Until the 27th, I can say that I’m caught up on writing (Dec 27th is the date I’ll get copyedits on Once Burned). This doesn’t mean that I’m free from other business duties, but it does mean that I have a little more time away from my desk. Good thing, too. Otherwise, I swear I would’ve needed a name tag for my husband to remember who I was *wink*.
With this additional down time, I’ve found some TV shows that I really enjoy. Some of these just debuted, and some have been out for years (but they’re new to me! :)).
New show with a twist on Grimm’s Fairy Tales. In this version, “Grimm’s” are people who can see the supernatural and have the strength to fight against it. It’s a hereditary thing, and the abilities only manifest when a Grimm family member is about to die/kicks the bucket. The protagonist, a cop, is thrust into his new role as a Grimm when his ailing aunt tells him of his secret lineage. If you like Supernatural, you may want to check this out. My favorite character has to be the slightly geeky, snarky werewolf.
Another show with a twist on classic fairy tales. This one has the premise that the stories are all real, but the characters were cursed by an evil queen into forgetting their true identities while being trapped forever in a small town. Only Emma, the child of Snow White and Prince Charming, can break the curse. Emma is a female bounty hunter with a chip on her shoulder and no belief in fairy tales, but she’s dragged into the cursed town by the son she gave up for adoption ten years before. Yes, the premise is corny, but the show pulls it off for me by being whimsical and surprisingly heartfelt. After watching two episodes, I was hooked.
How do I begin to describe this? My best effort, which still falls short, would be calling it a cross between Amityville Horror and The Money Pit. A husband and wife struggling with marital issues think a change of scenery will help, and they move into a “steal” of a house with their teenage daughter. Right from the start, weird things happen. The tension and twistedness increase with every episode, as do the revelations about the house and other characters, until, like a train wreck, you can’t look away (or I can’t, at least). This series also includes twists I never saw coming and some really dark humor. So much is thrown at you in the first episode that it took until the second one for me to really connect with the characters, but once I did, I was hooked. My sister, who hates horror movies, marathoned seven episodes of this show in one sitting. I think it’s because – after episode one – the characters come across so vividly that even non-horror fans can get sucked in.
How did I miss this show before? If you’re new to it like I was, the premise is the behind-the-scenes hi-jinks of a weekly live TV show on NBC (I’m guessing a spoof on many of the actors’ tenure on Saturday Night Live). The characters are over-the-top flawed, the banter sarcastically hilarious, and every stereotype from the innocent page to the unscrupulous CEO is exploited to full comic potential. I wasn’t an Alec Baldwin fan until I started watching this and had no idea he could be so funny. Tina Fey is brilliant as usual, as is the rest of the cast. Season One was funny, but things really hit their stride for me in the later seasons.
Shows I’m anxiously awaiting new seasons from in 2012 are Justified, Game of Thrones, True Blood, Sherlock, and Merlin. Shows I still like, but am getting frustrated with are Supernatural (they BETTER not have done what the last episode implied) and Boardwalk Empire (Season Two’s final episode was depressing, imo).
What shows are you watching/looking forward to/getting frustrated with?
I just saw Grimm for the first time and liked it. I also love Game of Thrones and True Blood. I watch all my BBC shows online, I’m a huge Doctor Who fan.
Are you watching Walking Dead? I think it’s one of the best new shows on in a LONG LONG time. It’s awesome, it’s about the people and how a disaster like that can change you. And the zombies are surprisingly scary for TV!
I just started watching Supernatural and am trying to get all caught up. I totally love it, but your comment worries me…
I’m also a huge fan of Once Upon a Time. I thought it would be kind of silly when I first saw the previews, but I’m hooked.
I love Grimm and Once Upon A Time. American Horror Story is best described as a train wreck. An intriguing one, but a train wreck none the less.
I am excited for True Blood this season as well. And Boardwalk Empire saddened me so much! I don’t know where they’ll go from here without him (don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t watched it yet).
I started watching Once Upon a Time yesterday and loved it! It sounds corny, but it really is good! Can’t wait to see the next episodes (I think I might be on number 3)…
I like Grimm too but I was expecting more focus on the legends than on the police work…
I Love all of those.. I have to say thank you to DVR.. Also I didn’t see The Walking Dead here.. Great Show..
I love every single show you mentioned!! Especially the new ones that came out in 2011 (G of T, Grimm, AHS & Once Upon a Time) Just add SPARTICUS & Camelot and that’s my whole DVR list. Enjoy your downtime & catching up on your shows!! You deserve it!
I love Once Upon A Time! What surprises me is that my Hubby also likes it and doesn’t want to miss an episode.
We also watch The Mentalist, Bones, NCIS and NCIS:LA. Bones drives me a bit crazy with the way Tempy acts.
I’ve heard of Grimm, Once Upon a Time and American Horror Story. Had planned on watching them. Which is apparently a no-no for me. I never seem to be able to get around to it once I planned it . Never did get into 30 Rock, though. A show that I really like is My Ghost Story. Of course I like all of those kinds. Dead Files is a good one too.
I’m sorry Jeaniene but the only one of those I watch is Grimm. Love that Morgan, he is one freaky werewolf!!
I’m enjoying Grimm and Once Upon A Time. Am looking forward to Vampire Diaries being back on in January.
Great news on Once Burned (I’m currently doing a re-read of the NH series and am REALLY looking forward to seeing more of Vlad).
Most of the programmes you have listed we won’t get until Feb / March next year as we are now heading into our summer and these will release in our autumn like they do there. I will look out for Grimm and Once Upon a Time – sound like my kind of programmes.
I absolutely LOVE Once Upon a Time. In January I’m looking forward to the new seasons of Shameless and the return of Castle & Grey’s Anatomy 😀
I’m really digging Once upon a Time and Grimm. I also like American Horror Story. It’s very bizarre but strangely hypnotic. Just finished watching Son’s of Anarchy which I love and Castle is always fun to watch. Looking forward to Justified, Games of Thrones, True Blood and the return of Vampire Diaries season. Just watched final episode of Boardwalk empire. I tried to keep up with it but lost interest slightly with the second season.
Love True Blood, Game Of Thrones, Once Upon A Time, The Walking Dead, Being Human (US), Leverage, Sons Of Anarchy, Vampire Diaries, and 2 teen-age shows – Pretty Little Liars, and Teen Wolf, which I watch with my daughter.
Oh, I totally forgot Camelot and Spartacus!
Would love movie with cat an bones!!
Supernatural just destroyed me! I’ve watched since day one, and I love those guys. Also love The Walking Dead, Grimm, Once Upon A Time, Glee (although it’s not as funny as it used to be) True Blood…there’s a lot of good tv out there to distract you from doing what you should be, that’s for sure.lol. Ooohhh! And Being Human. Totally fantastic. I love the Sci Fi channel
supernatural broke my heart, too! I so love those guys. Hope that they didn’t actually went through with what they implied but there are some hints from the summary for the next episode that tells me those bastards probably did. Anyhow, awesome that you love the series too.
Love Supernatural. And yeah, they better not do what they were hinting at in the mid-season finale. Also, like someone else said, Spartacus needs to be on the list. True Blood? I’m pretty much over it. This last season was just horrible, but like an addict, I’ll probably be back next year.
My new favorite show right now is Revenge! Its so good..you never know what Emily is gonna do next but whatever it is it will be epic and truely scary for the person that she goes after. It just proves the addage that Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! Shows I’m waiting for are Game of Thrones..although they totally killed my favorite guy at the end of season 1…and True Blood because…hello! its vampires! lol….I really wish they would make a series out of your books…I already know who my cast would be! Can’t wait for Once Burned! I do love me some Vlad! and Cat and Bones 7 will be on pre-order as soon as I can get it!
Those are great shows! I also love Bones on FOX, and my absolute favorite show of all time is Psych on USA.
Enjoy your break until the copyedits hit! 🙂
I LOVE American Horror Story!
I just read Halfway to the Grave… or tried to. I stopped halfway through it because I really need a question answered:
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, JEANiENE FROST?!?!?! THiS BOOK iS AWFUL, DiSGUSTiNG, AND iNCREDiBLY DiSTURBiNG!!! i WiSH i NEVER STARTED READiNG iT!!!!
Sincerely,
Common Sense and Innocence
Well damn that was RUDE!!! Don’t hold back now 🙁 If it was too disturbing maybe the kiddy section might suit you better and be sure to not turn on the TV you might get too scared! Good to know holiday cheer goes far these days. Well I completely love this series and the 3 are my favorite!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS. P.S. hurry with book 7 😉
Dont be so rude. If you dont have anything nice to say the shut the hell up.
Hmm, I think I now have a whole bunch of shows to watch. We don’t have cable at home and only watch shows we like on Hulu, so sometimes it’s hard to find new stuff. Some of these sound great, especially Grimm! Gonna have to check it out! Thanks, J!
Can’t wait until Once Burned is released! Glad it is coming along.
As for shows, I watch True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Game of Thrones, and The Lying Game. Tried out boardwalk Empire amd it’s fairly good but haven’t finished watching all the episodes yet. I only watched Supernatural when it came on after Vampire Diaries, but when they moved it to Friday I stopped. Too hard to remember to watch it on that night. Same thing happened with Nakita.
OMG, Jeaniene, you certainly got it right! These are the best TV shows ever, and Once Upon A Time and Supernatural are my most favorite! It would be so great to see Cat, Bones, Vlad and all the others on TV and I’m absolutely sure that so many fans are looking forward to that!
So, I have to share this – I read One grave At A Time, it was just fantastic! I’m expecting Vlad’s book and I cant’t wait, i felt sad when I got to “Te end” of book 6 of Night Huntress… and there is my question – please, PLEASE, tell us will there be book 7? Oh, and I read the short story in “The Bite Before Christmas” and it was… no, I have no words, perfect isn’t enough… Now I love Ian even more (think I’m in love, Ian and Vlad are my most favorites).
But what’s bugging me is what happened to Don!?
Yes, Cat and Bones will have a book 7. That’s what I’m writing next, in fact. They’ll have a total of 9 books in their storyline, and in book 7, you’ll find out what’s up with Don, promise :).
Oh, that’s great, thank you! I can’t wait to get it! :)))
I love game of Thrones and recently started watching once upon a time. Its really good. I’m actually a bit disappointed that no one has mentioned FRINGE here! It is definitively one of the best shows on TV and I recommend it to everyone 😉 PS, Can’t wait for Once burned.
I looooove American Horror Story, it’s my favorite show as of now. It’s so addictive, I can’t helo but love Tate haha. I watched the first season of the Walking Dead and it was amazinggg! Then the second season came out.. -_- it was a bummer. I tried watching Grimm but I ended up just watching Once Upon A Time instead. True Blood… I hope they do something different next season, this season wasn’t very special.
Also love Vampire Diaries, Ian Somerhalder <3 fell in love with him ever since I saw him in Lost.
Supernatural is one of the greatest shows I’ve seen. With the ghost in your books it made me think of the show and right now from what everyone has said I am going to watch Grimm and see what’s that’s like. By the way I love the dragon. Though I do wish time would hurry up so I can read about Vlad(soooo in love with with him), but it never does when great books are coiming out therefore I must wait to get my Vlad fix ;).
Grimm is a lot like Supernatural, but it has its own charm too. I only started watching it because it was like Supernatural since it’s my favorite TV show and for someone who doesn’t particularly watches TV, is saying something. Also, Criminal Minds is awesome! Not about Paranormal creatures but amazing nonetheless. Only two tv shows I watch. I feel deprived since I don’t know most of the other Tv shows mentioned here.
And, Jeaniene, just wanted to tell you how awesome you are at writing this spectacular series! I loved all the characters. 🙂
I record Grimm every week and Once Upon a Time. Game of Thrones night is date night for my husband and I. He has read all the books and I am still working my way through. (It’s an entertaining way to spend time while waiting for “Once Burned” and Night Huntress related books. 🙂 I’ve watched True Blood a few times but I end up getting frustrated because I have read the books and the time line doesn’t flow. I am one of “those” people that believe the books are always better. (even though screen adaptation, if done right, can be really exciting.)
I just watched Sherlock season one and two. It is just on TV in Hong Kong But I found it from web. It is really amazing and I highly recommend to all.
In Hong Kong we just past the Lunar New Year hoilday. During the hoilday I just finished the reading of “A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES” (Chinese version) . I highly recommend it to all people who loves reading.
Now I am waiting the 2nd book of night huntress world. The Chinese version is already on sale on 16th Jan,2012 in Taiwan. But in Hong Kong, we have to wait 3 week after the Taiwan publish.(Due to the transportation >_<)
Luckily, I’ve read the english version but I still love reading the chinese version. After all it is my mother language.
I really looking forward to Once Burned and hope it can be publish as soon as posible. I also love the short story "Haunted by Your Touch". When I read "Home for the Holidays" I just think would it be possible that this two stories/ world can be "link up" as both of them mentioned the "The Fallen"
I recommend Lost Girl, veeeeeery good!