COMMENTARY: Updates from recent episodes

Here is an update from recent programmes I've watched:

• One Tree Hill - just watched the season premiere today. It was a really great episode, and captured me into that whole broody teenager mood a lot more than Smallville has. Already big things are happening this season. We didn't get all of the answers - we don't know if it's Brooke or Haley that's pregnant (though I'm quite sure it's Haley), and we don't know who knows Dan's secret, but these mysteries will continue to unravel throughout the season. The guessing game of "who's pregnant" that kept up through this episode was very well-written. Lucas's commentary was perhaps a bit strange but seemed to be trying to introduce new viewers to the show. It's a promising season, which is a strange thing to say as it took me a long time to get back into season 3 when I began to watch that one.
• 24 - season 8 has been mostly rubbish so far, but we've had some good episodes recently. In the last one I watched, it was revealed that Dana was a mole inside CTU - kind of cliche. Actually the episode focussed mostly on Chloe and her crazy antics. But the previous episode had some great misdirection that I really didn't see coming and I don't think a lot of people did.
• Damages - this season has been much better than the last. It seems as if it might be the last one, which means there might only be 4 episodes to go! I hope not! Well the last episode (which I watched today) was weak to be honest. But the season in general has some compelling characters (on both sides), quite enough of the "what the hell is going on" factor (and I still don't know), and some great story, such as Ellen's confused loyalties.
• Smallville - the season has started off well, though hasn't gripped me in quite the same way season 4 did. Storylines are slowly emerging, such as those around the new character of Milton Fine. The last episode I watched "Exposed" was a fairly standalone episode and the one before that "Thirst" was regarded by the writers as one of the weakest episodes of the entire programme; I didn't think it was as bad as season 4's "Krypto", but at the same time I didn't enjoy it all that much. However I still have a lot of hope and I think the season has been slow to get started. We haven't seen Lionel Luthor for a couple of episodes now either...I wonder what he is up to. Lana and Clark are also finally getting together and it feels a lot more right than the teenage angst that plagued season 3.
  
• Lost - it's still great. Currently the story is focussed on The Barracks where Jack, Kate, Sayid and Locke are. I expect a re-union between Alex and Danielle in the near future. It's just been revealed that Anthony Cooper is on the Island!! The submarine has been destroyed so The Others have no way of getting back to the real world. Back at camp, the stories are a bit more boring - trying to fire up a van, or Claire learning about Charlie's destiny.
  
• Pushing Daisies - recent episodes have featured Chuck's dad coming back to life, Olive getting closer to Ned's secret, and Ned's father coming back on the scene. With only 3 episodes to go there's not a whole lot they can do. The overall storyline of this season has been good, but none of the individual episodes have been particularly well-executed or had a strong central story.
• Star Trek: Enterprise - there have been a couple of good episodes. In particular the fourth episode "Dead Stop" was kinda cool and futuristic. The season premiere was good. But "A Night In Sickbay" was bad even on paper and worse on the screen. The last episode I watched, "Marauders", was mediocre. All in all I'll struggle through this season because I know the next two will be a lot better.
• Pokémon - Ash has just been in the Safari Zone, which he's been trying to find for a while. There hasn't been much mention of a badge recently. Near-future episodes are going to include the Kanto Cycling Road, and the first Christmas episode of the anime.