TV with a twist
Last week, I posted on the Brava Authors blog about some of the great new paranormal programming that’s on television right now, & I thought it might be fun to have the same chat here. Especially since I am nothing if not a dedicated boob-tuber. 
So here are some of the shows with a paranormal twist that I’ve been watching lately. They’re some of the best to come along in a good, long while, if do say so myself. :whip
GRIMM — I love this show! I love that it’s a cop drama, but also has oodles of otherworldly creatures & lore mixed in. And one of the things I enjoy most is how each time somebody turns out to be a “monster,” the monster’s character traits totally suit the human side of the person. You know what I mean… A snake creature turns out to be a slimy slip-and-fall lawyer… An ogre turns out be be a big bully (i.e. ogre) in real life… A wolf turns out to be protective & pack-like… Can you imagine what it would be like to categorize the people you meet like that? Bear. Pig. Wolf. Bee. Love it!
ONCE UPON A TIME — I always group Grimm & Once Upon a Time together because they both started airing at the same time, but they really aren’t anything alike. One is straight paranormal, while the other draws its paranormal elements from the fairy tales & folk lore we’re already familiar with. And I love the fairy tale aspect of Once Upon a Time. The Evil Queen…Snow White & Prince Charming…Rumplestiltskin… But I also love how it takes place in two different time periods, jumping back & forth to show us how current circumstances began in or mirror the past. I also love the heroism & determination of Henry, the little boy who figures it all out & is fighting to put things right, even against the woman who raised him. (Go, Henry! Die, Evil Queen, die!)
BEING HUMAN — I’m watching this one, but to be honest, I don’t really like it very much. I had such high hopes, too. A vampire, a werewolf, & a ghost…? Oh, it had so much potential. But even though I continue to watch each new episode just to kind of keep up with what’s going on, I really don’t care about the characters or storylines. It’s too confusing, too convoluted, too soap opera-ish for my tastes. And it probably doesn’t help that the acting isn’t all that great.
SUPERNATURAL — As you know, I was a late-comer to this one. Literally, I just started watching it the last time TNT started running the episodes in repeats from the very beginning a few months ago. I also literally kick myself at least once a day for not catching this one from the first moment it aired. :runrun And as you also know, now that I’ve discovered it, I am completely hooked, verging on obsessed. I am totally in love with Sam & Dean. (A little more with Dean than Sam, but that’s really none of your business. :angry ) Pretty much everything about this show is freaking amazing—including the music!—& even though I’m only up to Season 6 so far in my viewing, I hope it never gets old & never disappoints, because I want to be delighted, entertained, spellbound, enthralled, horrified…&, yes, obsessed by it forever!
Such great inspiration for a romance writer who adores her heroes a little bit dangerous. Well, some of them, anyway. 
So what do you think… Are you watching these, too? Which is your favorites & your least favorites?
And are there any other shows on TV right now with a paranormal twist that I might be missing? :Huh I need to know! My DVR still has, like, ten whole hours left to fill. :dropmouth
Comments
13 Comments • Comments Feed
Jane says:
I watch “Once Upon a Time” and “Grimm.” I’ve seen the British version of “Being Human.” I’m excited about the upcoming premiere of “The River” on ABC.
On January 30, 2012 at 3:04 am
Heidi says:
Jane takes the Halo…neener-neener-neener. :whip
What is The River about? Gotta admit, I’m interested…*love* horror & it looks scary. But I have no idea what the premise is & would really like to know before I try it.
On January 30, 2012 at 11:21 am
Anne says:
I’ve watched all of them too. Supernatural has gone down hill the last couple of seasons. I’ll miss them, but maybe it’s time for the show to die (gonna miss my Jansen eye candy).
I’ve seen the British and US versions of Being Human and find they’re just ok. Maybe in the summer I’ll request the latest season from the library, but I have no pressing need to see them.
Out of Once Upon A Time and Grimm, I probably like Grimm more for the cop drama aspect. The main male actor took a while to grow on me. All I got from him in terms of acting were blank staring eyes. I’m looking forward to The River too.
I watched Alcatraz on Fox, which is vaguely supernatural, but it didn’t excite me much. My sister said to give it another few shows.
On January 30, 2012 at 8:51 am
Heidi says:
I’m only 1/3, maybe 1/2way thru S6 of Supernatural, so it hasn’t started to go downhill for me yet, but I have been warned the last two seasons aren’t as good as the first 5. I guess because S5 was really supposed to be the end, then they had to scramble to come up with new stuff when it got renewed. I just hope nothing hugely drastic happens to turn me off. I’m okay with the end not being as fab as the beginning, but not with anything that will break my heart.
Funny, but I’d agree about the main guy on Grimm taking a while to get used to. I like him, but he was a little wide-eyed there for a while. LOL
Didn’t try Alcatraz & heard it wasn’t very impressive. But if it takes a turn for the better, I’d be willing to check it out.
On January 30, 2012 at 11:25 am
Mary Kirkland says:
I watch all those shows as well as The Secret Circle, The vampire Diaries and a new show called Lost Girl.
I love Supernatural and it looks to me like Being Human is really getting good since there is now a new werewolf in the mix.
On January 30, 2012 at 11:07 am
Heidi says:
So funny that I don’t watch much on CW until I’m smacked over the head with it. I think only Supernatural & America’s Next Top Model. I always think of CW as the teeny-bopper channel, so I’ve gotta be dragged over to watch much of anything. LOL
On January 30, 2012 at 11:27 am
Bonia says:
The only one out of the ones you mentioned that I catch is Once Upon a Time. I must admit I had high hopes for this show but something about it seems dragging. Idk. Maybe it’s just me. Probably because I want to see the evil witch get hers sometimes. I’m sick of the good always getting shot down. Specially after last nights episode. I’m kinda like this isn’t how it’s supposed to be.
I also LOVE vampire diaries and The secret circle. ALthough I admit I didn’t intially watch The Vampire Diaries. I was bored and saw it online and was like Let me check this out. I got hooked after the very 1st episode. Caught up online and then have it dvr’d now. I LOVE IT! Daemon’s eyes (Ian sommerholder) yes please!
The Secret Circle I’m as well excited about! I started watching it when it first started and have yet to be disappointed with an episode. What makes me mad is they just came back with 1 episode from the holidays and then took another weeks break. I hate when they do this with shows. cause now we’re only going to have like 8 weeks then they’ll go on summer hiatis.
Although speaking of summer. TRUE BLOOD! Totally in love with this series as well! I just found it this year too online. Caught up and now can’t wait for it to come back this summer!
I apprently have just discovered paranormal that I like, I’m mad that they cancelled “The Gates” that was another one I loved.
A couple non paranormals that have the thriller aspect- Revenge, and Ringer. Both awesomely good!
On January 30, 2012 at 11:39 am
Heidi says:
I know exactly what you mean about Once being a little slow at times. *I* think it’s because there are so many characters & so many storylines running at once. So one week it’s all about Snow White…then we don’t see her for a week or two cuz we’re learning about the Evil Queen or Rumple…or they veer off into Cinderella, Hansel & Gretal. I’m going with it because I do enjoy it & like big, wide expanse of story…but I understand how it can seem a bit slow at times, too. And yeah—every time you think somebody’s finally going to be happy – BAM! But I’m going with it. :peekaboo
I’m like that w/ TV, too, & one of these days probably will check out Secret Circle & Vampire Diaries. I don’t seem to be in the mood right now, oddly enough. But chiming in late is exactly how I discovered My Name is Early, The New Adventures of Old Christine, & of course Supernatural. :runrun
I don’t watch True Blood. Didn’t like the books at all, so I can’t imagine I’d like the show. One of these days, maybe, but so far, nothing I’ve seen or heard appeals to me.
And I never even heard about The Gates…where was it? What was it about? Hmm… :oops
On January 30, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Bonia says:
It’s about a community that lived behind “The Gates” One family was a vampire family and another was werewolves. Actually there were several of both, but this Sheriff gets brought in whose human and starts noticing weird stuff. He has to help keep their secret. It was good. But didn’t get picked up :curses . It was well before all of these paranormal shows. It’s on netflix if you have it.
On January 30, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Mary Kirkland says:
I was so mad when The Gates got cancelled. That could have been a great series.
On January 31, 2012 at 11:42 am
Hollie says:
I’m watching both Grimm and Once upon a time…LOVE them both…but I would sure like to see Regina get a little somethin’ back at her!! I get so frustrated with the whole evil winning! :curses
I’m a later comer to Grimm..missed the first couple of episodes..but now even my hubster is looking forward to it each week!! :thumbsup
On January 30, 2012 at 7:34 pm
Bonia says:
I agree. Boo evil, I mean I know if they kill her off that will be the end of the show, but I HATE that she wins every time!
I was really sadden to see her kill the sheriff. I felt like just when Emma was making a real connection with someone it was taken away from her. I’m sick of Emma getting hurt.
On January 31, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Hollie says:
So am I!! I felt so bad for her!! I don’t think that Regina is the worst of the baddies in this series! Someone will be using her…hopefully!
Emma has got to get a little ahead…or else I dont think people will keep watching! I hope they give us at least a peek at hopefulness!!!
On January 31, 2012 at 5:13 pm