Community
Community had a lot to take care of in the season premiere - figure out what to do Pierce's fractured relationship with the group, find a reason to keep Chang around, introduce a new teacher (OMAR from The Wire!), and introduce a new foil for the Dean (John Goodman is a welcome addition). It managed to do all of these things, but it made for a very cluttered episode. It was funny, but not as funny as Community usually is. I am hoping that now that all of the set-up is out of the way, moving forward they can get back to the comedy heights of which the show is capable.
There were some pretty funny moments. Everything involving Abed and Cougar Town and Cougarton Abbey was well done (I especially loved his shrieking). Plus, its always funny when Troy tells Britta how awful she is ("You are the opposite of Batman!"). The opening shot at Glee was was nice (screw that show). The "2001: A Space Odyssey" homage had me cracking up too.
Grade: B - not a bad start to the season, but my least favorite of the shows last night.
Parks & Rec
Parks & Rec picked up right where they left off last season, quality-wise. There was a lot to love in this episode. Ron's hidden emergency supplies and flight to his cabin ("I keep a large amount of ground chick in my desk) were outstanding, as was pretty much the entire interaction between him and Leslie once she found him at the cabin (Ron's "Unabomber" beard from just a few days away was pretty epic). The escalation of the Ann/penis pictures story was well done (with a nice payoff at the end with Jerry's examination). It was also good to see that Tom and Jean Ralphio's company is wasting massive amounts of money without actually doing anything (that bikini top with their faces on each cup was top notch). I am really looking forward to Leslie's run for City Council (with Andy as her assistant, too!).
A+ - Fantastic start to the season and best show of the night. Next week - TAMMY 1!
The Office
With no Michael Scott (and the writing staff's failed attempts to make the show funny without him at the end of the last season other than the episode where Dwight was boss), I was very apprehensive about this new season. Luckily, last night's premiere was much funnier than I thought it was going to be. James Spader was really well used (they toned down his character's creepiness from the season finale, but his arrogance was still there). While I thought the planking stuff was pretty dumb, the way Dwight dealt with it had me in stitches. I don't know if they can keep this up all season. The quality the last 2 seasons has been spotty, James Spader won't be there every week (I think he is only signed for like 10 or 12 episodes), and I am not sure if having Andy as the boss will eventually wear thin. However, I am more optimistic about the show than I was at the end of last season, so that is something at least.
Grade: B+ - Lets see if they can keep it up
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Sunny follows up last weeks hilarious premiere with an even funnier episode. This was a strong episode for all the characters. Dennis and Dee's story about the crazed, drugged up criminals was the least funny, and it still made me laugh quite a bit (the scene where they made fun of the Jersey girl in the ER right in front of her face was great). I also loved the call back to the fact that Charlie had never been out of Philly. His crazed enjoyment at the crappy beach ( and his slight disbelief that he couldn't swim to Europe) was fun to watch. The topper, though, was Mac and Frank and their adventure with the rum ham. The way Sunny comes up with new ways for the gang to get drunk in public (see also Dennis and Dee hiding tequila in suntan lotion bottles) always amuses me. Not very many shows can still be this consistently funny in their 7th season, yet Sunny manages to keep bringing the funny stuff.
Grade: A. RUM HAM!
(No videos for this or Archer as FX doesn't allow their clips to be imbedded. Assholes...)
Archer
The only bad thing I can say about Archer so far this season is that it really sucks that there are only 3 of them. Such a tease, as this storyline about Archer and the pirates has been extremely funny. Archer as a character is always at his best when he thinks he is in control of a situation while he really isn't. The montage of the activities that he thought should be keeping the pirates in high spirits, but in actuality all revolved around Archer being a dick, were great. I loved the call back to those scenes later in the episode when Archer nonchalantly picked up the net and used his lacrosse skills to send the grenades back to the pirates. Both David Cross and Patrick Warburton have been great additions to the cast and I wish they would stick around when the season picks up again next year. Now that Lana and Archer are in the same place, I expect the finale to be top notch as their banter in the midst of high action always delivers.
Grade - A. Only one episode left...
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Damn Writer's Block
I have been trying all summer to get back to my blog. I have 3 different posts is various stages of completion, plus a few other ideas that I wanted to write about, but every time I sat down to work on something, I would write for like 5 minutes and then find myself watching TV or something instead of finishing what I was supposed to be working on. That shouldn't happen - I used to really like writing this blog. Its supposed to be for FUN. It shouldn't be a chore.
So, to get over this writers block, I decided to just hammer out all the half (or barely started) entries I have in one big post (substituting analysis and ideas for just getting the damn things done) and starting fresh. That idea actually got me excited for writing again. THEN, my laptop died the week I was going to start down that path. SIGH. Now, I finally have a new laptop, and since this fresh start idea still has me excited to get back to writing several weeks after I originally had it, I guess it was the right decision. Since tomorrow night is premiere night for most of my favorite shows, and I want to get back to my reviews of those, it looks like I am down to the wire on this post, so LET'S GO! (hey look, a deadline! Just like a real writer...)
Post # 1 - 1988: Music, Pt. 2
Here is Pt. 1 of this series, with the bottom half my top 10 albums (yes, I am old and I still use the word "albums" to describe all music releases). Here is top 5:
5.) Eric B & Rakim - Follow the Leader
4.) Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
3.) The Pixies - Surfer Rosa
2.) NWA - Straight Outta Compton
1.) Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back
As you can see, 1988 was one of the golden years of hip-hop. Plus, those other 2 discs are pretty among some of the best alternative releases of the 1980's.
Post #2 - 1971: Movies, Pt. 1
This is a continuation of my 1970s movie series, found here and here. The only film that I saw so far from my planned list for this year that I had not seen before is Harold and Maude. I can't believe it took me this long to see this film. What a fantastic film. It is funny and charming and, also, INCREDIBLY weird. Definitely a must see. I also re-watched Dirty Harry, as I had not seen that in a long while. It was fairly violent and gritty. I enjoyed it just as much as I remembered.
I still have plans to get back to this series soon. Here are a list of notable films from '71 that I have already seen, and I may or may not re-watch:
French Connection
Diamonds Are Forever(I am really only including this a "notable" film because I am a huge James Bond fan, since it really doesn't fit the idea of a classic "70s" film as I described them in my first post)
A Clockwork Orange
Klute
The Last Picture Show
Play Misty For Me
Shaft
Here are the films that I plan on watching for the first time:
Carnal Knowledge
Billy Jack
Duel (maybe)
Bananas (maybe)
Straw Dogs (last I looked, this wasn't available from Netflix, but with that horrendous looking remake out now, maybe that will change)
Films from '71 I have no desire to watch:
Fiddler on the Roof
Post #3 - Top 15 CD's From The First Half of 2011
Normally, I pick 10 CDs, but that left out discs that I really liked, so for this list I upped it to 15:
15.) My Morning Jacket - Circuital
14.) Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
13.)Parts & Labor - Constant Future
12.) Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
11.) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
10.) Bon Iver - Bon Iver
9.) Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys
8.) Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck
7.) The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
6.) The Raveonettes - Raven In the Grave
5.) Vivian Girls - Share the Joy
4.) Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
3.) Wye Oak - Civilian
2.) PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
1.) TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light
Based on the fact that only 2 of the discs on this list are from bands from which this is their first release that I own, I need to do a much better job of seeking out new bands.
Post #4 - Summer TV
The days of nothing but re-runs showing during the summer are over. One of the best dramas and one of the best comedies on TV right now, as well as one of the best "guilty pleasure" shows of all time, are on during the summer. I should have been writing about them every week like I do with my Thursday shows - major ball dropping on my part. Quick synopses - Breaking Bad was absolutely of the charts (since its still ongoing, I will probably write a full season review after the finale airs), Curb Your Enthusiasm had one of its best seasons ever ("Palestinian Chicken" had me completely in tears, and the finale with Michael J Fox turned Parkinson's Disease into the funniest punchline ever), and True Blood had an up and down season that showed a lot of promise at different times, but was ultimately a little of a let down, yet set up some interesting stories for next season.
Post #5 - Columbus Music Scene
I have spent a lot of time this summer going out to see my two favorite local bands - The Wet Darlings and The Phantods - among others. It has been a long time since I have been this excited about the local music scene, and I am really happy about it.
OK, I think that about does it. Clean slate! Going forward, I will be starting my Thursday night show reviews, and I will be adding Boardwalk Empire starting this Sunday and The Walking Dead in a few weeks. I will also at some point be picking up my series on movies and music from certain years. I am going to try and throw in posts that are not just reviews of what I am listening to or watching (in the style of posts like this (I would have had a nice rant about this week's Netflix nonsense had I been on top of things) in order to keep things different. And, of course, in 10 short days, its time once again for my annual Halloween Horror Fest, so that should keep me busy next month.
So, to get over this writers block, I decided to just hammer out all the half (or barely started) entries I have in one big post (substituting analysis and ideas for just getting the damn things done) and starting fresh. That idea actually got me excited for writing again. THEN, my laptop died the week I was going to start down that path. SIGH. Now, I finally have a new laptop, and since this fresh start idea still has me excited to get back to writing several weeks after I originally had it, I guess it was the right decision. Since tomorrow night is premiere night for most of my favorite shows, and I want to get back to my reviews of those, it looks like I am down to the wire on this post, so LET'S GO! (hey look, a deadline! Just like a real writer...)
Post # 1 - 1988: Music, Pt. 2
Here is Pt. 1 of this series, with the bottom half my top 10 albums (yes, I am old and I still use the word "albums" to describe all music releases). Here is top 5:
5.) Eric B & Rakim - Follow the Leader
4.) Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
3.) The Pixies - Surfer Rosa
2.) NWA - Straight Outta Compton
1.) Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back
As you can see, 1988 was one of the golden years of hip-hop. Plus, those other 2 discs are pretty among some of the best alternative releases of the 1980's.
Post #2 - 1971: Movies, Pt. 1
This is a continuation of my 1970s movie series, found here and here. The only film that I saw so far from my planned list for this year that I had not seen before is Harold and Maude. I can't believe it took me this long to see this film. What a fantastic film. It is funny and charming and, also, INCREDIBLY weird. Definitely a must see. I also re-watched Dirty Harry, as I had not seen that in a long while. It was fairly violent and gritty. I enjoyed it just as much as I remembered.
I still have plans to get back to this series soon. Here are a list of notable films from '71 that I have already seen, and I may or may not re-watch:
French Connection
Diamonds Are Forever(I am really only including this a "notable" film because I am a huge James Bond fan, since it really doesn't fit the idea of a classic "70s" film as I described them in my first post)
A Clockwork Orange
Klute
The Last Picture Show
Play Misty For Me
Shaft
Here are the films that I plan on watching for the first time:
Carnal Knowledge
Billy Jack
Duel (maybe)
Bananas (maybe)
Straw Dogs (last I looked, this wasn't available from Netflix, but with that horrendous looking remake out now, maybe that will change)
Films from '71 I have no desire to watch:
Fiddler on the Roof
Post #3 - Top 15 CD's From The First Half of 2011
Normally, I pick 10 CDs, but that left out discs that I really liked, so for this list I upped it to 15:
15.) My Morning Jacket - Circuital
14.) Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
13.)Parts & Labor - Constant Future
12.) Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
11.) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
10.) Bon Iver - Bon Iver
9.) Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys
8.) Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck
7.) The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
6.) The Raveonettes - Raven In the Grave
5.) Vivian Girls - Share the Joy
4.) Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
3.) Wye Oak - Civilian
2.) PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
1.) TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light
Based on the fact that only 2 of the discs on this list are from bands from which this is their first release that I own, I need to do a much better job of seeking out new bands.
Post #4 - Summer TV
The days of nothing but re-runs showing during the summer are over. One of the best dramas and one of the best comedies on TV right now, as well as one of the best "guilty pleasure" shows of all time, are on during the summer. I should have been writing about them every week like I do with my Thursday shows - major ball dropping on my part. Quick synopses - Breaking Bad was absolutely of the charts (since its still ongoing, I will probably write a full season review after the finale airs), Curb Your Enthusiasm had one of its best seasons ever ("Palestinian Chicken" had me completely in tears, and the finale with Michael J Fox turned Parkinson's Disease into the funniest punchline ever), and True Blood had an up and down season that showed a lot of promise at different times, but was ultimately a little of a let down, yet set up some interesting stories for next season.
Post #5 - Columbus Music Scene
I have spent a lot of time this summer going out to see my two favorite local bands - The Wet Darlings and The Phantods - among others. It has been a long time since I have been this excited about the local music scene, and I am really happy about it.
OK, I think that about does it. Clean slate! Going forward, I will be starting my Thursday night show reviews, and I will be adding Boardwalk Empire starting this Sunday and The Walking Dead in a few weeks. I will also at some point be picking up my series on movies and music from certain years. I am going to try and throw in posts that are not just reviews of what I am listening to or watching (in the style of posts like this (I would have had a nice rant about this week's Netflix nonsense had I been on top of things) in order to keep things different. And, of course, in 10 short days, its time once again for my annual Halloween Horror Fest, so that should keep me busy next month.
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