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Friday, November 12, 2010

Annie's Boobs Did It!

Let's check in on the week, shall we?

- The opening of this week's How I Met Your Mother made me groan out loud and actually mutter the words, "Oh, brother." I cannot fully express how much I abhor the casting of Jennifer Morrison (although Kyle McLaughlan was great in his guest spot) and the direction that Ted's storyline is heading. Even Marshall and Lily lost me this week. A shame that the rest of the cast are veering off in one direction as Barney and Robin head in an entirely different, hilarious, and captivating one. Barney knows who his dad is!!! And Robin is the only one who knows! They are SO getting married. But even that awesomeness or all the touching can't distract me from the lump of un-funny terribleness that is Jennifer Morrison.

- I just heard that Running Wilde is being taken off the air for the rest of November, which means it's almost certainly headed for cancellation. I can't say I'm surprised (It's gotten a kind of weak (Fa'ad is my favorite part) and the idea of a child narrator hasn't held up very well), but I am disappointed. I thought Mitchell Hurwitz would head into this new show with guns ablaze, but it feels like he's holding back. Of course, he probably shouldn't have gone back to Fox in the first place, seeing as they obviously don't know how to market his stuff.



- Surprisingly, Raising Hope has been the show that has gotten me laughing and thinking a lot. Like in the best family comedies, each character is flawed yet likable. It's a weird and unique show, portraying a perspective of poor America that's somewhere in between Roseanne and My Name Is Earl. And while Jimmy is ostensibly the main character, it ends up being just as much about his parents most of the time. Even the supporting cast, from Dead Tooth to Javier to the meth-obsessed store manager, are laugh-out-loud funny. All in all, I'm glad the show is being watched (even if the ratings are mostly due to Glee hangers-on).




- Psych is back! Returning guest star Cary Elwes brings some class to the proceedings, and I won't give anything away but there are major developments of one kind or another on the Shawn/Juliette front. Also, I think it's funny when they're like, "Let's go on vacation to Canada! Look, it's so different!" when the show is shot in Vancouver. Mmm, now I want poutine.

- I finally watched South Park's "Mysterion Rises" and "Coon Vs. Coon And Friends", and I have to say, they were pretty great. Although Cartman as The Coon has never really done it for me, I LOVED the exploration of Kenny's storyline and character and mythology. And seriously, "He promised everything would change if we worshiped him, but we're still sitting here smoking cigarettes like before. It's like Obama all over again." So. Good. I'm crazy bummed next week is the season finale; I'm not ready for South Park to leave again! PS: Ha ha! Fuck you, Burning Man.



- Community's "Cooperative Calligraphy" bottle episode was fucking great. Not only does Community constantly utilize classic sitcom tropes while simultaneously subverting them, but they do it brilliantly. They're able to do a broad, thematic episode like "Epidemiology" just as well as they're able to to an introspective, character-interaction-based episode like this one. The characters on Community have well-established relationships with each other, and bottle episodes are great for really delving to the heart of those relationships. Also, I know some people don't like Abed's constant referencing of their life being like a TV show. But I loved it, because the truth is that it's something I would actually say in that situation. Because he's so in-tuned with pop culture, Abed sees his life in those terms. It's really no different than me relating my day to that episode of The Office or whatever. Plus, when Jeff says, "You can tell your disappointment to suck it - I'm doing a bottle episode!"...c'mon. That fucking rocks. And like many other great shows, Community brilliantly and subtly slips in references to past storylines. With monkeys. And ghosts.



- Kelly was the best part of The Office's "Viewing Party". Otherwise I could take it or leave it.

- Fringe is getting not just good, but great. If you haven't started watching yet, go back and catch up on at least the second season (the first season you could take or leave) so you can start watching the new episodes. Shit is getting zoppity.

- BRING BACK MY PARKS AND RECREATION!!! Seriously, NBC is run by morons.

Images via DaemonsTV, TV.com

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