S.O.S. -- Save Our Shows!

Even with the advent of DVRs, people still don't have enough time to watch all the good shows on TV. It doesn't matter that you can record shows to watch later; inevitably, some shows slip through the cracks and fall off people's radars. And as a result, some of the better shows out there don't get renewed for future season because they just aren't being seen. It doesn't matter how good a show's reviews are; if people aren't watching, advertisers aren't paying, and they end up on the cutting-room floor. As always, there are many shows on the chopping block this season: some are great, some not so much; some are returning shows that have always been on the bubble, others are new shows that didn't get the proper reception. But three in particular have me truly troubled. These three shows are some of my favorite serialized stories out there, and while they have received critical acclaim, they are under-watched and under-appreciated. So if you have a heart, and some extra space on your DVR, try and catch these gems before it's too late. Maybe your viewings will push them over the edge and get them renewed for another season.

Chuck

• Plot: Charles "Chuck" Bartowski (Zachary Levi) is just a normal mid-20s nerdy screw-up. Expelled from Stanford, Chuck's life is stuck in neutral as he wastes away at the Burbank Buy More--a fictional take on Best Buy--where he works as a member of the Nerd Herd (Geek Squad). But one day, Chuck receives an email from his old college roommate with a very important attachment: a CIA/NSA supercomputer-worth of information contained in a series of images, also known as "the Intersect." The Intersect burns itself onto Chuck's brain, and then is erased completely, making Chuck's cerebral copy the only one in existence. Realizing Chuck's brain's incredible value, both the NSA and CIA assign their top agents to protect him--one, the rough-and-tumble Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin), and the other, the sexy and tempting Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski). Soon enough, however, Chuck proves a huge asset to the government, as he is able to recall information from the Intersect when presented with the right stimuli. Soon enough, Chuck is thrust into the heart of international espionage, and later downloads the Intersect 2.0, which allows him to not only recall information, but also access special-agent techniques, like lock-picking, computer hacking, and, best of all, combat training like martial arts and sharpshooting.
• Why you should be watching: Watching Chuck grow from an everyday dork into a super-spy is really quite entertaining, especially as the series progresses and we realize he is more than just a home for the Intersect. Everyone loves a good underdog story, and if you can accept some of the shows more ridiculous aspects, this is one that really delivers. And it's more layered than you'd think for an action-comedy, as the interactions between Chuck and his sister Ellie (Sarah Lancaster), the revelations about their parents, and Chuck and Sarah's romance add a nice emotional depth to the show. Don't get me wrong, it's chock-full of laughs, but the characters are also very real and likable.
• Why you aren't: While the characters may be realistic, the way the show handles the premise most certainly is not. Chuck tries to entrench itself within the real world with references to the CIA, NSA, government affairs, and international relations, but falls very flat in this aspect. Whether it is how the agents constantly refer to themselves as "spies," how the government allows civilians like Chuck's friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez) to go on missions, or how enemies seem extremely reluctant to pull their triggers, it is all a bit tough to swallow as "real". And this has been a problem that has turned off viewers from the start, with the show's future being in constant jeopardy even though it has lasted four seasons thanks to a faithful and vocal cult following.

Fringe

• Plot: After a series of supernatural events begin taking lives all over the north-east United States, the FBI assembles a task force to investigate these strange occurrences, labeled the Fringe Division. The FBI assigns special agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) to the team, and she assembles the other key members: bizarre mad scientist and mental institution patient Walter Bishop (John Noble), and Walter's multi-talented son Peter (Joshua Jackson). Together, the team begins tracing the strange happenings (known as "the Pattern") back to one looming source: Massive Dynamic, a huge advanced science and technology conglomerate headed up by Walter's old partner, the mysterious William Bell (Leonard Nimoy). Olivia soon learns that she was not chosen for this job just because she is a good agent, but instead due to her latent psyonic abilities, which she developed as a result of tests run on her by Walter and Bell when she was a child. Using these abilities, Olivia discovers the true source of "the Pattern": the convergence of our universe with a parallel one. And at the center of this convergence is one decision Walter made many years ago, when he crossed between universes to accomplish a selfish goal. As both universes are slowly torn apart, the Fringe teams on both sides fight to save their own--even if, for some, that means destroying the other completely.
• Why you should be watching: This show takes a little while to really get rolling, but when it does, ooooooh boy. No one should be surprised that this J. J. Abrams project has an extremely deep and layered mythology. And as we continue to peel away the many layers of this onion, things just get better and better. The supernatural "Pattern" events, the differences between the two universes, the way the show turns common sci-fi cliches on their heads; everything is done with a level of brains and sophistication that is entirely unique and thoroughly fantastic. And perhaps even better is the father-son combo of Peter and Walter. Walter is hilariously insane and Peter is boorish and sarcastic, yet together, they are heartwarming and enjoyable to watch as their relationship waxes and wanes.
• Why you aren't: Like Abrams' supernova show Lost, Fringe is VERY tough to just jump into. There is waaaaay too much history, back-story, and established mythos at this point, that trying to pick up the show in the middle would be nearly impossible, especially for more casual viewers not up for a challenge. And this speaks volumes about the show's performance, as only dedicated fans who have followed from the beginning continue to watch. Somehow the show has made it to a third season, but is in an unfavorable Friday night time slot. Abram's himself has said he needs four season to properly tie up the show's story and do the fans justice, so here's hoping we at least see Fringe renewed for one more go-round.

No Ordinary Family

• Plot: The Powell family was once just an ::ahem:: ordinary family: husband, wife, and teenage daughter and son, doing their best to gel but finding it difficult to make time for one another. So they decide to take a family trip to South America. However, things go awry when their puddle-jumper crashes into a remote body of water. The family survives, but a few days after returning home, they realize they will never be the same. Jim Powell (Michael Chiklis), the family patriarch and police sketch artist, develops super strength and skin tough enough to withstand gunfire. Dr. Stephanie Powell (Julie Benz), a gifted scientist and the family matriarch, develops super speed and an increased metabolism. And children Daphne and J.J. develop the ability to read minds and a super-powered intellect, respectively. While the kids try to survive high school while making the most of their unique talents, Jim, along with long-time friend and assistant DA George St. Cloud (Romany Malco), chooses to utilize his new powers to fight crime, and Stephanie and her lab assistant Katie (Autumn Reeser) work on discovering the source of these abilities. But things get complicated when other super-powered humans start creating havoc all over the area, and it all starts tracing back to Stephanie's villainous boss, Dr. Dayton King (Stephen Collins).
• Why you should be watching: As a comic book fan, I was always extremely disappointed in how Heroes dealt with super-powered folk. That show tried to build this huge mythology instead of letting the heroes do what real people with powers would do: either cause crime, or fight against it. But No Ordinary Family is really satisfying in this aspect, as Jim immediately jumps at the chance to help others, and his bouts with some of the super-powered villains in the show are very well done. The show has managed to make use of comic book cliches and cheesiness without going overboard like this season's other superhero show The Cape. Further, the plot has really taken off recently, with a nicely-woven tapestry of twists and turns that keeps me tuning in every week.
• Why you aren't: Like many new shows, No Ordinary Family had some MAJOR growing pains early on. The first few episodes were extremely cheesy, the characters were one-dimensional, and it took way too long to set the stage for the grater conflicts. I'm sure a lot of people lost interest after the first few sub-par episodes. A shame, really, as this is the first network show in recent memory to truly do justice to the superhero/super power genre. It's really rolling now, and it looks like it may have been too little too late.