is just another competition based on formula, we are again seeing some truly talented people come out of this show. It is great to see people in a competition be amazed at what others they are up against are able to do. It shows that the uneducated audience is actually seeing some talent in the group of individuals that have been selected. The gasps during the special effects movie "Time Out" (I believe) showed just how special the crafts he has are.

I was also thrilled to have Studio 60 return. I know this is all just a tease since it will be gone for good soon, but it is always enjoyable to watch that cast work together with Sorkin's words. The tie-ins to Allison Janney and West Wing were particularly enjoyable for a West Wing fan. There was a very purposeful CJ/Danny moment at the end that gave me that warm tingly feeling of seeing two old friends again. I guess if they are on the way out, why not give us those tie-ins. There is no longer a reason to try to define Studio 60 differently from West Wing (not like Sorkin tried that hard).

One last spoiler added to my television fulfillment this evening. It isn't really a spoiler, so I will share here. From SpoilerFix "Amy [Sherman-Palladino] explained why she couldn't divulge her long-ago-planned Gilmore ending. In the next year or two, she hopes to make -- wait for it -- a two-hour Gilmore Girls TV-movie that ties up all those loose threads! (BTW, lest you think Amy was pulling my leg, her partner in life and in showbiz, Dan Palladino, confirmed that a GG reunion pic is something they're interested in pursuing.) Source: Ask Ausiello @ TV Guide". Definitely good news for GG fans. Hopefully it will pan out. While the new writers did a decent job keeping up with the patter created by Amy and Dan... it wasn't the same as having the ending always planned.

Now if only Friday turned out to be a good tv night too... ha ha ha ha ha ha.