Moments in TV Awesome: Teacup Humans

There's a reason people fall for the Spikes and Erics of vampire TV. Sure, the appeal of a vampire love story is that this untameable, beautiful brooder (they're always brooders) can actually be tamed by love. That makes Angel and Edward and certainly Mr. Bill Compton very appealing. They're dark monsters transformed into... whipped puppies. And don't get me wrong, that's well and good for a while. But such self-denying devotion gets boring but quick.

Cue a character with all the sexy, dangerous charm and none of the neutered self-loathing. These characters embrace life, even if they're not really alive.

Two minutes in, see Eric discuss children in a way that would give Bill the vapors.

My workout playlist

A lot of people love to listen to music to get into their workout, but the thing that most takes me out of my head is some good TV. Now I can't just watch anything. Nothing too boring -- I love "What Not to Wear," but it is clearly designed to be watched while reading a magazine or talking on the phone. And trying to concentrate on "Battlestar" or "The Wire" while keeping my heart rate up is just impossible. Shows like that deserve greater attention.

There are three types of shows that have that perfect blend of interesting and easy. I don't think so hard that I forget I'm supposed to be working out and I'm not so bored that I find myself flipping channels and slowing my pace to read show descriptions.

LADIES WITH SUPERNATURAL PROBLEMS:
Right now, that means "Drop Dead Diva." It's a charming show about an aspiring model who is killed in an accident only to discover that it's not her time and be put back in the body of a similarly deceased plus size attorney. Who happens to work at the model's fiance's firm. And the only people who know her secret are her sweet, supportive BFF and her guardian angel Fred. Shut up. It's a good show. Last night it actually made me tear up and slow down. And Elliot Gould was a guest star. What, you think you're too good for Elliot Gould? Pish.

Another alternative in this genre is "Being Erica," which I LOVED. It's a Canadian import that got its American debut on... Oxygen? Lifetime? Soapnet? I can't remember, but it's awesome. Erica is a thirty something screw up with tons of regrets about the past and she's given the opportunity to fix these regrets by going back to certain days in her past and doing them over. Things work out pretty well until she impulsively stops her brother from dying and totally effs up the future. The show just got ten Gemini nominations and the second season should be coming soon.

DVD workout options: "Wonderfalls" and "Dead Like Me"

QUIRKY CRIME SOLVERS:
"Psych" is enjoyable, but that's because of the likability and chemistry of the cast, not because of it's intricate plotting. That's why it's perfect for a workout. I enjoy the banter and the loose silliness without dwelling on the weird coincidences that follow Shawn and Gus around like a thick, affable fog. Other quirky crime solvers I like to get sweaty with: Richard Castle of "Castle" and Sheriff Carter from "Eureka," though he's less quirky and more the straight man in the town that quirk built.

TEEN SHOWS:
It's no secret that I love teen shows. I can't help it. And ABC Family Channel (minus that unwatchable "Secret Life" dreck) is fantastic. "Make It or Break It" is like "Stick It" meets "One Tree Hill." It's about a squad of Olympic hopeful gymnasts and their families. And since the athletes in questions are teen girls, there's lots of drama, though if I'm being honest, the viciousness has gone downhill since bitchy Lauren rigged a vault, causing an accident that could have paralyzed underdog Emily. But there's still catfighting and boyfriend-stealing and lots of flippy gymnastics moves. What's not to love?

Also on ABC Family, "Greek" is returning in September. When last we saw the denizens of CRU, Cappie and Casey were on the verge of finally getting it together and admitting their love, Evan was less evil than he'd been all season, Rusty still hadn't scared off his girlfriend and Dale being pressured into premarital relations by a full-on cougar. Also, Jesse McCartney seemed to have disappeared and no one missed him at all. If you haven't given this show a chance, you really should. Whether you were Greek or not, it's a nice look back at college and with it's racially diverse cast and frank depiction of gay and lesbian relationships, it's actually pretty progressive.

Merlin's (lack of) beard!

So I never really got into the new Robin Hood that BBC America and my misguided brother kept trying to shove down my throat, but one night when I was without basic cable, I found myself falling for the charms of another BBC take on a legend before the legend, Merlin.

The show follows a young Merlin upon his arrival to Camelot, which is ruled by Uther Pendragon (or as I think of him, King Ripper). Magic has been outlawed by Prince Arthur's father, so it's a dangerous place for the young warlock, who becomes Arthur's manservant and gradual friend (they're totes the Seth and Ryan of Camelot).

The show is a little loose with the traditional story. Instead of being Arthur's sister, Morgana is his father's ward. And apparently Mordred is not their son because he has already made an appearance as a little druid boy to whom Morgana becomes dangerously attached. Oh and Guinevere, who has always been the most annoying character in Camelot's mythos, is now Gwen, Morgana's sweet, socially-awkward hand maiden.

The chemistry between the younger cast members is great and it's fun to see Anthony Head playing a stubborn bastard like Uther. NBC may be done airing the season, but Hulu still has many episodes available, including one with the creation of Excalibur. You know, if you're a dork and care about that kind of thing.