Disclaimer: I am not caught up on Mad Men, so it will not be on the list.
10. Modern Family- I won't argue that it didn't deserve its Emmy (though I will argue there were several shows that deserved it more), but I do find this show to be a tad overrated. Not Glee overrated, but overrated nontheless. It is a very funny show with a very good and likeable cast, but it has many weaknesses it needs to overcome. Modern Family has shown what it can do when it's firing on all cylinders ("Manny Get Your Gun", "Starry Night") but oftentimes it falls into the traps of exploiting a character's most annoying character trait only when it is required for a plot. This makes the characters inconsistent. One week, Phil might be your favorite character. The next week, you despise him. But it has shown the family comedy does not have to be what it was in the 90s and is still good for at least a couple laughs each week.
9. 30 Rock- 30 Rock is in the middle of one of the biggest comebacks I've ever seen. It struggled through most of its fourth season, failing to produce interesting plots and doing anything to get a joke in- even if it wasn't funny. But the quality suddenly ramped upwards towards the end of the fourth season, and the current season is just below where the show was at its peak. It's still smart, it's still funny, and it's still irrelevant.
8. Chuck- Chuck is a fun show. It's not a serious drama and it's not an all- out comedy. It falls in the middle. The show has suffered this year from obvious budget cuts (although this has become less of a problem in the fourth season) and the first half of the third season was rushed and messy (seriously, did anybody at all buy Sarah and Shaw together?). But one Shaw became a villain, the show quickly returned to its loveable self, once again showing why so many people fight to save it each May and why people do stupid stuff like this.
7. Futurama- Seven years after being canceled by FOX, Futurama returned to the television show format on Comedy Central this year. After a bumpy start, it showed that it hasn't missed a beat. Still the best animated show on television.
6. Parks and Recreation- After a mediocre first season, Parks and Recreation returned to a season that slowly built up quality each week to the point where it became one of the funniest shows on air and infinitely more entertaining than its Office counterpart. The ensemble is fantastic and have great chemistry, the writers understand the characters and use them to their full potential, and the setting just works. And who could forget Ron Effing Swanson? (Or DJ Roomba?)
5. Fringe- Up until the second half of its second season, Fringe was the most inconsistent show of television (well, besides Dollhouse). One thing was noticeable, however: the mythology episodes were always the strongest. So when the show finally did what so many other shows like Burn Notice need to do and embraced the mythology, the show became one of the most consistently awesome shows on television. And how can you go wrong with alternate universes?
4. Lost- Possibly the most controversial season of television in history. It depended what you ended up caring more about: the mythology or the characters. If it was the latter, you could all the closure you could possibly want. And I was definitely the latter. There comes a point where you realize that the mystery is part of Lost and it should stay that way. No answers could possibly not be lame with all the buildup surrounding everything. In the end, Lost delivered an emotionally moving, exciting, and all- around great final season.
3. Terriers- Terriers is pretty much Veronica Mars if the main character in Veronica Mars was actually two people who were both middle- aged former drug addicts. Terriers was great. The leads had insane amounts of chemistry, the plot lines were never dull, and the acting and writing were top notch. Funny, interesting, and gripping, it was by far the best new show of 2010. So, of course, it's been canceled.
2. Breaking Bad- What a season. A perfect example of getting payoff, the first six episodes of the season slowly built up the cousins, the cancer Walt has become to everyone in his life, and the broken partnership between Walt and Jesse. For anyone who complained about these episodes being boring will say thatthe sixth episode was worth it. And the season stayed at a high quality for the remainder of its run.
And the number one television show of 2010.....
1. Community- The most original, charming, funny, entertaining, and schizophrenic show on television. There's not much to say besides it's fantastic. It's got the best ensemble on tv, the best writing, the most unique and fantastic style of humor, characters, and the most insanity. It goes from zombie apocalypse to character study in one week and the crazy thing is, it all works.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
The Best Episodes of 2010
We have reached the end of the year. Thus, it is time for the obligatory retrospective lists. The rules for best episode: Had to be a particularly noteworthy episode of television that aired this year (hopefully that's obvious) and no more than one episode from any given show will be on the list (although some shows will have honorable mentions, indicated in parenthesis). And DISCLAIMER: I am not caught up on Mad Men. I'm still on the first season. Don't expect it to be on the list. And now, in no particular order....
Breaking Bad: "One Minute" (Honorable Mentions: "Half Measures" and "Fly")
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Subway"
The Walking Dead: "Pilot"
Lost: "The End" (Honorable Mention: "Ab Aeterno")
Futurama: "The Late Phillip J. Fry"
The Office: "Classy Christmas"
Childrens Hospital: "Middle of the End"
Fringe: "Peter" (Honorable Mention: "Entrada")
30 Rock: "When it Rains, it Pours"
Modern Family: "Manny Get Your Gun"
Community: "Epidemiology" (Honorable Mentions: "Mixology Certification" and "Modern Warfare")
Terriers: "Change Partners"
Breaking Bad: "One Minute" (Honorable Mentions: "Half Measures" and "Fly")
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Subway"
The Walking Dead: "Pilot"
Lost: "The End" (Honorable Mention: "Ab Aeterno")
Futurama: "The Late Phillip J. Fry"
The Office: "Classy Christmas"
Childrens Hospital: "Middle of the End"
Fringe: "Peter" (Honorable Mention: "Entrada")
30 Rock: "When it Rains, it Pours"
Modern Family: "Manny Get Your Gun"
Community: "Epidemiology" (Honorable Mentions: "Mixology Certification" and "Modern Warfare")
Terriers: "Change Partners"
Score Roundup
The networks are winding down until mid- January, so not a lot to review this week.
How I Met Your Mother: "False Positive"- Best episode of the show in quite some time. Worked on every level. I particularly liked the use of Ted towards the end. In a way, he was yelling things the audience were yelling at the characters last season. He was tired of Robin easily being swayed in any which way someone felt like it, Marshall and Lily always changing their mind about the baby, and Barney...well, just being himself. It looks like the show is setting Ted up at several weddings to be the best man, leaving us to wonder which one is THE wedding. If we want it to happen this season, it'll most likely be Punchy's unless Robin hooks up with someone really, really fast. 9.4/10
Burn Notice: "Out of the Fire" and "Last Stand (Season Finale)"- Most of the time, Burn Notice's story arcs are just dumb. They advance slowly in the beginning and end of each episode and drag the same idea out for way longer than they need to. The one time the arcs seem to shine are the finales. And this arc shined all the way to the end. Although they were both very strong, the first half was better. Not only did it bring back Brennan AND Larry, it also made the list arc a lot more interesting. What was most interesting about the second part was that it seemed to bring a close to the main arc of the show thus far and preparing for something new. Obviously, Micheal's not going to remain a spy (how will the opening credits go? "My name is Michael Westen. I used to be a spy, then I was again, but now I'm not"). But the death of the charger and all the 'last stand' business and the defeat on Vaughn certainly seem to be pointing the show towards something else.
Just one little gripe though: when Michael and Larry are breaking in to use the computer with a method they did on an old mission, how did they pull that off in 1994 when it required cell phones?
How I Met Your Mother: "False Positive"- Best episode of the show in quite some time. Worked on every level. I particularly liked the use of Ted towards the end. In a way, he was yelling things the audience were yelling at the characters last season. He was tired of Robin easily being swayed in any which way someone felt like it, Marshall and Lily always changing their mind about the baby, and Barney...well, just being himself. It looks like the show is setting Ted up at several weddings to be the best man, leaving us to wonder which one is THE wedding. If we want it to happen this season, it'll most likely be Punchy's unless Robin hooks up with someone really, really fast. 9.4/10
Burn Notice: "Out of the Fire" and "Last Stand (Season Finale)"- Most of the time, Burn Notice's story arcs are just dumb. They advance slowly in the beginning and end of each episode and drag the same idea out for way longer than they need to. The one time the arcs seem to shine are the finales. And this arc shined all the way to the end. Although they were both very strong, the first half was better. Not only did it bring back Brennan AND Larry, it also made the list arc a lot more interesting. What was most interesting about the second part was that it seemed to bring a close to the main arc of the show thus far and preparing for something new. Obviously, Micheal's not going to remain a spy (how will the opening credits go? "My name is Michael Westen. I used to be a spy, then I was again, but now I'm not"). But the death of the charger and all the 'last stand' business and the defeat on Vaughn certainly seem to be pointing the show towards something else.
Just one little gripe though: when Michael and Larry are breaking in to use the computer with a method they did on an old mission, how did they pull that off in 1994 when it required cell phones?
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Just Like Real Like, Part 2
Remember when I listed some of the worst reality shows ever? I didn't realize how twisted some people are...
The Will- A rich guy makes his wife and children compete in the typical reality show humiliating games to earn a spot in his will. What a great way to write your will while simultaneously saying "Hey, I'm a giant tool!".
Who's You Daddy?- Exactly what the horrible, horrible title implies. Someone who was adopted meets three men and has to guess which one is her biological father. If she guesses right, she gets 100,000 dollars. If she guesses wrong, the person she guessed as her father gets the 100,000 dollars. Don't worry, they still told them who their father was even if they guessed wrong. I mean, they're not THAT heartless...
The Will- A rich guy makes his wife and children compete in the typical reality show humiliating games to earn a spot in his will. What a great way to write your will while simultaneously saying "Hey, I'm a giant tool!".
Who's You Daddy?- Exactly what the horrible, horrible title implies. Someone who was adopted meets three men and has to guess which one is her biological father. If she guesses right, she gets 100,000 dollars. If she guesses wrong, the person she guessed as her father gets the 100,000 dollars. Don't worry, they still told them who their father was even if they guessed wrong. I mean, they're not THAT heartless...
Score Roundup
The Walking Dead: "TS-19 (Season Finale)"- Enjoyable, but felt like a weird way to end the season. Now we have to wait a year to find out what CDC guy whispered into Rick's ear (is somebody pregnant?), but other than that, it just felt like a normal episode. I rolled my eyes at the typical "Oh my god, we haven't taken a shower in so long, look how much we're enjoying it!" scene. And nobody even remembers the name of the girl they killed. 7.8/10
How I Met Your Mother: "The Mermaid Theory"- Had a great deal of potential. In concept, everything was good but in execution, it's hard to explain but it just felt messy. And it feels kind of cheap to pull a 'goat' on us again, especially when it's as hard to see why I would care so much as it was the first time. And didn't Marshall and Robin hang out in "Little Minnesota"? The writers seemed to just ignore that. 7.0/10
Raising Hope: "Toy Story"- Most enjoyable episode of the show yet. Plot lines tied together in an amusing fashion and the manager's creepy toy obsession was hard not to keep giggling at. 8.8/10
Modern Family: "Dance Dance Revelation"- Modern Family suffers too much from bringing out very obnoxious aspects of their characters. One character might be my favorite one week and then I despise them the next. In this episode, Claire's obnoxious characteristics were brought out so much to the point where I wanted Danny Trejo to turn into his character from Machete and finish her. 7.4/10
Cougar Town: "The Same Old You"- It started watching Cougar Town (took me so long because of its ridiculously horrible name that now gets mocked in every opening credits sequence of the show) and it's the very definition of "goofy fun". Even goofier than Scrubs. 8.6/10
Community: "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas"- Community is amazing. Every week, it's something almost entirely different and every week, it's awesome. This particular episode delved into the world of stop- motion Christmas specials. This episode further explores the character of Abed, a character that on almost any other show would not get this type of exploration and just be there as 'pop culture guy'. I really like the fact that the rest of the group were actually concerned about Abed's mental health when he announced he was seeing the world in stop- motions, sans Jeff's initial "I vote we just let it go." The animation was beautiful, my only complaint is that Jeff looked nothing like Jeff. The short musical numbers further fuel my desires for a musical episode (Shirley and Annie have some pipes!). And there were several great heartwarming moments throughout. Pierce on the train with Abed, Professor Duncan's (this episode was a great use of his character and a nice showcase for John Oliver) recollections, and at the very end, when the TV the group is watching turns off, you can see a reflection of all the live- action cast members. Little touches like that just make this show so enjoyable. That being said, the stop- motion did not allow the typical faces the cast makes that add to the humor, but I'm willing to overlook it because there wasn't really anything they could do about and everything else was so fantastic. It wasn't the funniest episode of Community, but it was definitely the most engaging. 9.8/10
30 Rock: "Christmas Attack Zone"- Not the best episode, but very, very funny. I enjoyed the return of Alan Alda. I always thought it was weird how the ended season 3 with an arc about him that didn't really end and then just never addressed it ever again. 8.3/10
Fringe: "Marionette"- I don't know why they didn't just end the season with last week's episode that closed that arc, but this episode kept us Fringe's now- 9 episode streak of awesomeness. This episode was particularly creepy but I liked the way the case tied into the main storyline. "I don't know what I brought back, but I know it wasn't her." 9.2/10
The Good Guys: "Partners (Season, probably series, Finale)"- Good way to end, I suppose. We meet Jack's old partner (how obvious was it he was involved in something from the second you saw him?), Dan's partner returns, and Dan finally goes to the CSI lab. For a gunfight. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Dan and Savage are sitting in the theater for the screening of 'Savage and Stark' and realizing that everybody thinks the movie is a comedy. It was also awesome when they reprised the scene from the movie later on to save Dan. The last scene was a great note for the show to go out on as well. 8.9/10
How I Met Your Mother: "The Mermaid Theory"- Had a great deal of potential. In concept, everything was good but in execution, it's hard to explain but it just felt messy. And it feels kind of cheap to pull a 'goat' on us again, especially when it's as hard to see why I would care so much as it was the first time. And didn't Marshall and Robin hang out in "Little Minnesota"? The writers seemed to just ignore that. 7.0/10
Raising Hope: "Toy Story"- Most enjoyable episode of the show yet. Plot lines tied together in an amusing fashion and the manager's creepy toy obsession was hard not to keep giggling at. 8.8/10
Modern Family: "Dance Dance Revelation"- Modern Family suffers too much from bringing out very obnoxious aspects of their characters. One character might be my favorite one week and then I despise them the next. In this episode, Claire's obnoxious characteristics were brought out so much to the point where I wanted Danny Trejo to turn into his character from Machete and finish her. 7.4/10
Cougar Town: "The Same Old You"- It started watching Cougar Town (took me so long because of its ridiculously horrible name that now gets mocked in every opening credits sequence of the show) and it's the very definition of "goofy fun". Even goofier than Scrubs. 8.6/10
Community: "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas"- Community is amazing. Every week, it's something almost entirely different and every week, it's awesome. This particular episode delved into the world of stop- motion Christmas specials. This episode further explores the character of Abed, a character that on almost any other show would not get this type of exploration and just be there as 'pop culture guy'. I really like the fact that the rest of the group were actually concerned about Abed's mental health when he announced he was seeing the world in stop- motions, sans Jeff's initial "I vote we just let it go." The animation was beautiful, my only complaint is that Jeff looked nothing like Jeff. The short musical numbers further fuel my desires for a musical episode (Shirley and Annie have some pipes!). And there were several great heartwarming moments throughout. Pierce on the train with Abed, Professor Duncan's (this episode was a great use of his character and a nice showcase for John Oliver) recollections, and at the very end, when the TV the group is watching turns off, you can see a reflection of all the live- action cast members. Little touches like that just make this show so enjoyable. That being said, the stop- motion did not allow the typical faces the cast makes that add to the humor, but I'm willing to overlook it because there wasn't really anything they could do about and everything else was so fantastic. It wasn't the funniest episode of Community, but it was definitely the most engaging. 9.8/10
30 Rock: "Christmas Attack Zone"- Not the best episode, but very, very funny. I enjoyed the return of Alan Alda. I always thought it was weird how the ended season 3 with an arc about him that didn't really end and then just never addressed it ever again. 8.3/10
Fringe: "Marionette"- I don't know why they didn't just end the season with last week's episode that closed that arc, but this episode kept us Fringe's now- 9 episode streak of awesomeness. This episode was particularly creepy but I liked the way the case tied into the main storyline. "I don't know what I brought back, but I know it wasn't her." 9.2/10
The Good Guys: "Partners (Season, probably series, Finale)"- Good way to end, I suppose. We meet Jack's old partner (how obvious was it he was involved in something from the second you saw him?), Dan's partner returns, and Dan finally goes to the CSI lab. For a gunfight. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Dan and Savage are sitting in the theater for the screening of 'Savage and Stark' and realizing that everybody thinks the movie is a comedy. It was also awesome when they reprised the scene from the movie later on to save Dan. The last scene was a great note for the show to go out on as well. 8.9/10
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Just Like Real Life
Suprisingly, ABC struck out big time with Skating With The Stars (if only there was some example a couple of years ago that could've warned them people don't want to watch Skating With Celebrities) which proved that maybe the general television viewer isn't as stupid as we (well, basically I) give them credit for. Inspired by this failure and my sister's blog, where she talks about stupid stuff people do, I'd like to take a moment to discuss the worst reality shows of all time.
My Super Sweet 16- I'm going to try to limit the amout of shows on this list that come from MTV, but I may not have that degree of self- restraint. On My Super Sweet 16, you got to watch a bunch of spoiled brats plan a ludicrously expensive party for their titular birthday. As you sit there and think 'Wow, I wish I could've spent that much money on my 16th birthday", you get to watch them bitch about that bitch Jessica being invited and their parents got them the wrong color Corvette! Them and their third world problems...
Any 'Celebrity' Show- I don't know why anybody watched these shows. I don't know who's flipping through channels and thinking 'You know, I wonder what Denise Richards is up to these days!"
The Littlest Groom- The show that perhaps began reality television's blatant explotations of short people, The Littlest Groom was pretty much The Bachelor with a midget. The show had a very short (see what I did there?) run of 2 episodes.
Hole in the Wall- A show where people jumped through holes in a wall. I don't know who thought this would be entertaining for more than five seconds, but after one season, it left a hole in Fox's schedule (two in a row!).
Wipeout- This show lives on because we, united as one world, enjoy watching people injure themselves on giant manufactured obstacle courses. And it's beyond obvious the show only exists for that reason, as each season the obstacles become less about 'How quick can you do this?' and more about 'How much will your hospital bill be?". If the tradition keeps us, my game show 'Mow the Lawn in a Minefield' is sure to be a big hit!
Moment of Truth- A televised lie detector test. The concept of this show, aside from its cruelty (which again, as a world, we love to watch) was also incrediby stupid. If you lied, you'd be exposed anyways. If you just told the truth, you'd still be exposed but you'd have a crapload of money. Nontheless, after likely several suicides, disownings, and divorces, FOX canceled the show.
Who Wants to Marry a Multi- Millionaire?- Apparently, some network executive at FOX just said to himself one day 'Let's see how close we can get to making a reality competition about prostitution?' And thus, Who Wants to Marry a Multi- Millionaire was born. Now, the basic concept itself wasn't too terrible, aside from the obvious gold-digging: several women competed for the love of a rich guy. But here's the thing: THEY NEVER GOT TO SEE HIS FACE!! Which not only limited the intentions of one side to purely money, but also limited the other side to 'Which of these girls do I wanna bang for the rest of my life?' At the end, the couple got married on live TV. However, it was subsequently anulled ON THEIR HONEYMOON! Turns out this guy wasn't as rich as he said and the 'lucky winner' discovered several restraining orders previous girlfriends had ordered against him.
My Super Sweet 16- I'm going to try to limit the amout of shows on this list that come from MTV, but I may not have that degree of self- restraint. On My Super Sweet 16, you got to watch a bunch of spoiled brats plan a ludicrously expensive party for their titular birthday. As you sit there and think 'Wow, I wish I could've spent that much money on my 16th birthday", you get to watch them bitch about that bitch Jessica being invited and their parents got them the wrong color Corvette! Them and their third world problems...
Any 'Celebrity' Show- I don't know why anybody watched these shows. I don't know who's flipping through channels and thinking 'You know, I wonder what Denise Richards is up to these days!"
The Littlest Groom- The show that perhaps began reality television's blatant explotations of short people, The Littlest Groom was pretty much The Bachelor with a midget. The show had a very short (see what I did there?) run of 2 episodes.
Wipeout- This show lives on because we, united as one world, enjoy watching people injure themselves on giant manufactured obstacle courses. And it's beyond obvious the show only exists for that reason, as each season the obstacles become less about 'How quick can you do this?' and more about 'How much will your hospital bill be?". If the tradition keeps us, my game show 'Mow the Lawn in a Minefield' is sure to be a big hit!
Moment of Truth- A televised lie detector test. The concept of this show, aside from its cruelty (which again, as a world, we love to watch) was also incrediby stupid. If you lied, you'd be exposed anyways. If you just told the truth, you'd still be exposed but you'd have a crapload of money. Nontheless, after likely several suicides, disownings, and divorces, FOX canceled the show.
Who Wants to Marry a Multi- Millionaire?- Apparently, some network executive at FOX just said to himself one day 'Let's see how close we can get to making a reality competition about prostitution?' And thus, Who Wants to Marry a Multi- Millionaire was born. Now, the basic concept itself wasn't too terrible, aside from the obvious gold-digging: several women competed for the love of a rich guy. But here's the thing: THEY NEVER GOT TO SEE HIS FACE!! Which not only limited the intentions of one side to purely money, but also limited the other side to 'Which of these girls do I wanna bang for the rest of my life?' At the end, the couple got married on live TV. However, it was subsequently anulled ON THEIR HONEYMOON! Turns out this guy wasn't as rich as he said and the 'lucky winner' discovered several restraining orders previous girlfriends had ordered against him.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
What's in a Name?
One of my favorite television critics, Alan Sepinwall, has recently been advocating for the FX show Terriers, which has been doing terrier-bly (see what I did there?) in the ratings. One of the reasons he seems to think people aren't watching the show is the name, saying "It's been stuck with an unfortunate name, one that makes sense if you've seen the show...but does a poor job explaining the what it is to outsiders". That made me wonder if names actually have an effect on the success of a show. Is our attention span so short that we need a name that can sum up the series to us to actually be motivated to watch something? I thought it was stupid at first, but it actually kind of holds up.
Think about some of the most successful shows of the past few years. Most of them, you can figure out the premise by the name. CSI is a show about a CSI unit. The Office is a show about an office. Lost was a show about people who didn't know where they were. How I Met Your Mother is a show about a guy telling his kids how he met their mother. The Walking Dead is a show about zombies. Go back even further. Hell...Friends is pretty much as close to naming a show 'Sitcom' or 'Drama' as you can get!
It goes the other way too. Think about the least successful new shows of this season. Rubicon, Chase, Outlaw, Detroit 1-8-7, My Generation, Blue Bloods. You have no idea what they're about based on their titles. This holds up for most of my favorite not- watched shows of all time: Chuck, Community, Fringe, Arrested Development, Pushing Daises, Freaks and Geeks, Firefly. They all failed to garner a significant amount of viewers.
There are some exceptions to the rule. I watched three seasons of The Big Bang Theory and I still have no idea why it's called The Big Bang Theory, yet it's a huge success. If the name of your show sounds cool, then you have a chance of success, i.e. The X- Files (even though it took a few seasons to garner an audience). If you have enough critical acclaim, you can build an audience. I finally got around to starting Mad Men this week and I had no idea what the show was about (although I figured it involved smoke...) until it was explained to me in the very first shot of the series. Point is, shows that have a title containing a brief description of the very basic premise of the show have a better chance of becoming a hit.
Think about some of the most successful shows of the past few years. Most of them, you can figure out the premise by the name. CSI is a show about a CSI unit. The Office is a show about an office. Lost was a show about people who didn't know where they were. How I Met Your Mother is a show about a guy telling his kids how he met their mother. The Walking Dead is a show about zombies. Go back even further. Hell...Friends is pretty much as close to naming a show 'Sitcom' or 'Drama' as you can get!
It goes the other way too. Think about the least successful new shows of this season. Rubicon, Chase, Outlaw, Detroit 1-8-7, My Generation, Blue Bloods. You have no idea what they're about based on their titles. This holds up for most of my favorite not- watched shows of all time: Chuck, Community, Fringe, Arrested Development, Pushing Daises, Freaks and Geeks, Firefly. They all failed to garner a significant amount of viewers.
There are some exceptions to the rule. I watched three seasons of The Big Bang Theory and I still have no idea why it's called The Big Bang Theory, yet it's a huge success. If the name of your show sounds cool, then you have a chance of success, i.e. The X- Files (even though it took a few seasons to garner an audience). If you have enough critical acclaim, you can build an audience. I finally got around to starting Mad Men this week and I had no idea what the show was about (although I figured it involved smoke...) until it was explained to me in the very first shot of the series. Point is, shows that have a title containing a brief description of the very basic premise of the show have a better chance of becoming a hit.
'Tis the Midseason
While I was on hiatus (fancy term for 'too lazy to write a blog post'), NBC and FOX announced their midseason schedules, both of which contain quite a bit of shaking up.
Let's start with NBC. NBC apparently thinks you have a DVR. The Cape will have a two hour premiere on Sunday, January 9th before moving into a Monday slot at 8 (all of these times will be Central Standard, by the way). All of these episodes will be burned off before the end of February, which would lead me to believe that NBC does not have much faith in it. Harry's Law is getting the same burn- off treatment. The Event is on a three month hiatus (because it worked so well for Flashforward...?) and will resume its original time slot once The Cape is done. Parenthood will move to Harry's Law's timeslot once it finishes, which does not bode well for either show.
The most interesting thing about NBC's schedule is the extention of the three- hour Thursday night comedy block. Community will remain where it is now, followed by Perfect Couples (which is apparently the only midseason comedy NBC has any faith in, as the status of the other two have not been announced). The Office will remain where it is now because it's the only success NBC currently has and they can't risk moving it. Parks and Recreation will now have the coveted post- Office timeslot it was always supposed to have. 30 Rock will start the 9'O'Clock hour, followed by Outsourced. What happens to these shows' ratings is wildly unpredictable as comedy doesn't typically do well after 9. NBC renewed 30 Rock as a symbol of good faith for the show and I think 30 Rock will stay constant at that time slot. Outsourced, however, I think will flop without the Office lead-in.
FOX seems done with putting up with mediocre ratings. Lie to Me and Human Target will both be burned off by February (Human Target is doomed to be canceled and Lie to Me could only be renewed as a summer series) and Fringe has been moved to Fridays. Fringe will only be renewed if it can maintain the ratings it has now or only drops slightly, as FOX has never had anywhere near a successful show on Fridays. I don't know how likely this is (it's called the death-slot for a reason) but if the audience is dedicated enough, it's a possibility. FOX also moved the second night of American Idol to Thursday, almost mocking NBC by pitting its only successful night against the number one show on television.
Let's start with NBC. NBC apparently thinks you have a DVR. The Cape will have a two hour premiere on Sunday, January 9th before moving into a Monday slot at 8 (all of these times will be Central Standard, by the way). All of these episodes will be burned off before the end of February, which would lead me to believe that NBC does not have much faith in it. Harry's Law is getting the same burn- off treatment. The Event is on a three month hiatus (because it worked so well for Flashforward...?) and will resume its original time slot once The Cape is done. Parenthood will move to Harry's Law's timeslot once it finishes, which does not bode well for either show.
The most interesting thing about NBC's schedule is the extention of the three- hour Thursday night comedy block. Community will remain where it is now, followed by Perfect Couples (which is apparently the only midseason comedy NBC has any faith in, as the status of the other two have not been announced). The Office will remain where it is now because it's the only success NBC currently has and they can't risk moving it. Parks and Recreation will now have the coveted post- Office timeslot it was always supposed to have. 30 Rock will start the 9'O'Clock hour, followed by Outsourced. What happens to these shows' ratings is wildly unpredictable as comedy doesn't typically do well after 9. NBC renewed 30 Rock as a symbol of good faith for the show and I think 30 Rock will stay constant at that time slot. Outsourced, however, I think will flop without the Office lead-in.
FOX seems done with putting up with mediocre ratings. Lie to Me and Human Target will both be burned off by February (Human Target is doomed to be canceled and Lie to Me could only be renewed as a summer series) and Fringe has been moved to Fridays. Fringe will only be renewed if it can maintain the ratings it has now or only drops slightly, as FOX has never had anywhere near a successful show on Fridays. I don't know how likely this is (it's called the death-slot for a reason) but if the audience is dedicated enough, it's a possibility. FOX also moved the second night of American Idol to Thursday, almost mocking NBC by pitting its only successful night against the number one show on television.
Catching Up
Well, it's been a month. Not that anyone actually reads this on a regular- enough basis to care/notice (although it appears I have a semi-regular reader in Alaska, *insert Sarah Palin joke here because that's the only thing anyone can associate with Alaska*). But just in case I'm underestimating Johnny Alaska's dedication and commitment to carefully reading every single of my posts multiple times, I'll just let you know I'm here to stay for the foreseeable future (read: 'the next few weeks'). I'm also making some changes. I'll be shying away from episode reviews (I'll try to keep them all contained within the weekly roundup) and more towards writings on various things related to television. I won't be doing a weekly roundup this week (cause its been, like...six weeks and it would just seem like a desperate grasp towards a higher word count) but I will talk about some things I feel to be notable enough to mention now:
Community- Community has quickly become my favorite show that I watch (which, of course, means it's in danger of being canceled). The cast is fantastic individually but especially as an ensemble, the writing is phenomenal, and the creativity is through the roof (which is ironic considering a lot of its humor/plots are homages/parodies). But what makes the show fun more than anything is you never know what to expect ("Community is like a box of chocolates...). The past five episodes have been zombie attack, Meangirls/Robocop homage (two great tastes that go great together?), bottle episode character study, conspiracy thriller parody, and Thursday's interestingly somber 'the gang goes to a bar' episode. What's more important is the show has excelled at each of these plots. It's amazing how the show can literally have all of the characters become zombies but still feel grounded in reality in later episodes. I think this is, in part, because of how well-rounded the characters have become. The writers have realized that while Joel McHale is as likeable as his character is sketchy, he doesn't possess the qualities to be the 'hero' of the group. The only characters not well rounded out so far were Shirley and Abed and Shirley was addressed in Thursday's episode while Abed looks to be the focus of next week's stop- motion Christmas episode, which I eagerly anticipate.
The Walking Dead- The Walking Dead has been an all- out hit for AMC as zombies appear to be the new vampire. Myself, I find the show to not necessarily meet the very high quality of Mad Men and Breaking Bad (possibly not even Rubicon, but I was so bored when watching that show that it's possible I dreamed all of the quality). It's tone is very similar to Breaking Bad, meaning it's depressing as hell, and I don't think it quite has well- built enough characters to withstand the depression for. So far, it's not really doing anything different from any other zombie literature (actually, it's pretty much the exact plot of 28 Days Later...also, Zombie Literature is the name of my indie metal band). But, for some reason, I'm oddly transfixed by the show. It has its strong moments and its pace feels excellent. For the time being, it's definitely worth sticking with it.
How I Met Your Mother- Although How I Met Your Mother has been feeling off for a couple seasons, this year's thanksgiving episode 'Blitzgiving' was one of my favorites of the entire show.
Community- Community has quickly become my favorite show that I watch (which, of course, means it's in danger of being canceled). The cast is fantastic individually but especially as an ensemble, the writing is phenomenal, and the creativity is through the roof (which is ironic considering a lot of its humor/plots are homages/parodies). But what makes the show fun more than anything is you never know what to expect ("Community is like a box of chocolates...). The past five episodes have been zombie attack, Meangirls/Robocop homage (two great tastes that go great together?), bottle episode character study, conspiracy thriller parody, and Thursday's interestingly somber 'the gang goes to a bar' episode. What's more important is the show has excelled at each of these plots. It's amazing how the show can literally have all of the characters become zombies but still feel grounded in reality in later episodes. I think this is, in part, because of how well-rounded the characters have become. The writers have realized that while Joel McHale is as likeable as his character is sketchy, he doesn't possess the qualities to be the 'hero' of the group. The only characters not well rounded out so far were Shirley and Abed and Shirley was addressed in Thursday's episode while Abed looks to be the focus of next week's stop- motion Christmas episode, which I eagerly anticipate.
The Walking Dead- The Walking Dead has been an all- out hit for AMC as zombies appear to be the new vampire. Myself, I find the show to not necessarily meet the very high quality of Mad Men and Breaking Bad (possibly not even Rubicon, but I was so bored when watching that show that it's possible I dreamed all of the quality). It's tone is very similar to Breaking Bad, meaning it's depressing as hell, and I don't think it quite has well- built enough characters to withstand the depression for. So far, it's not really doing anything different from any other zombie literature (actually, it's pretty much the exact plot of 28 Days Later...also, Zombie Literature is the name of my indie metal band). But, for some reason, I'm oddly transfixed by the show. It has its strong moments and its pace feels excellent. For the time being, it's definitely worth sticking with it.
How I Met Your Mother- Although How I Met Your Mother has been feeling off for a couple seasons, this year's thanksgiving episode 'Blitzgiving' was one of my favorites of the entire show.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Let's Play a Game
Today, the game is called "What the Hell is NBC Doing?". Last night, NBC announced full season orders of The Event, Outsourced, and Law and Order: LA (Lo-lo-lo-la-LOLA). The first two make some sort of sense. Outsourced is currently holding NBC's best ratings for a new show, albeit only because it's airing after The Office. The Event is a little more puzzling. For a show that started in the mid 3's for its demo and has now dropped to a 2.2 and one that must be as expensive to produce as it is, you think they'd at least wait a little longer. But this is NBC, rationale went out the window a few years ago. LOLA is the must confusing. It's only aired two episodes, but it dropped almost a full point. Again, you would think they'd want to wait and see.
But then, today, NBC announced that they were picking up 9 episodes of Chase and 11 (!) episodes of Chuck. Despite how nonsensical it may seem, Chuck actually makes a little bit of sense. Chase, however, does not. Chase is below cancellation levels. I assumed it would be the next show to go. But, clearly, NBC thinks otherwise. Along with this announcement, NBC also ordered four more scripts of Undercovers. That show should be dead. While four more scripts does not guarantee four more episodes, it's scary to think that NBC is considering it. So the fact that NBC has picked up everything for spring except Undercovers (maybe) and Outlaw, plus the rather large amount of shows NBC has on its plate for midseason, means that NBC really, REALLY thinks its midseason shows are steaming piles of crap that have no chance.
Now, the Chuck episode order actually somewhat makes sense. Chuck is currently one of NBC's only stable shows, albeit stable at low numbers (then again, they're right around the current average for NBC). But a plausible theory behind this renewal (emphasis on 'theory') is that WB really wants Chuck to go into syndication and is thus lowering the licensing fee or NBC is looking to buy Chuck and put it into syndication. With this now 24 episode fourth season, Chuck will have 78 episodes. The 'magic number' for syndication is 100. So, if NBC renews Chuck for a normal 22 episode fifth season, they will have reached syndication. Again, this is just a theory. For all we know, NBC is just really desperate (actually, we already know that). But it is something interesting for Chuck fans to think about.
But then, today, NBC announced that they were picking up 9 episodes of Chase and 11 (!) episodes of Chuck. Despite how nonsensical it may seem, Chuck actually makes a little bit of sense. Chase, however, does not. Chase is below cancellation levels. I assumed it would be the next show to go. But, clearly, NBC thinks otherwise. Along with this announcement, NBC also ordered four more scripts of Undercovers. That show should be dead. While four more scripts does not guarantee four more episodes, it's scary to think that NBC is considering it. So the fact that NBC has picked up everything for spring except Undercovers (maybe) and Outlaw, plus the rather large amount of shows NBC has on its plate for midseason, means that NBC really, REALLY thinks its midseason shows are steaming piles of crap that have no chance.
Now, the Chuck episode order actually somewhat makes sense. Chuck is currently one of NBC's only stable shows, albeit stable at low numbers (then again, they're right around the current average for NBC). But a plausible theory behind this renewal (emphasis on 'theory') is that WB really wants Chuck to go into syndication and is thus lowering the licensing fee or NBC is looking to buy Chuck and put it into syndication. With this now 24 episode fourth season, Chuck will have 78 episodes. The 'magic number' for syndication is 100. So, if NBC renews Chuck for a normal 22 episode fifth season, they will have reached syndication. Again, this is just a theory. For all we know, NBC is just really desperate (actually, we already know that). But it is something interesting for Chuck fans to think about.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Kentucky Fried Product Integration
What happened to the days of zooming in on the back of a car before a chase or conveniently placing a bottle of beer so that the label faces the camera? Why is it that in the past couple weeks, I've had to endure (mostly) horribly-placed 30-second long conversations about KFC? On The Good Guys, in order to distract a fellow agent that they were stealing information from, a main character distracts the said agent by talking him about the Doublicious sandwich he was holding and, of course, making sure to describe the "delicious, sweet sauce that formed a delicious combination" with the rest of the sandwich. And then on Running Wilde, the main character visits the office he's had a job at for several years without ever going to. An employee asks him if he wants to have lunch, KFC, with them but he's never heard of KFC, which opens the door to hearing half a minute of comments about how delicious KFC is.
Why can't people figure out how to successfully integrate products into TV shows with less subtlety than those horribly-written medicine commercials:
(Four women sit around a table playing cards)
Woman #1: Oh, I'm so happy! My granddaughter is getting married this saturday.
(Lots of squealing)
Woman #2: Oh, you must be so excited!
Woman #4: Who's the lucky man?
Women #3: I have arthritis. You guys know any good medications?
The only bright spot I've seen recently in the creativity of the product integration business was last week's episode of Community, "Basic Rocket Science", in which the main characters boarded a space shuttle simulator from the 80s that was sponsored by KFC. While the writers claimed they actually asked KFC to use their brand (I don't buy it), the episode seemed very careful not to insult KFC. However, they kept it subtle. They made jokes out it that didn't insult our intelligence or the brand they were selling. This is a good example of how it should be done, even if there was a brief moment where Chang mentioned how delicious the Doubleicious sandwich is. This was, of course, immediately after a line that included the phrase "like they think we're doing product integration with KFC", so I'll let it slide. And, admittedly, the Doublicious sandwich is delicious, with its amazing sauces and seasonings and whatnot...
I think I'll go get one for dinner, but first I have to cash my check.
Why can't people figure out how to successfully integrate products into TV shows with less subtlety than those horribly-written medicine commercials:
(Four women sit around a table playing cards)
Woman #1: Oh, I'm so happy! My granddaughter is getting married this saturday.
(Lots of squealing)
Woman #2: Oh, you must be so excited!
Woman #4: Who's the lucky man?
Women #3: I have arthritis. You guys know any good medications?
The only bright spot I've seen recently in the creativity of the product integration business was last week's episode of Community, "Basic Rocket Science", in which the main characters boarded a space shuttle simulator from the 80s that was sponsored by KFC. While the writers claimed they actually asked KFC to use their brand (I don't buy it), the episode seemed very careful not to insult KFC. However, they kept it subtle. They made jokes out it that didn't insult our intelligence or the brand they were selling. This is a good example of how it should be done, even if there was a brief moment where Chang mentioned how delicious the Doubleicious sandwich is. This was, of course, immediately after a line that included the phrase "like they think we're doing product integration with KFC", so I'll let it slide. And, admittedly, the Doublicious sandwich is delicious, with its amazing sauces and seasonings and whatnot...
I think I'll go get one for dinner, but first I have to cash my check.
Score Roundup
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Coup'd'etat"- 8.7/10- very fun episode, but ended up being too convoluted.
How I Met Your Mother: "Subway Wars"- 9.3/10
No Ordinary Family: "No Ordinary Ring"- 7.9/10- I'm finding this show less appealing every week. The powers are still mostly the only enjoyable parts and the writers really need to work on the kids' storylines. The son's storyline this week was just painful.
Raising Hope: "Family Secrets": 8.5/10
Running Wilde: "The Junior Affair"- 6.6/10- The first half was abysmal but the second half showed promise.
Modern Family: "Strangers on a Treadmill"- 9.2/10
Community: "Basic Rocket Science"- 8.2/10- This was the show's attempts at another episode like "Modern Warfare" but whereas that episode felt like an episode of Community that happened to be a parody, this episode felt like a parody that happened to be an episode of Community.Still very fun though. "There was a time for subtlety and that was before Scary Movie!"
30 Rock: "The Live Show"- 8.5/10- like "Basic Rocket Science", it was fun and I enjoyed it, but I don't want them to do it again. Also, the fast-paced jokes 30 Rock is known for don't really work too well with a rambunctious audience cheering and laughing every five seconds. I did enjoy their creativity with several things, but especially using Julia-Louis Dreyfous as cutaway Liz. I'm glad it raised their ratings though. "Also, I need you to TiVo Bones in case I survive."
Fringe: "Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep?"- 9.2/10
The Good Guys: "Dan on the Run"- obviously intended to be the season finale before Fox ordered more episodes (a decision they probably regret). A lot of fun. My only complaint is they shouldn't have made the Governor's son as unlikable as they did.
How I Met Your Mother: "Subway Wars"- 9.3/10
No Ordinary Family: "No Ordinary Ring"- 7.9/10- I'm finding this show less appealing every week. The powers are still mostly the only enjoyable parts and the writers really need to work on the kids' storylines. The son's storyline this week was just painful.
Raising Hope: "Family Secrets": 8.5/10
Running Wilde: "The Junior Affair"- 6.6/10- The first half was abysmal but the second half showed promise.
Modern Family: "Strangers on a Treadmill"- 9.2/10
Community: "Basic Rocket Science"- 8.2/10- This was the show's attempts at another episode like "Modern Warfare" but whereas that episode felt like an episode of Community that happened to be a parody, this episode felt like a parody that happened to be an episode of Community.Still very fun though. "There was a time for subtlety and that was before Scary Movie!"
30 Rock: "The Live Show"- 8.5/10- like "Basic Rocket Science", it was fun and I enjoyed it, but I don't want them to do it again. Also, the fast-paced jokes 30 Rock is known for don't really work too well with a rambunctious audience cheering and laughing every five seconds. I did enjoy their creativity with several things, but especially using Julia-Louis Dreyfous as cutaway Liz. I'm glad it raised their ratings though. "Also, I need you to TiVo Bones in case I survive."
Fringe: "Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep?"- 9.2/10
The Good Guys: "Dan on the Run"- obviously intended to be the season finale before Fox ordered more episodes (a decision they probably regret). A lot of fun. My only complaint is they shouldn't have made the Governor's son as unlikable as they did.
The Cancellation Bear is Very Hungry
I'm no expert ratings analyst, but I'll give it a shot:
This season has not been good for new shows, both in terms of quality and, you know, survivng. Pretty much every new show that's not on CBS is failing. If anyone is unfamiliar with the concept of the "Cancellation Bear", coined by the website TV By the Numbers, it is a mythical bear who eats the lowest rated shows on each network. Take Chuck, for example. It is currently holding steady around a 1.9 demo, which is terrible...except for the fact that it's on NBC, who's current average demo is a 2.1. Regardless, a show with a demo that low in it's fourth season you would think is doomed to be eaten by the cancellation bear. But last week, Chase dropped to a 1.7, thus putting it between Chuck and the cancellation bear. The basic idea is that now the cancellation bear will eat Chase before/instead of Chuck. And this season, it appears the cnacellation bear is hungry for some new blood.
Let's start on CBS. CBS primarily relies on a ridicoulous amount of procedurals and very broad (and mostly poor) sitcoms. This, of course, means it's the number one network. The top five shows (in terms of viewers) are all on CBS: Hawaii Five-O, Mike and Molly, Feces My Dad Says, The Defenders, and Blue Bloods. And, because the network is in such good shape, the cancellation bear has its sights set on two of those shows. Quality-wise, I can tell you Hawaii Five-O is fine, Mike and Molly has potential that, judging from the past of the show's creator, will never be realized and $#*! My Dad Says is, well, $#*!. Looking at the ratings for CBS kind of make me sad. Most shows are completely unoriginal, contain average to horrible writing and acting, and are mostly mega-hits.
Next up, ABC. All of the ratings for ABC's returning shows seem to be in good shape. The audience for Castle is steadily increasing while the audience for most other returning shows is holding steady. Their Wednesday night comedy block is a powerhouse, especially the latter half. However, like most of the other networks, the new shows are where we run into problems. My Generation has already been canceled while The Whole Truth is looking like it will be the next one to go. Detroit 1-8-7 is falling week-to-week. Better with You is holding right in the middle of the road. The only hope for at least a minor hit is No Ordinary Family, which has decreased week-to-week from a good start and, if it's bottomed out at where it was last week, is in perfectly good shape. While ABC isn't necessarily in a dire state, a lack of hit shows is certainly noticable. They lost Lost (see what I did there?) and ratings for once-giant shows have fallen quite a bit.
The CW is the CW. They had two new shows, both of which were aimed squarely at teenage girls, so they're fine. The only really notable thing here is that the CW is currently the only network with successful scripted shows on friday nights.
FOX is in a very good, although deteriorating, state. They still have their hit shows in House, American Idol, Glee, and their animation domination block. Unfortunately, House is hitting series lows (which are still very high. Plus, hitting series lows in a show's seventh season is perfectly normal), American Idol lost two iconic judges and people are getting weary of their stalling tactics, and the Animation Domination block is slowly falling, possibly due to the fact that people finally realized that they were watching an hour and a half of Seth Macfarlane shows and that The Simpsons has been on for 22 years (I suppose this is as good a time as any to insert this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX1iplQQJTo). Fox has to be happy that they finally made a decent sitcom that people will actually watch (hint: greenlight sitcoms that are less horrendous) in Raising Hope. However, Running Wilde, The Good Guys, and Fringe, and Lie to Me, at this point, look to be goners.
And then we have NBC. Poor, poor NBC. NBC is been in a rather dire state in the past few seasons and this season, it looked like they were finally ready to turn that around. They had a well advertised, interesting enough looking show in The Event, they had a new Law and Order, and they even had a J.J Abrams show. But now, it appears NBC is in an even worse shape. The Event has freefalled in ratings since its premiere, Law and Order: LA has failed to accomplish much except for getting people to mock the abbreviation LOLA, and, turns out, people just weren't that interested in a J.J Abrams procedural. Meanwhile, Law and Order: SVU has plummeted as if it was a new show and Chase started low and has only fallen since (that's how bad NBC is doing, they can't even make a procedural a hit). 30 Rock, it turns out, can do fine with The Office as its lead-in, pulling modest numbers that are considered a "hit" on NBC. Community is hovering around a 2.0, which, sadly (for the network, not the show) is NBC's current average demo. And then we have Chuck.
Chuck has been riding NBC's downward curve for four seasons now. If it was on any other network, it probably would have gotten the boot somewhere around season 2. In season four, the show is currently hanging steady at a 1.9. Which, at the start of the season, was almost a lock for cancellation, but now, after watching everything else slide downwards, is almost a lock for an order of a back nine or six episodes. Things don't look too bright for NBC's future either. The Office is NBC's number one show but with Steve Carell leaving at the end of the season, he's bound to take some viewers with him. None of NBC's midseason shows seem to have very much potential which is unfortunate, as they are really going to need all of them. Sadly, NBC's only successful new show is Outsourced, which is, of course, terrible. NBC is in such a terrible state. It's actually very interesting to watch and, without, several of what are currently my favorite shows would not have survived very long.
This season has not been good for new shows, both in terms of quality and, you know, survivng. Pretty much every new show that's not on CBS is failing. If anyone is unfamiliar with the concept of the "Cancellation Bear", coined by the website TV By the Numbers, it is a mythical bear who eats the lowest rated shows on each network. Take Chuck, for example. It is currently holding steady around a 1.9 demo, which is terrible...except for the fact that it's on NBC, who's current average demo is a 2.1. Regardless, a show with a demo that low in it's fourth season you would think is doomed to be eaten by the cancellation bear. But last week, Chase dropped to a 1.7, thus putting it between Chuck and the cancellation bear. The basic idea is that now the cancellation bear will eat Chase before/instead of Chuck. And this season, it appears the cnacellation bear is hungry for some new blood.
Let's start on CBS. CBS primarily relies on a ridicoulous amount of procedurals and very broad (and mostly poor) sitcoms. This, of course, means it's the number one network. The top five shows (in terms of viewers) are all on CBS: Hawaii Five-O, Mike and Molly, Feces My Dad Says, The Defenders, and Blue Bloods. And, because the network is in such good shape, the cancellation bear has its sights set on two of those shows. Quality-wise, I can tell you Hawaii Five-O is fine, Mike and Molly has potential that, judging from the past of the show's creator, will never be realized and $#*! My Dad Says is, well, $#*!. Looking at the ratings for CBS kind of make me sad. Most shows are completely unoriginal, contain average to horrible writing and acting, and are mostly mega-hits.
Next up, ABC. All of the ratings for ABC's returning shows seem to be in good shape. The audience for Castle is steadily increasing while the audience for most other returning shows is holding steady. Their Wednesday night comedy block is a powerhouse, especially the latter half. However, like most of the other networks, the new shows are where we run into problems. My Generation has already been canceled while The Whole Truth is looking like it will be the next one to go. Detroit 1-8-7 is falling week-to-week. Better with You is holding right in the middle of the road. The only hope for at least a minor hit is No Ordinary Family, which has decreased week-to-week from a good start and, if it's bottomed out at where it was last week, is in perfectly good shape. While ABC isn't necessarily in a dire state, a lack of hit shows is certainly noticable. They lost Lost (see what I did there?) and ratings for once-giant shows have fallen quite a bit.
The CW is the CW. They had two new shows, both of which were aimed squarely at teenage girls, so they're fine. The only really notable thing here is that the CW is currently the only network with successful scripted shows on friday nights.
FOX is in a very good, although deteriorating, state. They still have their hit shows in House, American Idol, Glee, and their animation domination block. Unfortunately, House is hitting series lows (which are still very high. Plus, hitting series lows in a show's seventh season is perfectly normal), American Idol lost two iconic judges and people are getting weary of their stalling tactics, and the Animation Domination block is slowly falling, possibly due to the fact that people finally realized that they were watching an hour and a half of Seth Macfarlane shows and that The Simpsons has been on for 22 years (I suppose this is as good a time as any to insert this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX1iplQQJTo). Fox has to be happy that they finally made a decent sitcom that people will actually watch (hint: greenlight sitcoms that are less horrendous) in Raising Hope. However, Running Wilde, The Good Guys, and Fringe, and Lie to Me, at this point, look to be goners.
And then we have NBC. Poor, poor NBC. NBC is been in a rather dire state in the past few seasons and this season, it looked like they were finally ready to turn that around. They had a well advertised, interesting enough looking show in The Event, they had a new Law and Order, and they even had a J.J Abrams show. But now, it appears NBC is in an even worse shape. The Event has freefalled in ratings since its premiere, Law and Order: LA has failed to accomplish much except for getting people to mock the abbreviation LOLA, and, turns out, people just weren't that interested in a J.J Abrams procedural. Meanwhile, Law and Order: SVU has plummeted as if it was a new show and Chase started low and has only fallen since (that's how bad NBC is doing, they can't even make a procedural a hit). 30 Rock, it turns out, can do fine with The Office as its lead-in, pulling modest numbers that are considered a "hit" on NBC. Community is hovering around a 2.0, which, sadly (for the network, not the show) is NBC's current average demo. And then we have Chuck.
Chuck has been riding NBC's downward curve for four seasons now. If it was on any other network, it probably would have gotten the boot somewhere around season 2. In season four, the show is currently hanging steady at a 1.9. Which, at the start of the season, was almost a lock for cancellation, but now, after watching everything else slide downwards, is almost a lock for an order of a back nine or six episodes. Things don't look too bright for NBC's future either. The Office is NBC's number one show but with Steve Carell leaving at the end of the season, he's bound to take some viewers with him. None of NBC's midseason shows seem to have very much potential which is unfortunate, as they are really going to need all of them. Sadly, NBC's only successful new show is Outsourced, which is, of course, terrible. NBC is in such a terrible state. It's actually very interesting to watch and, without, several of what are currently my favorite shows would not have survived very long.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
30 Rock: "Let's Stay Together" Review
This season of 30 Rock continues to look promising as this episode, while not as good as last week's, was still very funny and a lot better than most of what this show put out last season. You know, I think I should probably provide a basic description of the premise in the opening paragraph of each review. Might as well start now. In this installment, Jack appears before congress to get the Kabletown merger approved, the TGS staff is being mean to Liz again so she promotes Twofer, and Jenna helps Kenneth try and get back into the NBC page program.
-This episode had many notable cameos and guest appearances. Rob Reiner as Congressman Rob Reiner was hilarious. I also enjoyed Reg E. Cathey as a soulful talk show host in the painfully (and hilariously) awkward talk show scene. Queen Latifah was good as a congressmen, although her "passionate speech" stuff was a prety obvious joke. She nailed her delivery on her first line "Why is NBC so racist?" which is especially funny during a night chockful of Outsourced promos. Speaking of Outcourced...
-"Outsourced is the new Friends!"
- 30 Rock was really in full NBC-bashing mode last night:
- Jack: "We're a top ten network!"
- Jack: "Law and Order, which is just about to start its 21st season and features...What?! Why would we do that?" And later, Tracy's "It was a tent pole! A tent pole!"
- Jack: “Diversity means new ideas and new markets. It is our best hope for new innovation.”
Liz: "Did you tell all that to Congresswoman Bookman?”
Jack: “No, I was too busy trying to remember the name of the black kid on Community."
Liz: "Don-ald Glover."
30 Rock appears to be back to some form of its glory days and I'm especially looking forward to next week's live episode.
8.4/10
-This episode had many notable cameos and guest appearances. Rob Reiner as Congressman Rob Reiner was hilarious. I also enjoyed Reg E. Cathey as a soulful talk show host in the painfully (and hilariously) awkward talk show scene. Queen Latifah was good as a congressmen, although her "passionate speech" stuff was a prety obvious joke. She nailed her delivery on her first line "Why is NBC so racist?" which is especially funny during a night chockful of Outsourced promos. Speaking of Outcourced...
-"Outsourced is the new Friends!"
- 30 Rock was really in full NBC-bashing mode last night:
- Jack: "We're a top ten network!"
- Jack: "Law and Order, which is just about to start its 21st season and features...What?! Why would we do that?" And later, Tracy's "It was a tent pole! A tent pole!"
- Jack: “Diversity means new ideas and new markets. It is our best hope for new innovation.”
Liz: "Did you tell all that to Congresswoman Bookman?”
Jack: “No, I was too busy trying to remember the name of the black kid on Community."
Liz: "Don-ald Glover."
30 Rock appears to be back to some form of its glory days and I'm especially looking forward to next week's live episode.
8.4/10
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Cubic Z" Review
Some of the best episodes of Chuck have taken place entirely inside the Buy More, i.e. "Chuck vs the Beard" and "Chuck vs Santa Clause", so this episode already had some high expectations that were increased even further by the return of two past guest stars, Nicole Richie and Steve Austin. While the episode was still good and, it still left much to be desired, especially in its subplots.
-Let's just jump straight to the major subplot: the video game release. First off, I'm pretty sure the writers could've come up with a title for a giant blockbuster game that people are camping out a week in advance for that's better than "Spy Hunter". "Spy Hunter II" would have even been much better. Anyways, this subplot was sometimes boring, very predictable, frustrating because the characters were procrastinating in a way that just makes the situation worse to the point where they just come off as idiots, and it didn't make sense. Don't stores get their shipments in at least a couple days in advance? I doubt they show up an hour before a midnight release. It was basically just a giant plot contrivance so they could show a father-son type bond between Morgan and Big Mike. Speaking of Big Mike...
-...this was the first time we've seen him this season and his appearance was quite underwhelming. His "Fatherness" towards Morgan came off as cheesy and just felt out of character, which was unfortunate because, as previously mentioned, the subplot was basically just a giant plot contrivance to show this. Speaking of plot contrivances...
-...the ring falling into the room right in the middle of Chuck and Sarah's "talk" at the end of the episode just seems to indicate there will be frustration with the Chuck/Sarah relationship next episode (and unfortunately, the episode preview seemed to confirm this). I applaud the writers' restraint to not have it fall directly into Chuck's hand, but the event is still just ridiculous and, unless Chuck quickly discovers it's Big Mike's ring and easily explains it to Sarah, it will just prove to be another unnecessary roadblock.
- Two old foes returned this week (something Chuck needs more of, if you ask me) played by Steve Austin and Nicole Richie. I like the idea that Steve Austin was primarily trying to kill Nicole Richie (as you can tell, I don't remember the characters names) instead of going straight for Chuck and Sarah. Richie is very good playing the snarky bitch, but not so good when her lines require anything else (and even some of the bitchy dialogue she was given was just poorly written, "Thanks for that, movie dork. I bet you have like a Tron poster in your room" was way too tongue-in-cheek) and Steve Austin, well...he didn't really speak for the entire episode and, frankly, didn't need to. The fight between him and Chuck at the end was one of the most memorable action scenes I think the show has had in the past year, with both characters randomly grabbing for the nearest heavy object to smash on the others' head. I also like the fact that Chuck didn't win the battle and it was, in fact, Big Mike and his tazer that brought him down.
- I'm confused by the concept of "Greta". Right now, it basically seems like a cameo role. But the weird thing is the concept hasn't been addressed or explained at all in the show, even though Morgan described Stacy Kiebler as "the new Greta". People who watch the show and don't feverishly pay attention to guest stars are going to have no idea what he's referring to. And even people who pay attention to the casting only have a vague idea of the concept.
8.4/10
-Let's just jump straight to the major subplot: the video game release. First off, I'm pretty sure the writers could've come up with a title for a giant blockbuster game that people are camping out a week in advance for that's better than "Spy Hunter". "Spy Hunter II" would have even been much better. Anyways, this subplot was sometimes boring, very predictable, frustrating because the characters were procrastinating in a way that just makes the situation worse to the point where they just come off as idiots, and it didn't make sense. Don't stores get their shipments in at least a couple days in advance? I doubt they show up an hour before a midnight release. It was basically just a giant plot contrivance so they could show a father-son type bond between Morgan and Big Mike. Speaking of Big Mike...
-...this was the first time we've seen him this season and his appearance was quite underwhelming. His "Fatherness" towards Morgan came off as cheesy and just felt out of character, which was unfortunate because, as previously mentioned, the subplot was basically just a giant plot contrivance to show this. Speaking of plot contrivances...
-...the ring falling into the room right in the middle of Chuck and Sarah's "talk" at the end of the episode just seems to indicate there will be frustration with the Chuck/Sarah relationship next episode (and unfortunately, the episode preview seemed to confirm this). I applaud the writers' restraint to not have it fall directly into Chuck's hand, but the event is still just ridiculous and, unless Chuck quickly discovers it's Big Mike's ring and easily explains it to Sarah, it will just prove to be another unnecessary roadblock.
- Two old foes returned this week (something Chuck needs more of, if you ask me) played by Steve Austin and Nicole Richie. I like the idea that Steve Austin was primarily trying to kill Nicole Richie (as you can tell, I don't remember the characters names) instead of going straight for Chuck and Sarah. Richie is very good playing the snarky bitch, but not so good when her lines require anything else (and even some of the bitchy dialogue she was given was just poorly written, "Thanks for that, movie dork. I bet you have like a Tron poster in your room" was way too tongue-in-cheek) and Steve Austin, well...he didn't really speak for the entire episode and, frankly, didn't need to. The fight between him and Chuck at the end was one of the most memorable action scenes I think the show has had in the past year, with both characters randomly grabbing for the nearest heavy object to smash on the others' head. I also like the fact that Chuck didn't win the battle and it was, in fact, Big Mike and his tazer that brought him down.
- I'm confused by the concept of "Greta". Right now, it basically seems like a cameo role. But the weird thing is the concept hasn't been addressed or explained at all in the show, even though Morgan described Stacy Kiebler as "the new Greta". People who watch the show and don't feverishly pay attention to guest stars are going to have no idea what he's referring to. And even people who pay attention to the casting only have a vague idea of the concept.
8.4/10
Score Roundup
How I Met Your Mother: "Unfinished"- 6.5/10- "Where's the poop?" has to be one of the show's poorest attempts at a catchphrase
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Cubic Z"- 8.4/10
The Event: "To Keep Us Safe"- 7.4/10- This show lies somewhere between intriguing and boring. Never one or the other.
No Ordinary Family: "No Ordinary Marriage"- 7.1/10- This episode seemed to repeat the following sequence many times: A family member would try something out with their powers. Another family member would tell them they shouldn't do that. The family member agrees but then does it again but gets hurt/messes up. The other family member then apologizes for being so hard on the other, but the person was hurt/messed up then apologizes. I honestly think that happened four times throughout the course of the episode.
Raising Hope: "Dream Hoarders"- Seems like I'm giving props to this show every week for a random thing that I appreciate, this weeks it's the use of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", both The Four Lads version and the They Might Be Giants version
Running Wilde: "Oil and Water"- 7.0/10 An improvement. One thing that kills a lot of the comedy for me is the fact that Puddle is the narrator. The actress is very good in her role, but doesn't have the comedic timing and tone that the narration requires. Also, the blatant KFC product placement was cringeworthy.
Modern Family: "Earthquake"- 9.1/10- Jay seemed out of character in this episode.
Community: "The Psychology of Letting Go"- 8.7/10- I'm very happy John Oliver is back. The best storyline of this week's episode was the death of Pierce's mother because it allowed for more of Pierce's amazingly ridiculous religion. Abed's storyline is a close second because it was just so amazing and subtle. In case you missed it (like I did my first time through this episode), if you look in the background of several scenes, you can see Abed befriend a pregnant women and eventually help her give birth in the parking lot).
30 Rock: "Let's Stay Together"- 8.5/10
Fringe: "The Plateau"- 9.7/10- Man, the alternate universe is cool...
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Cubic Z"- 8.4/10
The Event: "To Keep Us Safe"- 7.4/10- This show lies somewhere between intriguing and boring. Never one or the other.
No Ordinary Family: "No Ordinary Marriage"- 7.1/10- This episode seemed to repeat the following sequence many times: A family member would try something out with their powers. Another family member would tell them they shouldn't do that. The family member agrees but then does it again but gets hurt/messes up. The other family member then apologizes for being so hard on the other, but the person was hurt/messed up then apologizes. I honestly think that happened four times throughout the course of the episode.
Raising Hope: "Dream Hoarders"- Seems like I'm giving props to this show every week for a random thing that I appreciate, this weeks it's the use of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", both The Four Lads version and the They Might Be Giants version
Running Wilde: "Oil and Water"- 7.0/10 An improvement. One thing that kills a lot of the comedy for me is the fact that Puddle is the narrator. The actress is very good in her role, but doesn't have the comedic timing and tone that the narration requires. Also, the blatant KFC product placement was cringeworthy.
Modern Family: "Earthquake"- 9.1/10- Jay seemed out of character in this episode.
Community: "The Psychology of Letting Go"- 8.7/10- I'm very happy John Oliver is back. The best storyline of this week's episode was the death of Pierce's mother because it allowed for more of Pierce's amazingly ridiculous religion. Abed's storyline is a close second because it was just so amazing and subtle. In case you missed it (like I did my first time through this episode), if you look in the background of several scenes, you can see Abed befriend a pregnant women and eventually help her give birth in the parking lot).
30 Rock: "Let's Stay Together"- 8.5/10
Fringe: "The Plateau"- 9.7/10- Man, the alternate universe is cool...
Sunday, October 3, 2010
30 Rock: "When it Rains, it Pours" Review
It's very refreshing to know 30 Rock can still produce an episode of this quality. Last season was mostly duds (save for episodes like "Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001" and the finale) so there is reason for hope to be severely diminished. I'm not saying this episode should make us believe that from here on out, 30 Rock is back to its glory days. For all I know, this could be the last good episode of the show ever (but is probably not). But this episode is reassuring in the fact that it tells us all hope is not lost yet, everyone still has the talent to pull it off. Let's just see how we feel about it next week. But, in the meantime:
-Tracy Jordan + Cash Cab = Instant Hilarity. "Wow, it's like I always say...white cab drivers are weird!" It definitely the highest number of hilarious lines in a short time span since recounting his childhood horrors last season.
-Dr. Spacemen continues to be the best recurring character of all time. "Ms. Jordan, I've already administered the epidural, so would you like one as well?" "Full disclosure, most of my experience is putting babies in women."
-Jack's video messages to his future son were amazing, as should be expected. My favorites are a tie between "And that is the art of camouflage." or "The secret to a healthy scalp is Dove...blood."
-I like that little attention was drawn to the fact that Paul Giamatti was guest starring as, in the past, 30 Rock has been know to practically shine spotlights on some of their big guest stars.
-All three storylines were fantastic this week, something that can't be said even for the majority of the "glory days" of the show.
-Kenneth in the Tracy mask was about as creepy as you would expect it to be (but not as creepy as Kenneth in the NBC thong last season).
-Tracy: "I don't understand why people like brunch. What's the benefit of combing breakdancing and lunch?
-Brian Williams' cameos are always awesome.
Overall, a hopefully a return to some sort of form for the show, although I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high yet. I'm also very excited for the live episode because I think 30 Rock is one of the only shows currently on tv right now that can pull it off without it seeming like a desperate plea for attention.
9.5/10
-Tracy Jordan + Cash Cab = Instant Hilarity. "Wow, it's like I always say...white cab drivers are weird!" It definitely the highest number of hilarious lines in a short time span since recounting his childhood horrors last season.
-Dr. Spacemen continues to be the best recurring character of all time. "Ms. Jordan, I've already administered the epidural, so would you like one as well?" "Full disclosure, most of my experience is putting babies in women."
-Jack's video messages to his future son were amazing, as should be expected. My favorites are a tie between "And that is the art of camouflage." or "The secret to a healthy scalp is Dove...blood."
-I like that little attention was drawn to the fact that Paul Giamatti was guest starring as, in the past, 30 Rock has been know to practically shine spotlights on some of their big guest stars.
-All three storylines were fantastic this week, something that can't be said even for the majority of the "glory days" of the show.
-Kenneth in the Tracy mask was about as creepy as you would expect it to be (but not as creepy as Kenneth in the NBC thong last season).
-Tracy: "I don't understand why people like brunch. What's the benefit of combing breakdancing and lunch?
-Brian Williams' cameos are always awesome.
Overall, a hopefully a return to some sort of form for the show, although I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high yet. I'm also very excited for the live episode because I think 30 Rock is one of the only shows currently on tv right now that can pull it off without it seeming like a desperate plea for attention.
9.5/10
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Community- "Accounting for Lawyers" Review
This episode showed Community at some of its best and was a perfect example of how well-defined each member of the group has become and how the show uses it to its advantage. Rob Corddry and a very skinny Drew Carrey made for excellent guest stars and its nice that Community finally acknowledged half of the show's basic premise: Jeff was a lawyer and still wants to be one. Now, time to list my favorite quotes. Of which, there were many.
- Jeff: "Shirley, don't sue a stripper. Life sued her and she lost."
-Abed: "I painted a tunnel on the side of the library. When it dries, I'm going for it." (That ending tag was brilliant, by the way).
-Troy: "Did you know Go-Gurt is just yogurt?"
-The whole chloroform scene was hysterical. So many awesome moments from this one. "I can explain.......let me EXPLAIN!" "I usually have one foot out of reality and even I'm freaking out right now!" "I don't understand...who is she and why is she holding a rag?"
-Jeff: "Is the Dean planning another ridiculous event, or is the Greendale hat club still struggling to be noteworthy?"
- (yet again) Jeff: "Narced? Hm. But he's like way to primo for that, Frank Zappa.
-Once more, Jeff: "Britta. You're not a whore. Shirley. Jesus turned the other cheek. He didn't garnish wages. Pierce. Do I even need to say this? It is bad to hunt man for sport."
This episode seemed to be putting several things in order for future plotpoints. Introducing characters from the lawfirm, having Jeff get his friend in an easily blackmail-able position, and Chang poised to either become the Lucky Charms Leprechaun or maybe full-blown antagonist of the group which I'm sure will be entertaining. This show is definitely the smartest comedy on TV right now and it's a shame more people aren't watching.
9.6/10
- Jeff: "Shirley, don't sue a stripper. Life sued her and she lost."
-Abed: "I painted a tunnel on the side of the library. When it dries, I'm going for it." (That ending tag was brilliant, by the way).
-Troy: "Did you know Go-Gurt is just yogurt?"
-The whole chloroform scene was hysterical. So many awesome moments from this one. "I can explain.......let me EXPLAIN!" "I usually have one foot out of reality and even I'm freaking out right now!" "I don't understand...who is she and why is she holding a rag?"
-Jeff: "Is the Dean planning another ridiculous event, or is the Greendale hat club still struggling to be noteworthy?"
- (yet again) Jeff: "Narced? Hm. But he's like way to primo for that, Frank Zappa.
-Once more, Jeff: "Britta. You're not a whore. Shirley. Jesus turned the other cheek. He didn't garnish wages. Pierce. Do I even need to say this? It is bad to hunt man for sport."
This episode seemed to be putting several things in order for future plotpoints. Introducing characters from the lawfirm, having Jeff get his friend in an easily blackmail-able position, and Chang poised to either become the Lucky Charms Leprechaun or maybe full-blown antagonist of the group which I'm sure will be entertaining. This show is definitely the smartest comedy on TV right now and it's a shame more people aren't watching.
9.6/10
No Ordinary Family- "Pilot" Review
This show is pretty much The Incredibles. There's no getting around that. The similarities sink deep into smaller aspects of both No Ordinary Family and The Incredibles. However, this show definitely shows promise. It seems to be veering off the obvious, previously mentioned comparison and hopefully it succeeds.
-This show needs to drop the documentary-style confessionals immediately. They're completely unnecessary, they're distracting, they make no sense (even after the end of the episode), they serve no purpose but to repeat what has already been said or say/explain something that could have easily been figured out without explanation, and the dialogue in these sections is pretty cringeworthy. Any why were they telling this to a marital counselor?
-Speaking of cringeworthy dialogue: "Brian and I haven't even gotten to do it yet!"
-The whole process of discovering the powers was very fun.
-The two adult leads are great (although I don't buy them as a couple yet) and the kids are alright (Pun ((is that even a pun)) not intended) but could use work.
-The first five or so minutes felt very rushed. Often is the case with pilots as they have a large amount of background to set up in so little time, but some pilots still manage to pull this off very well, like Raising Hope
8.5/10
-This show needs to drop the documentary-style confessionals immediately. They're completely unnecessary, they're distracting, they make no sense (even after the end of the episode), they serve no purpose but to repeat what has already been said or say/explain something that could have easily been figured out without explanation, and the dialogue in these sections is pretty cringeworthy. Any why were they telling this to a marital counselor?
-Speaking of cringeworthy dialogue: "Brian and I haven't even gotten to do it yet!"
-The whole process of discovering the powers was very fun.
-The two adult leads are great (although I don't buy them as a couple yet) and the kids are alright (Pun ((is that even a pun)) not intended) but could use work.
-The first five or so minutes felt very rushed. Often is the case with pilots as they have a large amount of background to set up in so little time, but some pilots still manage to pull this off very well, like Raising Hope
8.5/10
Score Roundup
Community: "Anthropology 101"- 9.2/10- God, I missed this show.
30 Rock: "The Fabian Strategy"-8.3/10
Fringe- "Olivia"- 9.3/10- Sidenote: What is it with J.J. Abrams shows and people impersonating other people looking exactly like them? The weird face-replacing technology on Alias, the smoke monster on Lost, and now Fauxlivia on Fringe.
Supernatural: "Exile on Main Street"- 8.0/10- what should have been major emotional moments for the characters seemed downplayed quite a bit and the pace was too slow, but Dean leading a normal life was interesting enough, as is the return of their grandfather (Good 'ol A.D. Skinner!)
The Good Guys: "Vacation"- 8.8/10
How I Met Your Mother: "Cleaning House"- 7.8/10- Barney believing he was black was hilarious.
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Suitcase"- 8.4/10
No Ordinary Family: "Pilot"- 8.5/10
Raising Hope: "Dead Tooth"-7.8/10- Extra points for casting Kate Micucci ("Oates" of Garfunkel and Oates)
Modern Family: "The Kiss"- 8.6/10
Community: "Accounting for Lawyers"- 9.6/10
30 Rock: "When it Rains, it Pours"- 9.5/10
Fringe: "The Box"- 9.3/10- This was pretty much another season premier, just set in our universe this time
30 Rock: "The Fabian Strategy"-8.3/10
Fringe- "Olivia"- 9.3/10- Sidenote: What is it with J.J. Abrams shows and people impersonating other people looking exactly like them? The weird face-replacing technology on Alias, the smoke monster on Lost, and now Fauxlivia on Fringe.
Supernatural: "Exile on Main Street"- 8.0/10- what should have been major emotional moments for the characters seemed downplayed quite a bit and the pace was too slow, but Dean leading a normal life was interesting enough, as is the return of their grandfather (Good 'ol A.D. Skinner!)
The Good Guys: "Vacation"- 8.8/10
How I Met Your Mother: "Cleaning House"- 7.8/10- Barney believing he was black was hilarious.
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Suitcase"- 8.4/10
No Ordinary Family: "Pilot"- 8.5/10
Raising Hope: "Dead Tooth"-7.8/10- Extra points for casting Kate Micucci ("Oates" of Garfunkel and Oates)
Modern Family: "The Kiss"- 8.6/10
Community: "Accounting for Lawyers"- 9.6/10
30 Rock: "When it Rains, it Pours"- 9.5/10
Fringe: "The Box"- 9.3/10- This was pretty much another season premier, just set in our universe this time
I haven't thought this through....
So, you may or may not have noticed I haven't updated this blog in over a week. To use a cliche excuse, I've been busy. Also, the process of writing an individual review of every episode of television that I watch is ridiculously more time consuming than I thought. So I'm gonna change the format up a bit. Expect a couple regular reviews every week on episodes I find noteworthy and/or have something worthwhile to say about them and at the end of the week (or around that time) expect a post with all the episodes of television I've watched since the last post, a score, and maybe a sentence or two about a couple of them.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Modern Family: "The Old Wagon" Review
Modern Family, which can now officially call itself the "emmy-winning best comedy, P.S. Suck it, Glee!", returned with I thought to be a fairly average episode of the series. Which, if you're Modern Family, is a perfectly fine thing.
-The Manny/Gloria storyline was by far the weakest of the episode. Cliche, predictable, but still delivered a few good lines. ("We like to play "Six Degrees of Sir Francis Bacon!")
-I thought the construction storyline was the best of this episode. "It was my Vietnam. And I was IN Vietnam."
-The Dunphy Car storyline was fun, but whenever a car goes over a cliff in a sticom, it generally is just unnecessary.
8.5/10
-The Manny/Gloria storyline was by far the weakest of the episode. Cliche, predictable, but still delivered a few good lines. ("We like to play "Six Degrees of Sir Francis Bacon!")
-I thought the construction storyline was the best of this episode. "It was my Vietnam. And I was IN Vietnam."
-The Dunphy Car storyline was fun, but whenever a car goes over a cliff in a sticom, it generally is just unnecessary.
8.5/10
Thursday, September 23, 2010
How I Met Your Mother: "Big Days (season premeire)" Review
Last season of How I Met Your Mother, while still enjoyable, became rather...sitcom-y. In a bad way. The plots lacked originality, characters made questionable decisions, and the overall arc of the show was almost completely lost in a flurry of subplots we mostly did not care about. Fortunately, the writers have acknowledged this and expressed an interest in "fixing it" promising, as so many showrunners do, a return to the good 'ol days of the early seasons. So far? Mission Accomplished.
-One episode in and now we actually have a location of where Ted will meet the mother
-The episode was almost entirely set in the pub, which is definitely not a bad thing.
-Loved Marshall's exit from the office. "Que the music."
-Overall, the season looks to be promising as this episode actually felt like it could have fit in during Season 2 or 3. Hopefully, the rest of the seasons maintains something to that effect.
-One episode in and now we actually have a location of where Ted will meet the mother
-The episode was almost entirely set in the pub, which is definitely not a bad thing.
-Loved Marshall's exit from the office. "Que the music."
-Overall, the season looks to be promising as this episode actually felt like it could have fit in during Season 2 or 3. Hopefully, the rest of the seasons maintains something to that effect.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Warehouse 13: "Reset (Part 2, Season Finale)"
The second part of the Warehouse 13 season finale was not as good as I hoped it would be. In fact, certain elements were handled worse than I worried they would be. The feeling of true danger only arose halfway into the episode and was handled very clumsily. It was just, overall, disapointing.
-Overall plot wise, this season didn't seem to accomplish anything. With this episode, the status quo is back to exactly how it was at the beginning of the season, with the exception of MacPherson. HG Wells still isn't a very interesting character and while I didn't buy her return to complete evilness (the tar pit thing...harsh) just as I didn't buy her return to complete angel and just as I didn't buy what she did at the end of this episode. So I really just don't buy anything she does.
-The idea that HG would use Pete's completely forgettable girlfriend (so forgettable that I forgot her name and don't want to look it up) is fine, but the outcome was just frustrating. And what's with the sudden drop in intelligence? Talking like she's the dog whisperer and "Oh look, it has our favorite breed written on it!" Really?
-I did like HG Well's smart use of artifacts. There were some cool ideas in there. Makes me think the writers spend more time coming up with artifacts then writing a cohesive storyline.
-"Have you been messing around in the Farnsworth aisle again?"
-It's been said, but the CGI....ugh. It's one of the most popular cable shows and yet it doesn't have the budget to make anything look not laughable.
-The last 15 minutes or so were just an eye-rolling extravaganza. First, Myka pleading to HG Wells (Joane Kelly was REALLY trying, but it still felt forced and unbelievable) and it actually stopping her was ridiculous and, like so many other things on this show, cliche. HG Wells motives? Also very lame and cliche. And if you just want to kill everyone, I'm sure there are easier ways than blowing up a supervolcano and starting an ice age. And then Myka quitting. No emotional effect whatsoever. It was cheesy, the nonchalant handing of the letter and leaving, crying in the car, Pete running after said car, just...awful. And isn't this a government building? And a top secret one at that? I doubt you can just hand in a letter and say 'Yup, I'm out!' The idea is fine but the execution was all wrong.
6.5/10
-Overall plot wise, this season didn't seem to accomplish anything. With this episode, the status quo is back to exactly how it was at the beginning of the season, with the exception of MacPherson. HG Wells still isn't a very interesting character and while I didn't buy her return to complete evilness (the tar pit thing...harsh) just as I didn't buy her return to complete angel and just as I didn't buy what she did at the end of this episode. So I really just don't buy anything she does.
-The idea that HG would use Pete's completely forgettable girlfriend (so forgettable that I forgot her name and don't want to look it up) is fine, but the outcome was just frustrating. And what's with the sudden drop in intelligence? Talking like she's the dog whisperer and "Oh look, it has our favorite breed written on it!" Really?
-I did like HG Well's smart use of artifacts. There were some cool ideas in there. Makes me think the writers spend more time coming up with artifacts then writing a cohesive storyline.
-"Have you been messing around in the Farnsworth aisle again?"
-It's been said, but the CGI....ugh. It's one of the most popular cable shows and yet it doesn't have the budget to make anything look not laughable.
-The last 15 minutes or so were just an eye-rolling extravaganza. First, Myka pleading to HG Wells (Joane Kelly was REALLY trying, but it still felt forced and unbelievable) and it actually stopping her was ridiculous and, like so many other things on this show, cliche. HG Wells motives? Also very lame and cliche. And if you just want to kill everyone, I'm sure there are easier ways than blowing up a supervolcano and starting an ice age. And then Myka quitting. No emotional effect whatsoever. It was cheesy, the nonchalant handing of the letter and leaving, crying in the car, Pete running after said car, just...awful. And isn't this a government building? And a top secret one at that? I doubt you can just hand in a letter and say 'Yup, I'm out!' The idea is fine but the execution was all wrong.
6.5/10
Raising Hope- "Pilot" Review
This show suprised me. I wasn't expecting too much and was really only watching because I like several of the actors and I planned on watching the show airing directly afterwards. But I actually enjoyed it. Best pilot I've seen thus far this season (which isn't saying too much, but still).
-Acting is fantastic across the board. Lead is very likeable and Garett Dillahunt and Martha Plimpton as the parents are hilarious.
-The pilot covered a very wide period of time, but didn't feel that rushed and in fact, several times, used the time cuts to its comedic advantage.
-Extra points for using Free Energy's "Bang Pop".
-There were times when the pilot didn't seem to know where it was going and stalled a little bit.
-Child endangerment humor only goes so far, but this show is making the most of it so far.
-There is an element of weirdness to the show that makes it endearing. Offbeat and interesting.
8.0/10
-Acting is fantastic across the board. Lead is very likeable and Garett Dillahunt and Martha Plimpton as the parents are hilarious.
-The pilot covered a very wide period of time, but didn't feel that rushed and in fact, several times, used the time cuts to its comedic advantage.
-Extra points for using Free Energy's "Bang Pop".
-There were times when the pilot didn't seem to know where it was going and stalled a little bit.
-Child endangerment humor only goes so far, but this show is making the most of it so far.
-There is an element of weirdness to the show that makes it endearing. Offbeat and interesting.
8.0/10
Running Wilde: "Pilot" Review
Like most people, I'm only watching this show because of the reunion of so many people from Arrested Development, which I may or may not have mentioned is my favorite show of all time. But this was horrible. There were moments of hope, but it was just....not funny. I wanted to turn it off, but felt like I could not. Maybe one day, it will blossom into a fantastic show (much like Parks and Recreation) but for now...ugh. There were moments where I was amused and one or two times where I chuckled but...it just felt messy and the jokes were all over the place.
5.2/10
5.2/10
The Event: "Pilot" Review
The Event, next in a series of shows trying to emulate the success and plotting of Lost (see also: Flashforward) certainly starts off with an interesting enough plot (the cliffhanger-what the hell?) but I don't know if it contains the character development and not raising more questions that it can promise to answer to succeed in the long run.
-The main charcter seems likable. I say 'seems' because the pilot just showed him acting nervous the entire time. Better than Flashforward's Mark Benford's cocky, yelling-a-lot behavior though.
-The budget was certainly high and I wonder how long that will keep up.
-Hopefully, the show will answer at least one or two big questions* soon so we can stop listening to people talking in vague terms for lengthy periods of time.
*questions such as "What the f*** is the event?"
7.6/10
-The main charcter seems likable. I say 'seems' because the pilot just showed him acting nervous the entire time. Better than Flashforward's Mark Benford's cocky, yelling-a-lot behavior though.
-The budget was certainly high and I wonder how long that will keep up.
-Hopefully, the show will answer at least one or two big questions* soon so we can stop listening to people talking in vague terms for lengthy periods of time.
*questions such as "What the f*** is the event?"
7.6/10
Chuck: "Chuck vs the Anniversary (Season Premiere)" Review
Chuck has returned for its fourth (and likely last) season with a plethora of guest stars and a new plot direction. I thought the episode was very good overall and this season seems to be going in the right direction in terms of pacing, action, plot, and characters we don't hate, all things last season seemed to stumble with until the end.
-I thought the episode had a very good balance of lightheartedness and actual danger/serious plot development, also something last season struggled with a lot.
-Best line of the episode came from Casey when asked if he's ever been in a long-term relationship: "No, I either leave or they die."
-Three out of four guest stars were put to good use. Henry Dean Statton was great as the creepy repo man as was Dolph Lungdren as the week's villain and Linda Hamilton was defeintely the right choice to play Mama Bartowski. Olivia Munn was in the episode for about a minute and was just kind of...there.
-The fact that the CIA now completely owns the Buy More is fun, albeit contrived, but it looks like we won't just be seeing General Beckman on a screen anymore.
-The budget cuts showed though here, but the show definetely made the best of it. I didn't even notice we hadn't seen Jeff, Lester, Big Mike, or Captain Awesome until the end of the episode. Also, the gunfight in the dark was awesome.
-Ellie doesn't show up until the very end of the episode, where she drops the bomb that she's pregnent. This really just seems like a contrivance so that Chuck has to hide he return to spy-dom and the search for their mother. I'll be interested to see how this plotline plays out.
8.9/10
-I thought the episode had a very good balance of lightheartedness and actual danger/serious plot development, also something last season struggled with a lot.
-Best line of the episode came from Casey when asked if he's ever been in a long-term relationship: "No, I either leave or they die."
-Three out of four guest stars were put to good use. Henry Dean Statton was great as the creepy repo man as was Dolph Lungdren as the week's villain and Linda Hamilton was defeintely the right choice to play Mama Bartowski. Olivia Munn was in the episode for about a minute and was just kind of...there.
-The fact that the CIA now completely owns the Buy More is fun, albeit contrived, but it looks like we won't just be seeing General Beckman on a screen anymore.
-The budget cuts showed though here, but the show definetely made the best of it. I didn't even notice we hadn't seen Jeff, Lester, Big Mike, or Captain Awesome until the end of the episode. Also, the gunfight in the dark was awesome.
-Ellie doesn't show up until the very end of the episode, where she drops the bomb that she's pregnent. This really just seems like a contrivance so that Chuck has to hide he return to spy-dom and the search for their mother. I'll be interested to see how this plotline plays out.
8.9/10
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Open the Floodgates
Well, it is officially premiere week, although nothing actually premieres until tomorrow. But I thought I'd go ahead and talk about which new pilots I'll be watching and a few words about why/how I'm approaching each of them.
The Event- This could go horribly wrong. This could be like last year's Flashforward, a show that tries to be a heavily serialized drama and fails miserably. But early reviews say the show has much potential and some of the characters are, you know, good. And NBC certainly wants me to watch it with all their ridiculous advertising.
Lonestar- I didn't have much interest in this pilot until it ended up being the best reviewed pilot out of the bunch. Premise is interesting, but I don't know how it could possibly hold up week to week.
Raising Hope- The only things attracting me to the this show are the surprisingly dark premise and Garret Dillahunt.
Running Wilde- I'm not looking forward to the heartbreak that will come with this one. With so many people from Arrested Development involved, I desperately cling to the hope that this show will be good, but early reviews say 'Nope!'.
No Ordinary Family- Looks like a live action version of The Incredibles, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Undercovers- It's J.J. Abrams and it looks like an Alias procedural-I'll give it a shot.
Outsourced- Just to see if it's as terrible as everyone says it is
The Event- This could go horribly wrong. This could be like last year's Flashforward, a show that tries to be a heavily serialized drama and fails miserably. But early reviews say the show has much potential and some of the characters are, you know, good. And NBC certainly wants me to watch it with all their ridiculous advertising.
Lonestar- I didn't have much interest in this pilot until it ended up being the best reviewed pilot out of the bunch. Premise is interesting, but I don't know how it could possibly hold up week to week.
Raising Hope- The only things attracting me to the this show are the surprisingly dark premise and Garret Dillahunt.
Running Wilde- I'm not looking forward to the heartbreak that will come with this one. With so many people from Arrested Development involved, I desperately cling to the hope that this show will be good, but early reviews say 'Nope!'.
No Ordinary Family- Looks like a live action version of The Incredibles, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Undercovers- It's J.J. Abrams and it looks like an Alias procedural-I'll give it a shot.
Outsourced- Just to see if it's as terrible as everyone says it is
My Watched List and My To-Watch List
This is simply a list of shows I have watched (or are in the process of watching). Most of these shows have ended, but I'm watching some of them to 'catch-up' and hopefully eventually watch new episodes when they actually air. An asterisk next to the title means it it one of my favorite shows of all time.
-Alias (just finished watching)- very good first two seasons, but nosedived hard afterwards
-Friday Night Lights (in the process of watching, on episode 6 of season 1)
-Arrested Development*- favorite show of all time
-Lost*- yes, I'm one of those people that actually enjoyed the ending
-Reaper
-Pushing Daises*
-Veronica Mars (on season 3, episode 10)
-The X-Files*
-Flight of the Conchords*
-Eli Stone
-Freaks and Geeks*
My to-watch list: A list of shows a plan to watch or catch up on in the near future:
-Mad Men
-Dexter
-The Wire
-Twin Peaks
-Undeclared
-Alias (just finished watching)- very good first two seasons, but nosedived hard afterwards
-Friday Night Lights (in the process of watching, on episode 6 of season 1)
-Arrested Development*- favorite show of all time
-Lost*- yes, I'm one of those people that actually enjoyed the ending
-Reaper
-Pushing Daises*
-Veronica Mars (on season 3, episode 10)
-The X-Files*
-Flight of the Conchords*
-Eli Stone
-Freaks and Geeks*
My to-watch list: A list of shows a plan to watch or catch up on in the near future:
-Mad Men
-Dexter
-The Wire
-Twin Peaks
-Undeclared
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Warehouse 13: "Buried (Part 1)" Review
"Two networks, one sever."
Warehouse 13 is a show that requires a large suspension of disbelief and patience. It often takes large unexplained jumps in logic. One episode can hurl cliches at you and another will be original and highly enjoyable. This week, we reached part one of the second season finale and, unfortunately, I could not get over the level of stupidity that several things in this episode accomplished. But first, a summary.
The episode begins with three college students in Egypt. One sends a picture to his sister and another loudly exclaims 'Nobody's supposed to know we're here!'. Then they all shrivel up. Meanwhile, Mrs. Fredrick begins having head pains. This is soon linked to the event in Egypt, which apparently was Warehouse 2's defense mechanism. So the gang goes to Egypt to shut down Warehouse 2 before it kills Mrs. Frederick.
And the rest of the episode is pretty much National Treasure.
First off, the premise of this episode was ridiculous. Yes, this show is somewhat notorious for oddball premises with little explanation besides the fact that "the artifiacts did it" but this was just bizaare. I think it's a cool idea that someone activated Warehouse 2, but the explanation for it affecting Mrs. Fredrick lead to the bizarre idea that the Warehouses are actually alive, which is of course poorly explained with the statement "They're more organic than you think". Also, was the 'you can only tell one person about what you do' thing brought up before this episode? Cause if it wasn't, it's kind of late to bring that up. Not that it matters, because its existence is clearly just to create an emotional conflict for the characters at some point in the course of the show.
And they didn't wait till the second part to bring out a big twist and a big death. Unfortunately, neither were very big and the former was hardly a 'twist'. Let's start with the death. Does anybody really care? He's been in perhaps a handful of episodes and he was the rather one-note character of 'smart-ass english guy'. But apparently we were supposed to be distraught by this and so were the characters. Pete looked like he had lost a best friend. Meanwhile, I hardly remember this character at all. As for the big twist...really? Anybody who believed HG Wells' (I suppose I should refer to her as Helena) 'I just want to work for the warehouse again' act is extremely gullible.
On the other hand, there was some good stuff in this episode. Claudia almost having to become the new caretaker of the warehouse was fun. Watching the group solve all the traps in the warehouse was interersting, even if it did feel like National Treasure (but with some characters I care about). Unfortunately, the rest of the episode brought it down and I hope the second part will be better.
6.8/10
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Welcome!
Hello, (or Annyong, in you prefer) and welcome to my blog. This blog is primarily dedicated to television, mostly featuring reviews but I may also comment on certain news items or just provide a commentary on certain things relating to television. You may also see the occasional music or movie review, especially during slow times in television (for instance, as I'm writing this, it is currently the month or so where most summer seasons have ended and the fall seasons are a few weeks away).
The reviews will work on a 100-point scale out of ten. So, thereotically an episode of a show could get anywhere from a 0.0 (very unlikely, in fact, it'd have to be especially atrocious to get anything under a 4.0) to a 10 (which I'm guessing will happen a few times a year). I watch shows I enjoy, so I wouldn't expect many scores to be below a 7.0, which is why I'm going with the hndred point scale, I can be more specific with my score. Certain shows are generally better than others, so the review scores for shows will only be relative to other episodes of that show. For example, an 8.8 for an episode of Breaking Bad would equal a 9.5 of, say...Burn Notice. I suppose I should give a rango of scores and the adjective associated with them, so I will:
0.0-.9- Abysmal, just an absolute tragedy. If I ever have to rate an episode of a show this low, I will probably stop watching the show
1.0-1.9- Terrible
2.0-2.9- Awful
3.0-3.9- Very Bad
4.0-4.9- Bad
5.0-5.9- Mediocre
6.0-6.4- Weak
6.5-6.9- Alright, Not the best but not the worst
7.0-7.4- Fine, a couple of problems, but overall enjoyable
7.5-7.9- Good, just one or two problems, but they don't detract much from the rest of the episode.
8.0-8.4- Very good
8.5-8.9- Great
9.0-9.5- Awesome
9.6-9.9- Amazing, fantastic
10- Spectacular
Here's a quick rundown of shows I'll be reviewing (ones that I already watch, basically): How I Met Your Mother, Chuck, Warehouse 13, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, Community, Parks and Recreation, The Office, Supernatural, 30 Rock, Fringe, Breaking Bad, Futurama, and Burn Notice. To give you some sort of reference point on my tastes, my favorite TV Shows of all time include The X-Files, Flight of the Conchords, and Arrested Development, which I have already referenced twice on this blog.
And just so you know, this blog is for an AP Language and Compisition class, hence the AP Lang link on the right side of the page. I've also linked to What's Alan Watching? and IGN TV, as those are the two sites I prominently read tv reviews myself on.
So thanks for reading this introduction and, hopefully, thanks for reading the rest of my blog.
The reviews will work on a 100-point scale out of ten. So, thereotically an episode of a show could get anywhere from a 0.0 (very unlikely, in fact, it'd have to be especially atrocious to get anything under a 4.0) to a 10 (which I'm guessing will happen a few times a year). I watch shows I enjoy, so I wouldn't expect many scores to be below a 7.0, which is why I'm going with the hndred point scale, I can be more specific with my score. Certain shows are generally better than others, so the review scores for shows will only be relative to other episodes of that show. For example, an 8.8 for an episode of Breaking Bad would equal a 9.5 of, say...Burn Notice. I suppose I should give a rango of scores and the adjective associated with them, so I will:
0.0-.9- Abysmal, just an absolute tragedy. If I ever have to rate an episode of a show this low, I will probably stop watching the show
1.0-1.9- Terrible
2.0-2.9- Awful
3.0-3.9- Very Bad
4.0-4.9- Bad
5.0-5.9- Mediocre
6.0-6.4- Weak
6.5-6.9- Alright, Not the best but not the worst
7.0-7.4- Fine, a couple of problems, but overall enjoyable
7.5-7.9- Good, just one or two problems, but they don't detract much from the rest of the episode.
8.0-8.4- Very good
8.5-8.9- Great
9.0-9.5- Awesome
9.6-9.9- Amazing, fantastic
10- Spectacular
Here's a quick rundown of shows I'll be reviewing (ones that I already watch, basically): How I Met Your Mother, Chuck, Warehouse 13, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, Community, Parks and Recreation, The Office, Supernatural, 30 Rock, Fringe, Breaking Bad, Futurama, and Burn Notice. To give you some sort of reference point on my tastes, my favorite TV Shows of all time include The X-Files, Flight of the Conchords, and Arrested Development, which I have already referenced twice on this blog.
And just so you know, this blog is for an AP Language and Compisition class, hence the AP Lang link on the right side of the page. I've also linked to What's Alan Watching? and IGN TV, as those are the two sites I prominently read tv reviews myself on.
So thanks for reading this introduction and, hopefully, thanks for reading the rest of my blog.
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