New Years Resolutions

Tradition has it that you make resolutions at the beginning of each new year, marking goals for yourself and attempting to achieve them the best that you can. Since TV is such an important part of life for us here at NiceGirlsTV, it only makes sense to have resolutions that relate to our viewing options. But my column today is going to be more about recommendations to our readers about TV resolutions that you should consider making. Move slightly beyond your “norm” and watch something different. Get an insight into a different genre than is customary for you. Watch a program or movie that a friend or family member- or even a NiceGirl – has suggested you watch that you just haven’t gotten around to watching yet. C’mon, the new year is almost here and why not live a little (wink).

With this thought in mind, the following list will show just a few recommendations that I would like to see our readers (and even your family and friends) watch over the course of the new year; especially those who have never considered watching any of them before. If you’re like me, and you’ve already seen the following shows and/or movies, then you’re ahead of the game; and if not, take a chance at something new or different. You just might be pleasantly surprised by how much fun you have watching them:

1. Firefly (the series) and Serenity (the movie) – This Joss Whedon-created series that lasted only one season on FOX is touted as one of his best creations and has legends of fans all over the world. Set in a tumultuous future where the everyday man was pitted against the Alliance, that world’s central federal government, was heavily influenced by a Western motif and infused with sci-fi tech. Despite the failure of the series at the hands of the network brass, audiences all over the world embraced the show, making it one of the most in-demand DVD sets upon its release. That demand helped Whedon and Universal Pictures to produce the theatrical release Serenity, bringing the original cast to the big screen, advancing the story beyond what was able to be depicted on TV.

2. Battlestar Galactica – The reimagined series based on the classic, albeit cheesy, 1970’s series created quite an uproar among diehard fans of the original when it was announced to be in production. But soon, it won over a multitude of fans the world over and became a revered series that was gripping, hard-hitting and gritty. The series wasn’t just about Cylons versus human beings; it was about adversity against any foe, surviving at all costs and became a series that delved into multi-levels of character development not just the world of science fiction. In fact, the series won a Peabody Award in 2005 for excellence in television. This series is best watched in its proper order: first, the mini-series that started it all in 2003, then the series that aired in the US from 2005 to 2009 interspersed with the 2007 movie Razor and ending with the 2009/2010 movie The Plan.

3. Everwood – This wonderful family drama that aired for four years on the (then) WB network chronicled the lives of the Browns and the Abbotts, seemingly polar opposite families brought together by their patriarchal doctors’ rivalry. The Browns were a well-to-do Manhattan family, who moved to small town Everwood, Colorado, after the death of mother Julia (Brenda Strong, Desperate Housewives), where Dr. Andrew Brown (Treat Williams) opened a new and free clinic directly across the street from long-time town doctor Harold Abbott (Tom Amandes, Eli Stone); thus beginning the rivalry and the slowly joining of the two families by way of Ephram Brown (Gregory Smith) and Amy Abbott (Emily VanCamp, Brothers & Sisters).

4. Pushing Daisies – The colorful world of Couer d’Couer and the Pie Hole came to live in this visually stunning series that lasted merely two seasons on ABC. The series was about Ned (Lee Pace), an unassuming pie maker who had a special talent: with one touch he could bring any person or thing back to live after death, but with the second touch they were permanently dead. He used his gift on his childhood love, Charlotte “Chuck” Charles (Anna Friel), and with the help of his reluctant friend and private detective, Emerson Cod (Chi McBride); they worked to solve bizarre deaths and murders. Each episode was a masterpiece in color; almost like a storybook come to life; and the characters depicted in each episodes were uniquely different and quirky.

I could keep going with recommendations of other personal favorites in both television and movies; but the list would be never-ending. But, the above are a good start and hopefully they will capture your heart, make you think and/or simply entertain you. Have fun!