Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Body of Proof

This week Tiffany and I flip over to ABC, where she examines the long standing hit Desperate Housewives and I discuss the newer (but not brand new) Body of Proof.

First off, I’d like to say that the DVR ate my homework. I didn’t watch Body of Proof before today, but began recording it so I could prepare for this week.

As I settled in on the couch this afternoon to finally prep for my post, I found that my DVR had removed everything we recorded before Monday evening. Everything.

I was able to find the show in question online, and for you, I plopped in front of my computer to watch it.

I know. I’m a giver.

Body of Proof is a show where someone who is smarter than everyone else solves crimes.

Ok, ok, I’ll give you more than that. Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delaney) is a former neurosurgeon who sustains injuries in a car accident (that I never got to see) that make it impossible for her to continue her life as a surgeon. She transfers her knowledge and skills over to a job as a medical examiner. Apparently, she is not only good at the medical stuff, but has a keen mind for investigation and is often a step ahead of her cop compadres in solving the crimes.

What’s this? A brilliant and observant person who appears smarter than everyone around them and uses those smarts to solve mysteries or crimes? GENIUS. Very original. Nothing at all like The Mentalist. Or House. Or Psych. Or Monk. Or…

You get the picture.

What you may also notice is that the shows I listed are ones that I enjoy. Sure, there is a basic formula they all employ, but I love the way they do it.

In the episode I watched, a random one from Season 1, I can’t say that I have the same love for Body of Proof.

The actors do a fine job in their roles. But what is it about writing female know-it-alls that has writers stumped? Is it impossible to make a smart woman likeable?

I mean, I get it. This character loses her career, the same career that caused the demise of her marriage and the disconnect between her and her daughter, so of course she is going to be a little bitter. What I’m missing here is the balance in her bitter personality, the balance that makes me either care, or at least enjoy watching her.

A jerk and a know-it-all, sure, but so funny.

Dr. House is bitter about his bum leg, but at least he is funny when he is a jerk. Patrick Jane is bitter about his murdered family, but at least he is charming. Monk is more neurotic than bitter, but he is endearing. And Shawn Spencer is funny, charming and endearing.

Why didn’t the writers of Body of Proof give me a reason to like the main character?

I’m not saying the show is a total waste. Maybe if I didn’t have so many other choices when it comes to a show with the same basic elements, I’d throw this one in the queue for a rainy day. Maybe if the other choices weren’t so much better, I could be convinced.

For that reason, I give this show a NIVTV rating. Only under the influence, too weak to pop in my Firefly DVDs, might I have the desire to tune in.

Oddly enough, the only other show to receive this rating had the exact same problem. C’mon TV writers, step it up. Watch a few episodes of The Good Wife and learn how to write a female character.

Of course, I did only see one episode, so if you are a fan, chime in! What makes you tune in to this show? Do you think I am being unfair to the writers of BoP? Or do you agree?

Now click over to Tiffany’s blog and check out her review of the ladies of Wisteria Lane, Desperate Housewives.

Come back next week when we laugh it up (or at least we hope) with a double dose of TV’s new comedies: Suburgatory, New Girl, Up All Night, and 2 Broke Girls.

Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future. We’re currently working on our November schedule and would love to chat with you!

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech

Dear Television – It’s You, Not Me

I enjoy TV.  But I can be picky.

You may have guessed that, what with me telling you what you should or shouldn’t watch every Wednesday.

While I may watch my fair share, there aren’t too many shows that really grab me.  Most are guilty pleasures, opportunities to tune out.  With more and more web content available (and finding I spend more time in front of my computer than TV) I’ve started checking out more series online.

One series in particular caught my attention, and managed to hold it through the season finale, which was released today.

It’s called Leap Year.

The series follows 5 friends, each trying to start new businesses after being laid off, or “released” from their old jobs, in an effort to win a contest offering half a million in funding for their startup.

Why, on a blog where the readership is largely made up of creative writerly types who should be spending their time working on their novels rather than watching TV, am I taking a post to tell you to go watch something?

Because it’s good.  Believable, likable characters engaged in witty, yet realistic dialogue, in a plot that is interesting and timely…there aren’t many TV shows (well, any at the moment) that I can attribute a similar description to.   And really, with so much focus on making solid characters and stories in your writing, wouldn’t you want to see a great example of those things?

Also, given the time constraints I (and lots of you) have going (attempting to write and a 2 year old), the brief nature of the episodes makes it easy for me to keep up.  Although, I’ll be honest, they hooked me well enough that I’d make time for them if they ran longer.

So, I share with you some non-TV entertainment.  It’s what I wish TV would be.

Check the trailer here:

Currently Listening to: Nessun Dorma, on a loop, because that is what the 2 year old requested, and he is apparently the boss of me

The A&W Chat Show

A few weeks ago, I did my very first interview on the blog. Much to my surprise (and quite possibly, my chagrin) it was popular. Wildly popular.

So, another installment seemed to make sense. All questions within the interview were inspired, if not directly taken, from comments on the blog and Twitter. If you don’t like the interview, I blame you.

That’s not nice, you really shouldn’t…

Please welcome back our guest, me!

*applauds and cheers*

Uh, there is no applause. Or cheering. Unless it’s in your head.

Which is your head, so…

Ah yes. Cheer away.

Let’s get started then. Your blog doesn’t have nearly enough mommy posts, which is probably why some of your readers started you with mom related questions. Now, just to be clear, you are a mom, right?

Yes. I have a two year old. As of yesterday.

Whew. That’s hard work.

There are worse things. He’s cute enough to make up for the lack of sleep.

Cute.

What is the cutest thing he has done?

Does any mom have one good answer to that? Let’s see, there was the time the dishwasher repairman came over and the little guy walked into the kitchen, put his hand on the guy’s shoulder and said, “Why sad?” The guy seemed perfectly fine to me, but he laughed and explained that someone keyed his Harley that morning. Sad, indeed.

He then leaned in and kissed the air next to the man’s face and said, “You happy!”

That was pretty cute.

Also, the face he makes when he poops. Maybe it’s more funny than cute, but I sadly have to admit, I get a kick out of it.

You are incapable of blogging without mentioning poop. Sigh. Let’s try something a little more high brow. What do you read to your little guy?

I read all sorts of things, but he has favorites. Currently, The Giant Jam Sandwich is high on the list. But he more or less “reads” that to me, since he knows it by heart. I love when he gets to the part that says “Good question!” Makes me laugh each time. He’s a bit of a mimic, and I am fairly dramatic when I read to him, so he “reads” with feeling.

I guess that falls back under the cute question, eh?

I’ll let it slide. Is there a book you read over and over as a kid?

I know I read Dr. Suess a lot when I was really little. Aside from that, Matilda by Roald Dahl is one I read many times. I loved that the brilliant awkward girl triumphs in the end.

Uhhh…spoiler alert much? Anyhoo, given your love of reading, which world would you rather reside in, fairy tale or sci-fi?

Wow. That’s a really broad question. I mean, Disney fairy tales are all happy endings and all, but the old school fairy tales that I like are the original Grimm tales, or Struwwelpeter, dark creepy stuff. Great reads, wouldn’t want to live there.

Science fiction has a lot of technology turning on its creator, but I think I’ll take my chances with an interslice in my brain. Let’s go sci-fi.

So, you’re a geek then?

Meh. I enjoy some of the geekier things in life.

You’ve mentioned Firefly on the blog before. That falls into the geek category.

I am ok with that.

If they brought the show back and hired you as a staff writer, what character would you write to replace Wash? (For those of you who don’t speak geek, the movie Serenity kills off a character from the series…)

And you got on me for spoiler alerts. Hmmm…that is a crazy good question.

The part of me that wants to keep the girl to guy ratio balanced would want another guy, but I can’t imagine any other man piloting the Firefly, so it would have to be a female character. One who was supposed to train as a companion, but rejected the life to be a pilot. She’d give Mal a run for his money, and make Inara very uncomfortable. And Jayne would have a school-boy like crush on her, due to her knowledge of weaponry. And her hotness.

Was that geeky enough for you? Do I win a prize?

….snore…snarfle… What? What was that? Sorry, I got bored.

Very funny.

Since we seem to be dealing with questions that are well outside the world of reality, if you were trapped on a deserted island and could have one food dropped to you by helicopter, what food would it be?

Same thing every day? PB&J. It’s comfort food. It’s protein, carbs, and sugar. And I like it. Also, why the heck isn’t this helicopter picking me up? What kind of crazy is flying by with sandwiches every day but can’t be bothered with rescuing me?

Probably someone you bored to death with your blog.

Touché.

Say it was possible to escape the island by swimming across the sea. If you could do it, but the sea had to be turned into a beverage (not water) what beverage would it be?

Chamomile tea. It’s calming. And probably wouldn’t sting my eyes.

And the volleyball you take back with you, since we are getting all “Castaway” with this line of questioning, what would you name it?

Whichever sponsor paid the most.

Being on a deserted island could have it’s benefits. Like never hearing your least favorite song, or movie, or word. What would be banished from your island?

Anything by Rebecca Black or anything that remotely resembles it. Movie? I don’t know. I generally know I am going to absolutely despise a movie before seeing it, so I just don’t. Let’s just say that anything with Hilary Duff in it is not allowed. That seems safe.

And I could do without “moist”. Just give me a regular ole wet towelette. While we’re at it, could we find a new word for “blog”?

Hey now, don’t hate on your bread and butter.

What does that even mea…

WALTER GROGGINS!

*silence*

Wow. That is as effective as I had hoped. Also, a good name for that volleyball. What is the best/worst/craziest thing you have ever done?

All those things in one? Moving cross country I guess. Great fun, but exhausting, going to live with a roommate sight unseen, to be closer to a boyfriend I was dating long distance. It was quite the roller coaster. But I’ve been married 9 years and have that cute kid I mentioned, so it was a good thing.

I’M IN A GLASS CASE OF EMOTION!!

Are you even listening?

Not really. I know all this stuff already. I really wish I were interviewing someone else. If you could interview anyone, who would it be?

I’m not going to get all deep on you and bust out with some historical figure or literary god or something. I love every interview I’ve ever heard Craig Bierko give. He’s smart and funny, and, well, the accolades could go on.

I’d be completely intimidated and pretty sure I would sound like an idiot, but still, I’d make it work. Even if he made fun of me, I’d still enjoy it.

Does he know he’s in your book?

He isn’t IN my book. He just plays the character in my head.

You should ask him about his motivation when he is playing the character.

Yes. And then I can wait for the “this chick is crazy” silence. Thanks for your input.

Any time. I am a seasoned interviewer, you know. It’s what I’ve always wanted to be, ever since I was a little girl.

Um. No it’s not. You wanted to be a writer.

Your face wants to be a writer.

Well, yes, I guess that is accurate.

Your face is accurate.

Uh oh, are we in a loop? Tech support?

I bet if you were in a circus, that would be your job. Cause you’re boring. You’d be tech support in a circus.

Have you ever been to Cirque du Soleil? Tech support is probably pretty exciting.

Whatever, nerd.

I’d probably want to take care of the animals. And by that, I mean steal them and set them free.

Here at The A&W Chat show, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of our show.

That isn’t entirely tr…

Crazy tree hugger. If you love animals so much, which one would you be? (Oh, I totally nailed that segue.)

Right now, I’m kinda feeling the tree sloth. They hang around in a tree, keepin’ cool, eatin’ leaves. They sort of have the life. People would help me cross the street and stuff.

Basically, I want to be 80.

Snoring, boring. So if you lived in the 19th century, I’m guessing you would have stayed “back East” while people around you headed west?

Yeah. Mostly because I like the East Coast. And I’d be a woman in the 19th century, which, according to the movies, means I would probably just be cooking and doing laundry for some land seeking man if I headed west, waiting to catch some traveling disease. If I stayed East I might be able to do something more. Or marry some rich dude.

For love, of course.

You disgust me. I need to get far, far away from you. But I don’t feel like moving, so what foreign country would you go to if you could choose?

I like the idea of Italy, because I have it in the blood. And it looks beautiful. And the food. Ahhhh…the food.

I was wondering when you’d make this about food, fatty.

Hey, I am wearing my “not so fat” jeans now, I’ll have you know. I never owned skinny jeans. Even when I was skinny.

Good for you. No one wants to hear about that.

Fine.

Fine.

*glares*

Thanks for joining us for another interview! Who knows, maybe next time I’ll actually interview someone interesting.

That’s it. *takes off microphone, storms out*

Currently Listening to: All This Beauty by The Weepies

You face is weepy.

We’re not even having an interview anymore. Stop!!

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – USA! USA!

This week on #watchwed, Tiffany and I take on the USA network in a big way.  We review two shows each, one brand new and one already in progress.  I’ll be discussing Covert Affairs and Necessary Roughness; head over to Tiffany’s blog for the already popular Burn Notice and the new legal drama Suits.

A little something about the USA network.  Their branding, in my mind, is brilliant.

“Characters welcome.”

For me, the most important part of a story is it’s character development.  I can forgive you for a predictable plot.  Or even a meandering one.  If the characters are really great, I may even go as far as overlooking a lack of plot altogether (rare case, but possible).

USA prides itself in characters you can get into.  The obsessive-compulsive neurotic Monk.  The hilarious and observant slacker Sean in Psych. Even their syndicated viewing includes the curmudgeonly brilliant Dr. House.

In reviewing these shows, I was looking for characters I could love.  Or hate.  Characters that I want to be.  Or be friends with.

Covert Affairs surprisingly hits that mark.  I say surprisingly, because I thought it was unlikely that I would relate to the perky and perfect Piper Perabo, who plays the main character, Annie Walker.  Annie is a newly assigned CIA agent, pulled in to work in the covert division because of her grasp of many languages and, well, her hotness.

The good looking cast.

Being hot is helpful when your first assignment requires that you look like a high class call girl.

Sound familiar at all?  (*Alias fans raising hands*)

Despite the familiar formula of gorgeous girl kicking butt while navigating relationships with family who don’t know about her CIA status, Annie’s character is truly likable.  She’s great at what she does, but doesn’t always get it right.  Despite being smart and seemingly perfect, she has to deal with the discomfort of a new job like the rest of us.

Well, except for the high tech gadgetry and an attractive blind tech genius (Christopher Gorham, Ugly Betty) helping her along the way.

Is this a show that will challenge your mental muscles?  Perhaps not.  Will it entertain you?  For sure.  If you were looking for a show to fill the void Alias left years ago, this is for you.

That’s why I give Covert Affairs MacTV rating.  While it’s not absolutely riveting, it may have you on the edge of your seat from time to time, and the characters make you want to watch more.

But wait, there’s more!

Necessary Roughness, a newcomer to the USA lineup, follows the life of Dr. Dani Santino (Callie Thorne, Rescue Me, Burn Notice), a therapist who quickly finds her life thrown in a spin when she finds out her husband (Craig Bierko) has been cheating on her.

A lot.

Oops.

Excuse me a moment while I discuss the awesomeness that is Craig Bierko as the philandering spouse.  Remember the part about hating a character being a good thing?  You will hate him.  There is a line he delivers in the pilot to Callie’s character that literally made me cringe.  It’s not just the line, it’s the way he says it.

Awesome.  Please, writers of this show, give us more Bierko.

While I take issue with the main character immediately hitting a club and bedding the first charmer she meets (Marc Blucas), who just happens to be the trainer for an NFL team, I do enjoy the feisty nature of Callie Thorne’s character.

Which is necessary with the high profile clients she obtains through her newfound relationship with the aforementioned trainer.  Her primary client is a troubled star athlete (Mehcad Brooks) who, in the pilot, can’t catch a ball and has an attitude that needs to be checked.

The show is trying to give us a strong female lead, and I am hoping they can deliver.  I am hoping that “feisty and tough” doesn’t turn into “screams and whines a lot”.

I want to root for the mother taking on her rebellious daughter, her well-read teenage son (who seems to have his father’s smarmy charm…they must keep it in their hair), her wonderfully awful ex, and her high maintenance patients.

More pretty people.

And then, I’ll root for her to get the guy.  Just maybe not that trainer.  (Keep an eye on the team “fixer” (Scott Cohen, Gilmore Girls) and you’ll understand.)

That’s right.  I just told you to watch it.  I’m giving it an SSTV.  I see it’s potential.  Solid cast.  I just need the writers to win me over.

Now, it’s your turn.  Are you a fan of Covert Affairs?  Did you watch the Necessary Roughness premiere?  Will you be watching these shows now?  Do you love the USA network as much as everyone else?  Leave your comments or discuss with us on Twitter using #watchwed.

Head over to Tiffany’s blog to find out about Burn Notice and, one of my new favorites, Suits.

Next week, we get our science fiction on with TNT’s “Falling Skies” and SyFy’s “Alphas”.

The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech