What are Your Favorite T.V. Shows?

[Veronica]

I'm looking for some new television shows to check out. Anyone have any recommendations? Right now, I like to watch "What Not to Wear" on TLC and "Confessions of a Matchmaker" on A&E. I also watched a new show on Bravo last week called "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style." I'm not sure what I think of that one yet. The cohost, who's supposed to be some supermodel-type person, seems to be kind of a cold fish. I'll probably give it another try. I also like to watch the home makeover shows on HGTV. Some girls at the salon I go to were just going on and on about "Miami Ink" and "L.A. Ink," but frankly, I just don't get it. What are your favorites? Veronica

[Rhonda Dunaway]

Hi, Veronica.

Thanks for writing. I love "What Not to Wear," also. In fact, I think it's about my favorite show. I actually got started on it by watching the British version with Trinny and Susannah on BBC America, but then I switched over to Stacy and Clinton on TLC. I wasn't sure about them at first, but they have really grown on me.

Every time I watch the show, though, I kind of cringe when they show the secret footage of when they followed the person around for two weeks to show everyone what the person normally wears. I keep thinking to myself, "I don't look like that, do I?" And then I also love/fear the part where they make the person show everyone what's in their closet and model their current outfits before they throw everything in the trash because I'll be thinking, "Hey, I have a sweater that looks almost exactly like the one they're making fun of."

At the end of every show, I always feel compelled to ask my husband if he would ever nominate me for the show. He always reassures me that he would never do that and that he thinks I look good, but then I always change my mind and say that he should nominate me because then I would get a trip to New York City and five thousand dollars to spend. When I once voiced this thought to a friend, she gave me a critical once-over and then said, "You'd never get on the show. You don't look bad enough." (I should mention we're no longer friends.)

Another favorite t.v. show of mine is "Flight of the Conchords" on HBO. It's about two guys from New Zealand who move to Manhattan in an attempt to make it big as Hip Hop artists. They're completely naive and guileless, and almost every person they meet takes complete advantage of them. Also at critical points in the plot of each show, the guys will break into one of their Hip Hop songs, so it looks as if they're performing in a music video. The songs have ridiculous lyrics, and the guys have the worst dance moves, so it's pretty hilarious. I think the season for the show is already over, but I believe HBO shows reruns of it. Also, you can find the show on HBO in Demand, if you have it. The funniest episode involves the two guys getting mugged.

Rhonda Dunaway

[momof2boys]

Most shows I see I could probably live without seeing. My one show I try not to miss is Grey's Anatomy. I can't really tell you why. It seems to have a good balance of drama and humor that catches me. My lists of favorites are Survivor Man on Discover, Dr. G Medical Examiner on Discover Health, and Riches on FX. Kind of eclectic selection. ;)

[Rhonda Dunaway]

Hi, momof2boys.

Could you tell me a little more about "Survivor Man"? Thanks.

Rhonda

[momof2boys]

Les Stroud is sent to remote locations around the world and is left to find his way to civilization within 7 days. Most of the time he has some supplies that vary depending on the scenario that he is trying to mimic. One episode he shows how to survive in the mountains during a snowstorm if your car should break down. He goes as far as eating bugs and rodents and drinking the condensation from his own urine.:eek: Just to show you how, in case you need to know. Man vs. Wild with Bear Grylls is also fun to watch.

[Lisa111]

Bear Gyrlls is fun to watch on Man v Wild. He got some bad press for making it seem that he was always roughing it when he sometimes spent the night in a motel or something. He always does something on that show to earn his keep, though. I saw him drink water from elephant "droppings" - which he says he learned from a park ranger or some such guy. He warned that this was to be done only as a last resort. Well, "Duh."

[Rhonda Dunaway]

Hi, Girls.

Thanks for the responses. Uhh, I'm going to do whatever I can to avoid any type of situation where there would be even the remotest of chances that I might be forced to drink the condensation from my own urine. However, that might not even be as bad as trying to squeeze drinking water out of elephant droppings. Putting those issues aside, however, I think I might give the show a try.

Rhonda Dunaway

[Rhonda Dunaway]

Hi, Veronica.

I just wanted to write and let you know that I caught a couple of episodes of "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style." I liked Tim, but didn't care for Veronica at all. She seems really snooty, and I can't see what she adds to the show.

I found some of the tips about finding the right clothes for your body type to be really helpful. However, there was also some advice that I found to be completely ridiculous.

For example, in one episode, they showed "before" and "after" examples of an outfit you'd wear to walk your dog. In the "before" example, the girl was wearing what most any normal person would wear to walk their dog - a sweatsult or jogging suit. In the "after" example, Tim and Veronica recommended a dog-walking outfit that consisted of a white eyelet sundress, white cardigan, and strappy high heels. I couldn't help wondering what person in their right mind would wear something like that to walk the dog?

Similarly, in last week's episode, they showed "before" and "after" examples of errand running outfits for a young mom. Again, in the "before" example, the mom wore what most people would wear for errands - capris and a t-shirt - which Tim and Veronica found horrifying. The "after" outfit the hosts recommended was, once again, an expensive looking floral print dress and strappy high heels.

It's a good thing Tim and Veronica haven't seen my favorite dog walking outfit - my faded Manitou Springs t-shirt and my gray running shorts from Sam's Club - I'm sure I'd be held up for national ridicule!

I did like the episode where they brought in fashion runway consultant Benny Ninja to coach one of the women on how to radiate inner confidence. He was hilarious! It also made me think about the power of a name and perhaps changing my own.

Rhonda Dunaway

[drobyn]

Funny - You mean Ninja isn't his real name? What a disappointment! (Just kidding.) If another show made silly suggestions like this you'd say, Why didn't the guy's wife tell him he was crazy? Since this show's on Bravo, I think we know why.

[drobyn]

When I'm making coffee in the morning I like to watch a show on Animal Planet called Sunrise Planet or Sunrise Earth (I forget which). I think it's on from 6am to 8 am but I can only catch a few minutes. They show video of the sun rising in different parts of the country - like the Rockies or California, where the scenery is wonderful. There isn't any narration, its jsut nature waking up for the day. It's a calming sort of thing to see before a busy day starts. The only bad ppart is when they cut to some noisy commercial just as you're starting to relax.