TV shows (Part 4)

This post is the fourth installment of my original "TV shows" post.

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Show: Leverage
Original network: TNT

Description: Nathan is a former fraud insurance investigator who rounds up a group of thieves, con artists and hackers and gets them to do the unlikely -- team up and fight for the good side. Their clients are people who cannot otherwise go to the police with their situations, but the rightful and wrongful sides are normally pretty clear-cut, no matter how despicable one or both sides may be. Their first job is a heist where their client double-crossed everyone, but they succeed in getting revenge, and everyone gets rich in the process. Faced with unlimited riches, they now have no desire to earn more money and use their skills to help those they can for personal satisfaction rather than for personal gain.

My take: This show got off to a slow start but picks up steam by the end of the first season. There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor for most of the episodes, owing to brilliant writing. It's the same type of humor that Burn Notice has but taken to another more sarcastic level. The characters themselves are a little flat but they have well-rounded foundations, allowing the script to sometimes take an extra step, resulting in some quality episodes. This show has hit its stride, but has yet to peak.

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Show: Life Unexpected
Original network: The CW

Description: Lux is a teenager who has been bumped from foster home to foster home throughout her life. She seems to be unwanted; her heart condition during infancy made her undesirable and by the time she had the problem under control, she was at an undesirable age for adoption. Frustrated by the situation, she applies for emancipation but must confront her birth parents in the process. The judge, dissatisfied with Lux's plans to live alone but equally appalled at how she has been handled so far, denies her emancipation claim but instead returns custody rights to her birth parents, who now must confront the responsibilities of being parents and salvage what they can from their old relationship.

My take: This show, shot in my hometown of Vancouver, debuted earlier this year and while it hasn't really hit its stride yet, it's sure picking up some steam. The premise has a lot of promise, and I'm interested to see where they're going with it. Lux is a great character that, for me, is a clear echo of the character of Andy from Kyle XY (played by Magda Apanowicz, one of my favorites). It clearly picks up some influence from Juno but is a lot more realistic and grounded. This show has some serious potential, and hopefully it is granted a second season to prove itself.

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Show: Little Mosque on the Prairie
Original network: CBC

Description: In the town of Mercy, Saskatchewan, a small group of Muslims co-exist with the town's majority Christian population in relatively peace. However, with the new events in the world, this balance is constantly being challenged, particularly with the town's conservative radio host and, in recent seasons, a newly arrived reverend who believes that Muslims have no place in the rural Canadian town, where both religions ironically share the church.

My take: This show had a strong start but is starting to wear out its welcome. Its original premise of showing the differences between rural Canada and the immigrant Muslim population is noble but it has strayed away from that in recent seasons in favor of the rivalry between Reverend Thorne and Amaar. I won't be surprised to see this show canceled during this off-season hiatus.

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Show: Arrested Development
Original network: FOX (no longer airing)

Description: After the head of Orange County, California's largest development company, George Bluth Sr., is arrested, his family (consisting of Michael Bluth, GOB Bluth, Lucille Bluth, Buster Bluth and Lindsay Bluth) must deal with the consequences. The problem is, all of them are idiots or immoral people, with the arguable exception of Michael. As George Sr.'s crimes become more and more apparent, it is up to Michael to both keep the family together and decide whether or not it is better to keep his father behind bars.

My take: This is the best sitcom of all time. I have no hesitation claiming this. There is a reason why DVD sales have single-handedly made this show a household name and made FOX a running joke for canceling quality shows before giving them a chance. This highly addictive series has so many running gags that you can watch the episodes countless times and still not catch them all. The attention to detail is so amazing that you can spot the show foreshadowing storylines and details that are seasons away. Eventually, even the mere mention of "COME ON!" or "Mr. F." will make you giggle, even if the joke has no context whatsoever. This is a very powerful sitcom that wasn't given a fair chance by FOX, but is now getting widely recognized nowadays.

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Show: Degrassi: The Next Generation
Original network: CTV

Description: A spin-off of the Degrassi High School series from the 1980s, Degrassi: the Next Generation is an updated and modernized version that deals with issues that are an issue in today's world that might not have been such a big deal back then. The issues are often controversial in nature, such as sexuality, teen pregnancy, juvenile drug use, mental illness, school shootings, and so on -- the content of some of the episodes has led to it being censored in the United States, and thus leading American fans to acquire bootlegs from the show's native Canada.

My take: This show does something rare in today's world -- it manages to reinvent itself year after year without starting all over again. Like in real life where students come and go, the show's actors also come and go. Today's cast only slightly resembles the show's original cast, with the exception of the actors playing the teachers and parents. The original cast members make the odd appearance here and there, but have otherwise "graduated" from the show. What's amazing about this is that the show keeps itself relevant despite the high turnover and without making itself stale. However, the high emphasis on sexuality issues seem to overrun the show sometimes. Some have also criticized the show's lack of ethnic diversity, since multiculturalism is one of urban Canada's defining characteristics. But despite these criticisms, it's still a solid show.

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Next time: Modern Family, Monk, The Office, One Tree Hill, Psych