Well summer is over and its back to school for the kids and with season 2 of the Apprentice staring the intimidating Donald Trump is back on and year two for the armchair MBA students has started. (See archive ...)

As you all know I am a big fan of television it has been at times my teacher, babysitter, memory and all around companion. Not to mention I used to be able to tell the exact time of day by what was showing on any station. I know some will say that this is sad but hey it's cheap and I can cut it off at any time; says the addict, how many friends can you do that to when your irritated. Books and television were, the Spock and McCoy, to my Kirk, until I went to college, and still then they were always close by- a constant. So what kind of a host would I be not inviting television to join Defiant. meta-creation_date: 7/21/2004 01:16:00

Television is arguably a finite entity, I mean when you miss a show you find yourself literally waiting till the summer to catch it again in most cases, or hope that the show racks up enough episodes to make it to the promised land of syndication. But whichever the case it still remains that when you miss it, you just miss it. So here is a solution, at least for some shows, active serial television reviews.

Because you can actually go out and catch the movie in the theater or on DVD or pick up the book, if you miss it, you still have access to the story as it was intended in it's entirety. So telling too much about the show, thus spoiling the ending is a very serious problem going into writing any kind of a review. You strive to give as much information to allow someone to grasp the concept, the enthusiasm of the picture; without destroying the structure of rising and falling expectations, which the writers/ filmmakers put into place for the reader/viewers pleasure. Worrying about revealing the ending or plot point does not usually apply to "a dog of a movie". If the movie is a bow wow that bad, I really don't care if people see it or not... see my review coming later of King Arthur or check out the mini review on Ookee.com. On Defiant the TV reviews will be handled differently from the Movie and the Book reviews.

With television being so episodic one really needs to know what story wise went before to a certain degree to grasp the intrigues of what has happened and/or will be happening during the series. I will be giving you (hopefully) an informed blow by blow description of what happened on the show previously, so that when you do jump on board you will be up to speed for that next show and the series in general. The only time I won't give a blow by blow is if the show has a repeat episode on later that week giving those who missed it the first time, a chance to catch up on their own. (Unless have to post to keep my schedule... sorry in advanced)

With each post of the series I will try to have the title and airdate I viewed it. As well too I will try to delve into character construction while noting patterns, story arcs, or other points of story development while at the same time keeping true to the essence and feel of the show. Are you ready?

Here we go; were starting with 4400 the new science fiction show on the USA network:

Remember when you used to stay up late on friday night in September waiting to watch the fall previews for the new cartoons that would be coming on mere hours from then?

Well your at it again. There is really nothing to post here because there are no real new shows premiering right now during the summer; or at least none I want to talk about. But in case a show does come on and your wondering what the Defiant One thinks about that show, drop me a line and let me know what it is and I will check it out. I might post a review of it, plus or minus.

Until then I'll see you all this fall for: American Idol, The Apprentice, Enterprise, what ever they are filling the Friends & Fraiser holes with, American Chopper, Moster House, Monster Garage, The Saturday Morning Cartoon Line Up, and many, many more shows.

I am like a crackhead when it comes to television and I need my fall fix

What's On Tonight? The rallying cry of the once and future couch potatoes and latch key kids.

I like television as millions of us do. Like anything you have to be able to wade through the silt and the muck to find the pearls. Here we will talk of and about tv and reviews or analyze our favorite shows and on occasion point you to something buried in the muck and the silt.