Hawaii Five-0 (Mondays on CBS)

Starring

Alex O'Loughlin

Scott Caan

Daniel Dae Kim

Grace Park

Premise

Hawaii Five-0 is an American procedural crime drama series and a re-imagining of the original 1968–1980 television series. Some have always mistaken part of the title to be the letter "O"...as this is how it's referred to. However, it's been recently explained that it has always been a zero (0) in the titles of both shows (the 5-0 referring to Hawaii being the 50th state added to the union in 1959), and that most refer to the number zero as the letter O. This new version of the series debuted on CBS, the same network that aired the original version. Like the original version, this one follows an elite unit/task force set up to fight crime in the state of Hawaii. It premiered on Monday, September 20, 2010--exactly 42 years to the date of the original show...which premiered on September 20, 1968. This new version aired in the Eastern Time Zone at 10:00 PM (9:00 PM in the Central Time Zone).

My 2Cents

Well as you can tell by the title Hawaii Five-0 is back on the air and this time it has a more edgier and more straight forward cast and production. I am going to be honest I didn't watch much of the first version of the show with Jack Lord. But from what I did watch it was pretty damn good for the time era that it aired. The cast was pretty good as well and so is this one, atleast in my estimation. If that matters to you really.

Alex O'Loughlin

has been in some of the best shows, in my opinion, on TV in the past few years which had been cut short. Moonlight and Three Rivers. Man I tell you what those were some really good shows! I really loved Three Rivers and wanted to see more of it. But I guess by the time it started airing he was already signed on to be a member of Hawaii Five-0.

Anyways lets talk about Hawaii Five-0 or the new adaptation of it. As you know its a Hawaiian based television show and they even shot mostly there! I mean come on how can your job get any better than that?! Seriously Hawaii is beautiful, so I've been told. Where was I? Oh yes talking about Hawaii Five-0. So its a Cop Drama with hints of Comedy and I think its more of a Cop Comedy-Drama more than Drama-Comedy. There have been MANY shows like this produced by CBS Studios but since this is a remake, in my eyes, it has a better chance of becoming a juggernaut.

Hell when you get to hear "Book Him, Danno." for the first time you are like HELL YEAH! They kept the ultra-famous line from the original. They did something right but oh it doesn't stop there. They kept the original theme song, then again with the opening scenes it doesn't fit at all. I think they could easily reboot that very easily make it edgier and fit the new direction of this show. I think if they did that, however, they might lose another piece connecting them to the original. I am not sure where to go from here as I have yet another episode to watch yet and the "Pilot" was a good jumping off point. So really what can we expect from here is what I need to ask myself now.

I hope to see even more ass kicking and more cheesy, somewhat gratifying, lines from the original and maybe some new ones. So once again if you like reboots, cop/crime shows then give this a quick look atleast. Hell even go to Fancast.com or even Youtube.com and check out the original if you want to see what the true Steve McGarrett is really like. Alex does the character justice but you need to know what Jack Lord did for the character to appreciate it.

"Pilot" Episode Rating: 3.5/5

Outlaw (Fridays on NBC)

Starring

Jimmy Smits

David Ramsey

Ellen Woglom

Carly Pope

Jesse Bradford

Premise

Outlaw is an American television series produced by Conan O'Brien for the NBC network. The one-hour courtroom drama stars Jimmy Smits as a Supreme Court Justice who resigns from the bench to start his own law firm, as a way to more directly promote the ends of justice. The series premiered on Wednesday, September 15, 2010, and then air in its regular timeslot on Fridays beginning September 17.

My 2Cents

So I am sure you are begging for My 2Cents on this new NBC "hit" show called Outlaw. A Jimmy Smits TV show. You remember Jimmy Smits from L.A. Law and the most current The West Wing. This guys resume reads very well and this TV Series is a perfect fit for his charisma and charm. Okay Okay I kid. He doesn't seem to have much charisma in his motions but it does shine through in his acting, the way he carries the character that he plays and so forth. But hey thats the traditional way of "kissing the ass end" of a TV show. So I will stray away from that now.

When I seen commercials for this show I was hesitant like I normally am for shows like this. I am very leery about some shows because of whom is in it and who is the producer of it. As you know, or maybe you don't, this is a Conan O'Brien produced show. Unknowing of what type of show he was attach himself to was one reason why I was hesitant. And two, to be honest, it was Jimmy Smits. I was NEVER a big fan of his or the shows he was in. NEVER watched West Wing, wasn't my bag of tea to be honest. And thinking about it this show is somewhat similar to that show in the style it is shot and produced. Very odd I would like this show like I do, well atleast the first two episodes that is.

The "Pilot" episode was a very good episode in the fact it described the main characters in the show. Somewhat defined what the characters would and could bring to the table. Smits' character is the title of the show without a doubt, an Outlaw. He does things his own way even when his team is on the opposite side of the table. He knows the laws pretty well and to be honest and reads between the lines. Thus he has the final say and is the boss. Really it comes across as a smart legal drama with a sense of humor and heart. I know there is a lot of shows out there like this right now but to be honest there is nothing truly like this. There is no other show where a former judge is now defending those he would normally write off.

He does what he thinks is right. Right or Wrong he says he will do what it takes to uphold the laws that he helped create and those before him as well. Nice to see the whole Arizona Immigration Law in the second episode as well. Shows that even though most of the officers in Arizona do NOT agree with the law put forth they still HAVE to do their job. They put themselves on the line to do that. Makes you wonder would you be the same way? Give it your all even though you may not agree. Or hell in the case of this show give it all up because you know that something is wrong and needs to be fixed.

So if you liked the West Wing, I guess, and like Legal Dramas then this is a show you MIGHT like. And thus I encourage you to check it out, if not for the first episode, definitely the second.

"Pilot" & "In Re: Officer Daniel Hale" Rating: 4/5 & 4/5 (Enjoyable Episodes)

The Good Guys (Fridays on FOX)

Starring

Bradley Whitford

Colin Hanks

Diana Maria Riva

Jenny Wade

The Premise

The Good Guys is an American dramedy series about an

old-school cop and a modern-day detective that premiered with a preview episode on Fox on May 19, 2010, and began airing regularly on June 7.[4] The series stars Bradley Whitford as Dan Stark, a mustachioed, former big-shot detective with the Dallas Police Department, and Colin Hanks as Jack Bailey, a young, ambitious, by-the-book detective who

has been assigned as Dan'

s partner because of his snarky attitude.

My 2Cents

For some reason I've become a HUGE fan of the Cop Comedy-Dramas over the past few years and to be honest a lot of them seemingly meld together and I feel they are too similar. Then this past Spring The Good Guys hit the airwaves and it shattered everything I

knew about cop comedies. I mean seriously where else do you see a Cop like Dan St

ark (Bradley Whitford) and Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks)? SERIOUSLY WHERE!? I would love to meet a character like Dan Stark, well a Cop like him. He is the quintessential 80's East Coast Cop. Hell he has the mustache to prove it...

I believe he loves his mustache and his Trans Am as much as he does catching the "Bad Guys". If you have NEVER seen this show you are missing out and I am being serious her

e. Dan Stark is so off the mark for a police officer. Hell he and Bailey work SMALL CRIMES and really have nothing to do with Homicide or Stings or ANYTHING they deal with, because of Stark. He lives for going by his gut feeling and living in his glory days and after the Season Premiere I found out he even has a shrine.. Yes a shrine ... TO HIMSELF! I know! Now a shrine to another fallen officer or a former partner would've been okay but one to himself is HILARIOUS!

Now Bailey is, or well tries, to be a by the book cop. Wanting nothing more than to do their small crimes job and go home. But with a partner like Dan Stark, that never happens. He is just along for the ride, IN A TRANS AM!

I told you, didn't I!? Stark is old school and an old school cop drives an old school care like that above. Anyways I am sure you are wondering why it is in a warehouse with other "vintage" cars. Well thats a whole different blog all together. Lets just say Stark got it stolen to bust an enterprise built on stolen vintage AMERICAN cars. It was an hilarious episode without a doubt!

Well you know what you should just watch it because if you like Cop shows like I do and love to laugh your ass off then this show is for you. Plain and Simple, Hands Down one of the better Cop Comedies on the airwaves today. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Season Two Premiere Rating: 5/5 (Worth the Watch)

Oh and one more thing .... If your wife allows you to have an epic mustache like Dan Stark I ENVY you! Seriously I do because its EPIC!

House (Mondays on FOX)

Starring

Hugh Laurie

Lisa Edelstein

Omar Epps

Robert Sean Leonard

Jesse Spencer

Peter Jacobson

Olivia Wilde

Premise

If you don't know the premise already you MUST'VE been living under a rock!

My 2Cents

At last years Season Finale we seen Cuddy and House together at last! This relationship has been building, very oddly in fact, since day one. You could tell sooner or later this would happen and it finally did, only 6 seasons in. Nonetheless I still had a bit of hesitation when it came to the Season Premiere this year as most shows move forth from the Season Finale, BUT ... House didn't it basically started up right from where it left off and it was simply brilliant in my eyes. I was clambering for this to happen for years and when it did I didn't want to be left out in the cold. Thank you Greg Yaitanes, whom directed this episode.

Anyways so we move on. House and Cuddy held up at House's place, his apartment, not the condo he shares with Wilson. They stay in house even though seemingly all hell can and is about to break loose at the hospital as the only Neurosurgeon is sick and thus without a Neurosurgeon the ER must shut down. Now this is something Lisa Cuddy would normally take care of but can't as house hasn't told her. House has left it upon his team to take care of the situation well up to Chase. Well that didn't go well and now they have to cure the true Neurosurgeon before the ER is shut down.

As House tries to make Cuddy relax he is taking care of the problem at the hospital with his typical House tactics. Anyway I digress, which is something I tend to do so from time to time. During the problems at the hospital and the date like time at House's ... house? House's team takes a huge loss as Thirteen leaves her team in limbo, telling them she is going to take part of a experimental procedure to help her with her condition. When in fact she was lying the whole time and leaving to an unspecified place for an unspecified time. This hit hardest with Foreman as he still has feelings for Thirteen but doesn't come forth with them. I see this coming out soon, if Thirteen does return, which I believe she will.

After curing the Neurosurgeon and saving the ER House's team was done and we move back to the relationship of House and Cuddy. Now House basically told Cuddy this won't work because she has a child and he is not a good person for a child to be around. Cuddy and House had a few tense moments and before we knew it House told Cuddy he Loves Her and that set Cuddy at ease, or so we thought. The ending left us with House on one side of the door and Cuddy on the other. Both knowing this won't work, but both not wanting to be the one to end it all. I know that this is going to lead to many tense moments to come in this season, thus its going to be awesome.

I love how the characters seemingly grow before our eyes with each episode. That is one thing I love about House. They have dynamic characters that seemingly evolve into greater characters as the seasons progress. The relationships built between all the characters and sometimes even their patients is very well constructed. Something other shows, starting out, should take notice to.

Nonetheless Season Seven started out where Season Six ended and thus made it a worthwhile watch and a definite OnDemand watch or Fancast or Youtube watch if you must.

"Now What?" Episode Rating: 4.5/5 (MUST WATCH)

The Defenders (Wednesdays on CBS)

Starring

Jim Belushi

Jerry O'Connell

Jurnee Smollett

Premise

The Defenders is a 2010 American legal comedy-drama that was ordered to series by CBS for the 2010–11 television season. The series, set in Las Vegas, Nevada, involves a pair of defense attorneys who go all out to help their clients, while keeping their personal lives in order.

My 2Cents

Well I've never been a very big fan of Jerry O'Connell nor Jim Belushi over the years, however they've had pretty good careers up to this point. Well I thought the pairing of these two, sub-par, comedians was, well how do I say this, a train wreck waiting to happen. Seriously I haven't seen a decent show or movie with Jerry O'Connell in it for years and well Jim Belushi is funny but in this type of show I don't see that happening.

I came to the judgement this is yet another bore to tears legal drama with a so called comedic twist. I got the jokes and such in this show but the joke was the show itself. The pairing in my eyes was lackluster and they don't play off one another very well, atleast I didn't see it. The characters were lacking some direction. Yes Jerry's character is the semi-serious playboy as Jim's character is the forced comedic character with a hint of the typical Las Vegas twists. You know, oh I can't be touched, I out smarted everyone, that type. It's nothing short of over used and over done.

The Defenders should really be called ... CANCELLED. I don't see it getting picked up again unless someone does a better job in upcoming episodes and create something better such as a more comedic legal show than the lackluster forced comedic drama that we've seen over and over again. Jim and Jerry can be a good duo if they have better writers, better characters, and a better show to be honest.

I am sorry but CBS has failed us once again..

"Pilot" Episode Rating: 2/5

Chase (Mondays on NBC)

Starring

Kelli Giddish

Cole Hauser

Amaury Nolasco

Rose Rollins

Jesse Metcalfe

Sierra Palmer

Premise

Chase revolves around Annie Frost (Kelli Giddish), a deputy U.S. Marshall, and her high-priority fugitive-apprehension team that trace down dangerous criminals in South Texas.

My 2Cents

So once again I see many commercials for this show leading up to its Fall Premiere on NBC. Each time I seen it I felt like it was missing something. It felt a little forced in the commercials atleast to me. It showed snippets of the first episode as well as others but they were not what was in the episode. They were mixed up a little bit. Now I know that is a way to garnish someone's attention but the episode was better than the snippets in the commercials.

Chase, like the Premise says, is about a deputy U.S. Marshal Annie Frost and her team of highly skilled high-priority fugitive-apprehension team. The team is assembled pretty well with Cole Hauser as Jimmy Godfrey, Annie's right hand man of sorts. Also on the team is Marco Martinez (Amaury Nolasco), Daisy Ogbaa (Rose Rollins) and yes Luke Watson (Jesse Metcalfe). All of them have a specialty which they bring to the team but as we know sometimes there is kinks in a teams armor and in the Pilot episode it was the character played by Jesse Metcalfe, a greenhorn of sorts placed on the team after it was already established. He was ranked high in his class and was a smart suit and tie type of Marshall, unlike the other members in the team.

Annie and Jimmy were very hesitant to allow Luke partake in the apprehension of their first criminal, in the series, because he wasn't ready for high-priority apprehensions, atleast not yet. HE did show is greenness when he failed to recognize the fugitives tattoo and face structure which Annie and Jimmy told him to recognize, study and remember. He led him off the property of a standoff without even knowing it. Annie and Jimmy didn't let him get away with it and thus the first lesson was taught and learned.

The show had some very good "Chase" scenes pardon the pun and it was like many classic cop shows as it had the chase and the capture aspect pretty well accomplished. There is a nice solid storyline underneath the Chase and Capture storylines that the writers want to accomplish and one of them is Annie's past. Her parents, particularly her father. She has some flaws that were caused by the way she was treated as a child and it shows in the first episode when a young girl is kidnapped by her father. When the little girl is recovered Annie sympathizes with her telling her she knows how it feels to be abandoned by her father and it can only get better from here.

Once the fugitive is apprehended the storyline shifts from Chase and Capture to Annie's past, which was a perfect transition. It wasn't harsh or brash like some other shows on the waves these days. You don't go back and forth and get lost or confused, they ease you in and you feel like you are a part of the story. Which is a plus for a new show, bringing you into the story only helps the overall appeal of the show.

If you like shows that has a good chase, good guys/gals and bad guys/gals as well as a story you feel you can relate to then Chase on NBC is a good show for you to watch. You can catch it on Monday nights at 9PM CST as well as ONDemand if you have that in your area. Also check on NBC.com and you can watch it there or even on Fancast.com.

"Pilot" Episode Rating: 4.5/5

Lone Star (Mondays on Fox)

Starring

James Wolk

Adrianne Palicki

Bryce Johnson

David Keith

Eloise Mumford

Alexandra Doke

Jon Voight

Mark Dekln

Premise

Robert Allen (James Wolk) is a Texas con-man who leads a secret double life. As "Bob," he is married to Cat and living in Houston while working for his oil-tycoon father-in-law. Four hundred miles away, he is "Robert" in a second life with girlfriend Lindsey. As he schemes to take control of the oil business and finds himself torn between the love of two women, he must fight to keep his web of lies from falling apart.

My 2Cents

So I've seen many commercials for the show over the last few months, as I am sure many of you have as well. I thought that this show looked very promising from those commercials or spots as they are called. Each time I seen it I felt a little more "in tune"with the show and what they want to express. In my eyes the show was hyped pretty well, not too much and not too little, just a perfect mix of spots and hype.

The show is very well put together, those spots were spot on for what the show creators wanted. The lead character Robert Allen (James Wolk) is a playboy con man and has a very tough time sometimes differentiating between the con and his heart. The character plays over very well for a con man as well as a family man which you can see barely any cracks in. The show starts off with one life and shows his love for one character and then before you know it he's going "home" to his wife and you are sitting there thinking "Wow he is Good!" Seriously you have to realize that this happens a lot in the "Real World" and the fact that these writers have it down so well is amazing.

In each of his lives he is trying to get something, trying to take everything from his respective "family". The women that love him are loyal and are blind to what he really is BUT the families that surround him are NOT so blind. Atleast in the case of his life as Bob in Houston the Brother-in-laws are a little hesitant and don't trust him as much as Cat does. This can become a breaking point in his life as part of the Oil Company and part of the family as a whole. Trust is a Con man's main concern and when that starts to fade his con becomes not so transparent and the cracks begin.

However in his life in Midland with his girlfriend, now fiancée at the end of the episode well soon-to-be wife, Lindsey, the lies are pretty well over as he is in the oil business there as well. He is making Lindsey's family rich and as he says he feels "whole" in Midland more so than he does in Houston with Cat, his Wife.

There is a catalyst in this show and it's the father figure John Allen (David Keith). He is a con man as well and in a way pulling the strings. He wants Robert to pull the con and get out, but with Robert its harder as he has feeling which is another Con Man No-No and John knows it. He tries his hardest to make Robert "Bob" know this but Robert has his own way of doing things and it may work out for the best, atleast he hopes. John has not been introduced to either "Life" as of yet but when he does I am sure it will set the world on fire for Robert and may make it even more difficult.

With that said at the midway point in the show he was going to say Good-Bye to his Midland life as he wasn't wanting to hurt Lindsey or her family but for some reason he went back. He is in Love as he says, in love with two women, two separate lives, two separate lies. At the end of the episode Robert and Lindsey are in Las Vegas and about to get married! Now the tangled web we weave as we go forth and deceive.

It is definitely an interesting show and it keeps you on the end of your seat as you don't know where the cracks will begin and which life will begin to take the back seat or crumble. Robert or Bob has a lot of explaining to do when this happens but which life will show cracks first you ask? Well you have to tune in an see every Monday night on Fox!

"Pilot" Episode Rating: 4/5

Welcome

Hello my fellow Couch Potatoes, or Stay at home Parents, Teenagers, College Students, Grandparents or whatever you may be. My name is Mr. Hendrickson, formal I know but it is what I am known by. I am sure you are wondering how you got here to the Couch Potato Chronicles. Good question. I am sure you stumbled across this blog in some obscure way and for that I thank whomever assisted you in doing so.

So I am sure you want to know what this is. Well it's simple really it's a site where I will review new and old television shows, well atleast the ones I watch, at first. Then over time once I gather some steam I will do the same for every new show coming to television. Most of the time it will be the first episode, season ending episode and so forth. Something fun for me as I love watching television and well I love to give my thoughts on them.

I don't have much experience in this field but I have been an unemployed/stay-at-home father for two years now and I haven't had the best of luck in the workforce. So I thought a little extra money can be earned by doing something I love, and poof here I am writing this blog and telling you my 2cents on the televisions new and reissued shows.

To start I will be doing the following shows. Once again it will expand as I move forth.

NEW SHOWS (This Season)

Lone Star (FOX)

Chase (NBC)

Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)

Blue Bloods (CBS)

The Event (NBC)

Law & Order: Los Angeles (NBC)

The Whole Truth (ABC)

No Ordinary Family (ABC)

Undercovers (NBC)

My Generation (ABC)

Recurring Seasons

Bones (FOX)

House (FOX)

Glee (FOX)

NCIS (CBS)

NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)

The Good Guys (FOX)

Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

Private Practice (ABC)

Chuck (NBC)

Parenthood (NBC)

Shows Ended too Soon

Journeyman

Joan of Arcadia

Jericho

Three Rivers

Mercy

Happy Town

New Season Coming Soon

Rookie Blue

Leverage

White Collar

Miami Medical

Haven

V

The Colony

I have a love for many type of shows and thus the lists are full of everything. I don't watch every show but I like to watch atleast the first episode of new shows to see if I would like them. If I do I DVR them and then watch them later. Sometimes I become hooked and other times I call it nothing more than a waste of time.

Once again I am not Television buff, I don't know every character in every show, but Wikipedia does, and thus I will do my best. So if you disagree with what I say comment and tell me your thoughts. That is how I want this to be. If you disagree or agree just tell me, I am strong enough to take your criticisms. Sometimes I might even take a second look at a specific show if you feel strongly enough about it. Doesn't hurt to take the second look with "fresh eyes" as they say.

So stay tuned. The Season Premieres have just begun and thus so has my duty to all of you my fellow Couch Potatoes. Feel free to enjoy the Soda and Chips i've left out. Have a Good Night/Day.