Sam’s Top 11 TV Shows of the Year

Television. The ol’ Goggle Box. The Tube. Yes, it’s time to celebrate the electronic hearth in the corner of the room which used to give us our information and still maintains its place as the one piece of art the Americans are just so, so much better at.

Without any further rambling, any further chatter, here are the eleven most notable of television shows I have seen this year and, at the close, a brief list of those I have not seen or could not make space for in the list.

Californicated: Why am I seduced by these television assholes?

Showtime’s new primetime comedy drama Californication begins on Channel Five today, but why should you watch another jerk screwing his way around the world and cracking wise on the whole deal? Why are we charmed by assholes? More importantly, right now anyway, why am I charmed by these assholes?

‘Californication’; the standard way now to describe Hollywood’s ability to allure, fuck and run by ordinary, starstruck souls looking for the American dream. If anything, you know some of the themes that will be explored in the show before it’s even begun. Here will be yet another look at the skewed American dream of stardom and fame, seeking out destiny in La La Land. From the trailers too, you can know to expect another treatise from cable television on the plight of the successful white asshole. Are we expected to constantly sympathise with people who, from even our own somewhat elevated standpoint, have no problem except for wanting to have problems. Tell Me You Love Me is a prime example in the schedules of the US, a show begging you to pass your sympathy on to wealthy folk who, in this case, just can’t get quite achieve perfection.

What’s Link Got To Do, Got To Do With It?

Bumper edition as the weekend is upon us. How exciting, huh? I bet you’re excited.

Slate reviews My Kid Could Paint That, a documentary asking just how good is Jackson Pollock compared to say, a 4-year old.

Marina Hyde, a Guardian, gives notes on what John Rambo thinks about Burma.

Maybe, just maybe, Joss Whedon’s going to get another chance.

According to The Onion, something beautiful has happened in the world of politics.

PopMatters pays tribute to one of the great California burnout records and takes some cues from a new box set to deliver a guide to Heavy Metal.

Stylus offers advice to budding talents on how to make records better.

Kevin Drew, of Broken Social Scene, offers up songs and old which tickle the good parts of his ears on Pitchfork.

Amy Millan, of slightly-associated-to-Broken Social Scene-indie lovelies Stars, is among those discussing gender issues with Tiny Mix Tapes.

The battle of the reality shows begins again. I’m all about the X Factor. Plus, also from The Times, is this interview with Linda Thompson.

Sweet new show Pushing Daisies has comic book. And, yes, it’s quite sweet.

There are trailers out for Be Kind Rewind, No Country For Old Men and Sweeney Todd at Apple and Yahoo respectively.

Rolling Stone pits Guitar Hero and Rock Band against each other.

A really old link from back in February on 20 Comics To Change Your Life on Nerve.

It appears HBO is starting to lose it a little bit, although its two new commissions sound like they may have potential.

The Independent LOVES Control. So does The Telegraph.

Van Halen are back. With Roth. Awesome. The New York Times was there.

Rudy Guiliani is topping the fund raising for the Republicans.

Phew, that’s it. Have a lovely weekend!!

Let’s Talk About Sex – A treatise on HBO’s Tell Me You Love Me

Following the failure (commercially only I might add) of John From Cincinnati, HBO needs something of quality to fill the void before The Wire restarts. It’s latest proposition is Tell Me You Love Me which has been noted for its frank depiction of sex. The question is though, is the sex any good?

While Showtime is beginning to catch up in recent months, the quality of HBO drama still reigns supreme. More a trend happening upon it is a greater sense of ‘adultness’ in its make up. It’s dramas now seem to almost completely eschew the vicarious, masculine thrills of The Sopranos or the quirky posturing of Six Feet Under. John From Cincinnati, while utterly beguiling, showed how difficult this is for audiences to accept. That show gave a distinct impression that while HBO’s audience is willing to be challenged on the levels of violence and sex on show, they don’t really want to engage with metaphysical, religious allegory. The failure also of Carnivale on a commercial basis, as again there lay a show of rare aptitude, showed the wish for a slightly easier aesthetic to cling onto. The Sopranos, for all its astounding, Shakespearean brilliance, is rooted for much of its audience in the Scorsese-world of recognisable gangster figures. The iconography and basic events of the series gave it a thrilling quality that centred it further towards the mainstream.