three more reasons to curl up with a good book tonight

I swear, people, I am the kiss of death when it comes to TV shows. The grim reaper of prime time. The minute I get interested in a program, it gets canceled. I no sooner get into a show than they give it the ax. It almost never fails. Latest ratings roadkill: Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone, Dirty Sexy Money.

Anna Friel as Chuck on Pushing Daisies
Anna Friel as Chuck on Pushing Daisies

It ticks me off because I found these shows engaging, with lovely touches of originality and heart. How can you not love a show with characters named Olive Snook? And Chuck’s wardrobe on Pushing Daisies–don’t get me started!
Eli had me the moment I saw him carrying around his dead father’s ashes in a “Chock Full o’ Nuts” coffee can. I could relate to him because as a writer, I pay close attention to the voices inside my head.
And Dirty Sexy Money…It’s just very frank. The title says it all. Don’t look for the Waltons here. Sigh. Don’t look for it at all, because according to sources, it’s history.
There is an up side! Turning off the TV leaves more time to read. And a book can never be canceled. Overdue at the library, yes. Canceled, no.

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  1. Sorry about your shows, Susan. What a bummer! A few years ago I got sick of TV and turned it off. Although this means I miss some “cultural” references, I guess one positive is that I am not disappointed when cancellation lists come out.

    As an aside, I wonder if they’ll sell the wardrobe from Pushing Daisies. Cute dress!

  2. Sorry about your shows, Susan. What a bummer! A few years ago I got sick of TV and turned it off. Although this means I miss some “cultural” references, I guess one positive is that I am not disappointed when cancellation lists come out.
    As an aside, I wonder if they’ll sell the wardrobe from Pushing Daisies. Cute dress!

  3. And I thought I was the kiss of death! I’ve been fairly lucky in recent years though many of my favorites will probably be ending this year (Scrubs, Friday Night Lights). I was surprised to hear that The Mentalist is actually watched. I’m not alone in my drooling over Simon Baker. The boy has more to worry about as he’s a fan of Life, Chuck, and Life on Mars – all of which do not have the greatest of ratings and the Jay Leno deal with NBC may hurt a lot of shows (Life on Mars is on ABC but equally low ratings).

    My problem is that I watch my television and then stay up until 1:30AM to read. With last night, I stayed up until 1:30AM and then woke up early to finish the last chapters and got to work on time. I’m a girl who likes to have it all. 🙂

  4. And I thought I was the kiss of death! I’ve been fairly lucky in recent years though many of my favorites will probably be ending this year (Scrubs, Friday Night Lights). I was surprised to hear that The Mentalist is actually watched. I’m not alone in my drooling over Simon Baker. The boy has more to worry about as he’s a fan of Life, Chuck, and Life on Mars – all of which do not have the greatest of ratings and the Jay Leno deal with NBC may hurt a lot of shows (Life on Mars is on ABC but equally low ratings).
    My problem is that I watch my television and then stay up until 1:30AM to read. With last night, I stayed up until 1:30AM and then woke up early to finish the last chapters and got to work on time. I’m a girl who likes to have it all. 🙂

  5. I too have had the same effect………I didn’t watch television for years, and when I started again, I heard some buzz about Grey’s Anatomy…….so I didn’t watch it. Not the first year, and finally started halfway through season 2. It didn’t get cancelled, so I watched a few others……..I liked one at first then the writing kind of tanked (October Road) and loved one other (Men in Trees), and watched faithfully, even when ABC yanked it around via timeslots and days it was on………so **Poof**, they are both gone. Uh huh.

    This season, Life On Mars was my pick, and it is going the way of MIT too, timeslot and day changes. ABC is a joke I swear. So, as I decided I was reaffirmed as the kiss of death – I am relieved to know that there are other intelligent people helping those good shows into the big hole too!

    …….and I do love that I have more time to read!

  6. I too have had the same effect………I didn’t watch television for years, and when I started again, I heard some buzz about Grey’s Anatomy…….so I didn’t watch it. Not the first year, and finally started halfway through season 2. It didn’t get cancelled, so I watched a few others……..I liked one at first then the writing kind of tanked (October Road) and loved one other (Men in Trees), and watched faithfully, even when ABC yanked it around via timeslots and days it was on………so **Poof**, they are both gone. Uh huh.
    This season, Life On Mars was my pick, and it is going the way of MIT too, timeslot and day changes. ABC is a joke I swear. So, as I decided I was reaffirmed as the kiss of death – I am relieved to know that there are other intelligent people helping those good shows into the big hole too!
    …….and I do love that I have more time to read!

  7. Pam, I actually believe the change in time for Life on Mars will help. I think the possibility of gleaning some of the Lost audience will help. The ratings for Life on Mars have been disappointing so I think it’s a move to help a show and not hurt it. Plus, the pairing with Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice can’t hurt either show as both of those are suffering as well this year. I’m not a huge fan of Life on Mars, but I know my husband would be sad to see it go and I’m sad to see anything he watches go off the air because it just means he’ll fill that time up with more sports watching.

  8. Pam, I actually believe the change in time for Life on Mars will help. I think the possibility of gleaning some of the Lost audience will help. The ratings for Life on Mars have been disappointing so I think it’s a move to help a show and not hurt it. Plus, the pairing with Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice can’t hurt either show as both of those are suffering as well this year. I’m not a huge fan of Life on Mars, but I know my husband would be sad to see it go and I’m sad to see anything he watches go off the air because it just means he’ll fill that time up with more sports watching.

  9. April, I think you are right on that day move – maybe it will get a bit of a ratings boost. Life On Mars is a weird show, but in a funky enough way that it appeals to me on some level. I understand about the “filler” sports shows 🙂 so I hope it stays on the air for HIM (or rather you VBG!) BTW I loved the photo you linked to with you and the little one. Enjoy it girl, they grow way too fast !

  10. April, I think you are right on that day move – maybe it will get a bit of a ratings boost. Life On Mars is a weird show, but in a funky enough way that it appeals to me on some level. I understand about the “filler” sports shows 🙂 so I hope it stays on the air for HIM (or rather you VBG!) BTW I loved the photo you linked to with you and the little one. Enjoy it girl, they grow way too fast !

  11. Yea that happens. I was going to start to watch more “Dirty, Sexy Money” when ER went off the air. This would have something good to watch on Thursday nights.
    But that’s the life of a TV show, not enough people watch it. They are replacing this with the Practice, I think.

    My other show that was cancelled that I really liked was “Vegas”. But again not picked up after 4 or 5 yrs on the air.

  12. Yea that happens. I was going to start to watch more “Dirty, Sexy Money” when ER went off the air. This would have something good to watch on Thursday nights.
    But that’s the life of a TV show, not enough people watch it. They are replacing this with the Practice, I think.
    My other show that was cancelled that I really liked was “Vegas”. But again not picked up after 4 or 5 yrs on the air.

  13. I”m always reading a book, like you said, once you get hooked on a show it gets canceled. I shouldn’t watch the bachelor but its fun to watch how low a women will go just to fall in love. I hope that it will work-out this time with Jason for he’s a hunk also a nice guy. I sure wish that your book Just breathe was in paper back, can’t afford hard cover at this time. My library doesn’t have it until its been out for a year. I asked for it for Christmas but didn’t get any books, thats the way it happens around my house. I will get fireside in Feb. I love your books. Thanks, Carole F.

  14. I”m always reading a book, like you said, once you get hooked on a show it gets canceled. I shouldn’t watch the bachelor but its fun to watch how low a women will go just to fall in love. I hope that it will work-out this time with Jason for he’s a hunk also a nice guy. I sure wish that your book Just breathe was in paper back, can’t afford hard cover at this time. My library doesn’t have it until its been out for a year. I asked for it for Christmas but didn’t get any books, thats the way it happens around my house. I will get fireside in Feb. I love your books. Thanks, Carole F.

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