At Least it is Premiere Week

This past week I flew to Montreal to visit my sister who had recently moved there with her boyfriend.  I was really looking forward to an escape from my daily routine and a change of scenery. I’d been to Montreal once before with my dad a few years back and was excited about exploring the city again with an ‘insider’.

One day in, I caught the flu. I most likely picked it up on the plane, the bus, or the metro. I rarely take public transit because of my dislike of crowds and fear of germs. I’d like to think that I’m an incessant hand-washer but I definitely lost this battle. I was so disappointed. I hate being sick!

So instead of sipping lattes at the corner café or packing a baguette into a picnic basket to take to the park or strolling down the cobblestone streets by the St. Lawrence River in the navy and white striped shirt I brought particularly for the occasion, I stayed in my pajamas and whined in bed. Thankfully it was premier week and there were some good shows for me to distract myself with.

But I don’t mean for this to be a pity party (trust me, I had enough time dedicated to that already). Rather, I thought I’d share a few thoughts on some of the shows I ended up watching.

Modern Family 

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I think Modern Family has become my new favorite show. I just wish it lasted more than 30 minutes! Fortunately last week we got a double dose of the laughs with two back-to-back shows.

I can never quite decide who my favourite characters are. I find them all relatable at times and yet they each stand out in their own way. The writing is just fantastic and I find myself laughing at almost every line. I suppose this explains all the recent Emmys. The new Lily seems to be cute but it always takes me a little while to adjust to a new actor playing the same character. It will probably feel normal within a couple weeks.

Can’t wait until the next show!

Pan Am

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I was really intrigued by the concept of this show. In fact in University, I once had a project where I designed a suite of conference materials for a mock convention targeting post-WWII airline stewardess recruits. How’s that for a coincidence?

I thought the dialogue was a little clunky in parts and some of the scenarios a bit cliché but the visuals were whimsical and pretty. I’m not sure if the show has quite settled out on an identity yet but that is to be expected in the pilot episode. With a bit of tinkering, it could prove to be quite a hit. Conversely, it could turn into a bad attempt to jump on the coattails of the hugely successful Mad Men. I look forward to see how the show pans out (sorry, bad pun).

Cake Boss

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After spotting some past clients at a Thai restaurant in Chelsea and then viewing the Lakawana Centre amongst the New Jersey skyline during our trip to NYC this summer, I’ve felt even more connected to the show Cake Boss.

I’ve always liked the balance between culinary creations and the big family drama. A Christening, a new factory, a collapsed chandelier cake and an anniversary, this season seems to be another serving of the same goodness I’ve come to expect.

Grey’s Anatomy 

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I was a huge fan of Grey’s Anatomy when it first premiered eight years ago.  I’ll admit that I jumped off the wagon for the last couple years. I really liked the comedy in the earlier seasons of the show and felt it got a bit too forced and dramatic. However, I figured I would give it a shot again despite not fully understanding where the storyline left off and not exactly knowing all the new characters.

I liked that the show focused more on the original cast, probably though because I relate to them a bit more. Of course there was the usual Meredith/Derek drama (which I wish they could finally sort out -- too much back and forth for my liking). Christina had to face a similar situation as in the earlier years but I’ve always liked her character so didn’t mind the repeat. Bailey is still her outspoken self which was fun. I’m hoping this show will return to its roots and be another regular on my PVR line-up.

So, what shows were you looking forward to this premiere week?