Do you ever miss the characters of your favorite TV show or book?

My love has been off putting miles on his combat boots at the other side of the world. Me, I take that as an opportunity to get caught up on my British crime shows. They're my favorite, and he doesn't like them so much...

And with the joys of streaming, I can catch whole seasons at a time (well, at least over the course of a few weeks). I watched Wallander, Inpector Lewis, Sherlock (it's a long deployment, don't judge me).

I got into this crime show called Vera, too. The downside to this binge-watching of TV? Sometimes, you get tired of a show, but other times, it becomes a tad addictive. I was all into Vera, but then there were only two seasons. And I missed her, even though she's the most unlikable of characters. Weird, huh?

I have the same problem with some book characters, like Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch. I just don't want these people (who totally aren't real, I do know this) to disappear. But it wasn't until I missed my Vera that I understood why my kid readers get so frustrated when they hear they have to wait for the next book. I get it now. You miss this imaginary person, and the imaginary world they live in.

How about you? Do you have TV show or book characters you're that invested in?

Watching summer crime TV for the characters: King and Maxwell

I love summer TV. Usually, the good scifi is on then, and TNT rocks the crime shows I like.

Sure, the plots aren't always the most complicated (I'll often spot the dunnit five minutes in), but it's fun. Someone usually chases a bad guy down a fire escape and into an alley. Or in a commercial kitchen, or a fruit stand at a market, sending apples rolling down the street.

This isn't to say I like cliches, but series crime shows can be comforting in their format. And I tune in for the characters anyway. So when this new show King and Maxwell came on, I started watching. But it took some time to get going. Sure, there was a good crime. But the characters weren't really coming to life for me. I haven't read the David Baldacci series it's based on, but I imagine the characters are good, or people wouldn't be reading the books, right?

I almost gave up on the show, when they threw in a supporting character: Edgar. He's different, interesting. Pleasantly weird. Much like Walter on Fringe, come to think of it. So I stuck around. A few episodes in, the other characters are getting a little better too. But Edgar does it for me.

Have you ever watched a TV show that had a strong supporting cast you stuck around for?
Seinfeld was another one I liked better for the nutty friends than Jerry (sorry, man...).

What Fall Crime Shows Are You Looking Forward To?

It's new TV season time!

I for one am looking forward to catching up on old favorites, like Bones and Fringe, and maybe a few new additions.

In case you need a quick reference to what's on the tube (crime-wise anyway), check out this Criminal Element post.

How about you? Any TV favorites, or new shows you're looking forward to?

If You Could Write For TV, What Show Would It Be? (Writerly Wednesday post)

Oh, how I love TV. I know, that's not very classy for a writer to admit, but it's true. I read a lot, but I can so enjoy a good TV show (preferable with a healthy dose of snacks).

Here at the Bradley house, we're all about Leverage. There's a good heist, great characters, and a big dose of humor--when I hear the Leverage theme song, I smile. And it's just about PG enough to watch with my tween posse, so big fat extra points for that.

The show's new season begins this weekend. Can't wait to see what they've cooked up for us this time. 

Which got me thinking yesterday... How cool would it be to be able to write an episode? No way that'll ever happen, and the writers of Leverage do just fine on their own--but a writer can dream, no?

If I could choose any TV show to write for, it would probable be Leverage.

How 'bout you, writer friends?

What's Your Most Hated Movie Cliche?

I'm a big fan of (fictional) crime TV. Cop shows, amateur sleuths--I love a good mystery or crime show. But there are those cliches that make me cringe. The redheaded rhymes-with-witch. The evil Russian mobster.

The chase through a commercial kitchen!

That one has to be my most-hated cliche. There's usually some low-paid sap the cops are chasing, while pots fly and food (carrots, usually, for visual effect) goes everywhere, and then we end up in an alley with a dumpster.

The sap turns out to be just a dish-washing (or short-order cook) pawn--extra cliche points if he's worried about his expired Visa. The commercial kitchen chase is so unoriginal, I can predict the scene down to the second.

So tell me, YA Sleuthians. What is your most-hated TV cliche?