What's On?: Doctor Who

I'm a huge sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal fan. Like - MASSIVE. I cut my teeth on Wonder Woman and the Incredible Hulk, and then later when I got older, I watched all things Buffy, Charmed, Firefly and Farscape-like.

So, it only seemed natural that, when all my bestest of friends started singing the praises of Doctor Who, that I would love it as well. Why would I not? A dude rides around through time in a spaceship fighting aliens and all kinds of other weird stuff.

Except... I kinda thought it was stupid. I didn't get it. I know! Don't lynch me! I made it to the second episode, and the talking piece of skin did it for me. Drop the mic - I'm outta here.

Maybe it was the fact that it was British. Maybe it was just too weird, even for me. I don't know, but I tried twice, and both times I just couldn't get past the second episode. And, so, I gave up.

Except, my friends wouldn't let me forget that I gave up on this seemingly awesome show. They kept suggesting episodes that I should try to activate some deep-seeded love of this series. Then, we finally decided to give it one more shot, and went with Blink, an episode from the middle of the third season. 

And... it wasn't bad. It was actually pretty freaking entertaining. So, we backed up and suffered through some rough episodes in the first season (farting aliens and pig men??), and eventually gained a measure of appreciation for the series. I, personally, started really getting into it once David Tennant, a.k.a. the 10th Doctor, came onto the scene. I think he's completely adorable. 

So, we currently find ourselves on Season 3, Episode 8, and at this point I can safely say that I'm glad we went back and tried again and again. Although I still find myself scratching my head on some episodes, for the most part, I'm really enjoying the show now.

So, do you love Doctor Who? What is your favorite episode? Did you miss Rose as much as I am right now?

WHAT'S ON?: Super Hero Shows

One thing I've learned since entering the blogging world three + years ago is that many of we book fanatics are also TV fanatics. I'm starting a semi-regular feature here called "What's On" where I tell you what I've been watching and you can tell me about all the good shows I'm missing.

So, have you noticed what a super hero kick the world seems to be on right now? I'm no different. In fact, I'd like to think I was a fan before it was cool to be a fan. To me, Helen Slater is Super Girl, Michael Keaton is Batman, and Christopher Reeves is the only Superman worth talking about.

I'm so stoked that super heroes are becoming more mainstream lately. And, I can't add them to my Netflix and Apple TV queues fast enough. One of my current favorites on my Apple TV is The CW's The Flash, starring the totally adorable Grant Gustin as Barry Allen.

I was totally hooked on this show from the very first episode. I love Gustin's portrayal of Barry Allen, and I loved the story arc with the mystery of the Reverse Flash woven in with encapsulated challenges with various bad guys straight out of the comic strips. The new season is due to start in just a few weeks, and I already have season 2 purchased and waiting for me.

I can't talk about The Flash without talking about Arrow.

Arrow came first, and to be honest, I watched it when it first came out on Netflix and didn't make it past the 8th episode. I don't know why. The whole Huntress story line lost me for awhile. After watching a few episodes of The Flash, and seeing all the cross-over between the two shows (if you don't like spoilers, make sure you watch Arrow before The Flash), I decided to give Arrow another shot, and I'm so glad I did. It's darker than The Flash, and it's definitely action-packed.

And, can we just talk about Stephen Amell for a sec? Holy. Hotness. And, the man is without a shirt A LOT.

 The next super hero show in my Netflix queue is ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

This show stars Clark Gregg who played the role of Phil Coulson in the Iron Man and Avengers movies. He's been brought back to life and given a TV show with a new team with super powers. It sounded right up my alley. Except, I've only watched the first episode, and I wasn't totally sold. I was... kinda bored. I always try to give shows at least two episodes before I give up, so I will come back to this show and watch the second one. But, I was pretty bummed that Agents didn't grab me from the beginning like I thought it would.

Finally, I wanted to mention the Netflix original show, Daredevil, starring Charlie Cox in the title role.

This show is BRILLIANT. Because it's a Netflix original, it can take a few more liberties than regular network shows. There's more violence and more language. It's definitely darker than the other shows mentioned earlier. But, it's done so well. Charlie Cox is fantastic as blind lawyer Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil.

I was surprised by all the familiar faces in this show. Vincent D'Onofrio, whom I last saw playing good cop on Law & Order, is now SUPER creepy as bad guy Wilson Fisk. Deborah Ann Woll, who I know as Jessica from True Blood, is now playing office assistant Karen Page. And, Elden Henson, who was just in Mockingjay as Pollux, now plays Matt Murdock's partner Foggy Nelson.

So, I am DYING to hear from you all. Did you like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Have you ever seen Daredevil? And, most important, what shows am I missing? What do I need to watch next while I wait for the next seasons of my favorite super hero shows to start again?