As hot and humid summer days give way to slightly less hot and humid days (for which I am grateful that some geek came up with the invention of air conditioning), my thoughts turn to the return of fall TV. Now with the advent of streaming video int he past couple years, watching tv seems like it’s a bit old school, but there’s something about popping down in front of the couch, or in bed with the remote in your hands to enjoy a good show.
This is especially true when it comes to the sort of geek-centric fare that I’m used to watching. In my growing old age I’ve kind of shunned the popular mainstream shows for those that have a focus on specific groups or people. And while these shows have become popular in their own right, they do have a special place in the geek community, where intelligence is a virtue over alcoholic capacity and outcasts are the heroes.
I really like the fact that not only are shows like this around, but that they are garnering traction within the “bottom line” of executives at TV networks. No doubt geekery has felt the sins of the past wrought upon them by network bigwigs (a certain series named after a little glowing insect comes to mind), but at least in 2010, vindication has been offered up for shows that cater to geek tendencies. If you’ve been hurt in the past and are one of my readers who is a bit jaded at the rise of reality TV and obsessiveness with pop culture, no worries – it’s still a good time to watch the tube. Don’t believe me? Here’s a few examples from my suddenly-in-use DVR:
The Big Bang Theory – You wouldn’t think a show that makes references to sci-fi, comics, and games would last very long in the dog-eat-dog world of TV, but Big Bang Theory, highlighting the lives of 4 physicists and the cute token blonde that peppers them, is going to be opening its 4th season this September. The fact that Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon (the personification of every arrogant, OCD, socially inept geek out there) got an Emmy nomination plays up the legitimacy of this series. It’s definitely taken hold among geekery and the wider audience that struggles to understand them. We’ve got a potential new love interest for the aforementioned Sheldon this season and the consequences of the relationship of Leonard and Penny, so that will make for some hilariously nerdy moments.
Chuck – The series saved and beloved by the power of the internet has been on life support a few times during its history, but it has survived being terminated. The series about a tech geek who somehow gets a computer of knowledge downloaded into his head has become endearing to many, especially considering he manages to clumsily navigate success and get the girl at the same time. This season, Chuck sets off in search of his mother, but the spy life is far from behind him. A bonus for watching? Firefly alumni Adam Baldwin, who’s finally got onto a series that utilizes his stereotypical tough guy persona effectively (of course, being on a series lasting more than 13 eps helps, too).
Glee – Probably the show I’ve pontificated on this blog about the most, Glee has achieved meteoric success among geeks who are still geeks and ex-geeks who remember the awkwardness of being involved in the arts in high school. Glee’s the kind of show that has the potential to reach out to an audience while increasing awareness of something else at the same time, that being music and what it means. Having long since shed the High School Musical comparisons, Glee has come into its own as a show that can be dark and witty, funny but poignant, and a whole other bunch of things that resonate with geekery in general. This season, the kids start off a brand new year with a fresh slate, but the victories and defeats of the last year have probably had effects you can only begin to speculate about.
Frankly folks, it’s good to check out TV right now. We’ve still got about a month til everything premieres, but take the time to catch up on the rebroadcasts of these and many other series out there. Trust me – you won’t be disappointed.
