This is the first in a new weekly installment I'll be doing every Sunday, where I recap what you need to know about the past week in television. I'll delve into the things I felt were interesting or that you might need to know.
Why am i doing this? Basically because EW does something like this and I liked the idea. Besides that, though, it is as pointless as everything else I read.
Anyway, if you haven't stopped reading already, enjoy...
1. On The PACIFIC, Steven Spielberg got to use left over stock footage from SAVING PRIVATE RYAN for another island invasion scene.
2. For some reason Donald Trump loves Cyndi Lauper and Sharon Osbourne, since he refused to fire them, even though the latter missed the entire challenge and the former missed 80% of it. The same treatment was denied to Michael Johnson, who asked for a leave of absence, but was told that leave would have to be permanent since he'd miss a task. This double standard was infuriating, especially since Sharon is useless and will be fired the next time her team loses.
3. There was no CHUCK. I mean what the heck. No Chuck? What the F*$%?
4. On V we got an introduction to John May (Michael Trucco) via a flashback. It was exciting to see Trucco back on television in a character eerily similar to his Battlestar Galactica role. The only problem was that he was summarily killed off during the flashback...
5. I don't know why I'm watching FLASHFORWARD anymore. I've seen the future, and it won't be on in the fall.
6. Jamie Oliver asked the high school kids to try his food ... and they did!!! Unfortunately, the elementary school still offered flavored milks and all the kids died.
7. SNL was totally underrated. It was a character-centric show with limited stories, but they were still giggle worthy. My favorite was Andy Sandberg as an accountant for celebrities. It show cased the cast's ability to mimic tons of stars. COPY AND PASTE the link.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/143265/saturday-night-live-celebrity-taxes-mort-feingold
Ok, so that was the first week in review segment. Any thoughts? SHould it be longer or shorter? Should it try to be somewhat relevant or cohesive?
Showing posts with label Chuck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chuck. Show all posts
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
The secret of Chuck must be exposed
NBC's third year action-comedy CHUCK has finally hit its stride, and when it's moving like this it is a pleasure to watch.
The CHUCK experience has evolved from an awkward novelty to a well balanced ensemble piece that provides the right amount of action, comedy and romance. And by romance i mean Brandon Routh's sex appeal and the will they/won't they tension between Chuck and Sarah.
I'm writing in defense of CHUCK to help spread the word for a show that is constantly under the threat of cancellation. Last year it took an aggressive campaign from ardent fans and some SUBWAY sponsoring to bring back CHUCK for a third season.
Now they might actually need more viewers to make their decision, unless Hi-Roc Bowling wants to come on board as a sponsor.
In CHUCK's favor is the additional hours of programing that NBC has to fill since eliminating that awful comedy show with Jay Leno at ten.
But why should you watch Chuck?
1. CHUCK is funny. The cast at the Buy More represent a zany group of characters. They're what happened if you combined the BIG BANG guys with the most committed freaks on the Office and added a killer musical duo. The staff of the BUY MORE routinely take over the store, have cage fights and a male musical duo that was once described as: Sam Kinison and an Indian lesbian.
2. Agent Sarah Walker is hot. Like insanely hot.
right????
3. CHUCK has good action. Some network television shows try and fail when it comes to action. They rely on lame gimmicks or really bad CGI, since tv shows don't work with the same budgets of movies. CHUCK relies heavily on hand to hand combat, but every once in the while they pull out all the stops in a very successful execution. In between those episodes, they rely on fun little stunts like Sarah hiding underneath a car or utilizing the BUY MORE as a creative set for destruction.
4. This one is for the ladies and ab enthusiast. Devon is really hot.
He makes me feel funny...
5. Adam Baldwin's portrayal of Jon Casey. Remember when i said this show was funny? I didn't even begin to tell you about the gruff exterior of Casey, who Baldwin plays with a comedic genius that the serious cops in buddy comedies strive for and usually don't pull off. Plus, he provides a commentary on the Chuck and Sarah dynamic that sometimes voices the viewers complaints.
6. Stunt casting. CHUCK does a great job blending in characters for arcs on the show. Currently they're enjoying an extended from Brandon Routh, who fit in so well that he was asked to stay on. Even Scott Bakula fit in as Chuck's dad, as he captured Chuck's absent mindedness and still represented Chuck's potential as a spy. Chevy Case was great last season too, playing an evil rival of Chuck's dad. The show also does a great job of rolling in a horde of girls for Chuck, who aren't bad on the eyes.
7. The music on CHUCK is original and exciting. Many scenes are heavily augmented by the songs they utilize, which are usually old pop standards or unknown indie songs that i buy on itunes that day. I learned about Phantom Planet and Edward Sharpe through Chuck.
Anyway, I hope I convinced you to try CHUCK or at the very least turn your tvs onto NBC while it's on so the audience will increase. Look at this way: I watch way too much tv, and still find time for CHUCK. Couldn't you?
The CHUCK experience has evolved from an awkward novelty to a well balanced ensemble piece that provides the right amount of action, comedy and romance. And by romance i mean Brandon Routh's sex appeal and the will they/won't they tension between Chuck and Sarah.
I'm writing in defense of CHUCK to help spread the word for a show that is constantly under the threat of cancellation. Last year it took an aggressive campaign from ardent fans and some SUBWAY sponsoring to bring back CHUCK for a third season.
Now they might actually need more viewers to make their decision, unless Hi-Roc Bowling wants to come on board as a sponsor.In CHUCK's favor is the additional hours of programing that NBC has to fill since eliminating that awful comedy show with Jay Leno at ten.
But why should you watch Chuck?
1. CHUCK is funny. The cast at the Buy More represent a zany group of characters. They're what happened if you combined the BIG BANG guys with the most committed freaks on the Office and added a killer musical duo. The staff of the BUY MORE routinely take over the store, have cage fights and a male musical duo that was once described as: Sam Kinison and an Indian lesbian.
2. Agent Sarah Walker is hot. Like insanely hot.
right????
3. CHUCK has good action. Some network television shows try and fail when it comes to action. They rely on lame gimmicks or really bad CGI, since tv shows don't work with the same budgets of movies. CHUCK relies heavily on hand to hand combat, but every once in the while they pull out all the stops in a very successful execution. In between those episodes, they rely on fun little stunts like Sarah hiding underneath a car or utilizing the BUY MORE as a creative set for destruction.
4. This one is for the ladies and ab enthusiast. Devon is really hot.
He makes me feel funny...
5. Adam Baldwin's portrayal of Jon Casey. Remember when i said this show was funny? I didn't even begin to tell you about the gruff exterior of Casey, who Baldwin plays with a comedic genius that the serious cops in buddy comedies strive for and usually don't pull off. Plus, he provides a commentary on the Chuck and Sarah dynamic that sometimes voices the viewers complaints.
6. Stunt casting. CHUCK does a great job blending in characters for arcs on the show. Currently they're enjoying an extended from Brandon Routh, who fit in so well that he was asked to stay on. Even Scott Bakula fit in as Chuck's dad, as he captured Chuck's absent mindedness and still represented Chuck's potential as a spy. Chevy Case was great last season too, playing an evil rival of Chuck's dad. The show also does a great job of rolling in a horde of girls for Chuck, who aren't bad on the eyes.
7. The music on CHUCK is original and exciting. Many scenes are heavily augmented by the songs they utilize, which are usually old pop standards or unknown indie songs that i buy on itunes that day. I learned about Phantom Planet and Edward Sharpe through Chuck.
Anyway, I hope I convinced you to try CHUCK or at the very least turn your tvs onto NBC while it's on so the audience will increase. Look at this way: I watch way too much tv, and still find time for CHUCK. Couldn't you?
Monday, January 11, 2010
Chuck versus the 3rd Season Makeover!
The long and short of it is that NBC's Chuck basically stinks now. It's not funny, which was the show's saving grace. The music is still great. The action is still respectable for tv. The female lead is still super hot. It's too bad that one fatal flaw, the lack of comedy could submarine this complex show. But it does.
Maybe I'm selling the show short, since I'm writing off two quality seasons after 1.5 episodes of season three... That's my prerogative, though, as dictator of this blog, to make rash decisions on a whim.
Oh yeah, Chuck also seems to be playing up the most annoying aspect of the show, which is the relationship between Chuck and his female CIA handler (whose name I have momentarily forgotten). They split this unlikely pair up b making Chuck behave in a very unlikely and rather unbelievable manner. It's annoying.
Hopefully once the show takes care of establishing the new direction it's heading it will find its footing again and reestablish its roots. All the elements of a good show are present, it's just the current recipe is unsatisfying since it doesn't utilize all the ingredients and overuses other ones.
I'll keep watching. Will u?
Maybe I'm selling the show short, since I'm writing off two quality seasons after 1.5 episodes of season three... That's my prerogative, though, as dictator of this blog, to make rash decisions on a whim.
Oh yeah, Chuck also seems to be playing up the most annoying aspect of the show, which is the relationship between Chuck and his female CIA handler (whose name I have momentarily forgotten). They split this unlikely pair up b making Chuck behave in a very unlikely and rather unbelievable manner. It's annoying.
Hopefully once the show takes care of establishing the new direction it's heading it will find its footing again and reestablish its roots. All the elements of a good show are present, it's just the current recipe is unsatisfying since it doesn't utilize all the ingredients and overuses other ones.
I'll keep watching. Will u?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The Future of NBC
So Jay Leno is being pulled from his time slot at ten and appears to be taking over for half an hour after the news. The change will probably push Conan back half an hour and puts the show directly against Jimmy Kimmel Live.
This new dynamic creates a glaring hole in NBC's lineup every night at ten. Luckily for them, I have a solution!
Obviously they can't green light new programing fast enough to fill the void, but my proposed setup will incorporate two new shows NBC was already planning on debuting. One is a reality program called the Marriage Ref and the other one is an hour dramedy called Parenthood. The lineup i created incorporates these shows and some other properties NBC owns. It all starts after the Olympics. Here we go...
MONDAY
8:CHUCK; 9:Heroes; 10:Caprica
The first two shows are in their normal time slots, but CAPRICA might seem new to you. It is a show that will be debuting on SYFY in January, but would fit right in with this lineup.
They all appeal to the same demographic. Caprica would do better in this time slot than Leno, since it would probably hold the audience of Heroes better than Jay did. And if NBC thought Leno was cheap, they'll find that reruns are even cheaper, which is nice.
This set of shows would help cement NBC's niche as the geek channel. This is a very appealing audience to networks, as geeks are usually part of the 18-49 demographic. That means money.
TUESDAY
8: The Biggest Loser; 9: Royal Pains; 10: Trauma
I would like to move The Biggest Loser to Friday, where reality tv belongs but I think it is too good of a lead to waste. So I won't waste it, and i'll use it to attract viewers to Royal Pains. Pains is a dramedy on USA about a doctor in the Hamptons. The show has broad appeal and I think they could rerun episodes from season 1 that would retain viewers from THe Biggest Loser. Also, it would be a good way to generate buzz for the second season or possibly introduce it as a regular show in the fall.
As for Trauma, there are 6 episodes already filmed and NBC can run them before it finally gets the ax. No reason to waste the episodes. THere's also a bit of a health theme that Trauma could continue.
Wednesday
8: Mercy; 9: Law & Order: SVU; 10: Friday Night Lights
I've never seen MERCY and only know that it's about a strong female nurse who takes the world head on. Excuse me while i go vomit from that gag worthy description. Keeping with that theme, we'll follow MERCY with Mariska Hartigay. NBC already tried to promote this idea that Wednesday is all about female empowerment, so we'll run with that plan. SVU probably should be at 10 because of its content, but I don't really care and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is also very adult.
Speaking of LIGHTS, this show is supposed to be back on Fridays. I reject the idea that LIGHTS should air on Friday, when it is essentially lost to nowhere. This is supposedly the best drama NBC has (never actually seen it), so it deserves a chance to garner a real audience.
Thursday
8: Community/Parks and Recreations; 9:The Office/30 Rock; 10: Parenthood
Thursday is comedy night in my vision. The first two hours remain the same, and instead of inserting some drama in this traditionally dramatic slot i'm keeping the comedy theme alive.
Parenthood is a new show from Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, starring Gilmore Girls alum Lauren Graham. Their best bet for success is utilizing the strength of its lead, which should be maximized by the power of Graham.
Friday (THROWAWAY DAY)
8: Marriage Ref; 9: Law & Order; 10:Dateline
I don't know anything about Marriage Ref except that it's a reality show, which means it should be on Friday. Why? Because reality tv usually sucks, and prime real estate shouldn't we wasted on the sucky (I think Moses said that).
As for the other two shows, well, like i said, Friday is for tv that sucks.
What about Saturday and Sunday? Well there is no original content on these days anymore.
This new dynamic creates a glaring hole in NBC's lineup every night at ten. Luckily for them, I have a solution!
Obviously they can't green light new programing fast enough to fill the void, but my proposed setup will incorporate two new shows NBC was already planning on debuting. One is a reality program called the Marriage Ref and the other one is an hour dramedy called Parenthood. The lineup i created incorporates these shows and some other properties NBC owns. It all starts after the Olympics. Here we go...
MONDAY
8:CHUCK; 9:Heroes; 10:Caprica
The first two shows are in their normal time slots, but CAPRICA might seem new to you. It is a show that will be debuting on SYFY in January, but would fit right in with this lineup.
They all appeal to the same demographic. Caprica would do better in this time slot than Leno, since it would probably hold the audience of Heroes better than Jay did. And if NBC thought Leno was cheap, they'll find that reruns are even cheaper, which is nice.This set of shows would help cement NBC's niche as the geek channel. This is a very appealing audience to networks, as geeks are usually part of the 18-49 demographic. That means money.
TUESDAY
8: The Biggest Loser; 9: Royal Pains; 10: Trauma
I would like to move The Biggest Loser to Friday, where reality tv belongs but I think it is too good of a lead to waste. So I won't waste it, and i'll use it to attract viewers to Royal Pains. Pains is a dramedy on USA about a doctor in the Hamptons. The show has broad appeal and I think they could rerun episodes from season 1 that would retain viewers from THe Biggest Loser. Also, it would be a good way to generate buzz for the second season or possibly introduce it as a regular show in the fall.
As for Trauma, there are 6 episodes already filmed and NBC can run them before it finally gets the ax. No reason to waste the episodes. THere's also a bit of a health theme that Trauma could continue.
Wednesday
8: Mercy; 9: Law & Order: SVU; 10: Friday Night Lights
I've never seen MERCY and only know that it's about a strong female nurse who takes the world head on. Excuse me while i go vomit from that gag worthy description. Keeping with that theme, we'll follow MERCY with Mariska Hartigay. NBC already tried to promote this idea that Wednesday is all about female empowerment, so we'll run with that plan. SVU probably should be at 10 because of its content, but I don't really care and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is also very adult.
Speaking of LIGHTS, this show is supposed to be back on Fridays. I reject the idea that LIGHTS should air on Friday, when it is essentially lost to nowhere. This is supposedly the best drama NBC has (never actually seen it), so it deserves a chance to garner a real audience.
Thursday
8: Community/Parks and Recreations; 9:The Office/30 Rock; 10: Parenthood
Thursday is comedy night in my vision. The first two hours remain the same, and instead of inserting some drama in this traditionally dramatic slot i'm keeping the comedy theme alive.
Parenthood is a new show from Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, starring Gilmore Girls alum Lauren Graham. Their best bet for success is utilizing the strength of its lead, which should be maximized by the power of Graham.
Friday (THROWAWAY DAY)
8: Marriage Ref; 9: Law & Order; 10:Dateline
I don't know anything about Marriage Ref except that it's a reality show, which means it should be on Friday. Why? Because reality tv usually sucks, and prime real estate shouldn't we wasted on the sucky (I think Moses said that).
As for the other two shows, well, like i said, Friday is for tv that sucks.
What about Saturday and Sunday? Well there is no original content on these days anymore.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Top Ten shows of 2009
The problem with ranking the best television shows of 2009 stems from the fact that the season of a show extends over two years. So do you judge a show based on when it started, when it finished, or how it performed during the year?
I am judging shows based on when they finished. This affects shows like Glee and Parks and Recreation, which will make the cut in 2010, but not this year. It’s the only fair way to judge a show’s complete arc, and not what it did during a brief period.
Hopefully this list will be inclusive enough for people, sine I watch almost everything. So here it is, in reverse order.
RIP: King of the Hill
• So this show isn’t making the Top Ten, but it does need to be recognized since it went off the air in 2009. HILL was maybe one of the best family sitcoms of all time. Following the life of the Hill family, this show had warmth and laughs.
Since it was a cartoon it was generally overlooked in terms of the quality of the writing and it was also ignored as a rip off of The Simpsons. These two realities will forever bother me.
HILL was never short on creative storylines, as the show did the best job finding the real humor in life. It didn’t rely solely on screwball characters or wacky plots, but was grounded in a reality we could all relate to. I tell you what, I will miss this show. Yup.
10. Chuck
• Odds are you’ve never seen or heard of Chuck, the little action/comedy that narrowly avoided execution after last year’s stellar season. The show revolves around an employee at a big box store called the BUY MORE, who has highly classified data stored in his head. This character, as portrayed by Zachary Levi, is one of the more endearing heroes on television. He is endearing because he is the everyman hero, and this allows us to be swept away on his adventures.
It helps that he has a wicked hot lady friend (Yvonne Strahovski) and a gruff protector (Adam Baldwin), who add laughs, sex appeal and a surprisingly high level of action scenes for a television show.
What ultimately ends up distinguishing this show from its competitors (I guess BURN NOTICE), is the supporting cast of characters that work at the BUY MORE. These guys and girls make the show a legit comedy, so when the action isn’t really working, the laughs are still coming.
Highlight: The penultimate episode includes a wedding in which everything goes wrong, but is just so right for the viewer.
9. Top Chef
• By any standard, this season of TOP CHEF was captivating television. Not much more to say about the show in the wake of my running diaries, which encapsulate the way I feel about this show.
This season had the right balance of talent, personalities and challenges that I doubt they’ll be able to recreate this winning recipe ever again.
8. Psych
• If you ever just feel like having fun, but don’t want to leave your couch, then I’d recommend an episode of PSYCH. Although, in order to appreciate the show you need to have a fondness for obscure pop culture references and must not take your television too seriously.
The duo of Sean and Gus (James Roday and Dule Hill) do not represent anything truly unique on television. They owe Scrubs, Sherlock Holmes, House and Miami Vice (they’d want me to include that) for where they are today. That being said, these two buddies are the kind of guys you want to hang out with, and once a week you get to do that for an hour.
I think you’re able to have fun watching this show because of how much fun the cast is having making the show, as illustrated by the encore performances during the end credits, which usually include group songs.
Sure the mysteries are lacking and the action doesn’t compare to BURN NOTICE, but this is a comedy first and foremost. If you’re looking for anything else you’re just going to get psyched out. If you want to laugh, then get psyched for Psych
7. 30 Rock
• Not really sure what happened in season 3 of 30 Rock. I do know I laughed. That balance is why this show isn’t higher up on my charts. This was the funniest show on television, but without direction. I’m not saying that’s bad, I’m just saying that’s a deal breaker for a higher ranking.
Anyway, if you’ve never seen 30 Rock you’re doing yourself a disservice. It’s got a little bit of everything in terms of comedic styling. There is gross out humor of the lowest degree. There are high brow jokes (which people cite as the reason for not watching). Obscure references. Strange twists. And just jokes. All of this is jam packed into a 22-minute show so tightly that you’re amazed your television didn’t catch on fire when you’re done.
If you’re looking for funny, just head to 30 Rockefeller Plaza or catch it Thursday on NBC.
6. True Blood
•
If loving True Blood is wrong, then I don’t want to be right. The second season of True Blood would qualify as one of the craziest things ever on television. Its craziness was not off putting at all though, and instead drew me deeper and deeper into this make believe world.
Missing from this season was any semblance of reality, but it didn’t detract from the show.
The appeal of the show is it beauty and creativity. The world we see is presented to us in such a fashion that you struggle to take it all in. I’d say it is reminiscent of Deadwood or Mad Men in terms of the settings acting as additional players in a scene.
As far as the creativity, True Blood keeps you on your toes while sending you on a wild roller coaster ride. It’s scary. It’s fun. It’s got twists and turns. There are ups and downs. It is a ride.
Highlight: Jason and Andy taking matters into their own hands, as they prove that dumb is not just funny, but downright hilarious.
5. Battlestar Galactica
• The final installment of an amazing television series offered a worthy payout last spring. Much like True Blood, Battlestar was a wild ride. But more than True Blood, Battlestar offered deeper meanings.
By itself this season isn’t any more remarkable than earlier ones, in fact it might be comparatively weak. As the capstone to an amazing story it deserves to be recognized. In terms of a compelling narrative this is it. This story is delivered with an understated bang.
What is most memorable from this season is the shifting of allegiances, with the line between good and evil blurring to the point where the bad guys from the beginning of the series are revered as good guys.
4. Mad Men
• What’s so impressive about Mad Men is how close it comes to being unwatchable. The show is always in danger of putting me to sleep, and it would if it wasn’t executed so perfectly. Frankly, I’m not smart enough to adequately assess this show. I can only talk about it in terms of its entertainment value and the few concepts I was able to glean from it.
Many people wrote off the finale as an all too convenient ending, but I found it to be a perfect transition into the tumultuous part of the 60s.
As for entertainment, this season offered some heartbreaking moments (the firing of Sal), touching moments (the mood in the aftermath of JFK’s assassination) and light moments (Roger Sterling).
Season three began with a slow crescendo that was so faint and took so long to build that the ultimate payoff was out of this world. The patience of the show’s writers is admirable in this regard, even more so considering how there are no wasted moments building to the big payoff.
3. The Office
• Season 5 of The Office was the total package. It was endearing. It was funny. It was real. The show took from the best of its earlier seasons and brought it all together for the best season since its second. The fall off in season 6 has been even more evident in wake of such a good season.
In this season every character is used to perfection, with a place for everyone and everyone in their place. Andy hits his stride. The Jim and Pam dynamic is cemented. Even Michael, who has been a relatively fluid character, becomes a formed and constant role.
The deciding factor for me, is the story arc of Holly in this season. As played by Amy Ryan, there is an injection of heart into the show that I think is necessary for The Office to be great.
2. The Colbert Report
• Jon Stewart brought the Daily Show to prominence in 2000 during the recount in Florida following the presidential election. By 2004 the show was really hitting its stride and operated on all cylinders of funny. The 2008 election and the coverage of 2009 belonged to Stephen Colbert. Colbert offered a fresh perspective from the Daily Show, and with a few years under his belt, surpassed its creator in terms of funny during 2009.
Stephen Colbert’s year included a trip to Iraq, sponsoring a winter Olympic team and got a NASA treadmill named after him. It was all so ridiculous, but strikingly poignant in its coverage of the news. This last aspect is what sets the REPORT apart from the Daily Show, in that it doesn’t need to preach to make a point. Plus, it doesn’t sacrifice funny to preach.
1. Lost
• Lost will always win me over with the show’s mythology. Each episode could be a festering turd and I would still revere them, if they gave me a few answers each week. But Lost has never rested on its mythology, and has always given us our week to week bang. That combination puts it in my top ten automatically.
What differentiates this season from previous seasons is the scope of what they tried to pull off, and the fact that the show basically accomplishes it all with a homerun. What am I talking about? I’m talking about a storyline that crosses space and time. A story that requires on a giant ensemble cast. I’m talking about mythical creatures, ghost monsters and an island that moves. All of this is put together in a package that remains at its core, a human drama. A drama that inspired tears (spoiler alert: Juliet’s demise) and laughs (Hugo with anyone).
Season 5 had to wrap up most of the questions from seasons one through four while also poise us for the big finale in season 6. It does it. The story moves with a sense of urgency, but you never feel rushed. Even in the shortened load of episodes every story, ever character, every line of dialogue is given enough time to be appreciated.
Lost has constantly reinvented itself during its tenure, yet in season five we see a culmination of the different faces. This is our payoff before LOST reveals its true form in its final season.
The highlights are too numerous to limit, so I’ll just ramble them off: a domesticated Sawyer, Ben’s comedic styling, (spoiler alert) Daniel’s tragic end and the denied reunion between Sun and Jin.
.jpg)
So that’s my list of shows for 2009. I hope there’s something to talk about in there.
I am judging shows based on when they finished. This affects shows like Glee and Parks and Recreation, which will make the cut in 2010, but not this year. It’s the only fair way to judge a show’s complete arc, and not what it did during a brief period.
Hopefully this list will be inclusive enough for people, sine I watch almost everything. So here it is, in reverse order.
RIP: King of the Hill
• So this show isn’t making the Top Ten, but it does need to be recognized since it went off the air in 2009. HILL was maybe one of the best family sitcoms of all time. Following the life of the Hill family, this show had warmth and laughs.
Since it was a cartoon it was generally overlooked in terms of the quality of the writing and it was also ignored as a rip off of The Simpsons. These two realities will forever bother me.
HILL was never short on creative storylines, as the show did the best job finding the real humor in life. It didn’t rely solely on screwball characters or wacky plots, but was grounded in a reality we could all relate to. I tell you what, I will miss this show. Yup.
10. Chuck
• Odds are you’ve never seen or heard of Chuck, the little action/comedy that narrowly avoided execution after last year’s stellar season. The show revolves around an employee at a big box store called the BUY MORE, who has highly classified data stored in his head. This character, as portrayed by Zachary Levi, is one of the more endearing heroes on television. He is endearing because he is the everyman hero, and this allows us to be swept away on his adventures.
It helps that he has a wicked hot lady friend (Yvonne Strahovski) and a gruff protector (Adam Baldwin), who add laughs, sex appeal and a surprisingly high level of action scenes for a television show.
What ultimately ends up distinguishing this show from its competitors (I guess BURN NOTICE), is the supporting cast of characters that work at the BUY MORE. These guys and girls make the show a legit comedy, so when the action isn’t really working, the laughs are still coming.
Highlight: The penultimate episode includes a wedding in which everything goes wrong, but is just so right for the viewer.
9. Top Chef
• By any standard, this season of TOP CHEF was captivating television. Not much more to say about the show in the wake of my running diaries, which encapsulate the way I feel about this show.
This season had the right balance of talent, personalities and challenges that I doubt they’ll be able to recreate this winning recipe ever again.
8. Psych
• If you ever just feel like having fun, but don’t want to leave your couch, then I’d recommend an episode of PSYCH. Although, in order to appreciate the show you need to have a fondness for obscure pop culture references and must not take your television too seriously.
The duo of Sean and Gus (James Roday and Dule Hill) do not represent anything truly unique on television. They owe Scrubs, Sherlock Holmes, House and Miami Vice (they’d want me to include that) for where they are today. That being said, these two buddies are the kind of guys you want to hang out with, and once a week you get to do that for an hour.
I think you’re able to have fun watching this show because of how much fun the cast is having making the show, as illustrated by the encore performances during the end credits, which usually include group songs.
Sure the mysteries are lacking and the action doesn’t compare to BURN NOTICE, but this is a comedy first and foremost. If you’re looking for anything else you’re just going to get psyched out. If you want to laugh, then get psyched for Psych
7. 30 Rock
• Not really sure what happened in season 3 of 30 Rock. I do know I laughed. That balance is why this show isn’t higher up on my charts. This was the funniest show on television, but without direction. I’m not saying that’s bad, I’m just saying that’s a deal breaker for a higher ranking.
Anyway, if you’ve never seen 30 Rock you’re doing yourself a disservice. It’s got a little bit of everything in terms of comedic styling. There is gross out humor of the lowest degree. There are high brow jokes (which people cite as the reason for not watching). Obscure references. Strange twists. And just jokes. All of this is jam packed into a 22-minute show so tightly that you’re amazed your television didn’t catch on fire when you’re done.
If you’re looking for funny, just head to 30 Rockefeller Plaza or catch it Thursday on NBC.
6. True Blood
•
If loving True Blood is wrong, then I don’t want to be right. The second season of True Blood would qualify as one of the craziest things ever on television. Its craziness was not off putting at all though, and instead drew me deeper and deeper into this make believe world. Missing from this season was any semblance of reality, but it didn’t detract from the show.
The appeal of the show is it beauty and creativity. The world we see is presented to us in such a fashion that you struggle to take it all in. I’d say it is reminiscent of Deadwood or Mad Men in terms of the settings acting as additional players in a scene.
As far as the creativity, True Blood keeps you on your toes while sending you on a wild roller coaster ride. It’s scary. It’s fun. It’s got twists and turns. There are ups and downs. It is a ride.
Highlight: Jason and Andy taking matters into their own hands, as they prove that dumb is not just funny, but downright hilarious.
5. Battlestar Galactica
• The final installment of an amazing television series offered a worthy payout last spring. Much like True Blood, Battlestar was a wild ride. But more than True Blood, Battlestar offered deeper meanings.
By itself this season isn’t any more remarkable than earlier ones, in fact it might be comparatively weak. As the capstone to an amazing story it deserves to be recognized. In terms of a compelling narrative this is it. This story is delivered with an understated bang.
What is most memorable from this season is the shifting of allegiances, with the line between good and evil blurring to the point where the bad guys from the beginning of the series are revered as good guys.
4. Mad Men
• What’s so impressive about Mad Men is how close it comes to being unwatchable. The show is always in danger of putting me to sleep, and it would if it wasn’t executed so perfectly. Frankly, I’m not smart enough to adequately assess this show. I can only talk about it in terms of its entertainment value and the few concepts I was able to glean from it.
Many people wrote off the finale as an all too convenient ending, but I found it to be a perfect transition into the tumultuous part of the 60s.
As for entertainment, this season offered some heartbreaking moments (the firing of Sal), touching moments (the mood in the aftermath of JFK’s assassination) and light moments (Roger Sterling).
Season three began with a slow crescendo that was so faint and took so long to build that the ultimate payoff was out of this world. The patience of the show’s writers is admirable in this regard, even more so considering how there are no wasted moments building to the big payoff.
3. The Office
• Season 5 of The Office was the total package. It was endearing. It was funny. It was real. The show took from the best of its earlier seasons and brought it all together for the best season since its second. The fall off in season 6 has been even more evident in wake of such a good season.
In this season every character is used to perfection, with a place for everyone and everyone in their place. Andy hits his stride. The Jim and Pam dynamic is cemented. Even Michael, who has been a relatively fluid character, becomes a formed and constant role.
The deciding factor for me, is the story arc of Holly in this season. As played by Amy Ryan, there is an injection of heart into the show that I think is necessary for The Office to be great.
2. The Colbert Report
• Jon Stewart brought the Daily Show to prominence in 2000 during the recount in Florida following the presidential election. By 2004 the show was really hitting its stride and operated on all cylinders of funny. The 2008 election and the coverage of 2009 belonged to Stephen Colbert. Colbert offered a fresh perspective from the Daily Show, and with a few years under his belt, surpassed its creator in terms of funny during 2009.
Stephen Colbert’s year included a trip to Iraq, sponsoring a winter Olympic team and got a NASA treadmill named after him. It was all so ridiculous, but strikingly poignant in its coverage of the news. This last aspect is what sets the REPORT apart from the Daily Show, in that it doesn’t need to preach to make a point. Plus, it doesn’t sacrifice funny to preach.
1. Lost
• Lost will always win me over with the show’s mythology. Each episode could be a festering turd and I would still revere them, if they gave me a few answers each week. But Lost has never rested on its mythology, and has always given us our week to week bang. That combination puts it in my top ten automatically.
What differentiates this season from previous seasons is the scope of what they tried to pull off, and the fact that the show basically accomplishes it all with a homerun. What am I talking about? I’m talking about a storyline that crosses space and time. A story that requires on a giant ensemble cast. I’m talking about mythical creatures, ghost monsters and an island that moves. All of this is put together in a package that remains at its core, a human drama. A drama that inspired tears (spoiler alert: Juliet’s demise) and laughs (Hugo with anyone).
Season 5 had to wrap up most of the questions from seasons one through four while also poise us for the big finale in season 6. It does it. The story moves with a sense of urgency, but you never feel rushed. Even in the shortened load of episodes every story, ever character, every line of dialogue is given enough time to be appreciated.
Lost has constantly reinvented itself during its tenure, yet in season five we see a culmination of the different faces. This is our payoff before LOST reveals its true form in its final season.
The highlights are too numerous to limit, so I’ll just ramble them off: a domesticated Sawyer, Ben’s comedic styling, (spoiler alert) Daniel’s tragic end and the denied reunion between Sun and Jin.
.jpg)
So that’s my list of shows for 2009. I hope there’s something to talk about in there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)