TV Promo Overkill and an Ode to Nathan Fillion...

So, I watch a lot of TV. This might explain why, in addition to this blog, I also attempt to maintain a TV-related blog. Lately, it's been more of a "Dissecting Grey's Anatomy" blog because that show, formerly one of my favourites, is rapidly going down on my "Top Five Shows to Watch on a Weekly Basis" list.

I don't have cable or satellite. I know I've told you that before so I'm sure it's not a new revelation. I used to not have cable or satellite because I couldn't afford them; nowadays it's by choice. I won't say I don't miss having the endless ability to flip channels. I am a sucker for those travel shows where people eat odd foods like bugs. I watched on the other night at my parent's. It was Jeff Corwin who I believe used to be on Animal Planet after "The Crocodile Hunter." He went to Thailand, travelled throughout the country and ate all kinds of bugs ranging from ants that apparently emit an acid when threatened and that taste rather good in a salad with chilli to cockroaches (or something resembling them) that were deep fried and spicy. Not my sort of snack but I quite enjoy seeing what other people are willing to eat.

I digress. My original point is that I have rabbit ears on my TV and thanks to that "convert to digital television" warning that flashed across every television program for, like, two years, I have a nice little analog-to-digital converter box on both of my tv sets. It makes the picture better even though they've extended the time for people to switch over in case they were unaware they had to. My slight issue with that is that anyone who watches TV currently had to have known about the switch. Aside from the distracting scroll across the screen, each network had handy little commercials with celebrities TELLING people to get a converter box, just in case someone couldn't read. Chances are, if you needed to switch, you'd know about it already. I am aware that there are poorer areas of the U.S. who are a little behind on news like that but, seriously, if they had a television that they had to convert because they watched it regularly, even they'd know that they had to switch. Nevertheless, I have a better picture now even if I do get digital static rather than analog.

I digress. Again. So, due to my lack of cable, I watch a lot of network TV. It has come to my attention that the Networks are killing their own new shows by advertising them too much. For example, I watch Lost on a weekly basis. During each episode (including the nifty "Pop-up Lost" that plays before each new episode), ABC has decided to promote their new show Castle. Castle is a show staring the fantastic Nathan Fillion and the lady who played Nina on 24 and tried to kill Jack Bauer. This makes her my enemy.

However, the first few times I saw the preview, I thought it looked like a lot of fun. The premise is that Nathan Fillion plays a bestselling mystery writer. Nina-from-24 plays a detective. Nathan wants to base a character on her so he shadows her. He's a womanizing smooth-tongued playboy, she's a no-nonsense cop. It's not the most original premise but, well, it has Nathan Fillion in it. If you are unawre of Nathan Fillion's brilliance then you clearly haven't seen Firefly or the big screen sequel "Serenity". You must not have seen him play the evil preacher who almost killed Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You also must have missed Dr. Horrible's Sing-along-Blog which is, in my opinion, bloody brilliant. It's a musical by Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy and much other brilliance). Fillion plays Captain Hammer. He has a line "The hammer is my penis." He's a ham, he's a used-car-salesman but he has that naughty charm that makes you just adore him.

However, I have now seen the preview so many times that I feel like I might have seen the entire first episode. I no longer think it looks like a more relaxed version of Bones, only funnier. I'm fed up with it and the show doesn't even air the first episode until Monday. Fox has also done this with their shows in the past though not so much with the new Joss Whedon show Dollhouse which NEEDS promoting because Fox has put it in the exact same time slot that killed Firefly a few years back. NBC...same thing. I know they have to promote their shows but they could cut back a little. It's really not just the major networks, either. When I watch BBC America at my parents, they promote their new shows to death. I think there is such a thing as overkill.

You may wonder why I didn't post this in my TV blog. Well, I did have a reason though I've digressed from it. There is one good thing I saw in the Castle promos. There's a scene where Nina-from-24 and her team of police are wearing those bulletproof vests that say "POLICE" in large letters. Nathan Fillion's character isn't a policeman but he's wearing one anyway only his says "Writer." I thought that was hilarious and, instantly, I wanted one. I think it would be not only a silly fun thing to own but I think it would be a great symbol. It could be my 'rejectionproof vest', one that would save me from feeling so hopeless and despondant when I get the toughest rejections. When I saw it, I was having my weekly Lost viewing party with my friend. She wants a Dharma Initiative jumpsuit like the ones they sell on Lost. And yes, those are available in ABC.com's Lost store. We made a deal, if I get that vest, she gets the jumpsuit and we wear them to work. That would be cool. And silly. But still rather cool.

Seriously though, I loved that vest in spite of the fact that I'm sick to death of Castle already. I think it would be a great thing to own. It probably wouldn't look as good on me as it does on Nathan Fillion but I don't think that would matter.

Sorry to ramble again but it's that kind of week. At least it's not about panda bears again. Thanks for reading.

Happy Thursday.