Today, author Allison Brennan—whose new Lucy Kincaid novel, Silenced, was released just last week—reveals she has a weakness. An addiction, if you will. Thanks for sharing with us, Allison!
I’m a television addict.
I’d rather watch good TV than go to the movies. Maybe it’s because I can curl up on the couch in my pajamas and a glass of wine, something frowned upon in movie theaters. Or maybe it’s because I gave up TV for three years while I was working full-time at a day job and the only time I had to write was at night, after my kids went to bed.
The days of network television are pretty much over. Viewers have choices now, and great programming focusing on character dominate the landscape. Cable networks usually have shorter seasons, tighter storylines, and stronger characters—in lieu of big budgets and flashy settings. Some of my favorite shows are on cable networks – Haven, the SyFy network series loosely based on Stephen King novel The Colorado Kid. Season three launches in the summer of 2012.
American Horror Story is a dark series on F/X that changes character and location in each season. Heavy hitting actors (like Jessica Lange and Dylan McDermott and Zachary Quinto) create characters so compelling, it’s hard not to get sucked in. But warning: this show is not for the faint of heart!
Also on F/X is Justified with Timothy Olyphant … well, I just don’t have to say anything more. There’s just something about Olyphant that just sucks me into anything he’s in. Ahem. Well, Justified is a violent drama set in Kentucky about U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens and has a host of top actors and brilliant characters, based loosely on a short story by Elmore Leonard. It’s been renewed for a fourth season, and is definitely worth the time to catch up. After all, it’s only 13 episodes per season … now for those who already watch it, I’m just hoping that Winona doesn’t come back. More about that on a future blog.
And White Collar. Light, fluffy white collar crime drama starring Matt Bomer as a con artist and forger forced to consult with the FBI and Tim DeKay as his FBI watchdog. It’s coming back for its fourth seasons. It’s from the USA Network and focuses more on the relationships between Neal Caffrey and Peter Burke, with some interesting crime twists because most crime drama focuses on murder and not art, history, and forgers.
My daughter is reading Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin and we’re going to buy the DVD set of this HBO series when she’s done. She loves the books, so I’m hoping she’s not disappointed in the series. HBO also gave us Deadwood (also starring Timothy Olyphant—I told you I have a bit of an obsession with him, right?) which was an amazing three season historical drama set in Deadwood, South Dakota.
What cable television show do you like best and why?
Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels and many short stories. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, she lives in Northern California with her husband Dan and their five children.
