Confessions of a Pagan Geek: Summertime Blues

I remember being a kid when television seasons were something sacred.  TV shows began in the fall and ended in the spring and re-runs were shown over the summer.  While the summer is still a slow time for TV lovers like myself, in this new century of television where cable stations are major players in original programming, there are still things available for our viewing pleasure.

The highlight, especially in pagan or geeky circles, is HBO’s True Blood.  Season three is still as exciting as one and two, but it wasn’t until last Sunday’s episode that they returned to more pagan imagery as we explored what what make Sookie Stackhouse different than the rest of the supernatural world around her.

Doctor Who’s first season with the 11th doctor has come and gone, but BBC America has just started airing my second favorite British television series – Being Human. When I first heard about this show I was certain it was a slapstick comedy.  A werewolf, a vampire and a ghost share a flat in Bristol.  The premise sounds insane, but the show is quite engaging.  The second season is on BBC America right now with the third episode airing tonight. With themes involving dealing with the afterlife and how “pass” as a normal member of society, the show would be of interest to fantasy/sci-fi leaning Pagans.

Also airing tonight is a summer series that I caught on my cables On Demand:  NBC’s Persons Unknown.  Honestly I started watching this show because it featured actors that I liked in other things including Kandyse McClure who played Anastasia “Dee” Dualla on Battlestar Galactica.  The show has an interesting premise in which a group of seemingly unrelated strangers have all been abducted and are being held hostage in a deserted town.  However, there is a mysterious organization behind the kidnappings and we have yet to learn who they are.  I am not even sure if I like it yet, but there is something about the hidden group playing Gods with the lives of their victims that is keeping me watching.

I also just stumbled upon a Syfy Original show called Haven that premiered several weeks ago. On the surface, it looks like many of the other oddly formulaic “FBI Agent Investigates Supernatural Events” shows out there.  It is, however, based on  theStephen King book The Colorado Kid.  I absolutely loved another King series, The Dead Zone, where I learned that Anthony Michael Hall was full of the awesome. I was willing to give Haven it’s day in court.  So far it has has explored story-lines involving weather manipulation and nightmare manifestation giving the show a magical feeling.  It’ll be a nice distraction while I wait for my current favorite show, Fringe, to return to the airwaves this fall for it’s third season.

If you prefer Reality Television, The Fabulous Beekman Boys on Planet Green is still one of my favorite offerings of the summer.  I love watching these city guys learn how to live in the country.  And watching the baby goats is about as cute as anything can be.  Certainly not overtly Pagan but the exploration into green living is of interest to many of us.

Speaking of green, I recently learned from Treehugger.com that New Belgium Beer, which I featured recently in my Magic of Beer series for Lammas, has been voted the world’s greenest beer.  You you can feel a little more sustainable when you pour yourself a cold, refreshing Mothership Wit.