Robo-Post: TV's Worst of 2007

JFC was a magnificent failure.

I'd love to watch a show fail to do something that ambitious than watch CSI: Kentucky or whatever city they are up to.

James I still need help making a decision of whether or not to watch Lost. Would it be better to not watch to support the writers and wait till they show all the season 4 episodes at once or would that hurt the writers? If I don't watch does that hurt their cause because it shows the networks that no ones watching anyway? HELP ME PLEASE JAMES!

@Karma... Hmm. In the short term, I suppose it helps the writers for people to watch as little TV as possible during the strike. In the long term, they're getting your attention and/or money ultimately regardless, whether you watch live or online or on DVD. The real test of the strike is what happens when they run out of original scripted shows, not whether a percentage of fans boycott the remaining original shows, so I wouldn't feel guilty about watching. But God knows you shouldn't rely on me for ethics.

@Robo-James: "But God knows you shouldn't rely on me for ethics."

Well no, you're just a machine after all.

@Karma - Correct me if I'm wrong, but Lost is one of those shows that does not do reruns. If you don't catch them while they are on, you'll have to rely on TIVO or wait until it comes out on DVD.

I've never been a union man, so I'm watching when they come on. Lost is kind of like crack for me. I can't resist. We saw ads for it last night and my wife and I looked at each other kind of like the first time we had sex many many years ago.

Jim, Just the fact that you kept watching JFC, tells me you are more dedicated to your job than any TV critic I know. I made it through 1 1/2 before I gave up. At least I know now that I did not miss any big breakthrough later in the show.

Hope you and the family have a great 2008 with writers back to work and good TV!

Wait, you didn't like The Wedding Bells? I freaking loved that show. I'm secretly hoping the last of the episodes will be run off because of the writer's strike, (Sigh) but I know deep down that won't happen.

Also, on the writer's strike. I didn't believe you before that I (a 20-something with lots to do) would start turning to other mediums for my entertainment, but it is slowly happening. Less and less am I planning my night around Grey's Anatomy and 30 Rock, rather I'm going online at night or going to the movies. I side with the writer's, and I'm with you on the "just freaking pay them already" thing. Hope it gets worked out before I give away my TV.

Keith, while Lost doesn't do reruns it is my theory that they will show the first 8 episodes of season 4 again when they get the other 8 episodes so that it's a fluid season. I could be wrong of course. I'll probably end up watching them because James told me to. I do what James says... all hail James.

The writer's strike has opened my eyes to two former loves I have lost over the years:

1. PBS- Not only is PBS informative and educational with their programming for children, but their adult programming is just as informative, and you can get your news straight forward and balanced. And you never have to worry about updates on the celebutants who forget there underwear in the evening.

2. The repeats of Two and a Half Men. I just love this show. Love it.

Top Ten: TV'S Worst of 2007

1. Law and Order-All of Them

2. CSI: All of Them

(These were shows I used to love to watch but THE WIRE has made these kind of shows intolerable.)

3. Notes from the Under Belly

4. Private Practice (I watched the shows online to give it a chance and it just doesn't hook me, the show is missing something: a cohesiveness among the ensemble. The show has not gotten past being a spinoff. A spinoff show must have a dynamic ensemble to distinguish itself from the original show. They have no one with a story that is worth following, and the Addison character was a good fit in Grey's Anatomy but is not strong enough to carry a series. And it is annoying to see Taye Diggs fulfilling his ABC contract.

5. Viva Laughlin- Never watched it. But I have a low tolerance for stage musicals, so I'm pretty sure I have no tolerance for TV musicals.

6. Prison Break- This show is just a big ole bowl of ridiculousness.

7. 24- See the above.

8. My Name is Earl- I just don't like it.

9. Carson Daly's Late Late Night Show- Why, why, why, is Carson Daly on television? And I hope he doesn't take over Conan Obrien's spot in 2009. I would rather see a show of Chimps in that spot than Daly.

10. Mind of Mencia- O.K Comedy Central...you got us...the joke is on us, so please...please...please, end this PRACTICAL JOKE NOW! This show is almost as painful as watching a tape of your first love having sex with your worst enemy.

I think you need to add Tin Man to that mix -- although no worse than 90% of what gets shown on Sci-Fi on Saturday night, the fact that it was six hours of awfulness makes it "worst" worthy...

And "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" deserves a place as well --- great title, but its all downhill from there.

Since I barely watch the big 4's programming anymore- it's just sucking that bad, in my opinion- I'll just list five of the larger disappointments/annoyances:

5. Bionic Woman- No need to redo this show (unlike BSG), but if you're gonna do it at least inject some life into the thing; this just laid there flopping like a fish on the beach.

4. ER- every year I watch the season premiere, then 2 to 3 episodes later I'm done with it for the season. The expiration date was passed even BEFORE Carter left.

3. Dancing With The Stars- I never watch American Idol, but I put up with it because otherwise 24 and House wouldn't have made it past their first seasons. This cheesy piece of junk can't even make THAT claim.

2. John From Cincinnati- the reaction was exactly what HBO & David Milch deserved for cutting Deadwood off at the knees.

1. Advertisements- no, not commercials- I'm talking about the ridiculously obnoxious and constant bottom-of-the-screen promos on TBS/TNT/FX etc. that completely wreck whatever show you happen to be watching at the time. Yes, I know they're not going anywhere- that's why, as I mentioned above, I don't watch much TV anymore.

Here are my top ten WORST shows of 2007

10. Grey's Anatomy- ever since season three ended and theat Kathrine Hiegl got won and emmy it's been going down hill; very much like Katherin's movies, and the spin off, GA has become very ridiculous and unbearable. Please cancel this show before it becomes another ER- long and drawn out.

9. Pivate Practice- I don't know what's worst, this or Grey's Anatomy, but this might be the worst spin off of 2007. Why in God's name would Shonda take Addison and give her her own show when she wasn't even that big of a character.

8. All the CSI's, i'm just soo tired of the spin offs and lame story lines that we've seen before. CUT.

7. ER- just for the fact that it's been on tv way too long. Seriously when will the horror show end.

6. Bionic Woman- Even though i loved Isaiah Washington, this show was a wreck after the first episode and shpuld have been cut after the third episode. I mean if they're going to do a remake they should atleast do it well.

5. Dancing with the Stars- because the fact that f-list celebrity-wannabe's are on tv just makes me sick.

4. Prison Break- the mystery ended after the first season.

3. Gossip Girl- Seriously why is this even on tv?

2.Ever new show on Sci-fi- Sci-Fi really needs to stop making shows. Maybe it's because i was never a big fan of the wizard of oz, or flash gordon; but all the new shows seemed to be very prolonged and unentertaining.

1. And finally... I Love New York, A shot at love with Tila Tequila and all the other crap 'reality' shows on VH1 and MTV- Shameless people coming on tv to act like fools shouldn't be called shows because frankly they are neither informative nor entertaining. When will the nightmare brought on by Flava Flav end? When?

I think this article and resulting comments show that there is plenty of garbage on TV; now more than ever. If we all took the time we are spending in front of the "boob tube" and instead spend that time on some home-based business, our national and global economies would be so much better off and our collective IQ would probably rise significantly. We would also likely make more reasonable purchases resulting from not being sucked into the commercials and would be in better physical (and probably emotional/mental) shape. If we are going to watch TV, we should stick to PBS or at least limit our time to one show/day or less. And we should do something else while we watch, such as exercising or making something.

@Jon - I'm guessing that you are a vegan, eat energy bars and have major anxiety over global warming. Good for you!

Lighten up dude.

In fairness to the 1/2 hour news hour, the Daily Show and Colbert Show aren't really all that funny either. Liberals just think they are because their getting their viewpoints spoonfed back to them.