Recent TV:
What the hell, it's been a while since I've talked much about TV (except for about getting HBO). So, some thoughts on what I've been watching lately while waiting for the Fall season to start...

Rescue Me Season Two: There was a point about midway through where I realized I hated most of the main characters, but I can't deny that overall, Season Two of Rescue Me was better than the first, which I generally liked. The circumstances of the stories and some of the character arcs are hilariously over-the-top, and I'm starting to get worn down by the variety and depth of tragedy that gets put upon Tommy Gavin's character, but I can't deny that when I watch an episode, I pretty much immediately want to watch the next one to see what happens next. Of course, I've been waiting about three weeks between viewings, so I can do just that, which is an indication that it's not as much of a "must see" for me as a lot of the other shows I watch. Not as strong as The Job (the first collaboration between Leary & Tolan) or The Shield (F/X's other big drama), but very watchable.

Battlestar Galactica Season Two: This remains one of those pleasant surprises. I never thought a revamp of a cheesy '70s sci-fi show would result in some of the best starfaring science-fiction ever on TV (just behind Firefly in my estimation, and miles better than Babylon 5, which was at one time a favorite of mine in this category). Great cast, imaginative plotting and some really good plot twists have made this season very entertaining. I also really love that the executive producer is doing podcast commentaries on almost every episode, which are some of the best audio commentaries I've ever heard (and I've listened to quite a few). Must-watch TV if you're even remotely a sci-fi fan.

Weeds Season One: Took me a couple episodes to warm up to it, but I've gotten to that "must watch now" mode with Weeds as well. Some of the characters are beyond unlikable into outright despicable (Elizabeth Perkins' character in particular), but even her character has a sympathetic twist at the end of episode four, and Mary Louise Parker is amazing. She's definitely in the top five list of sexy women on TV, and not sexy just because she's hot but because she's so damn smart, funny and charismatic. Oh, and Kevin Nealon is hilarious in his supporting role. Fun stuff with some thought-provoking elements and a quirky tone, not unlike Showtime's Dead Like Me (which they cancelled, boo).

Entourage Season Two: I liked the first season when I rented the DVDs. I *loved* the second season so much that I bought the first season on DVD and ordered HBO largely on the strength of Entourage. Funny, great characters, nice use of cameos and there were some interesting plot twists this season as well. I can't wait for season three, and it's a ways off, given that season two just ended last week.

I've just started on Deadwood Season Two, and I like what I see (again, a step up from an already-impressive season one, which is a trend I like) and I haven't watched Rome yet, but it's on my "to do" list. Of course, I also just got Lost on DVD and can't wait to catch up on the extras and commentaries on that one.