[Mithras]

I read this glowing review of a new ABC series "Traveler", passed along because the creator is a guy I know from college.

“Travelers” appeals to the Everyparanoid. Three good-looking roommates, fresh out of Yale graduate schools, take a Kerouac-inspired cross-country road trip, kicking it off with a roller-skating lark inside a New York City museum. Moments later a huge bomb explodes and destroys almost everything inside, including an exhibition of the American president’s private art collection.

Jay Burchell (Matthew Bomer) and Tyler Fog (Logan Marshall-Green) are caught on tape skating to safety and are branded as terrorists, possibly in cahoots with foreign enemies.

They believe that their third friend, Will Traveler (Aaron Stanford), can help establish their innocence, but Will vanishes, and the two others realize they cannot even prove the third man existed.

...

The first episode of “Traveler” is well made and quite gripping... “Traveler” takes young, handsome protagonists and plunges them into an adult world of terrorism and government deceit. And in these times, that could be a popular combination.

You can watch the pilot on ABC's view-on-demand -- it's really pretty good. Yes, it's in the tradition of "The Fugitive" and countless others -- innocent man wrongfully accused, forced to go on the run to prove his innocence. But I found it charming and witty.

[design219]

I didn't see the show, but I really like ABC's online programming. Less commercials and a decent picture over the Internet. They are using Flash for their video delivery and it is really impressive. I don't have cable or sat tv so I have been keeping up with LOST online.

I might check out Traveler, but I don't want to get drawn into watching another series unless it is really, really good.

[starman]

Terrorism, huh? No offense to your friend, but I've had it up to here with terrorism shows. I'd rather see a good sitcom on the air; I miss Friends and Seinfeld.

[Big Mac]

The Office and My Name is Earl are the successors to Seinfeld, IMO.

[osiris]

Stupid terrorism shows and police/crime related shows in general. Too much violence, fear and hatred for the masses IMO.

OTOH, this could be a great setup for a kooky sitcom.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

The Office and My Name is Earl are the successors to Seinfeld, IMO.

The Office is awesome, and Scrubs isn't too bad either. Neither are quite the same though, considering they don't have a live audience or anything like that.

[Dakarʒ]

Scrubs is great.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

The Office is awesome, and Scrubs isn't too bad either. Neither are quite the same though, considering they don't have a live audience or anything like that.

Scrubs is decent, too, you're right, although I find it harder to develop a taste for. 30 Rock is promising, Alec Baldwin's off-stage personality aside. Seinfeld was one of the best TV comedies ever, and its achievement is not easily replicated. NBC's back in business, though - Heroes, Earl and The Office are my only network TV must-sees.

[design219]

I've never seen the office, but some people at work think it is wonderful. Are any of the other networks going to start on-line programming like ABC? It seems like a no brainer to me... on air or on-line, its still ad revenue. And I would think they could develop profiles and target ads to target audiences.

[Mithras]

Other than ABC? Well, CBS, NBC, and Fox all have ad-supported streaming services. They vary in
(a) video quality -- ABC may be the best here
(b) ad annoyingness (I think ABC's click-to-continue are the worst)
(c) ease of browsing (CBS is the best, I think)
(d) Show coverage -- i.e. how many of their shows are online
(e) Show depth -- i.e. how many episodes of each show are available.

The last is among the most random -- for example, CBS makes the entire season of Jericho available, but only the most recent "The Unit". Why I have no idea.

[Laminar]

If I'm not mistaken, NBC stopped showing full episodes and instead started using lame episode recaps, at least for The Office.

[Big Mac]

Yeah, NBC has full episodes posted for only some of the shows.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

30 Rock is promising, Alec Baldwin's off-stage personality aside.

I think every character on that show is great.

"Hello, we met before -- you probably don't remember me. Jack proposed to me outside your office? I have hollow bones?"

That and phrases like "flee to the Cleve" and "the Beeper King of New York" make me giddy.

[andi*pandi]

fox puts some shows up.

The premise sounds interesting, and eye-candy is never frowned at, but I don't think I can let myself get interested in another show until I know it's going to be around for a while.

(drive)

[Nebagakid]

I watched Traveler last night and it was meh. There was nothing gripping about it. There were these two people who decided not to go to the cops, but I never bought that they shouldn't give themselves in.

[itistoday]

I like the basis for this, it's not a new idea but it's appropriate and modern. However, I absolutely hate it when the screenwriters put little thought into making it realistic. The first thing you should do if your face is all over television is change it! This idiot pretty-boy is walking around town with the same slick haircut and the same clothes and the thought of changing them doesn't even seem to cross his mind. How can he, a "lawyer," be that stupid??

[Mithras]

Originally Posted by Nebagakid 

There were these two people who decided not to go to the cops, but I never bought that they shouldn't give themselves in.

Yeah, I agree that problem is endemic to shows with the "innocent man on the lam" premise. And I definitely felt it watching Traveler too. Come on, kids, if all you did was rollerblade, you're probably not going straight to Guantanamo...

[lavar78]

I enjoyed it. It's still early, but I'd already call it this season's best new show not named "Heroes." Of course, I don't see it making it to a second season.

[Ghoser777]

Originally Posted by Mithras 

Yeah, I agree that problem is endemic to shows with the "innocent man on the lam" premise. And I definitely felt it watching Traveler too. Come on, kids, if all you did was rollerblade, you're probably not going straight to Guantanamo...

Which is why Fugitive was such a good movie - he really had no logical alternative besides seeking out the truth on his own.

[Cipher13]

Originally Posted by Mithras 

you're probably not going straight to Guantanamo...

People have been sent there for a lot less, and when you're not guaranteed a trial, why wouldn't you run?

One reason I'll never, ever visit the US.

[Nebagakid]

I think the idea of them going to Guantanamo isn't so crazy, considering the insane reasons why some people are in there now (satirical newspapers?). But it is true that they didn't have to run. They had many options to just turn themselves in. It was not an inevitable choice.

[jokell82]

Originally Posted by Cipher13 

People have been sent there for a lot less, and when you're not guaranteed a trial, why wouldn't you run?

One reason I'll never, ever visit the US.

Visiting the US isn't a prerequisite to going to Gitmo. Just do yourself a favor and avoid countries where we have a military presence, at least until this BS is over.

Back on topic, I'm downloading this show now. Looks a bit interesting, if not extremely far-fetched.

[Atheist]

I watched it the other day... thought it was crap... the premise is lame and totally unbelievable. So you have a "best friend" for two years and just because he puts his hand in front of his face in every photograph taken of him you can't prove he even existed??? PUHLEEEEEZE!