I like tv.... a lot. And now that I have more time than I know what to do with, here's a bit of my ramblings on t.v. and what's good on there.
OK, so Chuck.... I have to start with Chuck, although if you haven't seen the series finale, believe me, your life is a little less bright because of it. Yeah, probably not.
Chock full of more pop culture references than Joyce's Ulysses, like the famous Irishman said, there's enough there to keep scholars busy for decades. Yeah, once again, probably not, but Chuck was full of 80's puns and inside jokes that it warrants at least two watchings.
I pray that those morons over at NBC please keep this show around for another year, just to see what Schwartz and his merry band of nerds will think of next.
How I Met Your Mother is the best ensemble comedy on t.v. since Mash. There, I said it. Yeah, it had got the "Friends" style romantic subplot, but without the overt corniness, and then it stood the old cliches on their head. I mean, the Robin and Ted have more sex than Rachel and Ross ever did, but without the drama because we all know the endgame -- Ted winds up with someone else. Neil Patrick Harris is hilarious. Barney is an iconic character that should be remembered with the best of the genre -- Kramer, Al Bundy, etc. And the women are bright, multi-faceted, and real, unlike so many (even good) sitcoms in the past.
The last episode was classic. They do something my writing teacher always yelled at me for doing -- using the same repeated phrase over and over until you pick up on it subconsciously. Like "Or...." or Wait for It''' They do it in such an intelligent way, though, that keeps it fresh and funny every time. That's some talented writing for ya.
I was wondering, as the odd homoerotic friendship thing came up between Ted, Barney, and Marshall, how uncomfortable would it be for a gay guy playing a straight guy to talk about something that's just this side of homophobic. Made me think, at leat.
What else? NCIS and the Mentalist have become a bit boring, I have to say. For Christ sake, it's just the same formulaic stuff on NCIS over and over. It's time to shake the cast up again, and not for that spinoff it looks like they're trying with the West Coast crew. I will still watch the Metnalist for Robin Tunney only from this point forward. The stories have become ridiculous and Patrick Jane is completely unbelievable as both a character and crime fighter for a while. But Robin Tunney's in it... Did I metnion Robin Tunney?
For a better cop show with a strong male lead with a little more insight than the average detective, go with Castle. This show is getting to the point of near-perfection. The dialogue is utterly hilarious, a mix of old-school pulp noir and crisp banter. The whole hold 'em subplot was a bit stupid last night, though, and they're not using the background characters nearly enough, nor developing them properly.
But Nathan Fillion, with that half-arched eyebrow, always seems to be perpetually winking to the audience. What makes it interesting, though, is whether the audience is the television one or his book readers, or the people around him. The female lead "beckett," played by Stana Katic, the "hold 'em" conversation aside, is developing into a really interesting, well-rounded character. The previous week's show really clinched it, especially the last three minutes.
As for the mystery part, really, it was a bit unoriginal and obvious, at least this week. Of course the "supposedly dead one" did it, Who couldn't see that coming?
I find that the new mystery shows just have to keep the mystery out of the way of the characters to make a successful show. There's so many who-dun-it's on t.v. these days, can writers really come up with something we haven't seen before? As long as the suspense is there, I'm on board.
I mean, all those shows have become a bit formulaic. Bones has been really disappointing this season for the same reason, as well as Bones has become softer than she was in the first season, and, therefore marginalized.
For a completely original t.v. show, my bet's on "Better off Ted." Yeah, it's a bit like "The Office," but with four times the ridiculousness. I mean, they flew jetpacks last week, and had an eight legged chicken. That's quirky with a capital "Q."
I love Portia de Rossi. She could have gone the easy way and fallen back on Lindsay, her character on Arrested Development. People froth about that show, and since her character is shallow, cold, and self-centered, she could have made it with Lindsay. Instead, shes got this crazy cold psycho with just a little bit of a dark undertone. She walks completely differently, acts stiff, sticks her nose up in the air, has not one facial expression, almost the opposite of Lindsay in a lot of ways. Thats some talent. And then, on last week's episode, she has a heart underneath. Hmmm.
So there's my take on t.v. for April 29.
OK, so Chuck.... I have to start with Chuck, although if you haven't seen the series finale, believe me, your life is a little less bright because of it. Yeah, probably not.
Chock full of more pop culture references than Joyce's Ulysses, like the famous Irishman said, there's enough there to keep scholars busy for decades. Yeah, once again, probably not, but Chuck was full of 80's puns and inside jokes that it warrants at least two watchings.
I pray that those morons over at NBC please keep this show around for another year, just to see what Schwartz and his merry band of nerds will think of next.
How I Met Your Mother is the best ensemble comedy on t.v. since Mash. There, I said it. Yeah, it had got the "Friends" style romantic subplot, but without the overt corniness, and then it stood the old cliches on their head. I mean, the Robin and Ted have more sex than Rachel and Ross ever did, but without the drama because we all know the endgame -- Ted winds up with someone else. Neil Patrick Harris is hilarious. Barney is an iconic character that should be remembered with the best of the genre -- Kramer, Al Bundy, etc. And the women are bright, multi-faceted, and real, unlike so many (even good) sitcoms in the past.
The last episode was classic. They do something my writing teacher always yelled at me for doing -- using the same repeated phrase over and over until you pick up on it subconsciously. Like "Or...." or Wait for It''' They do it in such an intelligent way, though, that keeps it fresh and funny every time. That's some talented writing for ya.
I was wondering, as the odd homoerotic friendship thing came up between Ted, Barney, and Marshall, how uncomfortable would it be for a gay guy playing a straight guy to talk about something that's just this side of homophobic. Made me think, at leat.
What else? NCIS and the Mentalist have become a bit boring, I have to say. For Christ sake, it's just the same formulaic stuff on NCIS over and over. It's time to shake the cast up again, and not for that spinoff it looks like they're trying with the West Coast crew. I will still watch the Metnalist for Robin Tunney only from this point forward. The stories have become ridiculous and Patrick Jane is completely unbelievable as both a character and crime fighter for a while. But Robin Tunney's in it... Did I metnion Robin Tunney?
For a better cop show with a strong male lead with a little more insight than the average detective, go with Castle. This show is getting to the point of near-perfection. The dialogue is utterly hilarious, a mix of old-school pulp noir and crisp banter. The whole hold 'em subplot was a bit stupid last night, though, and they're not using the background characters nearly enough, nor developing them properly.
But Nathan Fillion, with that half-arched eyebrow, always seems to be perpetually winking to the audience. What makes it interesting, though, is whether the audience is the television one or his book readers, or the people around him. The female lead "beckett," played by Stana Katic, the "hold 'em" conversation aside, is developing into a really interesting, well-rounded character. The previous week's show really clinched it, especially the last three minutes.
As for the mystery part, really, it was a bit unoriginal and obvious, at least this week. Of course the "supposedly dead one" did it, Who couldn't see that coming?
I find that the new mystery shows just have to keep the mystery out of the way of the characters to make a successful show. There's so many who-dun-it's on t.v. these days, can writers really come up with something we haven't seen before? As long as the suspense is there, I'm on board.
I mean, all those shows have become a bit formulaic. Bones has been really disappointing this season for the same reason, as well as Bones has become softer than she was in the first season, and, therefore marginalized.
For a completely original t.v. show, my bet's on "Better off Ted." Yeah, it's a bit like "The Office," but with four times the ridiculousness. I mean, they flew jetpacks last week, and had an eight legged chicken. That's quirky with a capital "Q."
I love Portia de Rossi. She could have gone the easy way and fallen back on Lindsay, her character on Arrested Development. People froth about that show, and since her character is shallow, cold, and self-centered, she could have made it with Lindsay. Instead, shes got this crazy cold psycho with just a little bit of a dark undertone. She walks completely differently, acts stiff, sticks her nose up in the air, has not one facial expression, almost the opposite of Lindsay in a lot of ways. Thats some talent. And then, on last week's episode, she has a heart underneath. Hmmm.
So there's my take on t.v. for April 29.
brooklyn:
I need a new TV series to put on my iPod for the gym. Badly.
brooklyn:
I started watching DAMAGES at the gym. It is pretty terrible, but it is shot really well and Glenn Close is amazing. I can't believe they convinced her to do a TV show...