The SoapBoxers

With the Fall TV lineup fast approaching, I figured (well, maybe Kosmo SUGGESTED) that I’d talk a little bit about what I’m looking forward to…and some changes we’ll see.

Changes? What changes? Well, at least one HUGE change. Ashton replaces Charlie on Two and a Half Men. Will the show ever be the same? Do you think it’ll be better, or worse? Personally, I don’t think it’ll ever be the same. Not that I’m a huge Charlie Sheen fan, or a fan at all. I just think that role couldn’t have been more perfect for him, based on his personal life (did the show make his personal life, or did his personal life make his role on the show?). And, once somebody plays a character on a sitcom for so long, it’s hard to imagine the show without said character. My favorite sitcom of all time, The King of Queens, could never have replaced Doug, Carrie, or Arthur. It just wouldn’t have been the same. And I get that Charlie will be “killed off” and isn’t just being “replaced”, but……I don’t know. I’ll give it a go, but my hopes are really really low.

Today is the debut of the weekly entertainment column.  The Soap Boxers welcomes Bob Inferapels to the staff.

Being the entertainment guy, I’ve struggled with what exactly I want to cover each week. Do I want to cover every show I watched over the last week, or do I want to pick which one I liked the best that week? Or, do I want to mix weekly shows with movies and video games?

After much debate with myself (you should’ve been there for that), I’ve decided that I’m going to combine all of the above, to keep all of my favorite readers coming back…..I currently have zero, but I’m sure that number is set to multiply over the next few weeks!

Since the first “episode” in my series, I figure I’ll cover what shows I try to watch regularly and why. So, here goes (in no particular order):

The Big Bang Theory (Monday nights, 7 Central, CBS) – The show is in its 2nd season, and I have to admit I wasn’t sold at first (it was very hit and miss). It’s a quirky/geeky comedy that stars Johnny Galecki (most famous for David on “Roseanne”) as Leonard, Jim Parsons as Sheldon, and Kaley Cuoco (Bridget on “8 Simple Rules” ) as Penny.

Leonard and Sheldon are physicist roommates and live across the hall from Penny, the ditzy blond who is a waitress at The Cheesecake Factory. Episodes revolve around Leonard and Sheldon, along with physicist friends Howard (in his 30’s and still lives with his mother) and Rajesh, trying to overcome their social differences. Like I said, it’s quirky and geeky, but has become increasingly more funny with each episode.

Criminal Minds (Wednesday nights, 8 Central, CBS) – Like the CSI series (you’ll see this next on the list), but different. Rather than investigate crime scenes to find the killer(s), the cast of Criminal Minds works for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and focuses on the criminals’ next move.

The team is led by Hotchner, a no-nonsense kind of guy who seems to be the smooth talker that can most easily gain the trust of anybody. Dr. Reid is the youngest of the group, and is nothing less than a genius. Derek is the tough guy of the team. And I have to mention Penelope, the “behind the scenes” computer guru who can find everything from the last place you used your credit card to when you last went to the bathroom.

CSI – Miami (Wednesday nights, 9 Central, CBS) – The only CSI that I really try to watch anymore (I’ve never really been a fan of CSI: New York and I’ve lost interest in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation / Las Vegas since the addition of Laurence Fishburne).

The star of the show is David Caruso as Horatio Caine, the hardcore boss who has a chip on his shoulder and all but guarantees to catch the bad guy.

Those are the 3 shows that I’m trying to watch on a regular basis. In future weeks, I’ll do my best to critique what I thought of the most recent episode, along with a slew of other entertainment type thoughts…..