Pop Culture Curmudgeon

The Return of Happy TV

I like dark shows. Porbably more than the average person.

I loved the seedy underbelly of the small Pacific northwest town Twin Peaks.

I couldn’t get enough of the depressing and violent near-future depicted in Strange Days.

But even I have to throw up my hands sometimes and say, “Please show me some color, some light, some happiness.”

Pushing Daisies (RIP) gave me some of that. I ended each episode feeling happier than when I started.

I’ve got a few current shows I go to for the happy. Gossip Girl and 90210 amuse me with their ridiculousness. And Castle thrills me with the rapport between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic as they solve sometimes grisly murders.

My number one go-to happy show, though, is Glee. It’s exuberance is infectious. I don’t always like the songs they sing. In fact, I rarely like musical performances in my TV shows and movies. I don’t always like the characters or the choices they make. But it is all put together in a package that can’t help but make me smile.

What about you? Are you in love with Glee, or do you dismiss it as an over-hyped, over-sold disappointment? Do you prefer your TV to show stark, gritty reality; dark depravity; lighthearted, feel-good fare; or some combination of all of these elements?

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Most Exciting Upfronts News

Which last-minute renewal made you do your happy dance? Feel free to explain your rationale or even describe your happy dance in the comments section.

Personally, I was most excited about Chuck’s renewal, but most surprised by Better off Ted. I really enjoyed that show, but I was sure it was a goner after the first episode. So, bravo to ABC for sticking with a fun and quirky show. Let’s hope we can make it past the second season, too.

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Happy Upfronts Week

We’re going into this week of fall schedule announcements and pageantry after a weekend of fabulous announcements.

Chuck, Castle, Dollhouse, and Better off Ted were all renewed. There were budget concessions in some cases, and the orders weren’t for a full season (13 episodes instead of 22). Those were huge wins for the fans and for creativity, but our work isn’t over.

We have to keep the momentum and make sure that we watch our shows, talk about our shows, and flex our consumer muscle so that our shows get renewed next year.

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Dollhouse Renewed?

George Ruiz, head of new media at International Creative Management, just tweeted that Dollhouse was renewed.

Edited to add: The Hollywood Reporter confirms it. Dollhouse is coming back. And Castle got a pickup, too.

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Things Are Looking Good for Castle and Chuck

According to TV Mo Joe, Castle had a good bump in ratings on Monday, and Deal or No Deal dropped markedly from Chuck’s ratings in the same time slot. Both are good arguments for renewal.

Read the full story here.

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