New Paranormal, Science Fiction, and Fantasy TV Shows on the Fall Schedule

Every year, I wait for the TV networks to announce the fall schedules. I enjoy reading the descriptions of each new show and deciding which ones are worth checking out.

I tend to gravitate toward certain genres. If a scripted show has a paranormal/supernatural/horror slant, chances are good I'll at least give it a try. Science fiction and fantasy are also high on my list, as are mystery and intrigue.

I've found five cool new paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy series on the fall 2011 schedule. The premieres start in September, so if you're interested in those types of shows, check out my article for the details you need.

The Broken

I watched The Broken recently and went online the next day to find comments about it. Between audio problems (caused by the channel) and video issues (my TV doesn't do dark scenes well), I almost gave up after a few minutes. Still, I continued. I wanted to know what was going on. Well, that wasn't easy. Maybe I could've figured it out much sooner if I'd been able to see what was on the screen well enough. I have a feeling that's the case, but I'll never know.

We were trying to decide on a movie, and the short description on the cable guide was intriguing. The Broken is about a woman whose life spirals out of control after she sees herself driving down the street. See? Doesn't that get your attention? Don't you want to know what's going on?

As I said, I went online to see what people were saying about The Broken. This movie has a lot of haters out there, which puzzles those who love it. I didn't hate it or love it. I thought it was interesting but wouldn't put it on any list of my favorite movies. I'll probably try to watch it again someday to see whether I can pick up the clues now that I know what to look for. Although it's sometimes referred to as a horror movie, there aren't many gory scenes. The element of horror is present, but mostly, I'd say it's a thriller. It's definitely not for children.

Since I didn't love it or hate it, I won't recommend it or say you should avoid it. I don't want to give anything away, but if you're looking for a movie that will make you wonder what's really going on and have you changing your mind back and forth, this could be it.

Set in London, The Broken stars Lena Headey. It is rated R.

Shows I've Been Watching This Summer

I was thinking about how much TV I watch, and I realized I probably watch more this summer than any other summer. Some of this is due to how many soap operas I watch, since each one airs five hours a week.

Alphas is my only Monday-night show, although I don't watch it until a day or two later. In fact, at this point, I've only seen the first episode. Fortunately, there have only been two so far, with the third episode airing tonight, which means I'm not really very far behind.

On Tuesdays, Pretty Little Liars is a must, followed by The Nine Lives of Chloe King. That reminds me; any Chloe King fans who want The Rogue to be resurrected should check Kiko Ellsworth's Twitter or Facebook account for info about a campaign to get him back on the show.

Also, I watch The Young and the Restless on SOAPnet, either the evening repeat or the next morning. The same goes for One Life to Live; the story about the two Todds is too good to miss.

I do still watch All My Children, but not as often or as closely. I'm tired of the endless resurrections--especially Dixie. I've never been a Dixie fan. I do, however, want to see where Zach has been since his plane exploded. He's supposed to be back on August 5.

I still haven't had a chance to see Legend Quest, but it's on my list of things to do. I'm also planning to give The Lying Game a try when it premieres next month.

I tried to watch the premiere of Falling Skies, but I was very sleepy, and it was too action-oriented for me, so I gave up. If anyone thinks I should give it another chance, please let me know.

Bittersweet News for Fans of AMC and OLTL

There was a big announcement from ABC today, when a press release revealed that both All My Children and One Life to Live will continue after all. The catch? They won't actually be on TV anymore.

Instead of continuing on ABC or any other network, both shows will be moving to an online venue. This is big news for everyone involved, and while it makes a lot of people happy to know that their shows will continue in some form, it isn't exactly the news we'd hoped for. You can read more about it here.

Two Awards and Some Trivia

Lisa at Diary of a Square Toothed Girl has given me two awards: Stylish Blogger and Irresistibly Sweet Blog. Thank you, Lisa!

There are two conditions for claiming the awards. I need to tell you seven things about myself and pass the awards on to five other blogs.

The seven things I've chosen to tell you about myself are in keeping with the arts and entertainment theme here.

1. I avoid spoilers for my favorite series. If I'm really into a show, I don't want to know what's happening until I see it on my TV.

2. I don't watch my shows or any movies online. I'll watch something short, such as a music video, but when it comes to full-length entertainment, I want an actual TV screen.

3. I must watch episodes of my favorite primetime shows in order.

4. I've watched very few reality shows over the years.

5. I like most types of rock music, including classic, goth, southern, and alternative.

6. I've never played air guitar. Air piano is a different story.

7. I like to read suspense, horror, paranormal, and health-related books.

Now, I would like to pass the Stylish Blogger and Irresistibly Sweet Blog awards on to the following sweet and stylish blogs:

1. Amy at Content for Foodies
2. Jamie at From My Classroom Window
3. Langley at Hearts in Fur Coats
4. Pam at A Pirate Looks Past Sixty
5. Pup Fan at I Still Want More Puppies

3 Cool Blogs for Media Mayhem

Now that it's Monday, it's time for my final post in RJR Daydreamer's Media Mayhem blog hop. Today, I'll be telling you about three blogs I follow. Since Ellie's Couch is dedicated to arts and entertainment, I chose three blogs that fall within this theme.

It's easy to see why La fotografía efectista abstracta has so many followers; it's the most visually stunning blog I've ever come across. Don't worry; you don't need to be able to read Spanish to enjoy this impressive image-filled blog. These posts would make a wonderful coffee-table book. Check it out and try to choose your favorite image. It's not easy!

The Pine Valley Exposer is for fans of the ABC soap All My Children. I don't know what will happen to the blog after the show ends, but I imagine it will continue with news about the stars.

Terror Titans is a cool blog I started following fairly recently. Blogger Steve Miller writes about vamps, werewolves, and other horror icons. Terror Titans is essential reading for horror fans.

Thanks to RJR Daydreamer for hosting this fun blog hop!

3 Movies Worth Watching: Media Mayhem Blog Hop

This is day two of RJR Daydreamer's Media Mayhem blog hop, which means it's time to talk about movies. Specifically, I'll tell you about three movies I feel are worth watching.

Cold Comfort Farm
Cold Comfort Farm stars Kate Beckinsale as a young woman who moves in with some eccentric relatives. There are several memorable quotes in this movie, and they're repeated so often that you can say them right along with the characters. My favorite is, "There's always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm," which involves a bit of action in addition to those eight words. Check out this PG-rated movie and you'll see what I mean.

Dick
Set during Nixon's tenure in the Oval Office, Dick stars Michelle Williams and Kirsten Dunst as teenagers who get caught up in the Watergate scandal. Rated PG-13, this is the funniest movie I've ever seen about Watergate.

Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko is in a class by itself. Dark, moody, and filled with '80s music, this is a movie most people either love or hate. I think it's great, but it's definitely not for everyone. As for the music, it includes some fantastic songs such as "Head Over Heels" and "The Killing Moon" (the director's cut substitutes "Never Tear Us Apart" for the latter). Jake Gyllenhaal has the title role in this R-rated cult classic.

3 Terrific Songs for the Media Mayhem Blog Hop

Today is the first day of RJR Daydreamer's Media Mayhem blog hop, which means I'm writing about three songs I happen to like. They're not necessarily my top three all-time favorites, but they're certainly somewhere on the list.

This was harder than I expected. Sure, I can choose three terrific songs. I can choose a whole lot more than three--hence the problem. Whenever I thought I had three, I ended up changing my mind. I'd think of one I just had to include, which meant I had to eliminate one. This happened several times. I no longer remember what the original three songs were. In any case, here are the three I chose, in alphabetical order:

Buggin'
I have no idea why I like a song about bugs, but "Buggin'" by The Flaming Lips is pretty cool. That doesn't mean I want to hear any more buggy songs, though.

The Killing Moon
Echo and the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" is one of those songs I wish I'd found much sooner. I'm convinced I'd never heard it even once until just a few years ago. There are two versions of this song, and they're both long, with the All Night Version lasting over nine minutes. I can't decide which one I prefer; it seems to be whichever one I'm listening to at the time. The lyrics and the music are haunting and mysterious.

Who's Behind the Door
One day, my husband and I were listening to some music, and Zebra's "Who's Behind the Door" came on. I immediately grabbed the TV remote to use as a "microphone" as I alternated between actually singing and just lip syncing. I jumped up off the couch and got really into it, especially as the song progressed toward its climax. I was like a mad woman. When it was over, I sheepishly looked at him but then said I didn't understand why he wasn't acting in a similar fashion. His response shocked me beyond belief. "I guess I'm just not that into it," he admitted. I was so stunned that I almost dropped the remote. "What?!?" Since we have very similar taste in music and agree on well over ninety percent of songs, I couldn't believe it. How could "Who's Behind the Door" be one of the few? It was unfathomable. I had to find out what his deal was. As it turns out, he actually does like it; it simply doesn't evoke the same kind of response in him that it does in me. Sigh.