Bring It Back: TV Shows I'd Like To Return

As an avid television watcher I've watched plenty of shows. Some are still airing, others were unfortunately cancelled or have come to an end. I wanted to share with you my list of television shows I'd like to come back, even if there is no chance!

Witches Of East End

If you really know me you'd know I have a love for the former lifetime series Witches of East End. I've joined many fans, rallying for the shows return. I've created banners that were even shared by the shows stars Mädchen Amick, Rachel Boston, and Jenna Dewan via twitter. The show was around for two seasons, I'm hoping the show will eventually be picked up for a third season by Netflix and a Netflix Original.I won't give up hope on this one!



Melrose Place 2.0

We all must admit, the reboot of the 90s classic Melrose Place was definitely a disaster! It had so much potential but for me it was a huge disappointment. Why? For many reasons. First off, killing off Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton) in the first episode was a huge mistake! Although she, thankfully, made appearances in flashbacks she should have been the apartment manager throughout the season. Killing her off as the season finale's plot twist could have been cool, but the whole "Who Killed Sydney Andrews" storyline was a horrible first season focus. I would've liked the show to continue, in hopes they would bring back more originals like Allison Parker (Courtney Thorne-Smith), Kimberly Shaw (Marcia Cross), Megan Lewis (Kelly Rutherford), and even Peter Burns (Jack Wagner). With them returning the show would have been perfect, but unfortunately it just wasn't even close to perfect...
Lets have a Melrose Place 3.0 and forget this mess ever happened, right?!


Ringer


I've dedicated a lot of time rallying, hoping the CW series Ringer would return but sadly that never happened. The series starred Sarah Michelle Gellar and with its constant thrills and plot twists it was a much watch series of 2011-2012. I rallied with many other fans for years, and have even made a website dedicated to the rallies and the shows return, but sadly it was all a failure. The show did last for a full season at least, but sadly the CW never even released it on DVD. As much as I would love the show back I know it won't happen. All I really ask now from the CW is to release the first season on DVD finally.



Charmed

Another Aaron Spelling series and another witchy favorite of mine was Charmed. The show ended expectedly in 2006 but I think it's about time for a revival? Lets get a power of four together. Bringing the TV show back would be great, but a movie would be even greater. Who wouldn't want to see the power of three (maybe even get Prue back to make it four!)?
Although this happening is unlikely it would be pretty neat to see.

Hey at least they're still doing Charmed comics to keep it alive? Right?






Persons Unknown

1. 
   

   

   Another show cancelled after just one season, Persons Unknown. Think of it as a better version of Under The Dome. The NBC series was about a group of strangers who were taken out of their everyday lives. The strangers then wake up in a deserted down with no recollection of how they got there and no way out. With constant motorization they must fight to survive. It was such a great show, I'm surprised it didn't make it. The show is sadly another that isn't available on DVD, but it is on Netflix so it's worth checking out!

Those are the only shows I'm going to list for now!

- John Collins

Bates Motel -- "We all go a little mad sometimes"

Bates Motel will be returning March 9th, and I can't wait. When the series premiered on March 18th 2013 I was highly disappointed. I felt as if Freddie Highmore did a horrible job portraying Norman Bates, but a few episodes later I realized his portrayal of my favorite Psycho character was amazing. Although I've learned to love Highmore, Norman Bates definitely isn't my favorite character of the series. Norma Bates, portrayed by the amazing Vera Farmiga, happens to be my favorite character of the series and I cannot help but love her. If Norma was my mother I'd definitely want an incestuous relationship with her!

Anyway with season 3 coming who knows what will happen next. I'm expecting Norman and his mother will eventually get even closer. Rumor has it Norma Bates might soon be killed by Norman, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. The craziness is just getting started and I'm already to check in!



A trailer for the season has just been released and I'm loving the Psycho reference, "We all go a little mad sometimes".


If you haven't yet catch up on Bates Motel on Netflix now before the season 3 premiere on March 9th!
- John Collins

My Thoughts On: American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang, was assigned to my English class to read. I have mixed opinions on the graphic novel. First off, read the graphic novel with an open mind. It can be considered very racist and stereotypical, but I believe that's what makes the story so interesting. There were three different story lines, each introducing us to new characters. Each of the three story lines had the one single idea of wanting to fit in.                                          
The first story line introduced us to character Jin Wang who started a new life in a new home and a new school. He struggled to fit in with his new classmates who only see his differences. His classmates focus only on the negative stereotypes they have heard about the Chinese people. He's constantly mocked, and the only friend he can find is a bully who threatens to make Jin eat his boogers if he won't share his food. I find his character so relatable. In school I've always been the odd one out of everyone, basically because I'm different. I wasn't like the other kids around me. My favorite movies and music were from the 70s/80s, and it's hard to find a circle you can relate to when their interests seem to be the pop bullshit overplayed on any local radio station. I was also an avid learner/reader which basically isn't normal to people around me.  

http://cbldf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/jinwangintro.png

In the second story line , the King of the Monkeys is angered when he is turned away at a party for being a monkey. No matter how much skill he acquires, he is belittled for being a monkey. In his anger, he beats the hell out of multiple people using his kung fu skills. Finally, he receives a visit from the great Tze-Yo-Tzuh, a god, who encourages the Monkey King to accept his role in life and to take enjoyment in that role. Be proud you are a monkey, he seems to be saying. The Monkey King won't listen and is "punished" for his refusal. I found that the King of the Monkeys had this built up anger and seemed to let it out often. His character might be familiar to those who might have read Journey to the West (a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty..)

In the third, and my least favorite, story line, a teenage boy named Danny feels humiliated everytime his cousin Chin-Kee comes to visit him. Chin-Kee has buck teeth, can't correctly speak, and generally makes a fool of himself. The story line was absolutely painful to read and if I were to ever re-read this graphic novel I'd gladly skip over the parts that feature Chin-Kee. 

Overall I'd rate the graphic novel a 3.2/5. It was entertainingly funny, featured great graphics, and although I didn't care for one of the three plots I liked how they all tied together in the end.

- John C.

Melissa & Joey + Sabrina's Teenage Witch

 Melissa & Joey has officially been cancelled after four successful seasons. The series starred former witch Sabrina Spellman Melissa Joan Hart along side Joey Lawrence. ABC Family's programming executive Karey Burke explained:

        "We are proud of the milestones Melissa & Joey has achieved, being the     network’s first sitcom to reach 100 episodes and the network’s first comedy to win a People’s Choice Award. Now that the kids are grown and Mel and Joe have married and are looking towards starting a family, it seemed like a natural time to bring the series to a close. We are grateful to Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, and the whole cast and crew who worked so hard on this successful show."

 Her announcement left me puzzled. The kids were grown from the beginning of the series, wouldn't the next logical step be Mel getting pregnant? Just because Mel and Joe are finally married doesn't necessarily mean the show should end. Why didn't they move forward with the show? But this is ABC family we're talking about, they've cancelled a lot of great shows with only one season. At least Melissa & Joey lasted for four seasons.

Now with Melissa Joan Hart no longer tied up with a show how about starting a new one. I'd love it if they continued the 90s fan favourite Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. Continuing the show would be a great move, and show continuations seem to be popular nowadays (For instance Heroes, and more currently, the Boy Meets World continuation, Girl Meets World). The continuation would attract new viewers and of course older ones. Perhaps call it Sabrina's Teenage Witch. Sabrina and Harvey could be raising a little witch of their own, maybe even a few. Salem would have to return! I would love it if that happened, but I'm extremely doubtful.

All I can say is keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best.




18 more episodes are left of Melissa & Joey, one of which airs tomorrow night guest starring the amazing Valerie Harper.









- John C.