Singapore TV 2008

I don’t watch too much TV nowadays. There are various reasons for this but I still enjoy a good show here and there. Here are my views on some of the shows on Singapore TV in 2008. Note that I said Singapore TV, because here in Singapore the shows are sometimes slower than in the States. Battlestar Galactica is I believe into its’ sixth season in America already, but here in Singapore we are just in the Season 2.

Best New Show This Year
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles- I came onto this show with very low expectations. I mean the Terminator series are movies; how well could the TV version be? The answer: Very well. Set after the events in 'Terminator 2', the show is on how Sarah Connor and her son John try to stay under-the-radar from the government as well as the Terminator sent by the computer network Skynet. In their corner is another Terminator sent by ‘future John’ to protect them. Together, Sarah and John hope to prevent Armageddon by destroying Skynet before it can be built, and at the same time keep John alive so that he can lead humankind to victory if Armageddon actually happen. The plot may have a “been there, done that” feel to it, but the show was saved by good writing and a very strong cast. Thomas Dekker’s John Conner may have turned into some emo-kid, but Summer Glau’s Terminator works. However both paled when compared to Lena Headey. Headey’s Sarah Connor was nothing short of brilliant. Hard, tough, yet at times a little soft, her Sarah Conner is the main reason why I think Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is the best new show this year.

Best Returning Show This Year
Battlestar Galactica- Never a fan of remakes, I was a little worried when I saw the first season of Battlestar Galactica. It was more than a remake however; Battlestar Galactica was a re-imagining of the show, and it was a very good one. The second season is I think actually better than the first season. With the first season out of the way, there was no need for the show to show how the humans lost the war and they can concentrate on the fleet. I liked the way the creators showcase the politics of the fleet and whether the Cyclons are right, “Is the human race worth saving?” Even when we are in our dying days, humans can still screw ourselves with military coups, religious fanaticism, political manoeuvrings and various plays for power. Even when another Battlestar show up, it leads to more problems than solutions as one of the first thing the new admiral was to take overall military command away from the previous commander. So sad but so true because…it’s just so human.

Worst New Show This Year
Calafare- Private Practice was a hot favourite for this title, but then I remember that I was unfortunate enough to catch 1 episode of this Gurmit Singh vehicle. It’s not funny, it’s not witty and the acting was wooden as hell. The less said about the show, the better for everyone. Avoid it at all cost!

Worst Returning Show This Year
Heroes- I’ll say something upfront, “I was never a great fan of the series.” I liked but never loved the show. The first season was okay; I felt there was a drop in quality in the second season but it was still passable; this third season however is a total mess. Creator Tim Kring seems obsessed with time travel. Nothing wrong with that but enough is enough. There are now no less than 2 time-travellers and about 5 people who can see/dream/draw the future. And what’s up with Ali Larter’s character. Niki Sanders turn from a single child to a twin and now to triplets, what’s next? If you do have any story for the character, write her out of the show or kill her already! In fact, the same can be said of the whole cast. Kill off some of the cast already, there has to be more than fifteen recurring characters on the show. That’s too many, and the writers can start with killing Claire. Tim Kring needs to decide if she is a damsel in distress or a superhero. This teenage angst thing just isn’t working. “Kill the Cheerleader, Save the Show”