Murder, ‘Lost’ returns and time travel

Now that we’re knee-deep in new television programming, it can be difficult to choose which shows to watch live, which to TiVo and which to skip altogether.

That’s where I come in. For the rest of the semester, I’ll be providing my diligently researched opinion on what should be watched for that respective week, along with my personal thoughts on an issue that has caught my attention.

What to watch,
01/25 – 01/31
“Fringe,” “The No-Brainer,” Tuesday at 9 p.m. on FOX – This episode’s premise doesn’t scream anything beyond the “Fringe” norm (a murder liquefying brains), but the recent promises we’ve heard about the show kicking it into new mythological gear for the second half of the season should have you tuning in. “Fringe” might not be “Lost,” but there are plenty of mysteries and intriguing connections to take in.

“Lost,” “Jughead,” Wednesday at 9 p.m. on ABC – After the amazing two-hour premiere last night that set the stage for the Oceanic 6’s return to the island and boat-load of time travel, look for this episode to be a fan favorite due to its emphasis on Desmond, Daniel and big bad Charles Widmore (No Oceanic 6 in this one). I’ve also heard rumblings about a significant death among the main cast.

What to TiVo
“The Last Templar” Part II, Monday at 9 p.m. on NBC – I’m typically not a fan of miniseries stunts, but this one has a substantial pedigree. The book it is based on was on The New York Times Bestseller list for 22 weeks, the producers behind it have won Emmys for their previous miniseries work and the cast (Mira Sorvino, Scott Foley and Victor Garber) thought it was good enough to sign on.

“Life on Mars,” “Take a Look at the Lawmen,” Wednesday on ABC at 10 p.m. – This remake of a British hit of the same name has been the most enjoyable new show of the season. And after a two-month long break, “Mars” is back with more of Sam Tyler’s time travel-tinged stories that also mix in great “cop show” elements that make it a perfect watch after a night of comedy on NBC.
 
Rant of the week
I’m not sure how to feel about the supposed reboot of “Heroes” during its second half this year. It’s great to see Bryan Fuller – who powered season one’s creative direction – back in the writer’s room, but there’s absolutely no trust between the audience and the writers. We’ve heard this speech from the show this past fall, and the first arc of the year was a complete mess that led to execs Jeph Loeb and Jesse Alexander being axed.

“Heroes” doesn’t need a half-cocked reboot; it needs to be canceled. Though the show was a phenomenon in its first season, it was never because it had great writing. Audiences were wrapped up in the “superheroes on TV” gimmick, the “Save the Cheerleader, Save the World” catchphrase and Masi Oka’s cuteness.

The writing on “Heroes” has always been mediocre, and the characters are always changing motives. And the unwillingness to kill off characters just because they’re popular or attractive – hello, Sylar and whomever Ali Larter is playing now – has stymied the writing even more. Until the show kills off most of the cast and fires most of the writing staff, “Heroes” will continue to be a mess, so why not save us all the trouble and cancel it now?