Weekly Show

20
September, 2011

Tuning in to SciFi TV #158

Water Cooler:
– New Poll: Of the following ten shows that ended in the 2000s, which series finale did you enjoy the most?
– Contest: Win Camelot Season 1 on DVD. Details on how to enter are listed here.

– Listener feedback and News
– Tuner Minute: Is Good, Good Enough?. Join in the forum discussion here.

Back Porch:
0:36:48 Doctor Who 6.10 The Girl Who Waited
0:48:37 True Blood 4.12 And When I Die
1:00:21 The Vampire Diaries 3.01 The Birthday

You can listen to the episode now by using the ‘Play’ button below or follow the break for detailed Show Notes.

Show Notes and Links

Quick Reviews

– 9/10 Syfy Saturday Movie Jabberwock
– 9/10 Doctor Who 6.10 The Girl Who Waited
– 9/11 Lost Girl 2.02 I Fought the Fae (and the Fae Won)
– 9/11 True Blood 4.12 And When I Die
– 9/12 Alphas 1.09 Blind Spot
– 9/12 Eureka 4.19 One Small Step…
– 9/12 Warehouse 13 3.09 Shadows
– 9/12 Death Valley 1.03 Blood Vessels
– 9/13 The Guild 5.08 Social Traumas
– 9/15 The Vampire Diaries 3.01 The Birthday
– 9/15 The Secret Circle 1.01 Pilot
– 9/16 Haven 2.10 Who, What, Where, Wendigo?
– 9/16 Iron Man 1.08 Daughter of the Zodiac (aka Girl)

Farscape on blu-ray Nov 15
Canadian PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD confirmed
Source Code to Be Adapted for TV at CBS
Fox Developing TV Adaptation Of DC Comics’ The Spectre
Airdate Announced For Last Sarah Jane Adventures Series
The Fades Premieres in the UK This Week
Walking Dead Crew Discusses S2 and Darabont’s Exit
An Actual Fringe Season 4 Promo
New Terra Nova BTS Video
8 Reasons Why Alphas is Better Than Heroes
Nielsen TV Ratings Process Explained, By Puppets!

Episode #158 hosted by Brent Barrett, Wendy Hembrock and Kevin Bachelder. Recorded on 9/17/11. Edited by Brent Barrett.

Share your feedback by contacting us at 206-202-4182, or on Skype to TuningInToSciFiTV. Follow us on Twitter @TuningIntoSciFi or find us on Facebook.

Theme song graciously provided by Beatnik Turtle.

Promo for Nutty Bits podcast.

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Kevin

One thought on “Tuning in to SciFi TV #158”

Purgatori says:

September 20, 2011 at 11:34 pm

Yet another extremely entertaining and interesting episode. I’ll be thinking long and hard about this week’s Tuner Minute — mostly because I don’t know where I fall on this ‘good show’/’my sorta show’ divide.

Yes, Game of Thrones is a very high quality piece of television on both a genre, and a generic, front but I honestly think that I watch it more for its genre qualities. I just love the fantasy genre, and it’s not a big deal to me whether it’s super highbrow like Game of Thrones, or something more frivolous and fun like Legend of the Seeker, or Xena (not that these shows didn’t have their poignant moments, and interesting developments and characters).

On the other hand, though, I think that if it seemed like LotS or Xena had taken themselves as seriously as GoT — and expected audiences to do the same — I would have had a problem with them. That’s why The Walking Dead simply didn’t work for me; I just didn’t think that the quality of the writing, or the development of the writing were strong enough to justify its maudlin tone and excessive focus on “character moments” (especially since I found all the characters either hateful, unrealistic, or bland).

LoTs and Xena seemed to have an understanding with the audience that went something like: ‘hey we know we’re not the smartest show ever, but look how much genre goodness we give you, and how fun we can be!’ The balanced the scales my serving up the genre goods in place of dramatic smarts and complexity, whereas (for me) the Walking Dead offered thin gruel on both fronts; which is why I won’t be watching season 2.

So, in the end, maybe I care about both, and it’s just a matter of balancing the scales.

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