Predictability TV  

Lately I have been television deprived. The only show I watched on a regular basis, Real Time with Bill Maher, finished up the season a few weeks ago. During my undergraduate experience, I always had some sort of program I would run back to my room to watch. But for the past few weeks, I have not had such a pleasure.

I decided after Thanksgiving that I would find new shows to become attached to. What was the point of buying a new television if I'm only going to turn it on for an occasional football game or Lifetime movie? I knew I had to act. Isn't that what it means to be an American?

So I decided on two shows to become my entertainment on Tuesday and Thursday nights: The Mentalist and 30 Rock. I recently saw a movie that starred Tina Fey and I remembered that I liked her writing on Saturday Night Live, when it wasn't sucky. That and Alec Baldwin is hilarious and a McCain/Palin hater, so he's alright in my book. I had also seen previews for The Mentalist, and even though it had the crazy girl from the latest Lifetime Movie, the main character seems intriguing enough to carry the show (and he ain't too bad lookin' neither).

So tonight, since it is Tuesday night, I tuned in to watch The Mentalist. BEWARE: If you did not watch this episode (#9) and you don't want me to spoil it for you, then stop reading now. Don't say I didn't warn you!

The whole episode was about how this small town had one of it's citizens die in a fire. Of course it turns out that it's a murder and he didn't try to kill himself via torch. Many characters were introduced in the first ten minutes, as well as side plots that could lead the viewer into thinking that many people in the town could have committed the crime. Proof that small towns are filled with psychopaths (*cough cough* Palin *cough cough*). Anyway, they introduced a retarded young man who helps out around the town, and my instinct told me this was the murderer.

Now mind you, I am awful at predicting movies or television shows with a twist. So when it turned out that I was right, at first I was filled with pride that I had been so smart to figure it out. However, this feeling dissipated after about ten seconds and I was left thinking, boy was this episode pretty damn predictable. Even I knew it ten minutes in!

I think that predictability can be fun at times, however, I like to be surprised at the end of the episode. I mean for God sakes, I had to sit through all of the lame commercials that take up one third of the time allotted for any cable television show. So please, writers of The Mentalist, if you are reading this, please please please make your show less predictable. Jane's charm can only go so far. (And why is this man of men have the last name of Jane?) Plus, I want to be engaged for the entire hour (or 40 minutes of air time), and not silently thinking to myself that maybe this show isn't right for me. Either that, or give me a job as a writer.

Your choice.

Although I have seen all of the previous episodes of this season's 30 Rock at nbc.com (which is another rant for another day... CBS you should air full episodes!! Hello! Welcome to 2008!), I am eager to watch one at it's allotted time on Thursday. Fey and Baldwin, don't let me down!