Welcome, TV geeks, to the premiere of The Water Cooler; the latest and, dare I say, greatest blog on all things boob tube. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Billy Nilles, the biggest TV geek of all (self-proclaimed, of course), and I’ll be your guide through these weekly discussions of everything small screen. And that’s what I want this to be: a discussion between you, dear reader, and me.
It’s a shame that we begin our trek just as the traditional television season is winding down. What I wouldn’t give for the opportunity to have had the time to write at length on the mind-bending and nail-biting week of television we’ve just been given, with Fringe, Lost, and Grey’s Anatomy all leaving us with game changing, fantastic season finales. Alas, I suppose some things just aren’t meant to be. (However, if I can just geek out for one moment: Fringe! Those last few minutes! Walter in the cemetery! Olivia in Bell’s office! I won’t spoil anything in case you haven’t watched yet, but: Holy Frak!)
We find ourselves at an interesting crossroads, my friends. The summer vacation provides us with myriad possibilities on how to bide our time whilst impatiently awaiting the return of our favorite shows. We could finally dive into those books growing dusty on our shelves. (For me, I’m planning a summer in the Kurt Vonnegut canon.) We could venture into that dark abyss known as Summer Movie Season. (I’m lining up for Paper Heart and (500) Days of Summer, eschewing the typical summer fare.) Or, we could just do what we all are secretly already planning: Wade into the waters of Summer Cable Television.
It looks to be a summer rife with potential. Basic and premium cable channels alike are really stepping up their game in terms of programming this summer. I don’t even think I can count on all my fingers and toes the amount of shows premiering and returning this summer. We’ll discuss this all at length in the weeks to come and hopefully, I can be a guiding light when deciding what to spend your precious summer evenings with.
So, gather round, TV lovers, and tell me: What are your plans for this summer? Anything you’re looking forward to, in particular? (I, for one, absolutely can’t wait for True Blood, Leverage, and Top Chef: Masters)
Also: Next week, look forward to a comprehensive round-up of the biggest week in television as the Big 5 announce their upcoming fall lineups in their upfront presentations, beginning Monday, May 18th. I’ll have everything you need to know, all right here. (The biggest question on my lips: Will Chuck survive?)
See you next week!
Tags: tv shows, water cooler
