The Big Bang Theory "The Fish Guts Displacement"
-Second week in a row of some rather risque jokes. Like, what was all that spanking stuff about?
-I kind of think Amy and Sheldon should finally have sex if only to see how kinky and weird it would be, especially if Sheldon really likes it.
-Thinking back about the episode two days later, I don't remember enough happening to fill a half hour show. That's either a skill or a weakness of the show...potentially both.
30 Rock "My Whole Life if Thunder"
For any show that has been on this long, there is going to be the feeling of working through a checklist leading up to the finale. The wedding last week was one and this episode was even more so. How could Colleen dying not be for how much they've joked about it. I, for one, was sad to see her go, but it was all worth it being able to hear the world's greatest eulogy. Does anyone else find it odd that they have treated Jack as an only child pretty much from season 2 on?
-I could've done without the Jenna storyline simply because they've done the "Jenna is jealous of Liz" angle so often. I'm also a little bummed that we don't get a full Jenna wedding episode to use as a contrast to Liz's.
The Office "Dwight Christmas"
Being the final Christmas episode is an exception burden. That's always been one of the most consistent setups for The Office, normally best combining the comedic pathos and the human element. Could this year's episode be anything but a disappointment when thought of like that? In all honest, I liked a lot of pieces in it, but there was no breathing room. Jim was barely gone at all before he returned. Darryl jumped from sad to drunk pretty quick. Erin...ugh. I'll get back to that. It would've been nice if this was an hour long episode. It would've dragged some, but I'd actually prefer that over messily trying to fit everyone's story in this.
-Okay, Erin and new Jim. What. The. Fuck!? I'm pretty angry about this story right now. They spent a long time getting Erin and Andy together. They busted their ass recreated Andy to be someone likeable to the point that I was even happy he was getting his happy ending with Erin. Another fucking speed-bump in the form of a carbon-copy Jim/Pam/Roy triangle with Andy playing the part of Roy is the lowest of all things on my list of stories I want to see.
-Who else is getting a Scrubs: Interns vibe from new Jim?
Parks & Recreation "Ron and Diane"
-Yay! Giddy Ron! One of my favorite things!
-I love that the P&R crew realize when they are being too mean and dial it back. Gary wouldn't be any fun if he was a punchline and nothing more. Having the characters feel bad about that is nice to see. Also, the fact that his life is so perfect is a rather great role-reversal.
-The gag about April being so weak was so perfectly played. Probably the joke I've been going back to the most since watching it.
-Was anyone else a little disappointed that we didn't get to see the actual Gary Dinner? I mean, that group of characters burning through money at a fancy restaurant. That's about as good a setup as you will find in this world.
Burn Notice "Best Laid Plans"
I watched this Friday and am writing about it Sunday. That is too long for this show. The fact that Patton Oswalt was in both is not helping to remember the differences of the episode. It was fine by all accounts. I'm having a hard time getting into this current story since Michael is arguably the bad guy (he did kill a guy after all). It's inevitable that a show called Burn Notice that hasn't been about the burn notice for several hiatuses (I have no sense of seasons anymore) is going to lack guidance. I'd gladly keep watching if they opened up a private-eye firm and took on cases of the week as a sort of Psych with more explosions.
It's Always Sunny in Philadephia "Charlie Rules the World"
-Knowing the methodology for coming up with episode titles, I really thought this one would be called "Dennis Blows Himself". And, while they didn't call it that, they certainly followed through.
-Sociopath Dennis is a version of him that I really like, but I like it more when he is playing off someone else. This week he was largely a lone wolf. A lot of the fun of the show is the characters interacting with one another, so any of them alone is always a drag.
-Of course Charlie would be exceptionally good at this game. Can anyone tell me why that makes so much sense though? I can't.
-So Mac is gay? Is that where we are going? It all does make sense in hindsight (remember the Tranny?). They seem to be going at it a lot harder these days.
The League "Anchor Baby"
-Definitely the better of the two episodes this week. Every gag with Taco as a psychiatrist was well handled and mined for as many jokes as possible.
-Unlike some weeks, I thought this episode did a great job of having as many elements as possible come together for a bigger laugh at the end. That's not to say it was perfect though. The friend-dump story sure went nowhere. I'd love to see what the original scripts or extended cuts look like, because I constantly get the feeling that a lot gets left out due to time restraints.
The League "Bro-lo El Cordero"
These two episodes are a great example of my issue with Rafi episodes. Both episodes hinged on an absurd story: Taco being a psychiatrist and Rafi with the Mexican wrestling. The former relies on a pseudo-plausible setup and is really just the characters interacting and arguing while the latter goes way out there and has a lot more physical comedy. I've said before that the show is way more effective when it puts the characters in a room and says "Go", but they always feel the need to create these huge set-pieces. I suppose the perfect version of this show involves both so neither gets stale, but currently, there is a canyon between how well they do both things.
The Point of the Purge
Past Purges:
12/1-12/5
11/29-11/30
11/25-11/28
11/21-11/24 (Dexter)
11/17-11/20
11/11-11/16
11/4-11/10
10/28-11/3
10/20-10/27
10/13-10/19
10/6-10/12
9/29-10/4
9/22-9/28
No comments:
Post a Comment