As I try to figure out exactly where the HIMYM writers are going wrong, many possibilities come to mind. The most obvious is that they've just run out of ideas. We are now in season seven of a show that barley made it out of season two and it just might be that they've exhausted all the ideas they had for a show that they didn't expect to run this long. Craig Thomas and Carter Bays based the show on their friendship and personal experiences and no matter how rich a life you lead, that well has to run out at some point. But "The Rebound Girl" is the perfect example of that just not being the case yet. The show's current problems aren't a lack of ideas, the writer's still have a ton of those, but seem to lie in the execution of those ideas.
Although filled with funny premises, "The Rebound Girl" failed to deliver the laughs that it should have. The thought of Barney and Ted deciding to raise a kid together is hilarious, but the motives were all wrong. Barney's character has grown a lot over the last few seasons but not once has he ever expressed any interest in having a family, so the jump to wanting to raise a kid with Ted seemed to huge to believe. In light of his recent heartbreak, if the writers had just made his desire to have kids a play to get into the chasing girls game, it would have worked much better. I know this was touched upon briefly, but it was a side effect not a desired result. It was a funny idea that the writer's just bungled.
Another funny premise was how Lily and Marshal found their apartment so small after visiting Lily's grandparent's house in Long Island. But again, everything else written around that premise felt wrong. The first scene of the episode with Lily and Marshal in Long Island felt so familiar I thought at first I was watching last week's episode. I was pretty sure we had resolved the house issue and all of a sudden they are having the same discussion they had last week. It's not that it was a bad plot point or that it's unbelievable that the two would readdress what to do with the house, but it didn't work putting it so close to the original plot. Why not have a few weeks of them struggling to sell it, draw it out, make it an albatross that they eventually grow to love? It just felt forced the way they presented it and was a disservice to the funny premise of their apartment feeling small.
The premise was also ruined by Robin's over the top reaction and hysterics. They must have felt they needed to work Robin into the stories somehow, but this didn't work and the revelation that she is pregnant at the end seemed forced as well. Without Barney, the writers seem to have no idea what to do with her, which begs the question, why have her choose Kevin over him in the first place? The pregnant angle feels so cliche and like another stall tactic by the HIMYM writers.
We're almost half way through season seven and the shows record stands at 3-6-2.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Walking Dead: Pretty Much Dead Already
So much for any glimmer of hope. The half-season finale only took our bunch of survivors further down the rabbit hole of despair by shattering Hershel's world view and putting the group's search for Sophia at an end. Granted, both were a house of cards waiting to tumble, but I held on to a small sliver of hope that someone would walk away with something to look forward too. I guess if we wanted to be eternal optimists there was one person who ended the half-season on a high note; good old Glenn seems to have finally solidified his love connection with Maggie.
I like to think I'm a pretty savvy television watcher, but I have to admit I totally missed the thought of Sophia being in the barn. It seems so obvious after the fact, but I didn't see it coming. I'm not sure that's saying anything about the writers of the the show. It's more likely that I was lulled into the drama and violence to see what was right in front of my face. It would have been disingenuous to the tone the writers have set if Sophia was found alive after all this time, so I was expecting the group to find her in zombie form, but it never dawned on me that she would be in the barn. It was a nice exclamation point on the insanity that broke out to have her stumble out of the open doorway. As discouraging as it was, it was a powerful way to wrap up the season's search.
Which means the disappointment I felt lay in the handling of Hershel and his zombies. Did they need to shatter Hershel's world so dramatically and leave him so traumatized? Couldn't the group have moved on from the farm leaving Hershel to come to grips with the new world order on his own terms? At some point there needs to be some hope for these survivors or the insane ramblings of Shane will become not crazed but prophetic. I realize we must hit bottom before we can rise back up and that despair makes for better drama than triumph, but giving Hershel his barn would have been a small sign that people can find piece of mind in this apocalyptic world as fragile as that piece of mind might be.
On other notes... earlier in the season I was on board with the turn Shane was taking. He was a yin to Rick's yang. A voice of practicality to balance out irrationally hopeful. Now, I feel like they've taken him too far. How can he come back from his outburst? It seems to me that the writer's have built a situation where the only rational thing from the group to do is break into two camps; two camps that can't co-exist together. Shane has obviously gone off the deep end and I can't believe that there can be any other outcome then his death, like in the comics, or his departure from the group. This could have been a much slower burn, but now the writers have put themselves in a corner.
I like to think I'm a pretty savvy television watcher, but I have to admit I totally missed the thought of Sophia being in the barn. It seems so obvious after the fact, but I didn't see it coming. I'm not sure that's saying anything about the writers of the the show. It's more likely that I was lulled into the drama and violence to see what was right in front of my face. It would have been disingenuous to the tone the writers have set if Sophia was found alive after all this time, so I was expecting the group to find her in zombie form, but it never dawned on me that she would be in the barn. It was a nice exclamation point on the insanity that broke out to have her stumble out of the open doorway. As discouraging as it was, it was a powerful way to wrap up the season's search.
Which means the disappointment I felt lay in the handling of Hershel and his zombies. Did they need to shatter Hershel's world so dramatically and leave him so traumatized? Couldn't the group have moved on from the farm leaving Hershel to come to grips with the new world order on his own terms? At some point there needs to be some hope for these survivors or the insane ramblings of Shane will become not crazed but prophetic. I realize we must hit bottom before we can rise back up and that despair makes for better drama than triumph, but giving Hershel his barn would have been a small sign that people can find piece of mind in this apocalyptic world as fragile as that piece of mind might be.
On other notes... earlier in the season I was on board with the turn Shane was taking. He was a yin to Rick's yang. A voice of practicality to balance out irrationally hopeful. Now, I feel like they've taken him too far. How can he come back from his outburst? It seems to me that the writer's have built a situation where the only rational thing from the group to do is break into two camps; two camps that can't co-exist together. Shane has obviously gone off the deep end and I can't believe that there can be any other outcome then his death, like in the comics, or his departure from the group. This could have been a much slower burn, but now the writers have put themselves in a corner.
Walking Dead: Secrets
The revelations in "Secrets" brings more into focus the yin and yang approach to the new world that is being represented by Hershel and Rick's group. In Hershel we see a man of faith who so believes that things can go back to the way they were that he is keeping and feeding family and friends that have turned in hopes that they can be cured of their "illness". On the other side we have Lori, who is willing to abort her child because of the horrible future she sees for it and Shane, who is willing to sacrifice people for the good of the many. Even though two beliefs are being presented, you can't help but feel the more cynical will win out. Hershel, as good hearted and well intentioned as he seems, has put himself and his crew in a position where things can only get worse. In that regard, Walking Dead seems to be a parable about losing faith. Hershel is headed toward the same realization that Rick and Shane and Lori and the rest have already come to, that they are on their own, that no amount of faith will bring back normalcy. I hope the writers don't follow down that road. I hope they show that as horrible as life may become there is always room for faith. Even in a zombie apocalypse their are ways to bring about a new normalcy, one that would be safe for future generations, it's just up to this generation to establish it. The show is doing a great job showcasing the hardship and the horror, but it could use a little dash of hope to keep things going.
In other notes... I'm finding Dale's ability to figure everyone's secrets out a little silly. I find it very hard to believe that he is able to know everything we know from the little bits that he has seen or been told. There is no way he would doubt Shane's story about Otis or at least not enough to vocalize it yet. I know I shouldn't be expecting a zombie show to be true to life, but a little bit of credibility here would go a long way.
Are we heading toward Shane's death? I got the feeling that Shane was going to be with us for a while, but now Carl is learning to shoot and Rick knows he slept with Lori. I think it would be more interesting to keep him around, but as was pointed out to me by a friend, some needs to die soon and for those of us who read the comic, it seems to be pointing towards Shane.
In other notes... I'm finding Dale's ability to figure everyone's secrets out a little silly. I find it very hard to believe that he is able to know everything we know from the little bits that he has seen or been told. There is no way he would doubt Shane's story about Otis or at least not enough to vocalize it yet. I know I shouldn't be expecting a zombie show to be true to life, but a little bit of credibility here would go a long way.
Are we heading toward Shane's death? I got the feeling that Shane was going to be with us for a while, but now Carl is learning to shoot and Rick knows he slept with Lori. I think it would be more interesting to keep him around, but as was pointed out to me by a friend, some needs to die soon and for those of us who read the comic, it seems to be pointing towards Shane.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Top 5 : Beavis And Butt-head Episodes
In honor of the triumphant return of Beavis and Butt-head to MTV, I thought it would be fitting to work them into a top 5. I had forgotten how influential B&B had been for my generation until I started watching the new episodes. Seeing the two main characters tear apart bad videos stupid reality shows brought up an interesting "chicken or egg" question. Was the original run of the show so successful because it reflected the jaded sarcasm that was already present in our generation or did B&B teach it to us? Either way, I can't help but feel it played some role in creating the "too cool" hipster community that is so prevalent in today's society. None the less, it was a huge source of entertainment for me through my formative high school years and looks to be returning to form 14 years later, so here is my list of Top 5 Old School Beavis and Butt-head episodes...
5) Burger World (Season 2)
This is one of the episodes that I remember putting B&B on the cultural map. The boys are working at a fast food joint and end up serving Mr. Anderson a fried rat and bugs. There was an outrage about showing fast food workers doing something so horrible. It's a far cry from the stuff that South Park gets away with today, but it was a big deal in '93 and certainly paved the way for Matt Stone and Trey Parker to work their satiric magic.
4) No Laughing (Season 2)
This was a two part episode where Principle McVicker forbids B&B from laughing because they are being to disruptive in during class. After the punishment is handed down, the two boys find themselves in Coach Buzzcut's sex ed class and hilarity ensues. As stupid and immature as B&B are, there's a little kid in all of us that find dirty words and funny names hilarious and it's that little bit of truth blown up to ridiculous proportions that makes this show so great. This episode was a perfect and early example.
3) Very Special Christmas (Season 3)
This episode was nothing but B&B watching and making fun of Christmas videos. As funny as the plot parts of the episodes were, what really made B&B so funny were the videos. And as many horrible videos as Mike Judge showed, there were also a ton of great ones. B&B was a great source of new music for a kid who lived in the boonies of Northwestern Connecticut and had very few outlets for anything but top 40 fare. This episode didn't have any good music in it, except "Christmas in Hollis", just really funny Christmas crap and, of course, the burning Yule Log.
2) Choke (Season 5)
Butt-head chokes on a chicken nugget and it's up to Beavis to save his life. It's probably the stupidest brand of humor you can find, but I laughed through this episode at least 100 times. I'm not proud of it, but it doesn't change the fact that it's one of my all time favorites.
1) The Great Cornholio (Season 4), Buttniks (Season 5), Bungholio: Lord of The Harvest (season 6), Vaya con Cornholio (Season 7)
I know it's cheating to list four episodes and count them as one, but I lived for anything Cornholio. To the point where, on boring weekend nights in high school, I was know to wander the frozen food section of the local grocery store with my shirt over my head. My favorite of the four was probably the Halloween one, where Cornholio pops up after Beavis gets a hold of to much candy, even though nothing can ever really beat the first appearance of such a classic character.
Honorable Mention: Kidnapped (season 3), Cow Tipping (season 4), Vs. The Vending Machine (season 4), Spanish Fly (season 5)
5) Burger World (Season 2)
This is one of the episodes that I remember putting B&B on the cultural map. The boys are working at a fast food joint and end up serving Mr. Anderson a fried rat and bugs. There was an outrage about showing fast food workers doing something so horrible. It's a far cry from the stuff that South Park gets away with today, but it was a big deal in '93 and certainly paved the way for Matt Stone and Trey Parker to work their satiric magic.
4) No Laughing (Season 2)
This was a two part episode where Principle McVicker forbids B&B from laughing because they are being to disruptive in during class. After the punishment is handed down, the two boys find themselves in Coach Buzzcut's sex ed class and hilarity ensues. As stupid and immature as B&B are, there's a little kid in all of us that find dirty words and funny names hilarious and it's that little bit of truth blown up to ridiculous proportions that makes this show so great. This episode was a perfect and early example.
3) Very Special Christmas (Season 3)
This episode was nothing but B&B watching and making fun of Christmas videos. As funny as the plot parts of the episodes were, what really made B&B so funny were the videos. And as many horrible videos as Mike Judge showed, there were also a ton of great ones. B&B was a great source of new music for a kid who lived in the boonies of Northwestern Connecticut and had very few outlets for anything but top 40 fare. This episode didn't have any good music in it, except "Christmas in Hollis", just really funny Christmas crap and, of course, the burning Yule Log.
2) Choke (Season 5)
Butt-head chokes on a chicken nugget and it's up to Beavis to save his life. It's probably the stupidest brand of humor you can find, but I laughed through this episode at least 100 times. I'm not proud of it, but it doesn't change the fact that it's one of my all time favorites.
1) The Great Cornholio (Season 4), Buttniks (Season 5), Bungholio: Lord of The Harvest (season 6), Vaya con Cornholio (Season 7)
I know it's cheating to list four episodes and count them as one, but I lived for anything Cornholio. To the point where, on boring weekend nights in high school, I was know to wander the frozen food section of the local grocery store with my shirt over my head. My favorite of the four was probably the Halloween one, where Cornholio pops up after Beavis gets a hold of to much candy, even though nothing can ever really beat the first appearance of such a classic character.
Honorable Mention: Kidnapped (season 3), Cow Tipping (season 4), Vs. The Vending Machine (season 4), Spanish Fly (season 5)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
How I Met Your Mother: Tick, Tick, Tick
I am incredibly torn on which column in the HIMYM season record to put this episode. Much like last week, I was certain where it was going to until the last 5 to 10 minutes and then things changed. Unlike last week, those final minutes didn't clear things up me, but only muddied them up. I've made it pretty clear on this blog why I watch HIMYM, I'm looking for a good laugh, and this episode, short of a few good lines about sandwiches and hard meat, seemed to run as far away from laughter as if could. That's a problem when you're a sitcom. As I've said in the past, there is room for drama in sitcoms but it needs to be surrounded by funny and in the first few seasons of this show the writers seemed to be masters at doing that. But that mastery is a distant memory at this point in the game. Of late, episodes that jump into the dramatic aspects of the group's life leave behind the jokes. If I was looking for large doses of melodrama I would have kept watching Gray's Anatomy.
Yet, the final scene of Tick, Tick, Tick was such a well written, well set-up punch to the stomach moment, I don't think I can put the episode in the loss column. I can see where some people may complain that it just further delays the inevitable, a too often used tactic the last few seasons, but does it matter? Unlike past delay tactics, the pay off was to great to pass up. The question now is, where do they take Barney's character? Does he go groveling back to Nora? (God, I hope not) Does he go back to whoring it up? (Fingers crossed!) Is he able to hang out with the group anymore? I know if I was him I wouldn't want to see Robin's face. How do you face someone who would leave you in that position? In all honesty, how does Barney ever get back together with her now? We're talking about a character that was scared of intimacy and finally left himself be vulnerable only to get cut down. It's certainly a dose of his own medicine, but how does he come back after all the growth we've seen?
Of course, the reason this moment may have hit me so hard was we were so close to getting rid of Kal Penn! Like Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown at the last moment, I was sure this was the moment his horrible character would be punted out of my life only to have the writers renege in the end. It hurts my soul to think my time with him will be extended at all. He was originally contracted for two more episodes, so there is still the chance that the Robin/Kevin relationship comes to an end in the next two episodes, but I also feel that would be a sell out to the moment just created. Why break Barney (and our) hearts for two more episodes?
So, in the end, I'm going to cop out again, keep straddled on the fence and put Tick, Tick, Tick in the tie column (I am a hockey fan after all). This season's record stands at 3-5-2.
Yet, the final scene of Tick, Tick, Tick was such a well written, well set-up punch to the stomach moment, I don't think I can put the episode in the loss column. I can see where some people may complain that it just further delays the inevitable, a too often used tactic the last few seasons, but does it matter? Unlike past delay tactics, the pay off was to great to pass up. The question now is, where do they take Barney's character? Does he go groveling back to Nora? (God, I hope not) Does he go back to whoring it up? (Fingers crossed!) Is he able to hang out with the group anymore? I know if I was him I wouldn't want to see Robin's face. How do you face someone who would leave you in that position? In all honesty, how does Barney ever get back together with her now? We're talking about a character that was scared of intimacy and finally left himself be vulnerable only to get cut down. It's certainly a dose of his own medicine, but how does he come back after all the growth we've seen?
Of course, the reason this moment may have hit me so hard was we were so close to getting rid of Kal Penn! Like Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown at the last moment, I was sure this was the moment his horrible character would be punted out of my life only to have the writers renege in the end. It hurts my soul to think my time with him will be extended at all. He was originally contracted for two more episodes, so there is still the chance that the Robin/Kevin relationship comes to an end in the next two episodes, but I also feel that would be a sell out to the moment just created. Why break Barney (and our) hearts for two more episodes?
So, in the end, I'm going to cop out again, keep straddled on the fence and put Tick, Tick, Tick in the tie column (I am a hockey fan after all). This season's record stands at 3-5-2.
Monday, November 14, 2011
The Walking Dead: Chupacabra
When trying to survive a zombie apocalypse do you focus of the needs of the few or the needs of the many? That seems to be the dilemma season 2 is boiling down to. Should the group follow Rick who is holding every life precious even if it puts everyone in potential danger or should they follow Shane who obviously feels a few casualties are OK as long as you are protecting the lives of everyone else? Will the search for Sophia end up causing more damage then finding her at this point? It's a question that's just as hard to answer in a normal society but the savagery of the zombie world pulls the argument out to the fore front. I'm not sure either Rick or Shane is totally right, but the dilemma is an interesting one. I have a feeling that Rick will come out on top, that the writers will focus on the triumph of humanity over savagery, but it isn't a question that will be easily answered.
In other news, I guess we now know why Hershel is so worried about the traveling group getting to close and wanting to stay around... he's hiding a troop of zombies in his hay barn. Poor Glenn ran into the biggest cock block you find in the zombie world. How will everyone react? Will Glenn keep quiet about it for Maggie or will he blab to the group? Will this revelation effect how much longer Rick and company stay around looking for Sophia? Maybe the bigger question is, why is Hershel keeping zombies in his barn. The obvious answer is that they are all close friends or family members who got turned, people he didn't have the heart to kill. If the zombie's aren't hurting anyone, is there any harm in keeping them around? I can't help but think this type of thing only ends in disaster.
The last from the episode I need to comment on is the return of Michael Rooker as Merle Dixon. I'm hoping a figment of Daryl's imagination isn't the only way we will see Merle from here on out. I'm still holding out hope that he will end up being the Governor. It seems like an obvious way for the character to develop. I also wonder if we are going to see Morgan and Duane return like in the comics or when and if Tyresse will make an appearance.
In other news, I guess we now know why Hershel is so worried about the traveling group getting to close and wanting to stay around... he's hiding a troop of zombies in his hay barn. Poor Glenn ran into the biggest cock block you find in the zombie world. How will everyone react? Will Glenn keep quiet about it for Maggie or will he blab to the group? Will this revelation effect how much longer Rick and company stay around looking for Sophia? Maybe the bigger question is, why is Hershel keeping zombies in his barn. The obvious answer is that they are all close friends or family members who got turned, people he didn't have the heart to kill. If the zombie's aren't hurting anyone, is there any harm in keeping them around? I can't help but think this type of thing only ends in disaster.
The last from the episode I need to comment on is the return of Michael Rooker as Merle Dixon. I'm hoping a figment of Daryl's imagination isn't the only way we will see Merle from here on out. I'm still holding out hope that he will end up being the Governor. It seems like an obvious way for the character to develop. I also wonder if we are going to see Morgan and Duane return like in the comics or when and if Tyresse will make an appearance.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
How I Met Your Mother: Disaster Averted
I'm starting to get so confused with the HIMYM timeline, it feels like I'm watching Lost and not my favorite sitcom. It used to be pretty easy to follow. Bob Saget was speaking from the future, all the events occurred in our timeline, every once and a while the group would flash back to the past. But after "Disaster Averted", I have no idea where in time the story is at. The writers have us conditioned to believe that the group sitting around telling the story of the hurricane would be happening today, or close to today, but two things that happened last season/before June (Lilly getting pregnant and Barney meeting Nora), were said to happen during the hurricane which was a little over two months ago. It doesn't make any sense! I feel like the writers are really starting to play fast and loose with the timeline and if that happens the whole show unravels. Also, with dealing with an event that just happened, you risk in being out of date by the time the show airs. I'm almost positive Robin would have brought up the October blizzard when telling a story about the wimpy hurricane.
I was all ready to count this episode as a win, but then I got to the end of the episode and everything fell apart. It started off great with the Indiana Jones sequence that turned into a Duck Tie joke. I knew the Duck Tie could be the joke that kept on giving, something that has been missing from HIMYM the last few seasons. But, just as it was starting to pay off, they took it away and replaced it with a recurring joke that has lost it's steam. The Slap Bet has been played out. It was great and part of me was excited to see that last slap, but it's moment is over. I can't believe they sacrificed the Duck Tie for an old joke. And speaking of rehashed jokes, I'm really getting tired of the Ted tells long story jokes. I get it, the show is aware of itself, it was funny the first time but the 100th time is just too much.
As if the time line and killing the Duck Tie weren't enough, the writer's further ruined the episode with a forced Robin/Barney kiss out of nowhere. I understand that they've been setting this up for a couple seasons now, but it still seemed forced in the moment and rushed. We spent a whole episode focused on the Slap Bet, Marshal's fears and Ted's boy scoutness and then all of a sudden they throw in a Robin/Barney kiss at the end. This much awaited reunion deserved more set up then it was given. If I'm going to take anything positive out of the kiss, it's that it hopefully brings an end to Kal Penn! (I think he has three episodes left. That's three to many)
With all the problems at the end there were a few funny moments in between. As stupid as the "Marshal scared of not being insured" story was, the dreams of him getting mauled by a bear were great. I think it was the obviously fake bear suit that really sold the joke. I also liked Ted's therapised line, even though Penn's break down of what Barney was trying to do had little to do with therapy or psychology.
The season record is 3-5-1.
I was all ready to count this episode as a win, but then I got to the end of the episode and everything fell apart. It started off great with the Indiana Jones sequence that turned into a Duck Tie joke. I knew the Duck Tie could be the joke that kept on giving, something that has been missing from HIMYM the last few seasons. But, just as it was starting to pay off, they took it away and replaced it with a recurring joke that has lost it's steam. The Slap Bet has been played out. It was great and part of me was excited to see that last slap, but it's moment is over. I can't believe they sacrificed the Duck Tie for an old joke. And speaking of rehashed jokes, I'm really getting tired of the Ted tells long story jokes. I get it, the show is aware of itself, it was funny the first time but the 100th time is just too much.
As if the time line and killing the Duck Tie weren't enough, the writer's further ruined the episode with a forced Robin/Barney kiss out of nowhere. I understand that they've been setting this up for a couple seasons now, but it still seemed forced in the moment and rushed. We spent a whole episode focused on the Slap Bet, Marshal's fears and Ted's boy scoutness and then all of a sudden they throw in a Robin/Barney kiss at the end. This much awaited reunion deserved more set up then it was given. If I'm going to take anything positive out of the kiss, it's that it hopefully brings an end to Kal Penn! (I think he has three episodes left. That's three to many)
With all the problems at the end there were a few funny moments in between. As stupid as the "Marshal scared of not being insured" story was, the dreams of him getting mauled by a bear were great. I think it was the obviously fake bear suit that really sold the joke. I also liked Ted's therapised line, even though Penn's break down of what Barney was trying to do had little to do with therapy or psychology.
The season record is 3-5-1.
How I Met Your Mother: The Slutty Pumpkin Returns
3-4-1. Here's the funny thing about comedy, things become funnier when you share them with others. I'm not sure why this is, but I have numerous examples of it happening. I didn't think Austin Powers was that funny at all and then I sat around with some friends rehashing the movie and realized it was side-splitting. I liked Borat a lot, but once I talked about it's great moments with co-workers, I loved it. "The Slutty Pumpkin Returns" was an OK episode that was funny but flawed and then I spent some time with friends and it became hilarious. I was probably going to put it in the tie column, but given a little time to share the experience I had a change of heart.
That's not to say I'm still not critical of the episode, just more forgiving then usual. I don't buy the whole slutty pumpkin plot. If Katty Holmes was so eager to meet back up with Ted, why did she never return to the party like he did? And, man was I disappointed with how the slutty pumpkin costume actually looked! Why show the costume? Wouldn't it have played better if you left to our imagination like they did in the first episode? Also, as funny as the concept as pregnancy brain may be, the Lilly/Marshal story-line, like many of the Lilly/Marshal story-lines this season, just fell flat.
But this was a win, not a loss, so let's focus on the good. The "Barney is a quarter Canadian" plot line carried the episode and over shadowed many of episodes flaws. It shows the power of one well written and set up joke. Every aspect of the joke had me laughing starting with the idea that everyone would be friends with Barney's real dad on Facebook. Marshal's line that Jerome has gotten pretty good at Bejewled Blitz was great. This show seems to be at it's comedic best when it makes fun of Barney and at this point in the show's run, nothing would cause more humiliation then him having a little Canadian blood. Yes, it was one joke and a fairly easy one once Barney's heritage was established, but talking about it with friends had me in stitches, which is all I should be asking from HIMYM in the first place. And of course, the one thing that may have been more responsible for this ending up in the win column, at least for this season... No Kal Penn!!
That's not to say I'm still not critical of the episode, just more forgiving then usual. I don't buy the whole slutty pumpkin plot. If Katty Holmes was so eager to meet back up with Ted, why did she never return to the party like he did? And, man was I disappointed with how the slutty pumpkin costume actually looked! Why show the costume? Wouldn't it have played better if you left to our imagination like they did in the first episode? Also, as funny as the concept as pregnancy brain may be, the Lilly/Marshal story-line, like many of the Lilly/Marshal story-lines this season, just fell flat.
But this was a win, not a loss, so let's focus on the good. The "Barney is a quarter Canadian" plot line carried the episode and over shadowed many of episodes flaws. It shows the power of one well written and set up joke. Every aspect of the joke had me laughing starting with the idea that everyone would be friends with Barney's real dad on Facebook. Marshal's line that Jerome has gotten pretty good at Bejewled Blitz was great. This show seems to be at it's comedic best when it makes fun of Barney and at this point in the show's run, nothing would cause more humiliation then him having a little Canadian blood. Yes, it was one joke and a fairly easy one once Barney's heritage was established, but talking about it with friends had me in stitches, which is all I should be asking from HIMYM in the first place. And of course, the one thing that may have been more responsible for this ending up in the win column, at least for this season... No Kal Penn!!
The Walking Dead: Cherokee Rose
It looks like The Walking Dead is falling into a set pacing pattern as, once again, a highly charged, action packed, super eventful episode is followed by a slower, less dramatic one. Not that I'm complaining, I'm just pointing out the pattern. It's these "slower" episodes that help give the show it's depth of character, setting up for the action packed episodes and making their impact that much deeper. This show isn't 24, it's not slam down the accelerator action and never let up. The show is about what happens between the zombie attacks and sacrifice of life. And, in that sense, it's episodes like "Cherokee Rose" that are more important then "Save The Last One."
That being said, holy shit, was that well zombie disturbing! That has to be one of the most disgusting sequences I've ever seen on television. The bloated animated corpse that looked like something from The Hills Have Eyes was bad enough, but when he ruptured at the waist causing his lower half to explode back into the well followed by T-Dog braining the still alive torso put it over the top. It was zombie gore at it's cable best!
Some questions I'm left asking at this point in season... Will the group ever find Sophia? She plays a fairly big role in the comic, but as we've seen so far that doesn't really mean much to the television show. How far will Shane take Andrea down the same dark path he seems to be traveling? Are these two the male and female equivalents of the new zombie society paradigm or is this leading to a bad end for Andrea? Are we going to have a Carol/Daryl hook up? That feels a little odd and wrong, but also seems to be an avenue the writers could take. As Maggie pointed out, the options are pretty limited now and everyone feels lonely. What does the infected water mean for the survivors? They never addressed this. Is all the water at the farm now tainted? Doesn't this mean no one can stay at the farm anymore? And the most obvious question, still unanswered in the comic as far as I know, is Lori pregnant by Rick or Shane? This obviously sets up all kinds of future issues. In all honesty, I would have rather they hide this plot point a little longer, kept in question what exactly Lori had asked Glenn to get, have Lori show little signs of pregnancy without making it obvious. I think it would have played better.
That being said, holy shit, was that well zombie disturbing! That has to be one of the most disgusting sequences I've ever seen on television. The bloated animated corpse that looked like something from The Hills Have Eyes was bad enough, but when he ruptured at the waist causing his lower half to explode back into the well followed by T-Dog braining the still alive torso put it over the top. It was zombie gore at it's cable best!
Some questions I'm left asking at this point in season... Will the group ever find Sophia? She plays a fairly big role in the comic, but as we've seen so far that doesn't really mean much to the television show. How far will Shane take Andrea down the same dark path he seems to be traveling? Are these two the male and female equivalents of the new zombie society paradigm or is this leading to a bad end for Andrea? Are we going to have a Carol/Daryl hook up? That feels a little odd and wrong, but also seems to be an avenue the writers could take. As Maggie pointed out, the options are pretty limited now and everyone feels lonely. What does the infected water mean for the survivors? They never addressed this. Is all the water at the farm now tainted? Doesn't this mean no one can stay at the farm anymore? And the most obvious question, still unanswered in the comic as far as I know, is Lori pregnant by Rick or Shane? This obviously sets up all kinds of future issues. In all honesty, I would have rather they hide this plot point a little longer, kept in question what exactly Lori had asked Glenn to get, have Lori show little signs of pregnancy without making it obvious. I think it would have played better.
The Walking Dead: Save The Last One
Whenever a movie or television series is adapted from a piece of literature those of us who were fans of the original print material can't help but hold the new production up to it. In The Walking Dead, one of the most obvious and controversial differences between the comic book and the television series is the fact that Shane didn't meet an early demise at the hands of Carl after going into a jealous rage with Rick over Lori. Robert Kirkman, the creator of the comic book, has said working on the TV show and keeping Shane alive lets him play George Lucas and play with his original creation. In a way, what Kirkman has done is create parallel worlds or universes, one where Shane dies and one where Shane lives. Kirkman has also said that Shane's presence fundamentally changes the show, as he can't help but be a major player in what happens to the group. "Save The Last One" is the perfect example of how this true this statement is.
As surprising as the death of Otis was to many, he had a long life in the comic and was being played by a somewhat known character actor in the show, when Shane turned up at the farm alone I had a feeling he was behind Otis' death. Reading the comic, even though he was in it very briefly, has left me with a strong distrust for Shane and his motives. Whether a short stint in the comic or what is looking to be a long sojourn in the show, Shane has a dark journey to take and it's pretty obvious that the sacrifice of Otis is just the beginning. I guess the better question is, in the zombie infested world of The Walking Dead, will this journey end as tragic or heroic?
As I tend to point out ad nauseum, what makes The Walking Dead so special is it's look at humanity in the face of extraordinary circumstances. A zombie apocalypse would obviously establish new rules for society and Kirkman and friends have never shied away from tackling what those changes might be. One of the biggest issues the writers deal with is, at what price and to what extent does one go to for survival. In terms of the events in "Save The Last One," were Shane's actions heroic because he did what was needed to save Carl and himself or is he a cold blooded murderer or, in the new zombie society, is there a difference between the two? Is this the beginning of Shane spiraling deeper and deeper into darkness and insanity (some people suggest he will become the Governor... I think it's going to be Merle)? Or will he become a rock the group can depend on to do what needs to be done when the more emotional wishy-washy Rick can't?
These are questions that can only be answered over time (or sitting in the writer's room as they hash out plot lines), but the fact that the show is willing to explore them and sacrifice any character in the process excites me. The Walking Dead is more then just a zombie show, it's a exploration of society and episodes like "Save The Last One" that dive into these themes are what makes it one of the best shows currently on TV.
As surprising as the death of Otis was to many, he had a long life in the comic and was being played by a somewhat known character actor in the show, when Shane turned up at the farm alone I had a feeling he was behind Otis' death. Reading the comic, even though he was in it very briefly, has left me with a strong distrust for Shane and his motives. Whether a short stint in the comic or what is looking to be a long sojourn in the show, Shane has a dark journey to take and it's pretty obvious that the sacrifice of Otis is just the beginning. I guess the better question is, in the zombie infested world of The Walking Dead, will this journey end as tragic or heroic?
As I tend to point out ad nauseum, what makes The Walking Dead so special is it's look at humanity in the face of extraordinary circumstances. A zombie apocalypse would obviously establish new rules for society and Kirkman and friends have never shied away from tackling what those changes might be. One of the biggest issues the writers deal with is, at what price and to what extent does one go to for survival. In terms of the events in "Save The Last One," were Shane's actions heroic because he did what was needed to save Carl and himself or is he a cold blooded murderer or, in the new zombie society, is there a difference between the two? Is this the beginning of Shane spiraling deeper and deeper into darkness and insanity (some people suggest he will become the Governor... I think it's going to be Merle)? Or will he become a rock the group can depend on to do what needs to be done when the more emotional wishy-washy Rick can't?
These are questions that can only be answered over time (or sitting in the writer's room as they hash out plot lines), but the fact that the show is willing to explore them and sacrifice any character in the process excites me. The Walking Dead is more then just a zombie show, it's a exploration of society and episodes like "Save The Last One" that dive into these themes are what makes it one of the best shows currently on TV.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Fall TV: Part 3
It's a little delayed thanks to power outages and lack of time, but here's the final installment in my run down of all the fall television shows that ended up on my Tivo...
American Horror
I'm a big Connie Britton fan, so I was more then a little excited to see Mrs. Coach coming back to TV now that Friday Night Lights is over. Of course, anytime you're excited about something you're bound to be let down. This is a show that benefited a little from my delay writing this because if I had written after the pilot I would have slammed it, now it's just going to get a modest slapping. The pilot was way over the top and seemed to just be perverse just to be perverse. I was more then a little stumped why Britton would be involved in this show at all after coming off such a work of genius. Things have gotten a little better, the plot is more fleshed out and the stupid needless sex has been way toned down. I'm going to keep watching, but I'm ready to turn off if things go back to what the pilot suggested.
VERDICT: It will stay on my DVR... for now
South Park
There really isn't much to write about this show now in it's 15 season. South Park is the Pearl Jam of TV, they've found a successful formula for cranking out quality work and are just going to stick to that formula as long as it stays fun or people will let them. South Park is by far the best satire of our society out there, nobody or no thing is left untouched. Hopefully it will keep going for another 15 years.
VERDICT: Stays at #14 on my season pass
The League
This show has quickly become one of the funniest shows on TV as long as they follow one rule. Oddly enough, that rule is to stay away from the premise the show was started on, fantasy football. The show has developed funny entertaining characters that are almost as hilariously evil as those on Always Sunny..., but it just seems to lose all it's funny the minute they start dealing with football. I'm fine with it staying in the background, with functioning as a reason for the characters to get together, but they need to keep the plot lines separate from fantasy football. They also need to make Raffi a regular and not just a reoccurring character. I don't remember a scene he was in that didn't end with me rolling on the floor with laughter.
VERDICT: Stays at #16 on my season pass
The Walking Dead
Since I like to write about this show on an episode by episode basis, there really shouldn't be much doubt that it's one of my favorites on television. What I really enjoy is how the writers try to focus on how people would deal on an emotional level with a zombie apocalypse. Not that there isn't as much gore as cable television will allow, but the human element is what separates it from other zombie fare. As far as I'm concerned, it's up there with other AMC all-stars, Mad Men and Breaking Bad, in the best show on TV conversation.
VERDICT: Moves to #5 on my season pass
Man Up
I didn't have very high hopes for this show, but it had a few funny people involved, Dan Fogler, Terri Polo, Amanda Detmer, and I'm always willing to give a sitcom a try. And after watching a few episodes... there's not really much to say. I'd be surprised if the show makes it through a whole season, but it doesn't offend me enough that I'll stop watching. It's a had a couple funny moments, so I'll stay on board for now.
VERDICT: Stays on my DVR... for now.
Chuck
I feel like I'm just playing out the string watching this final season. I am certainly going to miss watching Yvonne Strahovski on a weekly basis, but the show just feels over played at this point. Making Morgan the Intersect is just silly and I would day it was the Chuck writer's jumping the shark if I didn't feel like they jumped the shark by giving Chuck kung fu powers a few seasons ago. This was a great show and has become mildly entertaining. It feels right that this be it's final season.
VERDICT: stays at #22 on my Season Pass
Grimm
I can't help but compare this to Once Upon A Time, which I'll get to next, since both are shows about fairy tales coming to life. The premise of Grimm is much more solid then the other, it's police procedural structure lends to a much longer shelf life, but the writing and acting are so awful it's embarrassing. Also, I couldn't help but think of Supernatural. Someone fighting monsters, protecting a public that would never believe what he knows to be true. It's been done before and done much better and much scarier. I got through the pilot and half of the second episode before giving up. I groaned one too many times at the horrible writing.
VERDICT: Erased from DVR after one and a half episodes
Once Upon A Time
Another fairy tale turned real drama, this one from the creators of Lost. It's much better then Grimm, but I'm not sure how long the premise can go on. You are only going to be able to delay the characters return to fairy tale land so long before viewers get tired of the delaying and then what? For now, the writing is pretty clever, the acting is spot on and even though it gets a little confusing at times (what would you expect from Lost writers), it's pretty entertaining.
VERDICT: Staying on my DVR
Hell On Wheels
Nothing like a western, but I'm not sure if this one is going to keep me watching. It seems to want to be as edgy as Deadwood but not being on HBO kind of hurts in that category. Even so, the characters are interesting enough and nothing says western more then a good revenge story. AMC has a pretty good track record so far, so while I wasn't blown away by the pilot, I'm going to keep watching with interest.
VERDICT: Staying on my DVR
American Horror
I'm a big Connie Britton fan, so I was more then a little excited to see Mrs. Coach coming back to TV now that Friday Night Lights is over. Of course, anytime you're excited about something you're bound to be let down. This is a show that benefited a little from my delay writing this because if I had written after the pilot I would have slammed it, now it's just going to get a modest slapping. The pilot was way over the top and seemed to just be perverse just to be perverse. I was more then a little stumped why Britton would be involved in this show at all after coming off such a work of genius. Things have gotten a little better, the plot is more fleshed out and the stupid needless sex has been way toned down. I'm going to keep watching, but I'm ready to turn off if things go back to what the pilot suggested.
VERDICT: It will stay on my DVR... for now
South Park
There really isn't much to write about this show now in it's 15 season. South Park is the Pearl Jam of TV, they've found a successful formula for cranking out quality work and are just going to stick to that formula as long as it stays fun or people will let them. South Park is by far the best satire of our society out there, nobody or no thing is left untouched. Hopefully it will keep going for another 15 years.
VERDICT: Stays at #14 on my season pass
The League
This show has quickly become one of the funniest shows on TV as long as they follow one rule. Oddly enough, that rule is to stay away from the premise the show was started on, fantasy football. The show has developed funny entertaining characters that are almost as hilariously evil as those on Always Sunny..., but it just seems to lose all it's funny the minute they start dealing with football. I'm fine with it staying in the background, with functioning as a reason for the characters to get together, but they need to keep the plot lines separate from fantasy football. They also need to make Raffi a regular and not just a reoccurring character. I don't remember a scene he was in that didn't end with me rolling on the floor with laughter.
VERDICT: Stays at #16 on my season pass
The Walking Dead
Since I like to write about this show on an episode by episode basis, there really shouldn't be much doubt that it's one of my favorites on television. What I really enjoy is how the writers try to focus on how people would deal on an emotional level with a zombie apocalypse. Not that there isn't as much gore as cable television will allow, but the human element is what separates it from other zombie fare. As far as I'm concerned, it's up there with other AMC all-stars, Mad Men and Breaking Bad, in the best show on TV conversation.
VERDICT: Moves to #5 on my season pass
Man Up
I didn't have very high hopes for this show, but it had a few funny people involved, Dan Fogler, Terri Polo, Amanda Detmer, and I'm always willing to give a sitcom a try. And after watching a few episodes... there's not really much to say. I'd be surprised if the show makes it through a whole season, but it doesn't offend me enough that I'll stop watching. It's a had a couple funny moments, so I'll stay on board for now.
VERDICT: Stays on my DVR... for now.
Chuck
I feel like I'm just playing out the string watching this final season. I am certainly going to miss watching Yvonne Strahovski on a weekly basis, but the show just feels over played at this point. Making Morgan the Intersect is just silly and I would day it was the Chuck writer's jumping the shark if I didn't feel like they jumped the shark by giving Chuck kung fu powers a few seasons ago. This was a great show and has become mildly entertaining. It feels right that this be it's final season.
VERDICT: stays at #22 on my Season Pass
Grimm
I can't help but compare this to Once Upon A Time, which I'll get to next, since both are shows about fairy tales coming to life. The premise of Grimm is much more solid then the other, it's police procedural structure lends to a much longer shelf life, but the writing and acting are so awful it's embarrassing. Also, I couldn't help but think of Supernatural. Someone fighting monsters, protecting a public that would never believe what he knows to be true. It's been done before and done much better and much scarier. I got through the pilot and half of the second episode before giving up. I groaned one too many times at the horrible writing.
VERDICT: Erased from DVR after one and a half episodes
Once Upon A Time
Another fairy tale turned real drama, this one from the creators of Lost. It's much better then Grimm, but I'm not sure how long the premise can go on. You are only going to be able to delay the characters return to fairy tale land so long before viewers get tired of the delaying and then what? For now, the writing is pretty clever, the acting is spot on and even though it gets a little confusing at times (what would you expect from Lost writers), it's pretty entertaining.
VERDICT: Staying on my DVR
Hell On Wheels
Nothing like a western, but I'm not sure if this one is going to keep me watching. It seems to want to be as edgy as Deadwood but not being on HBO kind of hurts in that category. Even so, the characters are interesting enough and nothing says western more then a good revenge story. AMC has a pretty good track record so far, so while I wasn't blown away by the pilot, I'm going to keep watching with interest.
VERDICT: Staying on my DVR
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