Initial Reactions, Part II

Terra Nova

As far as initial reactions go, 5 minutes into this show I realized it would most likely be a big hit, and it's honestly the first time I've felt this way about a new show since LOST.  I've yet to watch more than 20 minutes of it though but it's #1 on the PVR list for tonight.

Ringer

Sarah Michelle Gellar is back on TV and like the first time around, I'm just not that interested.  Yes, I realize this takes away a lot of my credibility, but I did not watch Buffy. 

Two and a Half Men

This show is no good anymore.  The formula was a combination of the awesomeness of an immature adult (Charlie (Harper) Sheen's character), and a mature adult who's life totally sucks (Jon (Alan Harper) Cryer's character).  And mixed in there with lots of sexual innuendo and a really stupid teenager.  

What they've done in the attempt to replace Charlie Harper is added Ashton Kutcher, who plays this immature adult who is not awesome at all but very angsty.  Basically he's a mixture of Charlie and Alan Harper, but all the non-fun parts combined.  The stupid teenager Jake, meanwhile, has all but disappeared, largely in due part to the writers desperately trying to introduce a new character to an audience not new to the show. 

Initial reactions

The Buffalo Bills 

The need to win just 2 more games over the next 13 to reach my pre-season prediction of 5 wins. I'm shocked by this. I have never, in my life, cheered for the Buffalo Bills, but I found myself doing so over the past two weeks. This season's Bills have a roster perfect for Buffalo, full of hardworking guys who were for the most part forgotten, a truly blue-collar team. 

Unforgettable

The pilot for this new show did not live up to its name.  There is something about the lead actress that bothers me, but regardless of that it doesn't seem like a show that will make it.  I can imagine each episode she'll examine the crime scene, and then they'll have a difficult time solving the case, and then someone will say "Hey, maybe you should use your super memory and try to recall any important details we missed!" and she will, and then they will solve the case.  It's a great formula for cartoons (Voltron, Thundercats, etc) but not so great for primetime drama.

Person Of Interest

This show has some potential because James Caviezel's character is a bit Jack Bauer-ish in his ability to totally kick ass.. the only difference is you don't see it coming.  I've never really followed James Caviezel's career and he didn't really say much in "Passion of the Christ", so I have to ask: Does he really have a scratchy voice like the Dark Knight, or was this Jonathan Nolan's idea?  

Playboy Club

Amber Heard is hot, but this show really sucks. It took me 3 tries to get through the pilot episode.  Many critics have said they try too hard to be Mad Men.  My thinking is they're not trying hard enough.  It's more like a mockery of Mad Men.  

Charlie's Angels

There are two things wrong with this show, that they can easily fix.  The first thing is that during the action/fight scenes, it looks as if the girls fought in slow motion and then they showed the scenes in double time.  There is just something wrong with the speed, no human being could move that fast, not even Jackie Chan.  Perhaps none of the girls took any martial art training and they had no choice?  

I'm sorry to say this but the only reason people will watch this show is for the action and skin.  They need to use the same formula as last year's reboot hit Hawaii Five-O.  They drew in viewers by showing a shirtless Alex O'Loughlin and Grace Park in a bikini while they developed an interesting overarching plot, and by the time you realized that neither one could act, it didn't matter because you were sucked in.  As far as 'believability' goes, the only decent actor on the show is Annie Ilonzeh, but as the token minority she won't be able to carry the show.  They need to take these 3 beautiful women and flaunt them for all they're worth.  Again I'm sorry but there is no other reason to watch this show.  Let's see some bikini's and gratuitous cleavage and butt shots.  Sorry.

Revision on my early NFL predictions

In the event that Peyton Manning misses half the season: 

South 

y-Houston Texans (10-6)

Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
Tennessee Titans (7-9)
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)

In the event that Peyton Manning misses the entire season:

South 

y-Houston Texans (10-6)

Tennessee Titans (8-8)
Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10)

Indianapolis Colts (5-11)

I think the Colts minus Peyton Manning are a below average team, and as they've been built around one player, switching him out without planning for it will be detrimental for the season.  I think a best case is maybe they win 7 games, but with injuries and all that, I think 5 is a safe and conservative number.  

This changes the potential playoff matchups, but I don't think it'll make a difference in the overall picture.  The Houston Texans have made some improvements this year but they have no chance against the AFC elite.

My Extremely Early NFL Predictions

Here's my very early NFL Predictions:

AFC
East
z-New England Patriots (14-2)
x-New York Jets (12-4)
Buffalo Bills (5-11)
Miami Dolphins (5-11)

North
y-Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
x-Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
Cleveland Browns (6-10)
Cincinnati Bengals (4-12)

South
y-Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
Houston Texans (9-7)
Tennessee Titans (7-9)
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)

West
y-San Diego Chargers (12-4)
Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)
Oakland Raiders (7-9)
Denver Broncos (4-12)

NFC
East
z-Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
New York Giants (10-6)
Washington Redskins (2-14)

North
y-Green Bay Packers (12-4)
Chicago Bears (9-7)
Minnesota Vikings (9-7)
Detroit Lions (7-9)


South
y-New Orleans Saints (13-3)
x-Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
x-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)
Carolina Panthers (1-15)

West
y-St. Louis Rams (9-7)
Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
San Francisco 49ers (3-13)
Seattle Seahawks (1-15)

Playoffs:
First round
New England Patriots - bye
Pittsburgh Steelers - bye
San Diego Chargers over Baltimore Ravens
New York Jets over Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles - bye
New Orleans Saints - bye
Green Bay Packers over St. Louis Rams
Atlanta Falcons over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Quarterfinals:
New England Patriots over New York Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers over San Diego Chargers
Philadelphia Eagles over Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints over Green Bay Packers

Semifinals:
Pittsburgh Steelers over New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints over Philadelphia Eagles

Superbowl:
New Orleans Saints over Pittsburgh Steelers