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Why Watch That

Television has taken over the Why Watch That Podcast, and we’re doing our best to keep up. In this episode, the Critic and the Referee continue their conversation about television. They review some new shows and give you updates on some shows that they have discussed in the past. Enjoy the journey through the television-show web!

Legends – (crime drama)
Developed by Howard Gordon, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, and Mark Bomback
Premieres on August 13, 2014 on TNT

Plot: Martin Odum (Sean Bean) is an undercover FBI agent who changes himself into a different person for each case. A “mysterious stranger” causes him to question his sanity.

Critic: “I have better things to do with my time.” “It’s not a bad show, just not good enough.”

Partners – (comedy)
Created by Robert L. Boyett and Robert Horn
Premiered on FX on August 4, 2014

Plot: Partners is an American sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer and Martin Lawrence as Chicago lawyers from different backgrounds who develop a partnership after they unexpectedly meet in court on the worst day of each of their lives.

Critic: “None of this was funny; I didn’t even try to laugh!”
Referee: “Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out.”

Outlander – (Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi)
Created by Ronald D. Moore
Premiered on August 9, 2014 on the Starz network

Plot: In 1945, married World War II nurse Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) finds herself transported back to 1743 Scotland, where she finds civil war and the dashing Scottish warrior Jamie Fraser.

Critic: “This is for the romantics; it gets better with time.”

The Strain – (vampire horror/drama)
Created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Premiered on FX on July 13, 2014

Plot: A plane lands at John F. Kennedy International Airport with the lights off and its doors sealed. Epidemiologist Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and his team are sent to investigate. On board, they find 206 corpses and four survivors. The situation deteriorates when the bodies begin to disappear from morgues. Goodweather and a small group of helpers find themselves battling to protect not only their own loved ones, but also the entire city from an ancient threat to humanity.

Critic: “If you want a thrill, this is it!”

True Blood – (drama/fantasy/mystery)
Created by Alan Ball
Premiered September 7, 2008 on HBO

Plot: The series revolves around Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a telepathic Human-Fairy hybrid who encounters a strange new supernatural world when she meets the mysterious Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a southern Louisiana gentleman and vampire. The show explores several contemporary issues, such as the struggle for equal rights, discrimination, and violence against minorities and homosexuals.

Critic: “I was a fan for the first two seasons.”

Referee: “This was just a fad. I’m done with fangs.” “We’ve been over-saturated with blood-sucking things.”

The Leftovers – (drama/fantasy)
Created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta
Premiered June 29, 2014 on HBO

Plot: The Leftovers takes place in the wake of a global “Rapture” (possibly the same as the Biblical rapture) and centers around the people in a suburban community who are subsequently left behind.

Critic: “This is not going to appeal to everyone.”

The Knick – (medical drama)
Created by Steven Katz, Michael Begler, and Jack Amiel
Premiered August 8, 2014 on Cinemax

Plot: In 1900, New York City’s Knickerbocker Hospital operates with innovative surgeons, nurses, and other staff who have to overcome medicinal limitations to prevent staggeringly high mortality rates. Dr. John Thackery (Clive Owen), the newly appointed chief of surgery, battles a cocaine and opium addiction. Despite that battle, he maintains a high reputation among his peers and has an ambition for medical discoveries. Harvard graduate Dr. Algernon Edwards (partially based on historical figure, Marshall Taylor) must fight for respect within the all-white-populated hospital, as well as the racially charged city. While literally struggling to keep the lights on, the hospital attempts to attract a wealthy clientele without sacrificing quality care.

Critic: “Another one of my favorites to watch.”

The Honorable Woman – (British spy thriller eight part mini-series)
Directed and written by Hugo Blick for the BBC and SundanceTV. Premiered on Sundance on July 31, 2014.

Plot: This miniseries focuses on Vanessa “Nessa” Stein (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a woman who inherits her father’s arms business and finds herself in an international maelstrom as she continues to promote the reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.

Critic: “It’s very difficult to follow and a big investment of your time.”
Referee: “I don’t like Maggie Gyllenhaal…”