Questions & Answers

That Sound You Hear? » Ocean by Hanna-McEuen
Current Meteorological Threat » Hurricane Katrina
Big News » A hilarious Dallas gas station owner posted on his price sign, instead of the actual prices, an arm, a leg, and "your first born." Who knew gas station owners were funny.

Now, today's story...

I promised one more television-related post this week. And here it is. Shield your eyes if you can't handle it.

September is around the corner and that means shows that left off in May are going to pick up very soon. Some ended in huge cliffhangers while others — did not. So here's what I remember, what I know, what I expect to happen this fall.

Last season, ABC ended up being my "most-watched" network. Basically they had more shows that I was interested in than anybody else. One being Lost.

Lost ended with a huge cliffhanger yet barely answered any of the season's questions. The finale left us wondering what was inside of the hatch that Locke and Boone found and why "the others" kidnapped Walt. We also don't know (unless you read those horrible spoilers) whether Michael, Sawyer or Jin will make it back to the island alive, their raft having been blown to bits.

From what I understand, many questions will be answered within the first three episodes. Of course it wouldn't be Lost if more questions weren't raised. The ratio of raised-questions to answered-questions on this show is extremely high. You have to have patience and trust in the writers in order to really enjoy it. Which I do. The new season premieres on Wednesday, September 21 on ABC.

Alias also ended with a head-scratcher. The man we've come to know as Michael Vaughn for the last four seasons informs that that is in fact not his real name — seconds before the car he's driving is sideswiped, leaving us to wonder for three months whether he's dead and we'll never know his true identity.

Once again, the writers assure us answers early on. We appreciate that. Season five debuts on a new night, Thursday, September 29 on ABC.

Boston Legal sort of fizzled out with ABC sort of I guess forgetting about it when Grey's Anatomy turned out to be a viewer favorite. It's yet another David E. Kelley comedy/drama — only this time he hit the target. I've been enjoying the writing of Boston Legal very much. Nobody writes anything quite like he does.

The five episodes that didn't get aired last season will open this season, making it 27 long instead of the typical 22. It also premieres on a new night, Tuesday, September 27 on ABC.

Moving away from ABC leaves me with only three more shows to mention (one for each remaining network — and not counting the two comedies I watch). First is 24 on FOX. Only it doesn't return to the schedule until next January. I'll be looking forward to it.

NCIS is the only CBS show I even consider watching (aside from the occasional CSI: Miami). I'm looking forward to the third season premiere to see how they deal with Kate's murder in the final seconds of the finale. Not only that, but this is one of the only CBS shows that has actual dialogue, and you know, human interaction. NCIS is back on Tuesday, September 20.

Last but not least is one of my personal favorites for a long time. The West Wing enters its seventh season on a new night, Sunday, September 25. This will be a real season of change considering President Bartlet's term is coming to an end. Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda are running for president to replace Martin Sheen.

Everyone's been approaching this season as though it will be the last. But I'd bet a million bucks that if there's a ratings surge when the new president is selected, season eight won't quite be mere online "fanfic." And who knows? President Hawkeye? I'd watch that.

That's all I've got for today. By the way, I'm still contemplating a television blog to write my reviews in (not that you really care), but the likelihood is it will conflict too much with my Lightning game reviews over at Delay of Game — to say nothing of school and work.

Almost forgot about those.

Happy birthday, Elissa!

Eye In The Sky: Recently I posted some cool satellite pictures I found on Google Maps. I thought I'd share a few more today, such as Tampa International Airport, Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Empire State Building, the London Eye, The Kremlin and Red Square, USS Yorktown air craft carrier in South Carolina (on which I have personally spent the night), and the site where the World Trade Center once stood in Manhattan.