TV Talk
Let’s talk TV.
The Office: So far this season has been pretty good. The mock phone call scene in last week’s episode with Jim and Dwight was probably the funniest scene all season. So awesome. And this line from Michael to Kelly: “You can’t say you were raped and just expect all your problems to go away. Not again.” Pure gold.
Fringe: Walter is what’s keeping this show alive for me. The woman who plays Olivia is what’s killing it. All she does is scowl and leave her mouth hanging open. That’s acting?* The plots are entertaining—asking dead guys questions while electrocuting them AND your son is always good stuff—but the whole “Pattern” thing is not really coming together for me. Who cares about it? But at least the X-Files weirdness/scenarios are good for a laugh. The guy who plays Skinner is pretty good. The lady who plays Cancerman, not so much. She needs to come across as more evil.
Dancing With The Stars: If Brook Burke doesn’t win it, the whole thing is a travesty.
Ultimate Fighter: Come for the fighting, stay for the drama. If you’re not watching this show (and I can understand why you might not), here’s what you’re missing: Lots of big scary drunk guys acting like five year olds, pulling pranks that involve people eating urine-soaked fruit; some lame-ass dancing around in the octagon that’s supposed to be mixed-martial arts; big tough guys crying when they lose their fights. Seriously one of my favorite shows. At least Krystof finally fought and lived up to the hype.
Scream Queens: This is a little bundle of laughability from VH-1. A group of wanna-be actresses competing for a role in Saw VI. Best thing about it? They’re more full of animation and drama when they’re not trying to act. The prettiest girls expect to win it, they’re all full of themselves, and they don’t realize acting isn’t about looking pretty. It’s about standing out from the pack. Pretty doesn’t cut it. A unique voice, a unique look—that’s what’s gets you noticed. Great stuff.
Thirty Rock: Finally getting into this show this season. Tina Fey still annoys me—well not her, the character she plays. So boring. But the rest of the characters make up for it. I think my favorite line so far this season was on the Oprah episode, when she borrows some meds from Jack, and reads the label: “May cause sleep crimes.”
My other favorite lame shows, Criminal Minds, NUMB3RS, America’s Next Top Model, are so far doing pretty good. Criminal Minds is still ahead of the pack, though.
What are you watching?
* I have a beef with the way most actresses portray cops on TV. They seem to think they have to act all tough. They end up just being lame. (SVU lady, I’m looking at you.) The only actress I can think of who got it right was Jennifer Garner in Alias. She was tough and smart and badass because she wasn’t scared to look afraid or vulnerable.
I see no mention in here of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which has absolutely been funnier than anything else on TV this year.
Comment by Supergenius — November 17, 2008 @ 11:31 am
That one keeps managing to slip by me.
Comment by Susan M — November 17, 2008 @ 11:44 am
Chuck! People, Chuck! I love Chuck…LOVE.
The Office & 30 Rock rule. Pushing Daisies is beautiful.
HIMYM is funny again post-Stella. The Big Bang Theory is quickly becoming a favorite - even more than it was. I’m so in love with Christine’s brother on Old Christine it isn’t even funny. He’s so stinking funny.
We like the Mentalist. Dropped Fringe & Life on Mars.
Still watching Survivor & Amazing Race.
Comment by gabby — November 17, 2008 @ 11:48 am
SG,
After Sunny, have you watched Testees?
Comment by Tim J — November 17, 2008 @ 11:49 am
My wife loves Survivor, so we watch that every Thursday. Also The Amazing Race on Sundays. We’re both amazed that those frat boys continue to survive.
We too are getting into 30 Rock. Never seen it before this season.
Comment by Dan — November 17, 2008 @ 11:58 am
And in case I haven’t said it enough, Friday Night Lights is really, really good this year. Be sure and catch it when NBC gets it this spring.
Comment by Tim J — November 17, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
FNL is still on? I remember that as being a rather bad soap.
I don’t get the love for the Amazing Race. I’ve tried watching it a couple times, and all I’ve seen is people running and driving around. Someone help me understand what’s so great about it.
I love when the Mentalist starts hypnotizing people.
Comment by Susan M — November 17, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
Tim, I can attest re: Friday Night Lights. Testees, however, was lacking in entertainment.
This season of 30 Rock is not as funny as prior seasons — but it is still pretty great.
Comment by Supergenius — November 17, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
re: Testees. I thought the pilot was pretty funny, especially the ending. But I’ve only seen one episode since.
I think 30 Rock needs to do away with the guest stars.
Comment by Tim J — November 17, 2008 @ 12:18 pm
The “Who Pooped the Bed?” episode of IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY was unbelievable.
Comment by Brian G — November 17, 2008 @ 12:42 pm
Brian, have you seen the “Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life” episode yet? It is about the funniest thing I have ever seen.
Comment by Supergenius — November 17, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
Susan, I’m totally with you on Fringe. Walter’s the only thing that keeps me coming back. And the interaction between Walter and his son. The girl is boring. Bor-ing. And it is missing the evil villain. There’s not enough eee-villl in the one-handed woman.
Comment by bythelbs — November 17, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
30 ROCK IS THE FUNNIEST SHOW ON TELEVISION.
LALALA I’M NOT LISTENING TO ANYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH ME.
Comment by madhousewife — November 17, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
My husband thinks 30 Rock is too contrived. He says it’s like Hollywood took everything that’s funny from all the best shows and stuck it in. And yes he means that as a bad thing.
Comment by Susan M — November 17, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
Chuck and Pushing Daisies! 30 Rock sometimes.
Comment by Ben — November 17, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
It’s Always Sunny is definitely one of my faves, but I have a hard time finding the time to watch it because my wife thinks it’s disgusting so I have to watch it when she’s not around. The “Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life” episode was indeed awesome, especially with cameos from Sinbad and Rob Thomas.
Looking forward to the return of FNL as well.
But my definite fave for this season has been True Blood. I can’t believe no one else here is talking about it. I’m completely obsessed.
Comment by mike d. — November 17, 2008 @ 2:27 pm
I’ve given up on Fringe. I like how the Office pulls back a bit before the real cringe inducing scenes. It makes it much more enjoyable than the first season.
I haven’t watched Top Chef yet. So I don’t know how that is.
I like Chuck a lot better this season than last. It’s still silly but fun silly.
House I’m enjoying as always. Nothing too showy. Just solid.
I’ve been watching season 1 of Dexter. I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the last disk to see what happens.
Comment by Clark — November 17, 2008 @ 3:02 pm
I agree that 30 Rock is not quite as funny this season. I hope they figure that out. Perhaps it really is too many
I am still mildly ambivalent about The Office. Sometimes it makes me laugh hard but the show makes us suffer through a lot of painful and not funny cringing in between…
Comment by Geoff J — November 17, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
Oh, I love Daisies but it really sucks it’s been cancelled.
My Name Is Earl is about the same as last year. i.e. one or two solid episodes and a bunch of crappy ones.
Comment by Clark — November 17, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
Top Chef is awesome as usual. I’m still loving 30 Rock, but the Jennifer Aniston episode wasn’t great.
My wife loves it, I find it boring beyond belief, and most of the characters annoy me.
Comment by jjohnsen — November 17, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
I must have plebian taste, becasue I can’t get into Always Sunny.
I’m loving Life on Mars- Michael Imperioli in that 70’s ’stache is just awesome.
Susan, we watch The Unit for the same reasons you watch Criminal Minds- which we quit when Inigo Montoya quit. And for REALLY bad tv, you cannot beat David Caruso in CSI: Miami. It just doesn’t get any worse!
Comment by tracy m — November 17, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
Yeah, David Caruso is really something else. My husband loves the bad tv but I don’t think he could hack David Caruso on top of everything else.
I still can’t believe you love House, Clark. To me it’s worse than Criminal Minds. I’d love it for how bad it is if it weren’t about doctors. Doctors suck.
Can’t tv writers do anything original? Always doctors or cops.
Comment by Susan M — November 17, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
The Unit rules, for real. It’s not bad at all!
Comment by Supergenius — November 17, 2008 @ 4:20 pm
The Unit does rule- but you really think it’s realistic?
Comment by tracy m — November 17, 2008 @ 5:31 pm
I don’t think it’s realistic at all. But it does kick butt.
Comment by Supergenius — November 17, 2008 @ 5:42 pm
The Unit does rule.
Comment by Kent (MC) — November 18, 2008 @ 9:57 am
I love The Unit, but it would be nothing without Mr. Haysbert.
Comment by bythelbs — November 18, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
You know what rules? The Shield.
Comment by Brian G — November 18, 2008 @ 2:05 pm
Penultimately.
Comment by Supergenius — November 18, 2008 @ 3:08 pm
Charlie from It’s Always Sunny is my favorite TV character since JOB from Arrested Development. There are just too many perfect moments to mention…
Comment by kwk — November 18, 2008 @ 5:46 pm
Susan, some day you need to do a post listing (with examples) all the ways you find House bad. To me it is nearly perfect for what I like.
Comment by Clark — November 18, 2008 @ 6:05 pm
Sunny Fans,
I’ve found this season to be Sunny’s worst. Mind you, this is coming from a guy who knows the lyrics to “Rock On Flying Eagle” by heart. This season seems to be the guys’ attempt at mocking the people who picked them up for 3 more seasons. Not to mention the conspicuous lack of the McPoyle Brothers–by far television’s greatest achievement.
Comment by blt — November 18, 2008 @ 10:28 pm
Anyone as hopelessly addicted to Breaking Bad as I am?
Comment by blt — November 18, 2008 @ 10:54 pm
I should probably chime in here.
I watched two or three episodes of It’s Always Sunny… and just didn’t get into it. It was like a broad, self-consciously unfunny Seinfeld to me. Lots of people I usually agree with disagree, though.
Pushing Daisies is too good for this world. Or at least, too good for network TV.
Y’all are nuts about Fringe. It’s fanstastic. I do think they need to give the female lead a little more depth to her character so that she doesn’t just scowl half the time.
House has been very good so far this season. It could lose steam, though, and the Cuddy/House flirtation is a potential shark jump.
30 Rock doesn’t do it for me. I agree with Susan M.’s husband. It feels very contrived to me, and not that funny.
One day I’m going to give shows like The Shield, Mad Men, Dexter, etc., the attention they deserve.
Comment by BTD Greg — November 19, 2008 @ 12:01 am
Clark, I don’t want to do a whole post bashing House. Here’s an example though. Did you see the episode where House and the boss lady were on an airplane? Sooooo stupid. My details may be hazy, but here’s what I remember. Someone gets ill, throwing up and stuff.
Oh, it must be this exotic, contagious disease.
Everyone starts throwing up.
But wait, it can’t be that disease. Everyone who was throwing up—you’re all just hypochondriacs, your symptoms are psychosomatic. Look how stupid you all are.
It must be the sick person is a mule carrying drugs in his stomach. Let’s cut his stomach open, on a plane with turbulence, and oh yeah, you 10 year old kid, come help me.
About to slice into the guy’s stomach—wait! It’s something else entirely!
My kids love the show and watch it all the time.
Disclaimer: I have a chronic disease and hate it when doctors act like they know everything when they obviously don’t.
Comment by Susan M — November 19, 2008 @ 10:20 am
I guess I like it because that’s actually how the scientific method works.
Comment by Clark — November 19, 2008 @ 11:44 am
I’d agree that while SUNNY started strong this season is is lagging a little. It sometimes is a little too clever and pleased with itself. Comedy can easily get that way, but in SUNNY’s case it seems to work, because that’s the nature of all the characters as well.
Comment by Brian G — November 19, 2008 @ 12:34 pm