If it's the singer, not the song, maybe it's the actor, not the plot.

Good morning!

I am a fan of the written drama.  Yes, I watch more than my share of  "reality TV" but that's really more my Saturday afternoon viewing when there's no hockey or football and I'm too lazy to turn on Netflix or stick a movie in the blu ray player.  During the week, with just a very few exceptions, I watch written dramas. I give my DVR a workout every day.  The Blacklist, Criminal Minds, Chicago Fire, NCIS, Chicago PD, Hawaii 5-0 Dracula, CSI, The Following.  I really want to get into "Sleepy Hollow" and get back into "Gery's Anatomy" but there's only so much time in a week.  I'm still 7 episodes behind on "The Blacklist" because I work super late on Monday nights so I use Thursdays to catch up on DVR stuff  (Curse you TV people for putting such AWESOME television on Fridays...that used to be my catch up day. Now I'm glued to Hawaii 5-0 and Dracula.)

Yesterday was exhausting for me and I got almost no writing done, but I did manage to get ahead of nearly 3 weeks' worth of laundry.  And the only reason I managed that is because my 13 disc copy of War and Remembrance showed up this week.  I'm telling you this to explain why, after 5 hours of World War II drama, I needed to escape, so I watched an episode of the Blacklist.  I love that show.

He's on my "Black list."

Yes, I love the Blacklist.  Just like I love Criminal Minds, Hawaii 5-0, and all of them.  I love them.

Last night, however, I realized, thanks to the DVR, I wasn't actually watching The Blacklist.  I was fast forwarding through every scene that didn't involve James Spader.  (I've loved James Spader since I was in my early teens.  He's on my "list."  Yes, we all have a list, don't judge me.)  I made a shocking discovery, and I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but since I'm me, I have very little shame.

I realized I do that a lot.  When I watch shows on the DVR I fast forward until I see my favorite character and then I pay attention. And it's not just James Spader, with his magnetism and his great line delivery.  Let's review:

Criminal Minds:  Shemar Moore

Every Wednesday and all the time on ION.
Yes please.

Hawaii 5-0: Alex O'Loughlin
Chicago Fire: Taylor Kinney and Jesse Spencer (and they're firemen.)
Dracula: Jonathan Rhys Meyers
CSI:  George Eads and Eric Szmanda
NCIS:  Mark Harmon...do you really need to ask?
Chicago PD: well, I'm hoping for glimpses of Taylor Kinney and Jesse Spense, and Jesse Soffer, whom I adored for many years in "as The World Turns."

Who wouldn't want him to save you from
a fire?

Do we see a pattern here?  Clearly I'm only into these written dramas for the attractive actors...I mean, it's all good versus evil, crime, drama, good lighting, and in the case of Dracula, a touch of romance.  (Why are all the other dramas avoiding romance?  Did we learn nothing from JAG?  A romance storyline can carry you through a DECADE of crime drama.)

Wait, there's one show not on the list.

The Following.

Granted, I got into The Following because I have always liked Kevin Bacon and anything based on Edgar Allen Poe's writing is worth a look.  BUT I really watch The Following.  I watch every minute of it.  I don't get popcorn, I don't fold laundry, I sit down and watch it.  Sometimes I don't fast forward through the commercials because I'm busy absorbing what I've seen.

So what's the difference between The Following and everything else I'm watching right now?

At this point, I'm not sure.  While watching the Blacklist last night I realized for the most part the plot was just like everything else I watch, and I wasn't all that interested.  I was waiting for James Spader to be on screen and be brilliant.  When I checked in on Dracula, which had it's season ender last night, it was almost

An original look at a very old tale...it's still all about the leading man.

the same thing  (although I will give Dracula points, they have a TON of story lines going on in that show.)  And I realized this might be the reason I haven't been able to get deeply involved with "Intelligence."  I've watched the first two episodes, but I just don't care about Josh Holloway and his brain/computer issues.

The great 80's band Survivor had a song called "It's the Singer not the Song."

I'm a total fan girl...I take notes.

Well give the glory to the man
Who's not afraid to come on strong
When there's magic in the music
It's the singer not the song
When it's comin' from the heart
All the people sing along
It's the man behind the music
It's the singer not the song 

I get the message here.  I'll watch crime dramas all day long...if I like the characters and I feel their pain.  the plot may not be anything all that original, shoot, I may see the exact same story on the next drama.  But if I like the characters, I'll tune in faithfully.  And who knows?  If it's really, really good, I might even pay attention.

 I do with "The Following," That's for sure.