Watch All the TV Shows!

So, this blog hasn't been much in the way of "hippie" or "geek" lately. A lot of baby related posts though. Which makes sense since it has been my life the past 4.5 months. However, I wanted to share the TV shows that I have been able to watch during this time.

"But Sue, how do you find the time with an infant?"

Simple. I watch TV while I breastfeed. I love watching her feed but it tends to get boring when she feeds for an hour... or more. There's only so much I can take with just staring at her feed. I do read as well but that requires me to strain my neck so I can't do it for a long period of time. And it's hard to focus on words in the middle of the night during a night feed when my eyes are bleary from waking up suddenly.

So since I started getting the hang of breastfeeding, I took to watching a whole lot of TV. And now that she is getting bigger and her tummy can take in more milk and she's in daycare, the amount of TV I have been watching decreased. Which I am okay with. It makes it feel like things are going back to normal for me.

I figure this was a great time to share which shows I have been watching these last 4 months.

This is in no particular order.

Bleach - I have actually started watching this years ago when it was current. But then I kinda lost interest after 70 or so episodes. Then I saw it was on Hulu so I figured I'd give it another try. The first arc in the Soul Society is great. They really toe that fine line that all shounen anime has with dragging every battle scene out. Drives me crazy. But it was a lot of fun and the characters were well introduced. Then the second arc started and it was really tedious. I had no interest in the Bounts at all and the story seemed really forced. I understand that I have been watching these in the middle of the night so I'm already tired, but I would starting falling asleep half the time regardless if there were any battles. However, I trucked through and now I'm at the next arc and it's a lot more interesting. I have a better time at staying awake at least.

Arrested Development - This is a really funny show. And all the characters are so messed up. The magnitude of things falling apart is painful but not so much that I can't watch it. And they manage all this while still being hilarious.

Being Human (UK) - I actually came across the US edition first and the plot seemed interesting so I thought I would give it a try. I didn't like it much. It seemed dull. And I wasn't keen on the actors either. It didn't help that I could not stop thinking of Aidan as the bumbling guy in Battlestar Galactica. The UK version is MUCH darker and more mature compared to the US version. The story is a lot more complex. There were times when I thought I was going to stop watching because it was getting a little too gorey scary, but it let up and the story is getting really good again.

Call the Midwife - This is a fantastic show. It peaked my interest since a midwife delivered my baby and I wanted to see what it was like back then. It was based on a memoir of a midwife and it's very interesting. Yes, it's a drama so things are sensationalized but it was neat to see a glimpse of what it was like. The stories are incredible and touching with the effects of seeing a newborn pretty good. It has become a top favorite for me.

Parenthood - This has also become a top favorite. This is an incredibly well written show. It has a great balance of lightheartedness and serious, touching issues. There are many times where I'm thinking the interaction between different family members are interactions that my family and I would have. The acting is great and the stories aren't too over the top.

Chobits - A rewatch of a great anime. I am a huge fan of CLAMP and they do not disappoint with this show. Really touching and has one thinking about the near future with humanlike PCs.

Dracula - I am a huge Jonathan Rhys Meyers fan. So if he is involved I have to check it out. It's a really good show. The story is solid and the actors are great. AND, to David's delight, he is a real vampire. And you have all the old vampire lore not some made up stuff. Being on NBC I was a little hesitant about the quality of the show but it's done really well as the show toes the line of "too much" on a broadcast network.

How I Met You Mother - I love this show but I'm glad it's finally coming to an end. We do not have broadcast TV so we fell behind on the show. In Emily's earlier weeks we decided to play catch. The show has gotten better from the middle but the older seasons are definitely the best.

Once Upon a Time - So, so good! I was really scared they were going to drag out the story of breaking the spell over Storybrooke, but they didn't! It took a season and they did a wonderful job weaving in the new story arc for the next season. It almost got a little silly with all the new character introductions but they pulled it back in the last season. I'm excited for the next season.

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland - I was on the fence for the first few episodes but it has grown on me. Just like Once, the main story of the first season was resolved and not drawn out. I'm still not a huge fan of Alice but I do like Will. And Jafar is a pretty good villan.

Orange is the New Black - If it wasn't for a recommendation, I would not have even thought to have given it a chance. The series is interesting and can be jarring at times, but as the series went on, the characters became interesting. I'm not huge on the main character though. To me it's the others that make the show.

Princess Jellyfish - This is an adorable show. Eccentric characters with a lot of heart and spirit. It's too bad it was only 11 episodes. Kudos for using the word 'otaku' in its original definition and not the pop culture definition.

Pushing Daisies - A show that should have never died. It ended with 2 seasons. This show was so brilliant, quirky, funny, clever and heartfelt. All the characters were amazing and I wanted more! The icing was that Jim Dale was the narrator. The writers did a great job at wrapping up the show even though it was rushed.

The Tudors - I watched this show years ago but never got to finish it. I enjoyed the first couple of season but then it just kind of became 'meh'. After the first 2 wives, the show just blew through the rest. The focus changed a lot and I don't think they did a very good job at keeping a balance.

Dollhouse - I think this may be my favorite Joss Whedon show. Yay Helo! But seriously, the cast was great and the plot was really interesting. And of course it gets cancelled. Another show where the ending was cleaned up well even though it was rushed.

Doctor Who - Of course I can't forget the Doctor. And Nine is my favorite. Ten does have better stories though and Eleven is fun. I just feel that Eleven's stories are a little too all over the place sometimes. I am really excited for Peter Capaldi though. I've been wanting an older Doctor for a while and I'm looking forward to see what type of stories they give him.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Yes, I know it's not a TV series but it might as well be. I have watched a lot of movies as well but none of them are as extensive as the LOTR Extended Editions. I never get tired of watching these movies and the extras for them.

So there you have it. Like I said earlier, I have been watching a whole lot of TV. But Emily has become more efficient at breastfeeding so my TV viewing as gone down. I'm not complaining though. Once she can better amuse herself, I plan to watch even less. Maybe I can take up crafting again. That'd be nice.

Any thoughts about the shows I mentioned? Any requests?