This week was the series finale of one of my favorite shows, Boston Legal. I’ve enjoyed this show from the very beginning when it was spun off from The Practice, never missing an episode. One of the reasons I enjoyed this show was the fact that the main stars were not teenyboppers or twenty-somethings bouncing across the screen showing as much skin as possible while uttering banal dialogue about “hooking up”. This was a show that respected those of us over fifty and showcased talent and intellect instead of glorifying youth.

Another reason I loved the show was it’s cast of quirky characters, those great court tirades from Alan, and a chance to watch William Shatner (as Denny Crane) have fun with a role that finally gave him the chance to demonstrate his acting chops and his humor.

It’s a shame ABC never really committed itself to this show. It’s a shame that television networks and executives still think that youth is the primary demographic to target. It’s a shame that  72 million baby boomers, with big money to spend and an even bigger television viewing habit, are ignored by television suits and ad execs. Just last week Boston Legal itself had a story (“Juiced”) where statistics were quoted by Carl Sack (played by Dan Laroquette) that gave creedance to the viewing and buying power of the Baby Boom Generation.

I am going to miss this show and I am going to miss the respect and appreciation it had for my age group and my television viewing preferences. I am going to miss Denny Crane, Alan Shore, Shirley Schmidt, Jerry Espenson and Carl Sack. I’m going to miss those great moments between Denny and Alan on the office patio, I’ll miss Jerry’s tics and pops, Shirley’s blow up doll and Mad Cow jokes. But most of all I will miss a great show that treated me with respect by entertaining me with adult stories, silly antics, quirky humor and intelligent dialogue.

Watch full episodes of Boston Legal online FREE at ABC.com

With the start of the new TV season I am in the midst of “sorting” through the shows I want to watch. You know how it is – 3 or more of them come on the same night and time slot and even with a DVR with two signals and an antenna you have to pick and choose! And in February I’ll probably lose the antenna signal! So every September I grab the upcoming fall schedule from TV Guide and start to prioritize my TV shows.

Here is my list of my 13 top television shows this fall and then a few honorable mentions and the ones that drove me to boredom and got dropped from my list!

1. HEROES - I even watch the webisodes. This show is kick-ASS!
2. A Tie Between EUREKA and MAD MEN - Eureka is just plain cool, weird and wonderful!  As for Mad Men: I love this show since I spent a few decades in the ad game. And it’s set back in the sixties so it’s Retro too – you know me, love my Retro! By the way, since I’m as old as the hills, I remember this glass ceiling-cigar smoking-b.s. ridden boy’s locker room atmosphere very well!
3. LIFE – This guy intrigues me. Very Zen on the outside and Seething Retribution on the inside!
4. BOSTON LEGAL – I cannot get enough of these brilliant but seriously twisted lawyers. I thought I heard this was the last season? Oh no, say it ain’t so!
5. THE MENTALIST – This is kind of the same guy as on LIFE but without the Zen shell. This guy also has some great hair!
6. THE BIG BANG THEORY - Can’t get enough of these MENSA soaked geeks and their nerd humor – My favorite nerd is Sheldon (Jim Parsons). I wish they’d dump the “hot girl neighbor” (Kaley Cuoko as Penny) and move Leslie Winkle (Sarah Gilbert) in as a permanent cast member!
7. MONK – Still love the “Defective Detective” – Go Tony Shaloub!
8. PSYCH – Shawn Spencer (James Roday) is a fake “Psychic Detective” and has an uptight, lifelong friend, Burton “Gus” Gustor, as his side kick. They have flashbacks to when both were kids (Fun!) and even Cartoon Flashbacks! I love Gus (Dule Hill, last seen on West Wing).
9. UGLY BETTY – I’m going to start an “I love Ugly Betty” Fan Club, membership – 1.
10. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES - I call this Desperate Fishwives and this is my fav soap opera on TV. I also love seeing all the women over the age of teenybopper showing up on TV lately as Sex Symbols (see Boston Legal -Candace Bergen, Brothers and Sisters -Sally Field, etc)!
11. BROTHER AND SISTERS – Well, Sally Field is a Grandma here! And this show should make all “only children” thankful!
12. BONES - I love “Bones” (Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan. Emily Deschanel) because she’s so “un-girly”! And David Boreanaz as Agent Booth is just too cute trying to deal with her.
13. SONS OF ANARCHY – Who would have thought that someday there would be a TV show about Hell’s Angels wannabees???? Check it out, but watch for adult language and nudity and all the stuff that makes this interesting.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Hell’s Kitchen (love my kitchen drama), Samantha Who (amnesia is funny!), Dirty Sexy $ (gotta love melodrama about rich pain-in-the-asses), Criminal Minds (still good but I miss Mandy).

SHOWS THAT FINALLY BORED ME TO DEATH: LOST – (so over it – except for Hurley – love Hurley! Make a series just about him! (Jorge Garcia plays Hugo “Hurley” Reyes)
ER – Finally the last season. Who cared after George Clooney?
ALL THE CSIs – I loved the original CSI in the beginning but it lost me last year. CSI-NY – I love Gary Sinise but hate his wooden character “Mac”. CSI-Miami – David Caruso – ick.
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Never say never. Tonight Tommy Smothers of The Smothers Brothers finally got an Emmy for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour nearly 40 years after the fact.

For those of you who were not even alive in 1967 when the show premiered this might not seem like a big deal. But to those of us who were faithful fans of The Smothers Brothers (The Smo Bros as we affectionately refer to them) this was a wonderful sight to behold.

You see we the fans, and the Smothers Brothers, were cheated out of a lot of comedy and a lot of political insight when the show was canceled by CBS in April of 1969. I won’t go into the whole megillah here – you can read about it on Wikipedia and other sources on the internet.

True to the wit that was at the heart of the cancellation of their show nearly forty years ago, Tommy accepted the award with his typically confused and innocent act that always hid the sharp sword of truth.

A few quotes from his acceptance speech will give you an idea of the intelligence that drove the humor of The Smothers Brothers:

“There’s nothing more scary than watching ignorance in action.”

“Just one last thought, there’s one word that exists in every language on the face of the Earth, in every society from the time man began to speak and the word is “truth”. It exists in every language and it means exactly the same thing . . . . Truth – truth is what you get other people to believe.”

Tommy I hope you enjoy your “shiny, brand new 1968 Emmy” as much as I enjoyed seeing you get it!

See, Mom did always like you best! CONGRATULATIONS TIMES FORTY!

So, is anyone else watching Sons fo Anarchy on FX???  Just curious to see what you all thought about it>

Just in time for summer reruns we are getting a few, paltry new episodes of a few shows. I kind of wish they hadn’t bothered – the whole schedule’s such a mess.

But, Hell’s Kitchen is back!!!!! I just relish the screaming tirades of Chef Ramsey!  I haven’t watched tonight’s episode yet – I’m saving it for my treat after I get through posting on all my blogs and catching up on mail.

I just have to decide which ice cream goes good with the premiere of Season Four of Hell’s Kitcken. . . . .

I noticed that today was Holly Hunter’s birthday and it reminded me to get my behind back in here to write something. I’ve been so busy with my other blogs that I neglected this one. Most likely because the writer’s strike just killed television this season so there wasn’t a lot of fodder. But I have been working longer and watching less of my beloved Boob Tube!

Anyway, back to Holly Hunter. I love this actress – I’ve watched most of her movies and now I am enthralled with her new show on TNT, “Amazing Grace”. Is this a great concept for a show or what? You gotta love the person who came up with this idea.

An ex-catholic, agnostic (or is she?) gung-ho female cop on the edge who gets her very own angel for a friend. Earl. You have got to just adore Earl! Any angel who loves tacos and has a tattoo of a long-tongued dog on his back is my kind of angel.

This is really a great show, not just a good show, a great show. I’m hoping for a nice long run and I’m looking forward to new episodes! Plus you can watch it on your computer if you miss any episodes! I just love watching TV on my laptop for some reason. Probably because if I miss something I haven’t really missed it – just delayed it, cool.

Which reminds me – I have 3 episodes of Lost to catch up on so I’m outta here!

P.S. Stop by Life is Like Art to see my newest creations of digital art, original paintings and sculptures. Visit my newest blog, The BRAT in the HAT to read about my latest pet peeves, and stop by my Pop Culture Blog for a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane. Oh, and get my latest designer martini recipes at The Martini Diva and appetizers to go with them at The Diva of Tiny Foods! I’m a bloggin’ fool!

Sorry for not posting lately, but with the writer’s strike going on there wasn’t much to say about television except complain and enough other people were doing that so I kept out of the fray.  I’m glad it’s over but a fat lot of good that will do for the remainder of this television season.

However, I am a fan of The Apprentice.  I’ve watched the show from the beginning and I have discovered (to my surprise) I have a lot of respect for Donald Trump.  Prior to this show I thought him somewhat overbearing and over-exposed, though it isn’t really fair to judge anyone by what is said about them in the media.

In watching The Apprentice I find that I have developed a decent amount of grudging respect for Mr. Trump.  Though I am aware the show is engineered for ratings, I have enjoyed watching him and hearing his comments in the boardroom.  I have found him to be extremely intelligent, surprisingly kind (yes, really!) but tough and pretty fair, considering the constraints of prime time and the nature of the show premise.

I like the fact that he seems to enjoy doing the show.  I like that he has the moxie to promote himself and I believe he is successful at his marketing because he does it all with an element of humor and basic human kindness.  Yes, I know he’s tough, but there is a kind man behind all the bluff and it sneaks up on him every once in a while.

I am beginning to learn how to truly create a brand from a master. From neckties and designer water to gambling and real estate, Donald Trump has managed to become a name synonymous with luxury and good living.  I’m taking it all in as I build my own PopArtDiva brand now branching out into my blogs (The Martini Diva, The Road to Diva, The Pop Culture Blog, etc.), writing books and even developing an online radio show, and I find myself asking “What would Trump do?”

I truly loved George and am very happy to see him back – though I think he looks a little tired.  I don’t know what happened to Caroline – suppose I could google her to find out, lol.  But it’s good to have George back – what a sweetie he is for a high powered business man.

Additionally, I have enjoyed watching Trump’s interaction with his grown children, Ivanka and Donald, Jr.  These two young people are both well spoken, intelligent and can be quite astute in their own right.  I believe Donald Sr. is quite proud of them, as well he should be.

Though I know many of the contestants (especially this season’s celebrity group) are chosen for “good tv” I can still enjoy watching the interaction and the mechanizations of certain contestants.  It’s kind of interesting to see how and what people do to win, isn’t it?  I believe it’s called the ‘Killer Instinct” though it might better be termed “The Stinker” instinct.  It truly is a concrete jungle out there, and “The Donald” reigns supreme as the King.

And speaking of jungles, can someone PLEASE send Omarosa to Survivor so an alligator can eat her or an exotic monkey can drop a coconut on her obnoxious and conceited head?

I turned on the tv tonight to the story of the death of young actor Heath Ledger.  I am extremely saddened to learn someone so young and talented is gone.  For me it was a shock because I first saw him in the visually enticing and mythical “Roar”, a short lived 1997 television series based on ancient Ireland (Hibernia), the Celtic Druids and their fight against Roman Rule.  He was young but had star quality from the start and I kept an eye out for his name.

I next saw him in “10 Things I hate About You”, “A Knight’s Tale”, “The Patriot”, “The Brothers Grimm” and his Oscar Nominated role, “Brokeback Mountain”.  The Oscar nod did not surprise me in the least – Heath Ledger was a charmingly attractive actor with a great talent and a great range.  I was truly excited about his upcoming role as “The Joker” in the movie “The Dark Knight”, I believe he would have brought an incredible reality to the classic comic book villian. It is a shame we will not see him reach his full potential as an actor. It is a shame he will not reach his full potential as a man.

Ledger’s death has reminded me of watching another young actor slowly coming into his own and then dying just on the brink of his deserved fame. The young man I speak of was River Phoenix, another extremely talented actor who showed great promise and made me want to see his career develop.  His death too was sudden and shocking and a loss of great expectations.

I truly enjoy seeing young actors with promise and watching as their careers grow and reach the pinnacle of their talent.  I have watched many in my life including Harrison Ford (American Grafitti), Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies), Johnny Depp (21 Jump Street),  Clint Eastwood (Rowdy Yates on Rawhide),  Leonardo DiCaprio (Growing Pains).  I could go on.

I’ve watched television and movies for over 50 years and you see a lot of actors come and go in half a century.  But the special ones you notice and keep an eye on.  The sudden death of anyone is sad, the sudden death of promising talent is shocking. Somehow you feel not only the loss of a human being but the loss of potential, which seems the cruelest loss of all.

Goodbye, Heath.  Thank you for the joy of watching you perform and grow as an actor. This old Irish Prayer is for you, your family and all your fans:

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there… I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow…
I am the diamond glints on snow…
I am the sunlight on ripened grain…
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you waken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of gentle birds in circling flight…
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry—
I am not there… I did not die…

“Molann an obair an fear” – The work praises the man

(A fun, retro-pop-art I did on seventies fashion fads called “Platforms, What Were We Thinking?” which you can buy on my website, PopArtDiva.com. )

I’ve been watching reruns of “That 70s Show” lately. I used to love that show in it’s original run because it was such a hilarious take on the seventies. They got the era right and added humor to the ridiculous fads of that decade.

I mean, really, What Were We Thinking????? Bell bottoms in horrid fabric patterns, permed hair to get that afro everyone else had, leisure suits? And the worst of all – platform shoes!!!!

If you lived through the seventies you wore platform shoes. What no one tells the young people of today is – those things were dangerous! More than one ankle was sprained, broken, bruised and twisted thanks to the shoe fad that created such high platforms and heels you might as well have been walking on stilts!

And everyone wore them, men and women alike, so nobody was immune. I wonder what the hospital statistics were on damaged ankles in the seventies? To paraphrase Red from That 70s Show “Dumbass Shoes!”

BTW, the character Donna is now on October Road on ABC. Nice to see “hot Donna” back on the tube, at least someone from the cast made it out of the seventies!

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