Men in Trees

Last night a new ABC show debuted. Men in Trees. The premise is a relationship self-help author is signed up to go to a very small town in Alaska to promote her new book--I know, I know - the bullshit meter is running high already-- and while she's there she decides all men are scum but decides to stick around in Alaska and forgo an appearance on Oprah to study men and try to decipher them. Now, I grant you that almost anything would be better than being on Oprah--but maybe this is that "almost anything" that is worse. LOL

I didn't like the first episode all that much but I think the show has potential. I found the writing to be uneven with a good scene here and there and stupid stuff all around them. Having a raccoon raiding a closet for clothing in winter seemed odd to me--you'd think the little furball would be more interested in food and besides, the clothes probably won't fit. I thought the standup routines in the show were much better written than the outdoorsy aspects. Maybe since the show is set in rural Alaska they should get writers who've at least been outdoors in a cold region a few times.

Men in Trees--the name is derived from a sign that the Anne Heche character sees when she first gets to the town--is definitely a show that will attract a heavily female demographic. It'll be interesting to see if it can attract many male viewers. It's normal timeslot is 9pm on Fridays right after Grey's Anatomy so it's got a very strong lead-in. Only time will tell how many of those Grey's Anatomy watchers will stick around for Men in Trees. I'll watch the first 3 shows to see if it improves--but you won't ever catch me watching Grey's Anatomy again.

I also watched the second episode of Standoff last night. It's a show on FOX about FBI negotiators. I didn't see the first episode but it looks mildly interesting. Like so many shows, the action is good but the romantic involvement between the lead characters (is this really necessary?!!?) isn't very well written or acted. I wish the networks would occasionally make an action show that didn't have all the kissing and talking BS going on as subplots.

Comments

Karen said…
Well, I'm a huge Grey's fan, but this doesn't sound very promising to me. Plus, I have so many favorite shows that I need to start to be a little picky.

Here via Michele's today!
Anonymous said…
I, too, have found that the networks don't really work at having anything decent to throw out there -- they just put it out there and see what happens. I started to watch Standoff last week after the new House episode (one of my few can't-misses), but I got distracted very quickly. Not much I have to see these days.

Here via Michele this afternoon!
Margaret said…
I'm somewhat actively trying to avoid new shows--the one I though I'd like "Vanished" snuck a couple episodes past me so I think I missed the boat.

How are you liking Bones? I'm reading one of the books now, and I am again surprised how few real similarities there are between the two.
srp said…
Here from Michele.

Perhaps that was why X-files was so popular. There was that tension, sometimes he seemed very attentive, sometimes she did, but things kept getting in the way. Finally at the end... sigh.

I really liked the fact that Scully was a physician, forensic pathologist and an FBI agent. I could relate a bit. The technical advisors did a pretty good job with the correct jargon anyway.
kenju said…
Is Grey's too much of a "chick" show for you?
Catherine said…
No sign of "Men in Trees" in New Zealand yet. I watched the first series of Grey's, but I don't love it enough to keep watching now that they are running it, in the same prime time slot, all over again. i wish they'd use that time for something else, like "The West Wing" or "Monk" or even "Commander in Chief" (not nearly as good as the West Wing, in my opinion), all of which have been hidden away late at night.
Instead we get lots of reality TV.
Here from Michele's
Azgreeneyes said…
Sometimes I feel like yelling at the networks that I'm a simple creature, do we REALLY need 3 or 4 sub plots on top of the regular? Could be from PMS, though...

Here via Michele's
Shephard said…
I tend to watch 3 episodes of a new show as well! It seems the right amount to get a feel for things.

Visiting from Michele's. :)
~S
Anonymous said…
Truly the only new show I'm excited about is Aaron Sorkin's new offering.
utenzi said…
Judy, yes, grey's anatomy is way too much of a soap opera for me. I don't think it's strictly chick-ish but it is annoying!

Teresa, you're right. Grey's on Thursdays not Fridays. And Survivor is not good to watch!
Unknown said…
Cool post,Utenzi! But I admit to being clueless on many of the shows you've named. All I know is Mulder's detective partner on that creepy sci-fi police show--the red head (What IS her name?!) is so damn hot! I hate it when I can't think of names!
Michelle said…
I agree with your take on Bones. I find it very annoying that these writers feel it neecessary to throw in romantic sub plots, especially into crime shows. I watch them for the legal aspect, not the romance. At least with Greys you kinda know that you'll get the romance stuff..you come to expect it, not with FBI dramas though.
Anonymous said…
I love your slugs!!
I too am an avid Grey's fan, or was until the ridiculous season finale. It may be over for Grey's.

Hi from Michele's!
Anonymous said…
I thought for ~ 20 minutes for something else to write about Anne Heche.. but there quite literaly nothing else to say except that Anne Heche Sucks. I have house plants that out act her, on their worst of days...

If you want a good tv series to get into watch Battlestar Galactica.

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