Local Networks Hit Home Runs

Through most of the fall season, I am nothing more than a plant, and the television set is my ray of sunshine. Through downpours of drama, the cold fog of Mystery/Suspense, and a touch of frost of the Supernatural, I grow wild, wanting to know more. Rose petals melt of love, and thorns bleed with revenge. Tears curve down toward earth, and we hope, we pray for the return of the new and returned shows. But the axe is falling, aimed for the stem, and if all I hold dear were to fade to black, then no more would I remain where I have always sat, a couch potato.

5. The Cape

There is a need for heroes, a cry for justice. Smallville is flying up, up and away, leaving a void behind. Heroes are no more. We find comfort with Sanctuary, but still we need more. Yet, the cape is hung up for now, wrapped in cancellation. Would he ever return home? Would Chess finally meet his endgame? The story is far from over but far from our reach, and another heroes journey into destiny lies now only in imagination. Yet, heroes are alive and well in cinema, taking us back to childhood moments, where we spent endless hours reading about our favorite comic book heroes and their amazing adventures, and we march into the theater with anticipation, excitement, and with youth thundering in our hearts. But why should television remain dark, deprived of these origins and legends?

4. Being Human

What is it that lures us into the heart of monsters? Is it their eternal kiss, those fangs sinking deeply into our skin, and drinking us into the stories of their lives? How did it all begin, and where will it all end? Within the darkness is a flicker of hope, a trace of humanity, and despite the centuries past, love would never be forgotten. He had to know her, and in knowing her, her life would be forever changed, crisscrossing their journey across the pages of The Vampire Diaries. Their travels have taken them from here to hell to heaven and back, and their journey is far from over but no longer cruising the end of the world in the Supernatural. We see them as monsters, but underneath all the fangs and fur, what truly lies beneath? Is there a heart beating somewhere in the deep, calling to be loved? Was what was lost to be found in a new life, a new path? Could redemption wash all the blood away, keeping the ghosts at bay? We are captivated, entranced by the conflict of light and darkness stretching before us, stealing our breath away, and locking us into the heart and soul of who we call monsters, monsters that are only wanting to Being Human.

3. Hawaii Five-O

We have been bombarded with invasion from the movies to television, and there is no rest for the weary, the wicked, or the remake. And some originals are best left alone like with V, but then again, some are in need of new blood, a touch of the next generation of talent, a flower now in bloom. This coming fall, we will see the return of heroes lost, Wonder Woman and Hulk, and the cries in the dark are the howls of the Teen Wolf, chasing the footsteps of Buffy, Angel, and Charmed. Or so we're told, but for right now, the waves of Drama are cresting high, ready to tear down with action and cliffhanger, and wash us away in tears of laughter and sorrow at the stories unfolding across the sandy beaches of Hawaii Five-O. Hot bodies, bold dedication, and smirks and grins are all we need to forget the world outside, and until that final sunset, I remain rooted, bathing in delight and anticipation.

2. Blue Bloods

If there were no reminder, no image, would we forget Superman, a hero dedicated to saving our lives and keeping the world safe from harm? The streets are not paved in gold but in red, and bullets fly, hunting innocence. Crime is on the rise, the shadows that stalk us, Criminal Minds bent on our destruction, but The Shield is burning, a phoenix of fire. They would never give up, never fall back, but fight, fight for us, and the team of Law & Order: SVU continues to wage war against those that would tear our world down, leaving bitter scars behind. The towers have fallen, breaking spirit, but from the ashes, our heroes rise, carrying us up on their shoulders. And we say, "Rescue Me." There is no Superman but the men and women dressed in blue, sworn to protect us, and keep the world from harm, and as they take to the streets, their hearts are strong, empowered by the bonds of family. And we fall into their embrace, warm with dedication, and our tears are heaven's rain that fall gracefully across their mighty wings. And they march forward to take this world back from the brink, true blue, Blue Bloods.

1. Detroit 1-8-7

What is it about television shows that make us fall in love? Is it the heroes that we meet, the Jack Bauer's that we need, or those falling into destiny like in Stargate: Universe? Is it the danger, the conflict that surrounds them, or is it the chemistry, the dedication of partners that have your back? But what if we can't save them, losing them to tragedy? What happens to our heroes then? Do they give up, retire to long lost hopes and promises, and disappear into the wintry wonderland of cancellation, or do they stay and fight? A dangerous opponent is waiting, and the trials of his actions have become definition to the man that holds us in hand, dangling us across a heart of gold, and carrying us with the weight of his world, a world that we beg to return to. But will another great show fall to cancellation, breaking our heart into two, and will we be left wondering what has become of the characters never to be forgotten, heroes chasing the ghosts of NYPD Blue and Third Watch, great television shows that were given a chance to rise and shine. What is it about television shows that make us fall in love? It is the characters that wait to take us in and carry us away, but will our love save them, keep them from falling into tragedy, gone Without A Trace?