TV – Page 19 – Jae-Ha Kim

“CSI” — Seventh Season

November 20, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

The seventh season of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” is as solid as any of the series’ previous years. The stories are strong, the actors share potent chemistry, and the characters are believable because they are flawed human beings. This year, “CSI” delves into the complicated romance between head investigator Gil Grissom (William Petersen) and his underling Sara Sidle (Jorga Fox). The two are reticent to let their colleagues in on their relationship, and the season finale offers a gasp-inducing prospect of their future together.

“I Love New York”

November 9, 2007August 22, 2011 Jae-Ha Kim

“I Love New York” is as trashy as the role Pollard plays. Unlike ABC’s “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” which at least goes through the motions of picking suitable contenders, VH1 has stacked the deck against New York (and, let’s face it, the men). Their nicknames (Token, Trendz, White Boy) are more interesting than they are.

“Wings” — Season Five

November 6, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

Despite some outdated clothes and hairdos, “Wings” has a timeless quality that makes repeat viewings of the sitcom worthwhile. A comedy with heart, the show–which originally aired during the 1993-1994 season–is filled with humor, great acting, and a cast that shares genuine chemistry. At its core, “Wings” is about the relationship between the Hackett brothers.

“CSI: Miami” — Season 4

October 31, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

A marriage, a murder, and a mole all play relevant roles in the fourth season of CSI: Miami. Easily the most stylistic show in the CSI franchise, the series stars David Caruso (NYPD Blue) as Horatio Caine, the lead investigator with the Miami Police Department. With his black clothing, Caine stands out in a sea of pastel-clad colleagues that include ballistics expert Calleigh Dusquene (Emily Procter), underwater recovery whiz Eric Delko (Adam Rodriguez), and medical examiner Alexx Woods (Khandi Alexander).

“CSI: Miami” — Season 5

October 30, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

The fifth season of CSI: Miami begins with revenge: Lead CSI Horatio Caine (David Caruso) and underwater recovery whiz Eric Delko (Adam Rodriguez) travel to Brazil to avenge the murder of Horatio’s wife Marisol (who was Eric’s sister). While there, Horatio also helps his sister-in-law and nephew after his brother is murdered by drug lords. (Never mind that the crime-fighting duo seem to have carte blanche to do as they like in a foreign country.) The scenes are beautifully shot and the rhythm of the first few episodes are reminiscent of classic Miami Vice.

“Veronica Mars” — Third and Final Season

October 23, 2007December 12, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

Equal parts “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Nancy Drew,” “Veronica Mars” is smartly written and well-acted. This third and final season of the critically acclaimed (but viewer-challenged) series ends as all good shows should–by leaving viewers wanting more and wondering how their favorite characters will fare in the future.

“NCIS” — Season 4

October 23, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

The fourth season of NCIS begins with one of the investigators being charged with assassinating an Iranian prisoner. Former Mossad intelligence agent Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), who was introduced last season, has been framed, and there’s only one man who can clear her name. Unfortunately, lead investigator Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) has retired to Mexico. But since Harmon is the star of the show, Gibbs returns to the United States to help out his colleague.

“CSI: New York” — Season 3

October 9, 2007August 21, 2022 Jae-Ha Kim

The third season of CSI: New York is full of murder, mayhem, and mystery. And luckily for lead investigator Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise), it also includes a little romance in the form of the lovely Dr. Peyton Driscoll (Claire Forlani), a medical examiner who joins the staff. All 24 episodes from the third season, which aired on CBS during 2006-2007, are included on this six-disc box set. And moreso than the previous two years, this season has a taut, cohesive feel. The characters have bonded and come into their own, especially Detective Don Flack (played by Eddie Cahill, who made his name playing the boytoy of both Jennifer Aniston on Friends and Sarah Jessica Parker on Sex and the City).

“Girlfriends” — Season Two

October 9, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

The second season of “Girlfriends” offers more drama than the sitcom served up during its debut year. But it also offers plenty of laughs, though they are sometimes bittersweet. Joan (Tracee Ellis Ross, daughter of Diana Ross), a sensible attorney who’s unlucky in love, is back, along with her assistant Maya (Golden Brooks), her cheerful roommate Lynn (Persia White), and their often thoughtless boy crazy pal Toni (Jill Marie Jones).

Courtney Thorne-Smith is “Outside In”

October 7, 2007August 8, 2011 Jae-Ha Kim

“It’s an amazing time for me,” says Courtney Thorne-Smith. Besides starring in the popular ABC sitcom “According to Jim,” the 39-year-old actress is happily married, pregnant with her first child and has just made her debut as an author with the juicy novel Outside In.

“What About Brian”

September 25, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

Sharing more in common with the chatty feel of “Felicity” than the action-driven “Lost” or “Alias,” the ubiquitous J.J. Abrams has another gem with the witty and bittersweet (but short-lived) drama “What About Brian.” Both seasons are included in this five-disc set, though the first year produced just five episodes.

“Bones” — Season 2

September 11, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

Beginning with the death of a senator and ending with a marriage, the second season of Bones builds on the momentum created during the Fox drama’s debut year. Bones’ sophomore season (which includes all 21 episodes that originally aired during 2006-2007) centers on the collaborations between FBI special agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), whom Booth has nicknamed “Bones.”

“Grey’s Anatomy” — Season Three

September 11, 2007July 29, 2023 Jae-Ha Kim

In the third season of Grey’s Anatomy, one medical intern will get married to a superior while another is left standing at the altar. Two interns will lose their parents. And one main character will try to commit suicide–or not fight very hard to save her own life. There will be multiple hook-ups, infidelity, and trust issues.

“Friday Night Lights” — Season 1

August 28, 2007July 29, 2023 Jae-Ha Kim

The first season of Friday Night Lights accomplishes something that few television dramas are able to do: It betters the 2004 film (starring Billy Bob Thornton) on which the series is based. Set in Dillon, Texas, where football–even on the high school level–is everything, Friday Night Lights is a compelling drama with a football subplot. Poignantly and effectively touching on racism, rape, steroids, jealousy, infidelity, and life-changing injuries, the series presents the inhabitants of Dillon as real people who are flawed, but remarkable in their ordinariness.

“‘Till Death”: Season One

August 21, 2007January 2, 2011 Jae-Ha Kim

There’s nothing like an overly demonstrative pair of newlyweds to make an old married couple feel like a failure. And old. So when Jeff (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Steph (Kat Foster) Woodcock–married for all of 12 days–move next door to Eddie (Brad Garrett) and Joy Stark (Joely Fisher), the latter feel the need to put their youthful neighbors in their place.

“House” — Season 3

August 21, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

The cantankerous and brilliant Dr. House (Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie) is back for a third season of the hit drama House, which picks up with his being shot at the end of season two and ends with his staff dramatically refusing to put up with his oddball (and borderline abusive) demands. Each of the 24 episodes, which aired on FOX from 2006 to 2007, is included in this 5-disc set. Fans of the drama will be happy to hear that the formula remains the same: Each show begins with a medical dilemma that’s so severe and life-threatening that only Dr. House can diagnose and fix the problem, even if it goes against conventional medical rules.

“JAG: Judge Advocate General” — 4th Season

August 21, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

With the fourth season of JAG: Judge Advocate General, viewers get a real sense of who the characters are. Originally running in 1998-1999, the fourth year is consistently good in both storyline and acting, and rarely loses steam in any of the 24 episodes.

“Ugly Betty” — Season 1

August 7, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

Based on the popular Colombian telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea, Ugly Betty is a biting comedy with plenty of heart. There are several ongoing plots, including murder, illegal immigration, infidelity, a vendetta, and death. And yes, this really is a comedy. Golden Globe winner America Ferrera (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Real Women Have Curves) stars as Betty, a whip-smart assistant at a women’s magazine who is clueless when it comes to fashion. While her size 0 colleagues parade around in haute couture and stiletto heels, Betty shows up for work in her mismatched outfits, complete with thick glasses and awkward braces.

“The Hills” — Season 2

August 4, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

When the debut season of “The Hills” ended, Lauren had passed up the opportunity to work in Paris for the summer to live in a beach house with her vaguely Neanderthal-ish boyfriend Jason. Flash forward to the second season of MTV’s hit reality series–which aired from January through April 2007. Lauren and Jason break up, and you can see the wistfulness in her eyes as her friend Whitney (who got the Paris gig after Lauren turned it down) talks about what an amazing summer she had.

“8 Simple Rules…for Dating My Teenage Daughter”

July 15, 2007October 17, 2010 Jae-Ha Kim

After gaining fame as ladies man Jack Tripper on the 1970s sitcom Three’s Company, John Ritter steals the show as a father of three–including two nubile teenage girls–on “8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter.” The first season, which aired on ABC during 2002 and 2003, introduces viewers to Paul (Ritter) and Cate Hennessy (Katey Sagal) and their precocious children Bridget (Kaley Cuoco), Kerry (Amy Davidson), and Rory (Martin Spanjers).