Television: Events, Hacks, and Surprises

During my television watching this week there was a kind of odd convergence of random oddities that, as a whole, added up to a very surreal experience.

Not only am I starting to watch a few new shows, get reacquainted with old ones, and finishing up the summer's entertainment, I'm also watching very old shows... most notably Star Trek Enterprise and X-files.  I watch older shows before bed, because if something is *too* interesting I will never get to sleep.

First, the season premiere of "Supernatural" with Mitch Pileggi (remember that name, folks) reprising his role as Samuel Campbell, the boys' grandfather and father to Mary Winchester nee Campbell.  Excellent as always, and an interesting return for the show.

Then, an old X-files episode where AD Skinner (played by Mitch Pileggi) is conned into thinking he's killed a prostitute in his bed while asleep.  This prostitute was played by Amanda Tapping, the actress who portrayed Carter on Stargate SG-1.  Mitch Pileggi was on Stargate Atlantis, so watching the two of them roll around under the covers was a bit... odd to say the least.

And then the second episode of "The Event" which has gotten infinitely more interesting now that we know it's all about "aliens among us", and could only possibly be improved upon by the inclusion of Mitch Pileggi.  Considering it's about aliens, he'd fit right in.  Or as my husband would say, "He's got a background in alien acting", taking a riff from the character Joey from "Friends".

Then to wind up the whole oddball package, I was watching a re-run of "Graham Norton" I had never seen, and who should be a guest but Gillian Anderson formerly of "X-files".  I had no idea that she was British.  At first I thought she'd just picked up the accent from being in the country, as I will do in a heartbeat if I'm around heavy accents for more than five minutes, but no.  And she was still disgustingly beautiful, damn her.  I would kill to have her luminous complexion.  That's not makeup, folks.

I have not managed to catch the new episodes of "Chuck" as yet, as my DVR is having scheduling difficulties.  Also, some weird randomness seems to turn off my cable box once or twice a week, leaving my Tivo nothing to record but blackness.  It's annoying.