May Madness: The Andy Griffith Show vs. Modern Family, Castle vs. Gilmore Girls

And Round One keeps speeding along! The Andy Griffith Show takes on Modern Family, while the ruggedly handsome Castle is pitted against the quick-witted Gilmore Girls.

These polls will be open for about 72 hours, so be sure to spread the word quickly if you want your favorites to make it to the next round!

May Madness - Comedy, Round 1.5

  • The Andy Griffith Show (62%, 21 Votes)
  • Modern Family (38%, 13 Votes)

Total Voters: 34

Loading ... Loading ...

May Madness - Drama, Round 1.5

  • Castle (73%, 30 Votes)
  • Gilmore Girls (27%, 11 Votes)

Total Voters: 41

Loading ... Loading ...

Feel free to leave a comment about which show(s) you voted for and why! I may quote your comment in a Facebook post or tweet promoting this poll! Also, make sure the first poll finishes loading your results before submitting your vote for the second poll!

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

May Madness 2014

At last, it is time for the 64 TV shows YOU chose to battle it out for the best TV show of all time! Over the next few weeks, shows will face each other in 72-hour single elimination matchups! Everyone who responded to my question about whether to have comedies and dramas mixed throughout the tournament preferred to have the genres battle it out separately and the top comedy and top drama face each other in the final match, so that’s what we will do!

This post will be your go-to reference for current and upcoming matches, so be sure to bookmark it and check back daily! I will add the links as the posts go up. Or, subscribe to our RSS feed to get the latest posts!

 

TOURNAMENT FINAL

Castle vs. M*A*S*H

 

DRAMA FINAL

Castle vs. Beauty and the Beast – Winner: Castle!

COMEDY FINAL

M*A*S*H vs. Friends – Winner: M*A*S*H

Round four begins with only eight shows remaining! Each of these polls will be open 72 hours.

DRAMA – ROUND FOUR MATCHUPS

White Collar vs. Castle – Winner: Castle!

Beauty and the Beast vs. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Winner: Beauty and the Beast!

COMEDY – ROUND FOUR MATCHUPS

I Love Lucy vs. M*A*S*H – Winner: M*A*S*H!

Friends vs. Will & Grace – Winner: Friends!

And now we’re starting round three, as the remaining 16 shows face off! The lists will be completed as the round one matchups finish, and links to each new poll will be added after they go live! Each of the round three posts will contain two matchups: one drama battle and one comedy battle. All polls will be open 72 hours.

DRAMA – ROUND THREE MATCHUPS

White Collar vs. House – Winner: White Collar!

Castle vs. The X-Files – Winner: Castle!

Beauty and the Beast vs. Once Upon a Time – Winner: Beauty and the Beast!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer vs. Supernatural – Winner: Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

 

COMEDY – ROUND THREE MATCHUPS

M*A*S*H vs. Golden Girls – Winner: M*A*S*H!

The Andy Griffith Show vs. I Love Lucy – Winner: I Love Lucy!

The Mindy Project vs. Friends – Winner: Friends!

Will & Grace vs. The Dick Van Dyke Show – Winner: Will & Grace!

 

Here are the round two matchups!

DRAMA – ROUND TWO MATCHUPS

White Collar vs. Leverage – Winner: White Collar!

Veronica Mars vs. House – Winner: House!

Castle vs. Doctor Who – Winner:  Castle!

ER vs. The X-Files – Winner: The X-Files!

Beauty and the Beast vs. NCIS – Winner: Beauty and the Beast!

Once Upon a Time vs. Agents of SHIELD – Winner: Once Upon a Time!

Criminal Minds vs. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Winner: Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

Supernatural vs. Sherlock – Winner: Supernatural!

 

COMEDY – ROUND TWO MATCHUPS

Scrubs vs. M*A*S*H – Winner: M*A*S*H!

The Office vs. Golden Girls – Winner: Golden Girls!

The Andy Griffith Show vs. Get Smart – Winner: The Andy Griffith Show!

That 70s Show vs. I Love Lucy – Winner: I Love Lucy!

Suburgatory vs. The Mindy Project – Winner: The Mindy Project!

The Cosby Show vs. Friends – Winner: Friends!

Will & Grace vs. Hogan’s Heroes – Winner: Will & Grace!

The Dick Van Dyke Show vs. Gilligan’s Island – Winner: The Dick Van Dyke Show!

 

These will be the matchups for round one. This list was randomly generated, and each of the round one posts will contain two matchups: one comedy battle and one drama battle. I may post several times in a day during this first round so that this bracket won’t go too far into June, but all polls will be open 72 hours. If any of the choices below seem impossible, remember, your decisions will only get more difficult as the tournament progresses! Have fun!

 

COMEDY – ROUND ONE MATCHUPS

Scrubs vs. Raising Hope – Winner: Scrubs!

How I Met Your Mother vs. M*A*S*H – Winner: M*A*S*H!

The Office (US) vs. 2 Broke Girls – Winner: The Office!

Golden Girls vs. New Girl – Winner: Golden Girls!

Modern Family vs. The Andy Griffith Show – Winner: The Andy Griffith Show!

Get Smart vs. The Crazy Ones – Winner: Get Smart!

That 70s Show vs. The Big Bang Theory – Winner: That 70s Show!

I Love Lucy vs. Brooklyn Nine-Nine – Winner: I Love Lucy!

30 Rock vs. Suburgatory – Winner: Suburgatory!

The Goldbergs vs. The Mindy Project – Winner: The Mindy Project!

The Cosby Show vs. Parks and Recreation – Winner: The Cosby Show!

Friends vs. The Middle – Winner: Friends!

Will & Grace vs. Seinfeld – Winner: Will & Grace!

Community vs. Hogan’s Heroes – Winner: Hogan’s Heroes!

Enlisted vs. The Dick Van Dyke Show – Winner: The Dick Van Dyke Show!

Last Man Standing vs. Gilligan’s Island – Winner: Gilligan’s Island!

 

DRAMA – ROUND ONE MATCHUPS

Dexter vs. White Collar – Winner: White Collar!

Angel vs. Leverage – Winner: Leverage!

Glee vs. Veronica Mars – Winner: Veronica Mars!

Game of Thrones vs. House – Winner: House!

Gilmore Girls vs. Castle – Winner: Castle!

Magnum, PI vs. Doctor Who – Winner: Doctor Who!

Moonlight vs. ER – Winner: ER!

The X-Files vs. Suits – Winner: The X-Files!

The Vampire Diaries vs. Beauty and the Beast – Winner: Beauty and the Beast!

NCIS vs. Charmed – Winner: NCIS!

Arrow vs. Once Upon a Time – Winner: Once Upon a Time!

Agents of SHIELD vs. JAG – Winner: Agents of SHIELD!

Criminal Minds vs. Dollhouse – Winner: Criminal Minds!

Dark Angel vs. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Winner: Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

Supernatural vs. Firefly – Winner: Supernatural!

Bones vs. Sherlock – Winner: Sherlock!

 

Which round one loss are you most disappointed by? Leave a comment and let me know!

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

Monday Madness: Favorite Hero/Villain Duo

This Monday Madness, vote for your favorite hero/villain duos! The hero of any TV show, whether comic-book-based, sitcom, or procedural drama, always faces opposition in the pursuit of his/her goals. Often, that opposition comes from the people around our hero. But sometimes, one opposing person stands out from the crowd. They may be a twisted version of our hero, or just amazing at being evil. But you can be sure that an epic battle (of wits, weapons, or fisticuffs) is about to begin!

The pairs below are some of the more popular hero/villain duos, along with several nominated by readers of this blog. Which are your favorites? Go forth and vote!

Also, this poll is not as limited as previous ones – feel free to include older shows and villains who aren’t around for very long – just be sure to nominate ones that make an impression!

The winners of last week’s poll are here.

This poll will be open for one week, and you can choose up to 5 of your favorite TV hero/villain duos. Be sure to spread the word so your favorites will win!

I had a hard time coming up with duos for this list, and I know there are many more epic heroes and villains out there! As always, you can cast write-in ballots by leaving a comment, and if I receive several nominations, I may add them to the poll! Want more of a say in what makes it onto the poll each week? Be sure to follow me on Twitter, since I usually ask for nominations for the next Monday Madness the weekend before the new poll. Stay tuned – I have something special in mind for the rest of April and May!

Without further ado, here’s the poll for this week’s Monday Madness! Voting ends around 12AM April 7th.

Which is your favorite TV hero/villain duo? (Choose up to 5!)

  • Elena Gilbert vs. Katherine Pierce (The Vampire Diaries) (11%, 38 Votes)
  • Sherlock Holmes vs. Jim Moriarty (Sherlock) (9%, 32 Votes)
  • The Doctor vs. the Master (Doctor Who) (8%, 29 Votes)
  • Emma Swan vs. Regina Mills (Once Upon a Time) (7%, 25 Votes)
  • Steve McGarrett vs. Wo Fat (Hawaii Five-O) (6%, 20 Votes)
  • Nick Burkhardt vs. Adalind Schade (Grimm) (5%, 16 Votes)
  • Sheldon Cooper vs. Wil Wheaton (The Big Bang Theory) (4%, 15 Votes)
  • Dr. Horrible vs. Captain Hammer (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog) (3%, 12 Votes)
  • Col. Robert Hogan vs. Col. Wilhelm Klink (Hogan's Heroes) (3%, 12 Votes)
  • Will Schuester vs. Sue Sylvester (Glee) (3%, 11 Votes)
  • Temperance Brennan vs. Christopher Pelant (Bones) (3%, 11 Votes)
  • Richard Castle vs. 3XK (Castle) (3%, 10 Votes)
  • Merlin vs. Morgana (Merlin) (3%, 10 Votes)
  • Patrick Jane vs. Red John (The Mentalist) (3%, 10 Votes)
  • Agent Phil Coulson vs. the Clairvoyant (Agents of SHIELD) (3%, 10 Votes)
  • Luke Danes vs. Taylor Doose (Gilmore Girls) (3%, 9 Votes)
  • Robin Hood vs. the Sheriff of Nottingham (BBC Robin Hood) (3%, 9 Votes)
  • Chuck Bartowski vs. Daniel Shaw (Chuck) (3%, 9 Votes)
  • Buffy Summers vs. Glory (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) (2%, 8 Votes)
  • Nikita vs. Amanda (Nikita) (2%, 7 Votes)
  • Harold Finch vs. Root (Person of Interest) (2%, 6 Votes)
  • Veronica Mars vs. Sheriff Lamb (Veronica Mars) (1%, 5 Votes)
  • Sydney Bristow vs. Arvin Sloane (Alias) (1%, 5 Votes)
  • John Bates vs. Thomas Barrow (Downton Abbey) (1%, 4 Votes)
  • Annie Walker vs. Henry Wilcox (Covert Affairs) (1%, 4 Votes)
  • Alice vs. Jafar (Once Upon a Time in Wonderland) (1%, 4 Votes)
  • Agent G. Callen vs. Marcel Janvier (NCIS: Los Angeles) (1%, 4 Votes)
  • Jane Rizzoli vs. Charles Hoyt (Rizzoli & Isles) (1%, 3 Votes)
  • Claire vs. Sylar (Heroes) (1%, 3 Votes)
  • Michael Westen vs. Anson Fullerton (Burn Notice) (1%, 3 Votes)
  • Dr. Lee Rosen vs. Stanton Parrish (Alphas) (1%, 3 Votes)
  • Tessa Altman vs. Dalia Royce (Suburgatory) (1%, 2 Votes)
  • Dr. Gregory House vs. Michael Tritter (House) (1%, 2 Votes)
  • Ryan Hardy vs. Joe Carroll (The Following) (1%, 2 Votes)
  • Vince Farraday vs. Peter Fleming (The Cape) (0%, 1 Votes)
  • Jessica Pearson vs. Daniel Hardman (Suits) (0%, 1 Votes)

Total Voters: 125

Loading ... Loading ...

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

TNT Orders Legends and The Last Ship to Series, Fox Picks Up Eight Shows, Including Enlisted

TV news for next season is starting to heat up, and I’m back to blogging about it as I try to make sense of what’s going on, share the joy of new projects seeing the light of day, and rant about pilots not picked up.

TNT ordered 10 episodes of two new series I’ve been excited about for a while, thanks to one key role and a decent premise. Adam Baldwin’s The Last Ship features a previously-isolated crew racing to find a cure for a global pandemic. Sean Bean’s Legends has the CIA’s top chameleon operative suffering a break with reality amid his many covers.

I watched both trailers for the new shows (which the above loglines are based on), and both seem slightly different from their original premises. I’m not sure if it’s that, or the fact that my TV watching time has been drastically cut, but I’m less excited about these projects than I was initially. Both are going into my “wait and see the reviews/ratings” box for now, and I imagine they’ll stay there for a while. Now that Leverage is over, the only veteran show I’m watching on TNT is last year’s Perception, which was unique and well done enough to stay on my “to watch” list. (I should really make these into real lists and share them – perhaps after upfronts?)

Fox has ordered 4 dramas and 4 comedies (to add to the already-picked-up Dads, which got expanded from 6 to 13 episodes), quite a lot for a channel that doesn’t program anything from 10-11.

Out of the eight, I’m most excited about Enlisted, a military comedy starring Geoff Stults, Chris Lowell, and Parker Young (who play three brothers). Stults won me over completely in The Finder and I also enjoyed his reoccurring role on Ben & Kate, so I’d be at least previewing almost any new show he would be cast in. I’m sad to see that Young will be leaving Suburgatory, since I love his character on that show, but I’m glad he’ll have more of a starring role in this project. Lowell I know mainly as Piz from Veronica Mars, so I’ll have to get a new opinion of his acting now that he won’t be getting in the way of one of my favorite TV couples.

For the other comedies, Us & Them seems the one I’m most likely to watch, with Gilmore Girls’ Alexis Bledel returning to TV and a fun premise: a long-distance relationship with family and friends butting in. Brooklyn Nine-Nine puts a comedy spin on a cop show, and Surviving Jack stars Christopher Meloni. Dads may also warrant a preview, as Seth Green (Oz from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) plays one of the two guys whose fathers move in with them.

I’m disappointed Delirium didn’t get picked up to series. While the sci-fi premise was a bit hokey (a procedure to remove love?), it reminded me of Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee’s novel Forbidden. And I enjoy Emma Roberts’ acting.

I doubt I will watch any of Fox’s new dramas. I may check out Almost Human (an android/human buddy cop show) if the trailer leans more toward sci-fi than cop drama. Rake has Greg Kinnear, but I’m not piqued by a law drama take on House. The story of Sleepy Hollow never interested me, and Gang Related just seems like another cop show with a conflicted loyalties twist (and medical drama with a conflicted loyalties twist worked out so well for The Mob Doctor).

Do you plan to watch any of these new shows?

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

Favorite TV Couples Ultimate Showdown

Back when we did our favorite TV couples polls (with realistic and speculative divisions) last spring, I promised that in the fall, we’d have the winners from those polls face each other in an ultimate showdown. Friends, that time is now. The top 20 couples in each of the two polls have joined together with 10 newbie wild card competitors to determine which couples are truly TV’s top 10!

Since this poll will take place over Thanksgiving (for us Americans), I’ll keep the poll open through the end of the month, giving you a full 15 days to get the word out for your favorite couples. You can vote for up to 10 couples, but choose carefully, as you only get to vote once! (Oh, and be sure to enter our Friends giveaway!)

Unlike most of our polls, you can’t nominate other couples, since this is based on the results of two previous polls. Even for our ten wild card additions, I only choose couples that did not appear in the previous polls. Some were overlooked, some are newer shows or newer couples, but I chose 5 from speculative shows and 5 from shows without speculative elements: Brad and Jane from Happy Endings, Nick and Jess from New Girl, Auggie and Annie from Covert Affairs, Troy and Britta from Community, Daniel and Kate from Perception, Oliver and Laurel from Arrow, John and Rachel from Alphas, Fargo and Holly from Eureka, Nathan and Audrey from Haven, and Adama and Roslin from Battlestar Galactica.

Fans have used Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, forums, Reddit, Pinterest, blogs, and chatboxes to get the word out about past polls. Our toolbar at the bottom of the page has lots of quick links to help you share this post, or you can mouse over the image above!

Without further ado, choose your favorite 10 out of the 50 couples below! Poll will close Friday night, November 30th.

Which is your favorite TV couple? (Choose up to 10!)

  • Castle and Beckett (Castle) (9%, 1,283 Votes)
  • Tony and Ziva (NCIS) (8%, 1,160 Votes)
  • Elena and Damon (The Vampire Diaries) (5%, 680 Votes)
  • Derek and Meredith (Grey's Anatomy) (4%, 621 Votes)
  • Arthur and Gwen (Merlin) (4%, 555 Votes)
  • Scully and Mulder (The X-Files) (4%, 517 Votes)
  • Booth and Brennan (Bones) (3%, 474 Votes)
  • The Doctor and Rose (Doctor Who) (3%, 462 Votes)
  • McGee and Abby (NCIS) (3%, 461 Votes)
  • Barney and Robin (How I Met Your Mother) (3%, 398 Votes)
  • Chandler and Monica (Friends) (3%, 389 Votes)
  • Kensi and Deeks (NCIS: Los Angeles) (3%, 387 Votes)
  • Luke and Lorelai (Gilmore Girls) (2%, 330 Votes)
  • Rachel and Ross (Friends) (2%, 311 Votes)
  • Charming and Snow (Once Upon a Time) (2%, 304 Votes)
  • Marshall and Lily (How I Met Your Mother) (2%, 276 Votes)
  • Hodgins and Angela (Bones) (2%, 273 Votes)
  • Buffy and Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) (2%, 265 Votes)
  • Nick and Jess (New Girl) (2%, 262 Votes)
  • Leonard and Penny (The Big Bang Theory) (2%, 244 Votes)
  • Peter and Olivia (Fringe) (2%, 240 Votes)
  • Chuck and Sarah (Chuck) (2%, 238 Votes)
  • Wash and Zoe (Firefly) (2%, 232 Votes)
  • Peter and Elizabeth (White Collar) (2%, 231 Votes)
  • Mal and Inara (Firefly) (2%, 227 Votes)
  • Leo and Piper (Charmed) (2%, 223 Votes)
  • Rumpelstiltskin and Belle (Once Upon a Time) (2%, 217 Votes)
  • Auggie and Annie (Covert Affairs) (1%, 206 Votes)
  • Sheldon and Amy (The Big Bang Theory) (1%, 192 Votes)
  • Buffy and Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) (1%, 188 Votes)
  • Shawn and Juliet (Psych) (1%, 175 Votes)
  • Emma and Graham (Once Upon a Time) (1%, 170 Votes)
  • Michael and Fiona (Burn Notice) (1%, 169 Votes)
  • Adama and Roslin (Battlestar Galactica) (1%, 166 Votes)
  • Eric and Sookie (True Blood) (1%, 166 Votes)
  • Eric and Nell (NCIS: Los Angeles) (1%, 164 Votes)
  • Elena and Stefan (The Vampire Diaries) (1%, 163 Votes)
  • Simon and Kaylee (Firefly) (1%, 144 Votes)
  • Cole and Phoebe (Charmed) (1%, 138 Votes)
  • Willow and Oz (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) (1%, 114 Votes)
  • John and Mary (Supernatural) (1%, 104 Votes)
  • Ned and Chuck (Pushing Daisies) (1%, 97 Votes)
  • Nathan and Audrey (Haven) (1%, 89 Votes)
  • Oliver and Laurel (Arrow) (1%, 85 Votes)
  • Ellie and Awesome (Chuck) (1%, 74 Votes)
  • Troy and Britta (Community) (0%, 53 Votes)
  • Brad and Jane (Happy Endings) (0%, 43 Votes)
  • Daniel and Kate (Perception) (0%, 27 Votes)
  • Fargo and Holly (Eureka) (0%, 26 Votes)
  • John and Rachel (Alphas) (0%, 18 Votes)

Total Voters: 4,413

Loading ... Loading ...

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

TV Duos Bracket – Round Two, Day 24

Our final day of round two includes the matchup I’ve been anticipating (dreading?) since I first saw the pairings that came with the randomized list. Shawn and Gus of Psych and Troy and Abed of Community were the duos who inspired this entire event, so to have one of them eliminated this early is a bitter blow. But you have to choose – which is your favorite? Also today, the Gilmore Girls, Lorelai and Rory, face Harvey and Mike from Suits.

Our fifth matchup of round two just finished – be sure to check out the results and all our current matchups here! The winning duos will advance to round 3, which starts tomorrow! (P.S. Be sure to stop by our new show poll as well!)

You can find a full list of upcoming TV duos matchups here (edited to show all our round one eliminations!). Round two matchups are in burgundy. Each of the round two matchups will be open for 72 hours (3 days), so spread the word quickly so your favorite pairs will make it into the next round! Fans have used Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, forums, Reddit, blogs, and chatboxes to get the word out about past polls. Our toolbar at the bottom of the page has lots of quick links to help you share this post, or you can mouse over the image above!

Which is your favorite TV duo? Round 2.15

  • Troy and Abed - Community (62%, 1,363 Votes)
  • Shawn and Gus - Psych (38%, 842 Votes)

Total Voters: 2,202

Loading ... Loading ...

Which is your favorite TV duo? Round 2.16

  • Harvey and Mike - Suits (65%, 803 Votes)
  • Lorelai and Rory - Gilmore Girls (35%, 428 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,230

Loading ... Loading ...

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

TV Duos Bracket – Round One, Day 16

For our final day of round one, Harvey and Mike from Suits go up against visiting alien comedy duo Mork and Mindy! Also, mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory from Gilmore Girls face frenemies Jim and Dwight from The Office.

Our day 13 matchups just ended – be sure to check out the results and all our current matchups here! The winning duos will advance to the next round (which launches tomorrow!).

Reminder: While there are romantic pairs in this bracket, that’s only one possible aspect of a duo’s relationship. Duos have fun together, work well together, and/or have hilarious interactions. Simply put, they spark.

You can find a full list of upcoming TV duos matchups here (edited to show half of our round one eliminations!). Round one matchups are in teal. Each of the round one matchups will be open for 72 hours (3 days), so spread the word quickly so your favorite pairs will make it into the next round! Fans have used Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, forums, Reddit, blogs, and chatboxes to get the word out about past polls. Our toolbar at the bottom of the page has lots of quick links to help you share this post, or you can mouse over the image above!

Which is your favorite TV duo? Round 1.31

  • Harvey and Mike - Suits (96%, 933 Votes)
  • Mork and Mindy - Mork & Mindy (5%, 44 Votes)

Total Voters: 967

Loading ... Loading ...

Which is your favorite TV duo? Round 1.32

  • Lorelai and Rory - Gilmore Girls (57%, 333 Votes)
  • Jim and Dwight - The Office (43%, 250 Votes)

Total Voters: 582

Loading ... Loading ...

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

Supernatural – Hook Man

So, it’s been almost exactly a year since I last watched an episode of Supernatural. I gave the show six episodes in the summer of 2011, and it failed to impress me. But since many of this site’s visitors love the show, and I’ve caught several cool moments (and unfortunately far too many spoilers) while doing research for polls, I decided to give it another shot. Especially since it’s now on Netflix.

Sadly, “Hook Man” was a rather terrible episode to try and get me into the show. Basic premise: an angry spirit with a hook for a hand goes around killing people, and Dean and Sam have to risk their lives to stop him (yes, quite similar to other episodes). Far too much of the episode was taken up with “scary atmosphere,” there was only one major twist I could see coming a mile away, and please tell me getting picked up/questioned by law enforcement doesn’t become an every-other-episode part of this show. I didn’t recognize any of the guest stars, though apparently the minister (Dan Butler) is from Frasier.

Dean and Sam were a little less awkward together in the episode, but still have a long way to go. With Supernatural hinging so greatly on their relationship (as the show’s one constant), it has to sizzle. A few of the later clips I’ve seen indicate that it eventually does (one of the reasons why I tried another episode), but I don’t know how much I’m willing to watch to get to better episodes.

It probably doesn’t help that I’ve seen so many other speculative shows that early episodes of Supernatural pale in comparison. Buffy, Angel, and Grimm all started with a similar “baddie of the week” setup, yet their main characters are far more engaging, there are more plot twists, and fun dialogue makes you laugh.

I did like how this episode showed Sam (yes, I still want to call him Dean – thanks, Gilmore Girls!) connecting with someone and showing how Jess’s death is still affecting him. But it’s still painted too broadly – this show could use more nuance. I wonder if that’s why it’s so popular internationally – less subtlety prevents things from getting lost in translation.

Another part I enjoyed was Dean and Sam falling on each other after climbing in a window, as well as Dean’s remarks about Sam’s college life (and his choice of caffeinated beverage).

But I still don’t get why thousands of teen girls and young women are so into these guys. Give me Spike, Monroe, or Wesley any day (or Giles, Xander, Oz, Angel, Nick, Captain Renard, Doyle . . . yeah, the Winchester boys would be pretty far down on the list – and that’s only looking at 3 other shows at the moment).

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

TV Olympics: Favorite Mom/Daughter Duo

For this round of our TV Olympics (just 2 more rounds left!), we’re looking at mother/daughter duos! While they seem to be a bit more rare on TV than any of our previous duos, there are several distinct shows that feature strong mother/daughter pairs (Gilmore Girls has two of them!).

This poll is for actual mothers (not mother-figures), and since the relationship between mom and daughter is a key part of the poll, they need to have appeared in a number of episodes together, and infant daughters are excluded. There were only a few nominations for this poll, so if you know of any duos you believe should be added, please leave their names and the show in a comment!

Poll will be open for one week, and you can choose up to 3 of your favorite mother/daughter duos. Remember to keep checking the main event page for all the current polls and results!

What's your favorite mother/daughter duo? (Choose up to 3!)

  • Ellen and Jo - Supernatural (22%, 139 Votes)
  • Jackie and Rose - Doctor Who (17%, 106 Votes)
  • Amy and River - Doctor Who (14%, 87 Votes)
  • Lorelai and Rory - Gilmore Girls (12%, 79 Votes)
  • Snow White and Emma - Once Upon a Time (11%, 68 Votes)
  • Angela and Jane - Rizzoli & Isles (8%, 48 Votes)
  • Joyce and Buffy - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (7%, 43 Votes)
  • Emily and Lorelai - Gilmore Girls (5%, 30 Votes)
  • Willie Ray and Brenda - The Closer (3%, 18 Votes)
  • Ella and Aria - Pretty Little Liars (3%, 18 Votes)

Total Voters: 349

Loading ... Loading ...

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

TV Olympics: Favorite Thanksgiving Episode

The early holidays continue here on TV Breakroom with favorite Thanksgiving episodes! Whether you get to see Alan Tudyk in braids (Suburgatory), have a turkey thaw in a dryer (New Girl), or watch Buffy make a bear (Undo it! Undo it!), these episodes offer lots of laughter, food, and friends.

If there are any great Thanksgiving episodes missing from the poll, please nominate them in the comments! Please note – stand-alone Thanksgiving specials, animated shows, and unscripted programming are not eligible.

Poll will be open for one week, and you can vote for up to 3 episodes. Be sure to check out our other ongoing Olympic polls and the medal results on our main event page!

What's your favorite Thanksgiving episode? (Choose up to 3!)

  • NCIS - Child's Play (16%, 39 Votes)
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Pangs (16%, 39 Votes)
  • How I Met Your Mother - Slapsgiving (15%, 35 Votes)
  • Friends - The One with All the Thanksgivings (13%, 31 Votes)
  • Gilmore Girls - A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving (7%, 17 Votes)
  • New Girl - Thanksgiving (7%, 16 Votes)
  • Friends - The One with the Rumor (6%, 14 Votes)
  • How I Met Your Mother - Blitzgiving (6%, 14 Votes)
  • WKRP in Cincinnati - Turkeys Away (5%, 12 Votes)
  • Smallville - Ambush (3%, 8 Votes)
  • Suburgatory - Thanksgiving (3%, 6 Votes)
  • Chuck - Chuck Versus the Nemesis (3%, 6 Votes)

Total Voters: 111

Loading ... Loading ...

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

Monday Madness: Favorite TV Couples – Realistic

This round of Monday Madness, it’s time to look at TV couples! Because there are so many, I’ve divided this poll into 2 categories – realistic/contemporary and speculative. We’ll cover vampires, time travel, and spaceships next week. This week, we’re looking at couples from dramas, comedies, crime shows, and action. (And yes, it was really hard to decide where to put the couples from Chuck, with the show’s speculative elements, but since the show focuses on the spy aspect, I felt it was best to put it with the other spy shows.)

This poll will be open for one week, and you can choose up to 10 of your favorite TV couples. Be sure to spread the word so your favorites will make it into the top 10!

Even though there are 40 50-some options on this list, I know there are dozens of couples I left out! You can nominate couples I missed in the comments, and I may add them to the poll. You can also start nominating couples from paranormal, futuristic, and other outside-the-box shows for next week. Want more of a say in who makes it onto the poll each week? Be sure to follow me on Twitter, since I usually ask for nominations for the next Monday Madness the weekend before the new poll.

Without further ado, here’s the poll for this week’s Monday Madness! Voting ends around 1AM May 28th.

UPDATE: This poll is now closed. Go vote for this week’s poll – favorite TV couples in speculative shows!

Which is your favorite TV couple? - Contemporary/Realistic Division (Choose up to 10)

  • Rick Castle and Kate Beckett - Castle (13%, 2,303 Votes)
  • Peter and Elizabeth Burke - White Collar (10%, 1,703 Votes)
  • Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks - NCIS: Los Angeles (6%, 1,087 Votes)
  • Anthony DiNozzo and Ziva David - NCIS (5%, 820 Votes)
  • Derek Shepherd and Meredith Grey - Grey's Anatomy (5%, 775 Votes)
  • Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan - Bones (4%, 763 Votes)
  • Chuck Bartowski and Sarah Walker - Chuck (3%, 531 Votes)
  • Chandler Bing and Monica Gellar - Friends (3%, 505 Votes)
  • Marshall Eriksen and Lily Aldrin - How I Met Your Mother (3%, 498 Votes)
  • Angela Montenegro and Jack Hodgins - Bones (3%, 496 Votes)
  • Timothy McGee and Abby Sciuto - NCIS (3%, 486 Votes)
  • Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky - How I Met Your Mother (3%, 452 Votes)
  • Rachel Green and Ross Geller - Friends (3%, 447 Votes)
  • Leonard Hofstadter and Penny - The Big Bang Theory (2%, 416 Votes)
  • Lorelai Gilmore and Luke Danes - Gilmore Girls (2%, 406 Votes)
  • Shawn Spencer and Juliet O'Hara - Psych (2%, 391 Votes)
  • Michael Westen and Fiona Glenanne - Burn Notice (2%, 361 Votes)
  • Nell Jones and Eric Beale - NCIS: Los Angeles (2%, 318 Votes)
  • Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah-Fowler - The Big Bang Theory (2%, 292 Votes)
  • Ellie Bartowski and Devon "Awesome" Woodcomb - Chuck (1%, 249 Votes)
  • Gregory House and Lisa Cuddy - House (1%, 242 Votes)
  • Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls - Veronica Mars (1%, 231 Votes)
  • Alec Hardison and Parker - Leverage (1%, 227 Votes)
  • Jim Halpert and Pam Beesley - The Office (1%, 213 Votes)
  • Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf - Gossip Girl (1%, 209 Votes)
  • Cliff and Clair Huxtable - The Cosby Show (1%, 200 Votes)
  • Will Schuester and Emma Pillsbury - Glee (1%, 198 Votes)
  • Joey Potter and Pacey Witter - Dawson's Creek (1%, 197 Votes)
  • Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn - Alias (1%, 190 Votes)
  • Howard Wolowitz and Bernadette Rostenkowski - The Big Bang Theory (1%, 183 Votes)
  • Nikita and Michael - Nikita (1%, 181 Votes)
  • Lucy and Ricky Ricardo - I Love Lucy (1%, 179 Votes)
  • Dan Humphrey and Blair Waldorf - Gossip Girl (1%, 151 Votes)
  • Cal Lightman and Gillian Foster - Lie To Me (1%, 149 Votes)
  • Nathan Ford and Sophie Devereaux - Leverage (1%, 111 Votes)
  • Rob and Laura Petrie - The Dick Van Dyke Show (1%, 103 Votes)
  • Walter Sherman and Isabella Zambada - The Finder (1%, 100 Votes)
  • Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia - Criminal Minds (1%, 93 Votes)
  • Angela Bower and Tony Micelli - Who's the Boss? (1%, 92 Votes)
  • Maddie Hayes and David Addison - Moonlighting (1%, 88 Votes)
  • Jonathan and Jennifer Hart - Hart to Hart (1%, 86 Votes)
  • Eric and Tami Taylor - Friday Night Lights (0%, 78 Votes)
  • Molly Flynn and Mike Biggs - Mike & Molly (0%, 75 Votes)
  • Michael Scott and Holly Flax - The Office (0%, 67 Votes)
  • Arthur and Joan Campbell - Covert Affairs (0%, 58 Votes)
  • Sam Malone and Diane Chambers - Cheers (0%, 54 Votes)
  • Michael and Nikita - La Femme Nikita (0%, 51 Votes)
  • Mike and Carol Brady - The Brady Bunch (0%, 38 Votes)
  • Dexter Morgan and Rita Bennett - Dexter (0%, 30 Votes)
  • Whitney and Alex - Whitney (0%, 22 Votes)
  • Charlie Harper and Rosie - Two and a Half Men (0%, 11 Votes)

Total Voters: 5,341

Loading ... Loading ...

Continue reading Monday Madness: Favorite TV Couples – Realistic

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

Monday Madness: Favorite Long-Running Show

Update: this poll is now closed. You can find this week’s poll here.

This time on Monday Madness, it’s time to vote for your favorite TV show that has run at least 7 seasons! Whether they are still wrapping up their season 7 or have reached the double-digits, these shows have endured to become TV legends.

This poll will be open for one week, and you can choose up to 10 of your favorite long-running shows. Be sure to spread the word so your favorites will make it into the top 10!

Even though there are 45 50 options on this list, I know there are shows I left out! As always, you can cast write-in ballots by leaving a comment. Want more of a say in what makes it onto the poll each week? Be sure to follow me on Twitter, since I usually ask for nominations for the next Monday Madness the weekend before the new poll.

Without further ado, here’s the poll for this week’s Monday Madness! Voting ends around 1AM April 30th.

This poll sponsored by Nannerbug Designs.

What's your favorite long-running TV show? (Choose up to 10!)

  • Bones (11%, 3,564 Votes)
  • Supernatural (9%, 3,042 Votes)
  • Doctor Who (6%, 1,994 Votes)
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer (6%, 1,850 Votes)
  • Friends (5%, 1,681 Votes)
  • How I Met Your Mother (5%, 1,522 Votes)
  • NCIS (4%, 1,416 Votes)
  • Stargate SG-1 (4%, 1,244 Votes)
  • House (4%, 1,155 Votes)
  • Criminal Minds (3%, 981 Votes)
  • Gilmore Girls (3%, 947 Votes)
  • X-Files (3%, 935 Votes)
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation (3%, 833 Votes)
  • M*A*S*H (2%, 769 Votes)
  • That 70s Show (2%, 714 Votes)
  • Law & Order: SVU (2%, 630 Votes)
  • Full House (2%, 590 Votes)
  • The Office (2%, 578 Votes)
  • Scrubs (2%, 577 Votes)
  • Smallville (2%, 551 Votes)
  • Monk (2%, 521 Votes)
  • Will & Grace (1%, 472 Votes)
  • ER (1%, 429 Votes)
  • Star Trek: Voyager (1%, 426 Votes)
  • The Cosby Show (1%, 392 Votes)
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1%, 345 Votes)
  • 24 (1%, 344 Votes)
  • One Tree Hill (1%, 341 Votes)
  • JAG (1%, 341 Votes)
  • Cheers (1%, 285 Votes)
  • Married . . . with Children (1%, 285 Votes)
  • 7th Heaven (1%, 274 Votes)
  • Law & Order (1%, 273 Votes)
  • Magnum, PI (1%, 262 Votes)
  • Happy Days (1%, 236 Votes)
  • Weeds (1%, 219 Votes)
  • Medium (1%, 205 Votes)
  • The Andy Griffith Show (1%, 201 Votes)
  • Fraiser (1%, 199 Votes)
  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent (1%, 187 Votes)
  • Without a Trace (1%, 183 Votes)
  • Walker, Texas Ranger (1%, 169 Votes)
  • Beverly Hills, 90210 (0%, 135 Votes)
  • Entourage (0%, 124 Votes)
  • Bonanza (0%, 122 Votes)
  • Matlock (0%, 108 Votes)
  • Perry Mason (0%, 106 Votes)
  • Gunsmoke (0%, 77 Votes)
  • Rescue Me (0%, 76 Votes)
  • The Shield (0%, 59 Votes)

Total Voters: 8,438

Loading ... Loading ...

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

TV’s Most Divisive Love Triangles — Gossip Girl, Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, Vampire Diaries, Gilmore Girls, Revenge, 90210 – TVLine

Loved this fun slideshow! And the description is very apt – for the shows on the list that I have watched I have VERY distinct opinions on who characters should end up with. Which couples did you root/are you rooting for?

My choices (and yes, if you go to the slideshow, you can see which shows I don’t watch, or haven’t seen enough of to have an opinion on the love triangle):

Fred and Wesley (Angel), not Gunn

 

Spike and Buffy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), not Angel (he goes with Cordy!)

 

Don’t like either Britta or Annie with Jeff – I like Britta and Troy, and Annie and Abed much better (Community)

 

Rory and Jess (Gilmore Girls), not Dean

 

Luke and Lorelai (Gilmore Girls), not Christopher

 

Barney and Robin (How I Met Your Mother), not Ted

 

Dwight and Angela (The Office), not Andy (he goes with Erin!)

 

Logan and Veronica (Veronica Mars), not Duncan

 

Hmm, Spike, Jess, Barney, Logan – I’m sensing a bad boy trend here!

Who are your choices? And are there any divisive love triangles TV Line left out? (I’m thinking of Dollhouse’s Echo/Paul/Mellie.) View the whole slideshow here:

TV’s Most Divisive Love Triangles — Gossip Girl, Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, Vampire Diaries, Gilmore Girls, Revenge, 90210 – TVLine.

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

TV Pilots for 2012-2013 Season — ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW

Wow, TV Line has outdone themselves with this comprehensive list of ordered pilots for next season. Even though these pilots mean that other shows will be canceled, it’s fun to imagine and predict what next season will look like on the various networks.

The article starts with definitions of the various terms surrounding pilot season. The ones that most intrigue me are planted pilots and second position. Second position was responsible for the cast change on New Girl – when actors of bubble shows film pilots, but if their current show is renewed, the new show has to recast the role.

Planted pilots introduce a new show within the world of a current show. The article sites The Finder episode on Bones last season, but many shows do this, though the new show doesn’t always get picked up (for example, when Jess left Gilmore Girls, the episode where he meets his California family was supposed to become a spinoff show). Today’s most-watched scripted drama, NCIS, had a planted pilot on JAG, and in turn hosted a planted pilot for NCIS: Los Angeles.

I plan to write another article going into more detail about the networks’ various pilots, but one thing did sadden me about this list: no Joss Whedon projects.

View my thoughts on the CW pilots and cancellations!

TV Pilots for 2012-2013 Season — ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW.

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print

Some Other Beginning’s End

Thanks to this week’s episode of The Office, I’ve had “Closing Time” (Semisonic) running through my head all evening. Especially haunting is the line: Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

For some reason, I transferred that idea to TV shows. How many great shows exist because actors’ previous shows were canceled (either prematurely or not)?

To start off, let’s take a look at the poster child for all canceled shows: Firefly. Many of the actors have gone on to have guest spots and reoccurring roles in other shows, and some have even become regular cast members of other shows that were canceled in turn (Morena Baccarin in V, Summer Glau in The Cape, etc.). But out of the ashes of the Serenity rose two other great shows, now in their 4th and 5th seasons.

Nathan Fillion is Castle. It is impossible to imagine another actor playing his role on the show, and since Fillion influenced Stana Katic becoming his co-star, Beckett would be different as well.

While I suppose Chuck could have survived without Adam Baldwin playing John Casey, would we have wanted it to? His grunts and relationship with Morgan make the show.

Another show that came to mind immediately was Angel. It was canceled, and a year later, David Boreanaz ended up on Bones as Agent Seeley Booth. As much as I would have wanted Angel to continue, I think the actor is much more suited to the role of Booth.

The gap between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and How I Met Your Mother was a bit longer (2 years), but I love Alyson Hannigan in both. It seems a bit of a stretch to include Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ringer, since 15 seasons seems highly improbable for any show, and I don’t see Gellar “owning” Siobhan/Bridget yet. Anthony Stewart Head’s transition from Giles to King Uther on Merlin is more apt.

Dollhouse also pulls actors from the three ended shows above, but in a less lead-actor-to-lead-actor way. The show that really had to end so we could have Dollhouse was Battlestar Galactica. Tahmoh Penikett was vital to both shows.

I never watched Lost, so I don’t know how vital Michael Emerson’s role was to the show, but I can’t imagine Person of Interest without him.

And then there’s the whole issue of characters dying on one show only to wind up on another. Sometimes they “die” because of the new show. I could go on for hours listing examples of this, but this post would end up so full of spoilers that no one could read it without coming across something they didn’t know. So I’ll stay mum for now.

Less spoilery is characters moving away or otherwise disappearing from the scope of a show before the end to star in a different show. Jared Padalecki bowed out of Gilmore Girls two years before it ended to begin Supernatural. Jennifer Morrison joined How I Met Your Mother for a year between House and Once Upon a Time.

What shows that you loved had to die so you could get a different show to love?

Share this post:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • NewsVine
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • RSS
  • email
  • Print