Let’s talk TV

I’ve been jonesing to write a pop culture blog lately. Partly because I’m obsessed with Jessie Pinkman.

At the end of August, Wilson and I got tired of hearing everyone and their brother saying that “Breaking Bad,” was the best show on TV. Like ever.

I really hate it when I miss out on a TV phenomenon. I’ve tried to keep up with all the big ones. But once HBO and Showtime got involved– not to mention Netflix– there were so many shows I wanted to see and so little time, that I had to accept that I might miss some of the greats.

But Wilson’s brother gave us the DVDs for all 5 seasons of Breaking Bad so we feel compelled to watch them whenever we have a moment. I’ve spent countless nights when my eyelids are so heavy, I feel like I’m drugged and my bed is calling….but the draw of Walter White is far too strong!

The show is like nothing we’ve ever seen. The characters are authentic and familiar but the plot is so involved and unpredictable you can’t imagine what will happen next– almost unheard of at this point in TV history.

It’s not so much fun to watch. It’s dark and ugly, and often makes me grit my teeth and clutch my belly with the stress of not knowing how Walter and Jessie will get out of the mess they’re in. But you need to keep burrowing down the rabbit hole of Bad-ness, if only to see how it ends.

Everyone talks about Bryan Cranston’s stellar performance as chemistry teacher-turned-badass Walter White, but I prefer his loyal sidekick, Jessie Pinkman, played by the uber-talented and foxy Aaron Paul.

I won’t even try to explain it to those who’ve never watched. Before becoming a Bad-head, I didn’t understand what it was about despite the hard sell from fellow TV lovers as addicted to the show as Walter White’s meth-heads are to his blue ice.

You just have to watch it.

But make sure you have some time because there’s no turning back. We are towards the end of Season 3, with many hours of tension ahead. But I hear the last season is explosive and the finale is one of the most memorable. Like ever.

So since Breaking Bad has lived up to the hype, I may have to go back and pick up some others I’ve lost along the way.

Shows I never watched and still regret: The Wire (I know, I know, the BEST show in the history of the talking box!) Weeds, Veep, The Good Wife, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Glee, Game of Thrones,  American Horror Story.

And while we’re talking TV,  I’ve found snippets of time here and there (usually while distracting myself from the odious task of unloading the dishwasher) to sample some new fall shows.

There’s a lot of crap littering primetime lineups. Don’t waste your time on Dads, Mom, Super Fun Night, or The Millers. Just terrible.

Family Ties is one of my all-time favorite shows so I was eager to see Michael J. Fox’s new comedy on NBC. But the first episode was so bad I couldn’t stomach another. Sorry MJF! Sean Saves the World starring Sean Hayes– whom I love–  was kind of meh, but maybe worth another look.

The good news is I’ve found a show that makes me LOL that I can actually watch with my kids. ABC’s The Goldbergs is an homage to my childhood era– kind of like The Wonder Years was for us back in the 80’s.

The cast is led by the hilarious Wendi McLendon-Covey (Bridesmaids) as a smothering, know-it-all mother and Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm) as the perpetually annoyed, tough love dad. There’s so much 80’s nostalgia I’m yearning for shoulder pads and a Rubik’s cube after watching. The characters are enormously relatable– probably because they’re based on creator Adam Goldberg’s actual relatives, and several episodes even include videotape from his childhood that made me instantly connect with the show.

I also love Fox’s Brooklyn 99— a comedy starring SNL‘s Andy Samberg as an extremely immature but remarkably successful police detective. The terrific writing and Samberg’s completely lovable character drew me in and the supporting characters got me hooked. It moves quickly so you want to pay attention or you’ll miss a funny throwaway line. Not as kid-friendly — too many sex jokes– but worth checking out.

I’m also curious about The Blacklist, starring James Spader. Seen it?

Please tell me about any other new shows you like in the comments. Once my affair with Jessie Pinkman is over, I’ll try hard to make room in my schedule for a new TV crush.