Why should anyone pay attention to how The Walking Dead does on TV? Because, being based on a comic book, all other attempts to bring graphic novels or comics to the small screen will be judged by this show’s success. That is, if it winds up being big, others will follow, if it doesn’t people will have a hard time bringing adaptations to life.

Now, generally speaking, few comic books can stand to be translated to television. It’s in their nature to not be good material because of the budgets involved. You couldn’t have a live action of the caliber of Spiderman with the budgets TV shows get. And, when making animated adaptations, sometimes studios just want to draw the most people in, and not everything is better once it’s stripped down of some things to make it child friendly (not all animated adaptations of comic books can be “Spawn”).

On the other hand, there are plenty of comics that can and should be brought to TV, since many of them cannot go to the big screen without losing a lot of plot and depth. The first two I can name off the top of my head (and mainly because these should be everyone’s number one choice to be brought to life) are Preacher and Y: The Last Man. Both have a relatively small cast of main characters, and where others could not do without big special effects, both of these can lose some visuals and still be as good as the source material (I’m guessing both could run on whatever budget any fantasy show out there has had – e.g. Buffy, Angel, Heroes with a third of the cast and half the special effects, True Blood).

Both Y: The Last Man and Preacher have been shopped around both television and movie studios for a while. The latter had been once seen as an HBO feature, which would have been a great match, yet none have yet to find a home.

The depiction of the ’60s

Pretty much 90% of the movies done after the time and set in the ’1960s are about the war, the hippie movement, the racial discrimination still going on or biopics of political prominent figures. Mad Men doesn’t discard those issues, but rather incorporates them in what is the story of an ad agency, and most importantly one upper-class man and those around him. You’ll get a whole episode set during the events following Kennedy’s assassination, but it’s all through the eyes of the main characters. If there is one thing they do not side-step(and that’s thanks to the importance of the characters) is the status of women in the era. And it’s all told through the eyes of several women, all with different approaches to life.

Smart Writing

If there’s one thing missing on the tube these days, it’s intelligent writing. Sure, you have a couple of shows that offer constant clever episodes, like Breaking Bad, Dexter and the likes, but for each of those there’s a couple of formulaic police procedurals or reality shows. If there’s one thing Mad Men doesn’t shy away from is churning out double entendres, scenes full of symbolism and a deeper meaning in whatever the characters do or say. And there’s little to no loose ends, not to mention a tightly knit plot that manages to juggle multiple characters and devote plenty of time to each and every single one.

The One-liners

I doubt there is a single show out there capable of churning out so many fun one-liners (most of them uttered to perfection by one John Slattery). Let’s get it straight, this is a drama, but there’s plenty of humor (if sometimes dark, as evidenced by one scene involving a British man’s foot and one lawnmower). Here’s a couple of memorable ones:

• “But that’s life. One minute you’re on top of the world, the next minute some secretary’s running you over with a lawn mower.”
• “You know what my father used to say? ‘Being with a client is like being in a marriage. Sometimes you get into it for the wrong reasons, and eventually they hit you in the face.’”
• “When God closes a door, he opens a dress.”
• “We’ve got Beef Wellington, Oyster’s Rockefeller and Napoleons. If we leave this lunch alone it will take over Europe!”
• “What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons.”

Christina Hendricks

Well, I shouldn’t have to explain this. Mad Men has a lot of attractive women walk in and out (Julie McNiven, Alison Brie, Peyton List to name a few), but the reigning queen is Joan Holloway as played by Christina Hendricks. To keep to the era of the time, she’s the Marylin Monroe of the ad agency. Unlike Peggy Olson’s character she doesn’t want success, but adheres more to the standards of the era (as we’ve seen her try and be a housewife), while still being a strong woman that knows what she wants and how to get it. Plus, her red hair and curvy figure are plenty to look at.

Don Draper

Played by Jon Hamm, Don Draper is at the center of the show. An enigmatic, complicated and less than perfect individual, men want to be him and women want to be with him (as painful as it were to write this cliched line). He’s a fascinating character to watch as he discovers himself, and we discover his secrets. He’s like Cary Grant met Christian Bale, charismatic yet silent, handsome yet troubled, modest yet proud (as big as an oxymoron that is). He gets so built up as a persona that the writers could make him a superhero and it wouldn’t be too weird (think about it, Don Draper fits the bill as far as secret identity names go, at least for Marvel).

“Draper? Who knows anything about that guy? No one’s ever lifted that rock. He could be Batman for all we know.”

  There’s plenty to chose from when it comes to TV spy series, old and new. From the serious, La Femme Nikita and Alias, to the not so serious, like Chuck or Get Smart. So it’s no wonder there are similar shows on different networks at times. Two of those, sharing a lot of similarities, would be Burn Notice and Human Target. While Burn Notice is in its 4th season and has another 2 announced already, Human Target barely got renewed after its first season. So why is one so popular and the other just mildly so?
  Considering they’re both centered around an ex spy (one’s ex C.I.A. and the other’s done some covert ops for dubious people in his past) , who helps people alongside a team of experts. Burn Notice has its central character Michael Westen(played by Jeffrey Donovan) team up with his ex-girlfriend (a gun-running Irish hottie) and his old pal from the Navy Seals. Human Target has Christopher Chance(played by Mark Valley) join up with an ex-cop and an old, tech/intel expert friend of his. They all get to help people each episode while also cracking some jokes and doing the old three act show.Small differences: Burn Notice’s Fiona is easy to look at while Human Target is all sausage fest. Also, Burn Notice plays the family card by having Michael’s mother as a regular and his brother as a recurring character.
  You’d think that’s all there is, but not exactly. People come to both Christopher Chance and Michael Westen when they have problems that regular channels can’t fix. And they both apply unorthodox methods when it comes to helping (like parachuting on top of a secure building to extract a weapons engineer or walking into the middle of a gang unarmed and threatening them). The difference is in the approach: while Human Target plans ahead and thinks of all available options, Christopher will improvise on occasion but that’s always to be expected, as Michael points out on more than one occasion. On the other hand, Westen does it all by throwing himself in the middle of the problem, improvising and adapting on the way. And, while Fiona(Gabrielle Anwar) and Sam(Bruce Campbell) do lend a hand from time to time, Michael is the brains of the operation. Christopher, on the other hand is quite the muscle while Winston(Chi McBride) and especially Guerrero(Jackie Earle Haley) do the thinking.
  Now, when it comes to the past haunting our heroes, each on has his cross to bear. Michael had done a lot of shady things in the past for the C.I.A. and a lot of people want him dead, not to mention he’s been burned, therefore, his former employers are more likely to shoot at him than help him, though he does want to get back into the business. Chance on the other hand is a redeemed man, having gone from working for the bad guys, to helping people, while trying to put everything behind. Past acquaintances do pop here and there throughout the first season, and when they do, their interests collide, and his former boss shows up in the season finale. The big differences is in the motivation of these characters: one is trying to get away from a life he’s rejected, and correct past sins, while the other wants to return to the only life he’s known ad he’s used to.
So there you have it. Why they’re very similar in concept, yet different once you think about it some more.

Glee is a bit like Saved by the Bell

Sorry for resorting to such an old reference but Glee has a lot of Saved by the Bell‘s charm: charming teenagers, somewhat satirical humor, a high-school setting. Also – the 1990s show was quite popular in it’s day. It also stands as warning that popularity can quickly go away, and spin-offs often can erase a good memory from people’s minds. And on that note, the stars of Saved by the Bell haven’t amounted to much after its 4 year run: Tiffani Thiessen fizzled away, Elizabeth Berkley decided to go out with a bang (Showgirls) – not counting anything after that and the male leads, well, Mario Lopez is kind of a TV star, kind of.
Plus: There’s no Screech for Glee.

Glee is a little bit like Heroes

Yes, Heroes, that show that was once great, now is canceled and won’t be remembered fondly due to 3 seasons of wrecking a good thing. The similarity comes from their respective season 1 popularity, but also in the form of the large cast, and the inability to handle all of them successfully. Because, even though the second half of the season took big strides to accommodate all the characters, most of the episodes so far have thrust only a few of the characters into the spotlight, much to the disadvantage of the others. Which is sad because all the cast is talented. Hopefully, they can fix that.
Plus: Both shows like cheerleaders a lot.

Glee is a little bit like Lost

In that it’s a show about characters, which people often mistake for a gimmicky something else. Lost was all about the mythology for many, many people, yet the show’s roots were the characters. Glee is just like that. People mostly just see the musical numbers, but the show is at its best when showcasing the characters’ emotions through the musical numbers. Sadly, that’s not always the case, and, in the long run, making it all about the numbers and less about the characters, will bring the show down.
Plus: So far the gimmicky something has been very well done.

Glee is a little bit like American Idol

You could see this a mile away. Their both about musically talented people showcasing their gifts through showmanship. And, only occasionally on Glee, there’s competition – sectionals and the much awaited regionals which will end the first season. The difference is that Idol is all about real people and a reality show feel. Glee is a fictional show, which can’t rely on real people but must make it’s characters feel real enough for the viewers to care.
Plus: Sue Sylvester is way better than Simon Cowell

Glee is a little bit like MTV (well, more like VH1)

You’ve got your classic rock (Journey, Kiss), your somewhat derided one hit wonders (Ice, Ice, Baby , The Safety Dance), your currently in heavy rotation songs (Lady Gaga) and most of all, the show tunes. Most performances look and feel like a standalone music video, the trick is to weave them into the storyline. Problem is, people won’t tune in just to see another version of (insert song) for very long. So, we come back to getting the viewers invested in the characters and storyline.
Plus: Theatricality, a lot of it – also, no reality shows.

• Cinema: Iron Man 2 gets released, does well with crowds, Marvel execs probably have dollar signs for eyes right now. Robert Downey Jr. does his thing, Scarlett Johansson is Black Widow (remind me to write about sexy leather strapped chicks in comic book movies), and Don Cheadle’s character pretends to not know why he’s had plastic surgery. Cannes is under way, Tim Burton presides over the jury (funny that this comes in the year his most soulless movie cashed in big at the box office ).
• TV: Lost is wrapping things up, adopting the “We actually won’t give out any answers” technique, which personally I don’t mind, though I predict riots on the streets when the finale airs. Chuck, Human Target, V get renewed, demonstrate TV execs aren’t as heartless as believed (just a little less though). Flash Forward is officially not the new Lost , leaving a host of good actors (I’m not counting Joseph Fiennes) in search of different projects.
• Music: Kesha’s “Tik Tok” gets a full Simpsons intro that actually managed to be a lot better than the original video.

That’s it for short. Didn’t want to get too much into new film releases (I’ll talk Robin Hood soon), or TV shows finales, cancellations and renewals. Those will get different posts altogether.

Molly Quinn

The 16 year old redhead currently plays Nathan Fillion’s daughter on the Crime/Drama/Comedy/Mystery show Castle. Though not exactly an Emmy part, she plays her part with such enthusiasm it’s a joy to watch her. Also, a teenager playing her age, that’s not very common. If she doesn’t get lost in some mediocre teen movies (as, for instance, Alexis Bledel of Gilmore Girls) she could do well on the big screen. Given her likability, she would fit very well in anything involving romance, comedy or not (though she’s shown she can handle that).

Rico Rodriguez

At only 11, the Texas born Rodriguez, can hold his own against Ed O’Neill and manages to steal the spotlight in almost every scene of Modern Family he’s in. From gross out humor to the more subtle he has managed to create a lovable character that bring a lot of laughs to the table. With a few right choices, Rico Rodriguez can become one of the most popular funny guys on TV. Once he’s older, I’d like to see him in some action buddy comedies.

Madeleine Martin

She plays David Duchovny’s daughter on Californication. That’s enough credit to buy you credibility, especially at 16, considering the adult nature of the show. Not only that, but once in a while she manages to upstage both Duchovny and Natasha Henstridge, while also being the rational one amidst all the sex crazed, drug induced, booze consuming chaos that is that show. A quick look at her character’s nihilistic sarcasm would make her an obvious choice for any indie movie out there, while also being eligible for a comedy role.

Chris Colfer

The soon to be 20 year old plays a gay teenager with every cliche in the book without making look old. He’s Kurt Hummel on Glee, the little (though I don’t know if little is the correct description of it anymore) show that could. To be honest, the whole cast is talented, but among the ones under 20 I’d chose this guy to make it big. Considering what we’se seen so far, he can do comedy, drama, dance and sing. If Hollywood were to make music halls the way they used to, this would be their go to guy. He’d do well in dramas, as long as they’re not TV dramas.

4 John Locke

“Don’t tell me what I can’t do!”

Also uttered by Jack and Man in Black in Locke’s clothing, this line defines the whole persona of John Locke. Here’s a man whose life has been as close to a hell as possible: his biological father used him to get a kidney transplant, and didn’t want to have anything to do with him after, to the point of throwing Locke out of a window, getting him permanently paralyzed from the waist down. But he’s a man who believes in miracles, a man who doesn’t accept limitations, a man of faith. Sadly, this man of faith turned out to be nothing more than a pawn in a larger game of chess.

8 Hugo Reyes

“Dude, I just lied to a samurai!”

There’s plenty of great Hurley quotes, but this one nicely sums up his absent-minded, good-willed, funny and care free nature. This is a guy that, when presented with a life and death situation, will make a nervous joke about it. He’s likely the one most left out of the loop, but as important as any other major character.

15 James Ford

“Son of a bitch!”
“I’m a complex guy, sweetheart.”

Couldn’t help but add the line he’s spoken more than anything else on the show. As the second quote states, he is indeed a complex guy. Troubled childhood, criminal background, great liar, go to guy for nicknames, good leader, big heart, seems to have the same tastes in women as Jack. Sawyer started out as a big jerk, than became a bigger one, but we all knew that was all a defense mechanism for a guy that cares about others and is deeply wounded inside (the death of Juliet didn’t help with that).

16 Sayid Jarrah

(after torturing Ben)“Jack asked me how I knew – knew for sure that this man was lying. How I knew for sure that he was one of them – one of the Others. I know because I feel no guilt for what I did to him.”

Sayid doesn’t exactly have a catchphrase. He doesn’t need one either. He’s a man of action and actions speak more than words. The problem is, Sayid always ends up doing horrific things, even if for good reasons. He’s tortured and killed a lot of people, and feels sorry for it, but as far as the show’s concerned, there’s no redemption in sight for him.

23 Jack Shepard

“If we can’t live together, we’re gonna die alone!”

A tagline for the show in general, part of Jack’s memorable speech in the first season, this line cemented Jack as a leader. Because, as counterpart to the other natural leader of the castaway, Locke, he’s the man of science. Though not always the rational leader, as Sawyer pointed out during the ’70s, Jack’s instinctive decisions have always been about the good of others. Which makes him prime candidate for Jacob’s spot as island mystery deity.

42 Sun & Jin Kwon

[to each other in Korean]
Jin: “Honey… I don’t like being told what to do.”
Sun: “Being told what to do was my life for four years… I didn’t like it much either.”
Jin: “Right. I don’t suppose you did.”

One of the island’s married couples, besides Rose and Bernard, they didn’t exactly enjoy a fairytale marriage. This quote exemplifies their rocky relationship over time. Sun had her affair, Jin lied to her on occasion, but the island managed to bring them closer and give them a child…only to tear them apart. Following season 4′s shock finale, they have yet to be reunited, though both have gone to extreme length to find each other.

  A couple of weeks ago I watched the season (series ?) finale for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I expected some resolutions and some answers, mainly because I honestly believed it would be the end of the show, as much as I hated it. And it just might be that, though no one, except maybe for network executives, knows yet.
  I got some resolutions and some answer plus a lot of questions. I can’t say it isn’t a fitting end to the series, since it is intriguing, and that’s how I’d pretty much describe the whole show, but it did leave me wanting more. Now, if they don’t make a third season, so be it, but at least make a movie to tie up all loose ends. I do believe the DVD sales would be enough reasons to do so, and let’s face it, a movie is not as expensive as a third season.
  It’s nothing new, it has been done before: Farscape made a two part TV movie that was pretty fun; Stargate SG-1 has 2 movies under its belt; Firefly even made the jump to the big screen. Now, I don’t expect that from TSCC, nor do I expect a big budget if it does get made, but let’s face it, if you’re a fan of the show, it’s not because of SFX, but because of the quality story and interesting characters.

  It’s rare to see such a thing, as writers seem to hate killing the regulars so seeing one die, or get killed is far from the usual red shirt or guest star mishap. So, imagine my surprise when it happened twice in a matter of days. First came the death of Brian Austin Green’s character Derek,  from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, then Kutner’s(Kal Penn) suicide on House. Both were handled quite well, and truly unlike we’re maybe used to.
  Derek died a soldier’s death, in the way I imagine most people would die when facing a Terminator. Bullet to the head, no funeral, no tears shed. Sure, he was a bad ass, but hey, man against machine, skill count for only so much until luck plays its card. It was in the first minutes of the episode, it was sudden and oh so final that I couldn’t believe it at first. Yet as it settled in, I realized I was happy with how it turned out, no setup episodes, no mourning period as the other characters had no time for it, since such is life on the run, in constant danger.

  The suicide on House was off camera. We only saw a body in a pool of blood just as the show was getting into second gear with its usual patient of the week plotline. Yet, though there was a funeral, and tears were shed, this was not so much about the character lost, but the way everyone reacted to the death. There were no answers, no explanations, no note left behind. And everyone handled the event differently. It reminded me that House should aspire to be more like Lost, character driven, instead of mistery driven (some might argue about that, but ultimately Lost’s misteries are there only to flesh out the characters).
  These were both unique ways to handle something that is ultimately a big event on any TV show, and served to prove that such deaths can move the story forward as well as be as realistic as possible. Sure, there are other shows out there that do the whole regular character killing quite often but those are shows with an ensemble cast, where one character dying does not come quite as a surprise (24 has lots and lots of deaths, and Lost, well they do get off on killing a couple of people each season).