Top ten list of TV shows I’m watching this season

Greetings, readers. We haven’t done a top ten list in a few weeks, so Rebecca and I put our heads together and came up with this idea. Here is the top ten list of shows I am watching this season either as it is broadcast or On Demand. Enjoy!

#10. The Orville. Fox network. [This Star Trek-ish TV series starring Seth MacFarlane barely made my list because it almost got cancelled. Fox is planning to bring it back for a second half season around the new year. The Orville is much better than I expected it to be, even though it has its comedic moments. I give this show a B+.]

#9 NCIS: New Orleans. CBS. [I know Scott Bakula, the head of this NCIS team, as the former captain of the Enterprise and as Dr. Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap. His work is always top-notch no matter which show he is in. This show is number nine on the list only because I’ve watched just two episodes. I’m still learning the characters but so far I am really enjoying it. From what little I’ve seen, I’m giving this show an A-. To be on the air this long it must be good.]

#8. FBI. CBS. [I’ve watched this series from the beginning and I like almost anything from executive producer Dick Wolf. This series is a combination of cop show with SWAT task force included. When they go in for the arrest they are usually dressed in bullet proof vests and one of them is wielding the battering ram to crash the door in. There really is not a dull moment in this series. So far, I am giving this series a B+. It has potential to be an A.]

#7. Manifest. NBC. [This is the series I was really worried about. The promo commercials looked awesome, but the series itself could turn out to be awful. Three episodes in, it is holding its own with me, though there are aspects of it I do not like at all, i.e. the whole government conspiracy crap. Both Rebecca and I wish it would have gone a slightly different way, with more emphasis on character development, and less on a conspiracy theory. I’m giving it a C+ … a solid passing grade.]

#6. S.W.A.T. CBS. [Even though I could not tell you any of the names of any of the characters except Hondo, I tune in every Thursday night. This show has me hooked. It made it to its second season, which is good and I wish On Demand would have kept the first season on to watch. No such luck. I am also very partial to the retro-fitted theme song. My grade is a solid A.]

#5. Hawaii Five-O. CBS.[This is the show that I’ve watched the most episodes of. It is in its ninth season and I’ve really enjoyed it. The classic Hawaii Five-O will always be better to me, for it seemed more professional. The constant bickering and comedy between McGarrett and Danno sometimes drives me up the wall. I’m also not pleased that the series failed to pay two Asian actors who played major characters what they were worth. Hence, they both walked off the series. Their replacement characters are not bad, but it is just not the same. I give this series a B+.]

#4. 9-1-1. Fox. [This emergency rescue series, starring Angela Bassett and Jennifer Love Hewitt, among others, is in its second season. I got hooked on it in the off-season watching episodes On Demand. This year I am not watching Monday Night Football, I am watching 9-1-1 followed by Manifest. I give this show an A+. It is an awesome show.]

#3. Chicago P.D. NBC. [The gritty sergeant played by Jason Beghe is my favorite character. He has a raspy voice, he takes his job very seriously with a no-nonsense attitude, but he treats every one of his detectives like family. This was evident when one of his detectives was killed and he took it so hard that he broke down in private and cried for his fallen friend. My grade for this series is a solid A.]

#2. Chicago Med. NBC. [Oliver Platt and crew work at Chicago’s hospital, Chicago Med. The thing that impresses me most about this series is how believable the characters are, especially Dr. Charles, played by Platt. You can just see him helping you with a problem you have. But don’t mess up or he will put you in line. Also, this series does not pull punches with the plethora of patients treated. For instance, ethical issues of a patient refusing an operation because she didn’t want to lose her baby. All of these Chicago series seem so real to me. Very well done. Chicago Med gets an A+.]

#1. Chicago Fire. NBC. [I would have to say that this is my favorite series of the season so far. There is not one bad character in the lot, the whole acting ensemble puts everything they have into making their characters believable, and you feel their pain as they go through their hardships. My grade for this series is A+. Great job, Chief Boden and company.]

Well, there you have it, for once in order. Hope you enjoy the read. Next week we will be back with you on Wednesday for another interesting entry. Until then, please stay safe if you are in the path of Hurricane Michael, my prayers to you, and until next week, happy reading.

On Demand has me hooked and the fall season of shows has begun

Greetings, readers. One day, I was watching On Demand from our cable system, Xfinity, something related to sports and during the commercial breaks they advertised three very good shows. As it turns out they are all related. They are NBC’s Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD. I have been binge watching, trying to get caught up for this week’s season premiers. I am hooked on these shows.

I also like NBC’s new hit Manifest, as well as Fox’s show 9-1-1 dealing with the Los Angles fire company. Jennifer Love Hewitt joined the cast of 9-1-1 and I have always liked her as an actress.

Back to NBC for a moment, this coming Wednesday evening all three Chicago series will cross-over, as they do quite often. However, this is being advertised as the cross-over of all cross-overs. Apparently all three shows will mesh for an in-depth episode dealing with all the characters. I find the cross-over idea extremely intriguing. Why can’t I write gritty screen plays for characters with so much depth that they feel real? I don’t know, I think I lack the tools.

I did not get a chance to watch the new series New Amsterdam, but they all go directly to On Demand twelve hours after airing, so if I wish to, I’ll take a compulsory look. I am intrigued by its premise of a doctor who says to hell with the rules and regulations, let’s help people. The only reason I didn’t watch it, was because they put it on Tuesday which is not a good evening for TV watching for me.

On to a different topic, wouldn’t you know it, while dictating this blog entry, my recliner/bed decided to break. I’m not going to mention where I bought it, I got it used, but I think they fixed it up just enough to sell it. I’m going to have lots of work to do, for now I have two dead recliners. I was hoping the blue one would hold out until Christmas, but it didn’t. Now I have to talk to my accountant and see if we can pry out of the budget enough for something new. I will not buy used again. I am leaning towards a love seat or sofa, once I get both broken chairs out of here to make room.

Well, there’s our blog entry for today. I might be searching for furniture next Thursday, we’ll see, but Rebecca and I will be back next Wednesday. Tomorrow or the next day, we are supposed to have blue skies. Gee, what’s that? Enjoy the good weather if you have it, and continued good thoughts for those in the flooded areas. Please stay safe.

Until next week, take care, have a wonderful weekend, and happy reading.