Mary McNamara: Watching TV, a job with regrets

Everyone has had the experience of disagreeing with a critic, but do critics ever second-guess themselves? We asked Calendar's critics whether there are any reviews they regret. One in a series of occasional articles.

When you watch television for a living, the pleasures are many. I was able to watch the entire season of "In Treatment" before the first episode aired, and I spent weeks immersing myself in "Battlestar Galactica" to refresh the old memory before the final season premiered.

But there are, of course, disappointments, even regrets.

Although I can't really think of a review that I would have done differently, I do wish the rest of NBC's “Bionic Woman” had been as good as the pilot and that they had given Katee Sackhoff the lead. In fact, it would be nice if the networks sent out more than the pilot for review; sometimes it's difficult to tell which way things are going to go from just one episode.

I wish someone else could have reviewed "John Adams," because I knew people would hate me for not loving it (I still get the occasional irate e-mail), but I really didn't, so what else could I say?

I wish I understood why so many people watched the new "Knight Rider," which was terrible, while so few watched “In Treatment,” which was wonderful. (Actually I really don't want to know because it would probably be too upsetting.)

I wish “New Amsterdam” had settled for being a cop procedural with a twist rather than some philosophical-exploration-of-true-love story because I really liked the main character and the time-bounce concept.

After being bombarded by fanatic e-mails, I finally had to agree that “Moonlight” was getting better, but alas, not quite enough better. Which just goes to show you that in television, you should never save the best for last.

I still loathe "Californication," but so many people whose opinions I respect like it that I am willing to concede it may be simply a matter of taste.

Although I don't mind writing a negative review of a bad show, I hate it when one of my favorite shows has a terrible season because, as a critic, I have to remark on this and it makes me feel disloyal.

Likewise, I still have not recovered from the emotional trauma of falling in love with new shows like “Life” and "Pushing Daisies" only to have them yanked away by the writers strike. In fact, I never gave much thought to the emotional construct of the television season until it was maimed by the strike; when the season finales showed up after just two or three new episodes it just felt wrong.

But then I am a trained professional, so in the end, I did manage to cope.

Mary.McNamara@latimes.com

Photo: Katee Sackhoff in "Battlestar Galactica." Should she have been the lead in "Bionic Woman"? Credit: Sci-Fi Channel

Comments

[Michael Richards]

I've heard of "blogs" for a long time. Never knew what they were, until I got a computer that can do this. My first blog "post."...

[i luv Science Fiction Graphic Novels]

so right about Bionic Woman -- katee sackhoff definitely should have been the lead.... go starbuck!

[Unka Bob]

Whaddaya think of " In Plain Sight"?

[JMarra]

Regrets?

Just think of all the vacuities you will have accumulated at the end of a career spent watching pixelated light shows specifically designed to make people fixate on the screen, and then buy things.

I just have to laugh at the seriousness with which you take yourself, and television.

[James Kanka]

Thanks! I really enjoyed reading this in todays paper. I'll have to check out "In Treatment" while I wait for "Pushing Daisies."

I'd love to hear about the emails people send you--good, bad, crazy.

[Mary]

I loved reading this. I'm an entertainment writer, and I can relate. Sometimes certain shows, films, or books even - grow on you. Or you may find a fav. author might not be that great after all. It's all quite subjective and ever-changing

I must comment to JMarra here --

TV has been around a long, long time. It is not inherently evil. We all know about couch potatoes, and over-consumerism. But not all TV viewers are "sheeple" either.

Why shouldn't the author take herself seriously? She's a talented writer who writes about television, a thriving industry that has had ups and downs. It's no worse than radio or print entertainment.

I don't like reality TV, Sudoku, or pizza with extra cheese, yet I don't put down those that do or employ elitist attitudes regarding something I don't agree with.

[A.M. Loftus]

Your review of the Oscar show was really sad. I have been watching the Oscars for a lot of years and this was one of the best in recent years, to be sure. Hugh Jackman put on a great and energetic show. Maybe you have never seen Mr. Jackman before, but he is more talented than most people in the Hollywood audience. It moved along very quickly and even though it ran over(what's new) it never seemed to drag. And everyone I have talked to loved the inclusion of the previous winners in the various catagories. It was much more interesting that seeing clips from the nominated actors' film.
I usually enjoy your reviews, but you were really off base on this Oscar Show.
A.M. Loftus