Crowded Sunday

For the past several weeks, I've been writing about the latest episodes of The Newsroom, and talking about how the show is gradually getting better with each new hour. That held true this week too. And yet, the truth is that The Newsroom isn't the show I look forward to most each Sunday.

That honor would go to Breaking Bad, far and away the best show on television right now. The show has begun its final season in masterful fashion. Last summer, when they aired a fourth season finale, it left me so thoroughly satisfied that I felt like the show could have been finished there. But now, three episodes into the new season, I find myself caught up all over again and eagerly looking forward to seeing the next installment.

The alchemy of creator Vince Gilligan's writing and Bryan Cranston's acting has made Walter White one of the most compelling characters on television. And in this season, it's compelling in a massive accident kind of way -- you cringe to watch, but can't look away. His journey into a dark megalomania is clear, and a truly chilling transformation when you reflect on where he began in season one. If anyone out there has never watched Breaking Bad, do yourself a favor and start catching up by any means you can, as soon as you can.

But why is it, with the relatively few shows that I watch during the summer, that nearly all of them seem to air on Sundays? It's ridiculous. For starters, there's True Blood on before The Newsroom, airing its final season under the direct creative control of Alan Ball. Frankly, judging by the season so far (though not counting this week's episode, which I haven't yet been able to watch), it might be time for him to hand off the reins. In my mind, True Blood has always been enjoyable in the "well, it's summer, so the shows aren't expected to be as good" sort of way. The first season was great fun, but each subsequent season got slightly less so. This year has felt quite muddled indeed. I'm reminded a bit of Dexter, which was completely lackluster last season. But then, Dexter had a great final scene in its season finale that should set up for a big rebound this coming year. Maybe True Blood still has some (heh) bite in it.

Meanwhile, Sunday nights over on USA includes the limited run series Political Animals. I felt compelled to give it a try because of creator Greg Berlanti (who created Brothers & Sisters, as well as Jack and Bobby). And seeing Sigourney Weaver bring her intense acting to the small screen seemed like a potential winner too. I'm probably going to stick through the series just because it's only running six episodes. But I have to say that I'm disappointed so far. There's not enough fiction in the mix to make it entertaining. Weaver plays the ambitious wife of the 41st president (a man who cheated on her while in office) who later ran for president herself, only to lose and become Secretary of State under the primary opponent who defeated her. The only real difference between this character and Hillary Clinton is that the character divorced her husband, and that the couple had two sons rather than one daughter. These changes aren't enough to make me feel any suspense about what's going to happen in an episode of the show... though the acting is good enough across the board to make me want to tune in and hope for the best.

All this, and I haven't even mentioned the second season of Falling Skies. Last summer, this "Jericho with aliens instead of nuclear fallout" was my official "only because it's summer" show, but this year I just haven't been willing to make time for it. I've faithfully had my DVR record and save every episode, but I believe seven have piled up there now, unwatched. Why does that have to be on Sunday too?

Oh, plus the Olympics, for the next couple of weeks anyway. I'm not too much of an Olympic junkie myself, although they are pretty much the only television I ever turn on just to have on, as opposed to DVRing in advance to watch later.

Yes, Sundays are busy for my television.