In the DVR era, I have this new problem/blessing that happens to me every year. I jump on board these shows and then just get too busy to keep up with them and they pile up and sit there on my DVR unwatched. As an example, I just finished "Chapter 5" of John Adams last night; damn that's a good mini-series. But now that 99% of the network shows are wrapping up their seasons, I'm looking at three months of solid catch-up time.

I can also use the time to try out series I've always wanted to get into but just haven't for some reason or another; I'll use that "no time" excuse again. With more videos streaming online at Hulu (thanks ABC), seasons coming out ever faster on DVD and more vintage shows coming out the field is wide open. Of course, I'm probably taking on more than I can handle, but dammit I'm excited!

We'll just go with alphabetical order so I don't have to decide in what order to watch them just yet (procrastinator to the end, but that's what this list is all about, isn't it?):

Crash
I loved the movie, so thought I'd give the show a try. I'm a sucker for anything that takes a unique approach to storytelling; 24 had me with real-time progression. The film version did such a masterful job of weaving the various storylines together into one complete hole creating a six degrees of humanity tapestry that was just beautifully tragic. Given more room to breathe in a regular series, I was curious if the intensity could sustain itself. Unfortunately, I only made it through the pilot. But I still want to see if they pulled it off.

Damages
I fell in love with this show during the first season, and not just because Patty's last name sounds just like mine. It was dark, diabolical and on FX. What can I say, FX takes good care of me when it comes to quality programming. Plus I'd just finished loving Glenn Close on The Shield and this looked like a nice, meaty role. Unfortunately, for some reason, I only made it eight episodes into the first season before I just kind of stopped watching it. So now I have 18 episodes sitting there just waiting for me and somehow I don't know how any of it is going to go already.

Eureka
This is one of those fun shows where I watched the first season and then kind of forgot about it. After a couple of moves and a switch from DirecTV to Dish I even lost the episodes. But during the Christmas hiatus I picked it back up and Sherrif Carter and the zany scientists of Eureka are infectious. I love the light-hearted tone of it, as well as the quirky sci-fi. It's such a polar opposite to Sci Fi's darker fare.

John Adams
I will finish this, dammit! I heard it picked up a few awards along the way *grin*.

Life on Mars (UK)/Ashes to Ashes
I got hooked on the premise of this when I first heard about the US adaptation. Since then I've been dying to see the UK original on which it was based. It promises a very different ending than the US version gave us, which is good because I wasn't bananas about the American finale. And now that BBC America has started airing the sequel Ashes to Ashes; the second season of that is running in the UK now; it's all the more incentive to check out the original Sam Tyler's adventures in 1973 Britain.

Skins
What can I say, the UK has a lot of good shows; I just wish we got more of them here. The first season of Skins ranks right up there as one of the two or three best and truest representations of teen life I've ever seen. It's as heartbreakingly real and tragic as My So-Called Life, Freaks and Geeks and even a bit of the film Kids. After the first episode of the second season, it fell by the wayside, but it has always stayed in the back of my mind. I know there's a third season out there as well featuring an almost all new cast. There's not enough I can say about how brilliant this show is.

True Blood
I'm still on the fence with this one. I enjoyed the first few episodes but just didn't feel compelled to keep watching. The same thing happened with Dexter. Both of them are shows I feel I really should watch because everyone says they're great, but it's just not happening for me. I keep pushing them back and pushing them back. Maybe this summer?

The Tudors
I know, the third season is airing right now. But when last I dropped in on good King Henry VIII, Ann Boleyn was still alive having just failed to deliver the King his first heir. I am a sucker for a good period piece and other than a crazy accelerated timeline, this one is giving a good reimagining of what Henry VIII's life was really like. They do a great job with the sets and the era, though, and the acting is top-notch. It's good dramatic stuff and I can't wait to see Henry tear through more wives!

Classics
There are also those few shows that I've never seen because I missed the boat when they first aired. I'm ashamed that I've never seen them considering I'm a sci-fi/fantasy junkie and so am determined to rectify that so I can hold my head up high in geekdom and contribute to conversations. Unfortunately, they're both enormous tasks. Still, I will at least get started on watching The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel this summer! This I vow!

What do you have saved up to watch this summer, or perhaps like me you have some shows you just really need to watch that you never did for some reason?