New Year Resolutions

Welcome to the last day of 2009. Not only that, welcome to the last day of the decade. I’m sure you’ve all been reading lists regarding the best television shows and best characters from the past 10 years, so I’m not going to focus on that. Instead, let’s talk resolutions. I gave up a long time ago on that gym membership, so instead I’m making more realistic goals for myself, all centered around – you guessed it – television.

Be brave; try more new shows
This one will be hard for me. Reason being that shows I actually enjoy inevitably get canceled before all episodes can be aired. Case in point: Eastwick. I enjoyed this show as a Charmed meets Desperate Housewives set up, and not only did ABC cancel it, they also skipped an episode before the last one they ever aired. Things like this and knowing how quickly shows get canned kept me from enjoying Modern Family and Cougartown when they premiered and I had to play catch-up. I understand money issues and advertising when it comes to airing shows, but there needs to be some way to keep those who actually enjoy television from becoming disgruntled. Maybe start with not skipping remaining episodes and airing them all before pulling the plug? I don’t know, just a suggestion.

Re-watch old favorites
With LOST ending this year, and Battlestar Galactica having ended earlier, I think it’s time to pony up and re-watch both shows from beginning to end. Of course, LOST will be a summer project (and hopefully by then the sixth and final season will be available on DVD). Another show worth re-watching will definitely be Arrested Development (something else cut down in its prime). I’m going to get lofty and say I’d like to re-watch all of The X-Files which means that I’d have to sit through seasons eight and nine, but maybe the sting of that wound has healed enough over the years. And to really overshoot my goal, I’d love to re-watch all of Will & Grace, because damn if I don’t miss the Jack and Karen show.

Don’t let the DVR pile up
I made the mistake of doing that this year more than once, and it took me weeks to get caught up. Television watching actually became stressful so clearly, I need to space out what I’m watching. If only Wednesdays and Thursdays (and coming soon in 2010, Tuesdays??) weren’t so jam packed! Instead of blowing off catching up when I have free time, it’s time to commit, commit, commit.

Finally, be more vocal about great (and even good) T.V.
You’d think that having a blog would pretty well have me on the right path, but the truth is (as anyone who reads this on a regular basis knows) that life gets in the way quite a bit. There are times I’d love to come here immediately and rant and rave with everyone, but my job beckons, and the one that pays me money actually sucks my soul. Sadly, as much as I wish this weren’t true, I don’t always have time for the blog. In a fantastic world, this is what I would do for a living, but since I neither know anyone who can get me into the world of professional (?) blogging or know anyone at Entertainment Weekly (seriously, someone from there feel free to call me) I come here when I can. I just hope that lengthy absences are rewarded with people wanting more updates, not wishing I would go away.

So, those are my T.V. driven goals – what are yours? Let me know in the comments, and let’s make this a great New Year (and decade!) for television.