Past Purges
The Walking Dead "Claimed"
Good, something to cut in with Michonne, Rick, and Carl. Not that I hated the episode with them, but I can only deal with so many focus episodes. Time for some assorted thoughts.
-How the hell did Rick manage to fight that dude in the bathroom without anyone hearing him?
-I don't even live in the zombie apocalypse and I was more excited about the cheese whiz than Carl.
-So, is the girl in this new group's entire role to look hot in combat gear and holding a gun? If so, then they are doing a fine job.
-I don't know what to make of this new group as a whole. They are either completely bonkers, somewhat bonkers, or anything but bonkers. I can't tell but so far it's different enough that I don't care.
-Every seems to love quiet, pensive Michonne. I prefer smiling, team-player Michonne.
-Michonne walking into the room with the dead family has to be one of the most horrific scenes the show has done. I'm glad they didn't try to milk its effect.
How I Met Your Mother "Rally"
They are testing me and my three-part formula with this one. You've got the Mother, so that I approve of. It was filled with callbacks galore from Weekend at Barney's to the long-awaited (they must've gotten my letters!) Lilly and Robin kiss. There's even some genuine emotion with Barney admitting that he cares for everyone in the group.
Then again, didn't we already kind of figure that Barney cares for them all? Hasn't 9 seasons been evidence enough? They teased us with Robin and Barney having a baby, which I don't appreciate. Not to mention they brought back the "sometimes you should lie to the people you love" argument (Why are they fighting so much for that one?).
It did have a spectacular breaking of the fourth wall by Marshall and the waiter after Ted questions if Bacon is any good. HIMYM isn't that kind of show but as a one-off thing, it worked.
Oh, and I can't be the only one who thought that elixir looked like Butterbeer, right?
Archer "Archer Vice: Southbound and Down"
Of all things, I wasn't expecting a heart to hearth between Pam and Archer. It's nice to see them take a break from the jokes for a moment to do something like that.
New Girl "Sister II"
Ok, it's a story you could see coming from a mile away. That said, I really want to play Sky Knife now. So, I'm calling this episode a net gain.
Brooklyn Nine Nine "The Apartment"
They pushed the Peralta/Gina backstory pretty hard. There's been nothing in the show to suggest it before now so I'm hoping the goal here is a type of "Band-aid effect": establish it however uncomfortably now so they can move on from here with it as an established thing.
Despite the recognition of Hitchcock and Scully as a singular bumbling fool, who I do in fact find funny, I still can't help but wonder what's the point in having both of them. Unless the characters go through a Rhetta-esque reshaping, I'd be surprised to see both of them back next season.
Cougar Town "Mystery of Love"
My main takeaway from this week is that I don't remember there ever being a Tom and Ellie story. Am I forgetting one where it was just those two? Because I never thought I'd see that unless it was the episode when Ellie finally snaps and kills Tom to vent her frustrations.
The Middle "The Award"
Say what you will but Sue has a surprising amount of pull in the school. How did she get the go ahead for that lunch program? There are times the show goes out of its way to pick on Sue that feel excessive. Having someone literally sit on her is one of them. I sure hope they make up for it but doing something like having her win student council president or something.
I'm torn about Mike's speech. We did get to hear him say what it would've been in bed with Frankie and he had the mostly wordless moment with his guys at the end. Still, I didn't fully buy how bumbling his actual speech was. The Middle excels at comfortable moment like that though.
Finally, Cassidy returns. And I don't just say that because Galadriel Stineman is a Kentucky girl (it helps). This will help to give Axl something to do. So far the show has done a good job using Axl despite being removed from the family so much of the time.
Given The Middle's history of running gags, it shouldn't surprise me how much use they've gotten out of Axl's largely stationary roommate.
Suburgatory "Blame it on the Rainstick"
Mae Whitman and Jane Levy hanging out in a show together. Well, I guess I can stop that letter writing campaign. I love seeing her show up in other things, especially since Parenthood has gotten to where they don't have something for her to do every week. I assume I was the only one who was hoping by the end that the cult would turn out to be The Polyphonic Spree (too dated? been done before on Scrubs?).
I honestly though Noah wasn't on the show anymore. This is very familiar to Andy coming back from anger management on The Office. Hopefully Suburgatory uses it similarly to recalibrate the character because I want to like Allan Tudyk when he's on a show I watch.
Modern Family "The Feud"
Did the writers for Modern Family simply forget how to payoff a build? I remember them being great at it at one point. This was embarrassing. As soon as Haley and Alex set the mirror down at the bottom of the stairs, I could see the strings. And, it ends with people yelling at random things? None of that was well staged. Where did the inflatable dancing thing come from anyway? God, that was awful.
I did like the three generations of enemies though with Luke, Phil, and Jay as well as all of Cam's ways to keep Lilly at a distance.
One final note: How do the writers not get by now that you simply can't make Gloria look like anything less than an 8. What the hell was
The Americans "Comrades"
That was a hell of a return. I was underwhelmed by how the first season ended and the writers look to have addressed all of my concerns and come off as stupid for ever doubting them.
I have to say, I'm amazed how much skin they are getting away with on the show. We were a cupped hand away from getting the rest of Keri Russel and that's the first time I've seen 69ing on any show. There's much more to the show that what is titillating so I apologize for beginning there.
I've officially lost track of how many layers of deceit Nina has going right now (I think she's at least a triple-agent if not quadruple). Glad to see she is still around. Annet Mahendru has proven to be much more valuable than I assumed when the show began.
I thought it was so sweet when the two spy families arranged a covert meet up at the carnival to see each other's kids, that I should've been waiting for something bad to happen. Did it ever. It's one thing to have the other family killed. It's outright mean to have the son survive to find it. That was rough.
I'm so happy to see Elizabeth and Phillip together again. Hopefully, we get a period of external tension between them and others because it's just as interesting to see them trying to make this work.
The Big Bang Theory "The Table Polarization"
It was a touch of brilliance to have Amy use this table, well, polarization to make her and Sheldon stronger. I think we've moved to a point in the show where his connection to Amy is what humanizes him rather that his friendship with Leonard which was the case for years.
I am so done with Howard going to space. I thought they mismanaged it horribly the first time. I hope this second mission ends with this episode, which it seems to have.
Community "Bondage and Beta Male Sexuality"
It shouldn't surprise me that the person who has the most to gain from Donald Glover's absence is Danny Pudi. He was great this week as he deals with no longer having Troy to shield him from others. Nic Cage is still his highlight for the season. This is just even more proof of his range.
The more John Oliver Community can get the better as far as I'm concerned. It looks like the lack of Troy has been an opportunity for Duncan to shine as much as anyone with Professor Hickey filling the Pierce time and Chang still floating around being random. Speaking of Chang, I have no idea what to make of his story. That was...weird.
Ok people. There was a lot of new stuff in the last week and, as you can tell, with the Oscars being this week, I swamped myself with posts that I needed to put together. I simply don't have the time to do thought out responses to all the shows. The rest of these shows are getting my footnote thoughts. Sorry. As good as Parks and Rec was, I need to get away from the computer.
P&R "Anniversaries"
-John Hodgeman as the Eagleton talk radio host = perfect casting.
-I love how they won't let go of Ben's confusion about why Larry's wife married him.
-The letter writing, while entertaining, was oddly dickish of Ron. He like confrontation but he isn't normally this much of a jerk about it.
-Ben trying to be cool/young/hip is like a candy I'd like to eat until I get sick.
-They are really making a point this season to show how the Parks and Rec department is competent even without Leslie.
-Ben + The Iron Throne = comedy gold. Leslie trying and failing to play along capped it off perfectly.
The Crazy Ones "Zach Mitzvah"
-RV reunion with Cheryl Hines and Robin Williams...both would probably like to forget that.
-I could totally see Zach as an amazing Bar Mitzvah DJ.
-It is such a shame that The Mindy Project couldn't figure out how to use Amanda Setton as well as The Crazy Ones has.
Parenthood "Just Like at Home"
-So, Hank is the most frustrating character on TV right now. In a good way.
-I'm done with Drew and his girlfriend. I could use a break from that for a while.
-You know what I'm also done with? Joel and Julia being separated. It would significantly hurt my enjoyment of the show if they don't get back together. Part of the charm of the show is that it's the Braverman clan vs. the world.
-They've officially forgotten all about Haddie.
Hannibal "Kaiseki"
-That was a spectacular opening. Normally, I'm tired of the flash forward approach to telling a story but since this is all based on a source material most people are familiar with, I'm completely fine with this. This is still the most hauntingly beautiful show on TV.
SNL "Jim Parsons/Beck"
-Jim Parsons started off rather nervous but definitely was comfortable by the end.
-McKinnon is seriously derranged in the Bird Bible sketch
-Still deciding on how I feel about the 12 Years a Slave casting call. The funniest part is that you know there's some truth to thatfor the casting.
- I get that he's another writer and all but do we really need another generic white guy just to do Weekend Update? He's not going anywhere though so I guess I need to deal with it.
-They brought out the big guns for the Weekend Update: Jebidiah Atkinson ANA Shaq and Charles Barkley. They are spoiling me.
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