NBC aired three episodes of Community to finish off the season today, and whilst this apparent burning off (and the #sixseasonsandamovie hashtag at the end of the season finale) would ordinarily fill fans like me with an impending sense of doom, NBC has in their infinite wisdom renewed Community for a 13 episode 4th season.

Read on to see my thoughts on this triple header end to the third season.

Season 3 episode 20 – “Digital Estate Planning”

I don’t usually like the overly meta pop culture parody episodes of Community, and instead prefer episodes like “Modern Warfare”, “Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design” and the brilliant “Paradigms of Human Memory”.  However, being a ’90s kid and a lifelong believer that the 16-bit Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis (Megadrive) will forever be the best video game era, how could I not love “Digital Estate Planning”.  Not only were the group reduced to ’90s RPG avatars for pretty much the entire episode but it was damn funny too thanks to the racism and generational gap of Cornelius Hawthorne.

The group are attacked by jive turkeys and hippies, Pierce suffocates in a hole, Annie sets someone on fire and then bludgeons him to death, Troy and Pierce lose at strip poker, and Abed marries a women who spawns a million babies which then allows Abed to reimagine the game Matrix style.

On top of all this, Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring from Breaking Bad) guest stars and Pierce isn’t quite as racist as he typically is.  There’s nothing to dislike about this episode.

Rating:  8/10

Season 3 episode 21 – “The First Chang Dynasty”

She may look like something out of an asian horror movie but I think Gillian Jacobs (Britta) looks hot as hell in this episode as some weird goth chick.

This is the episode where “The Greendale Seven” finally set about bringing Chang’s misdeeds to light after he assumed power by kidnapping Dean Pelton and replacing him with a doppelgänger, and it’s another parody episode with obvious ties to Ocean’s 11.  However, thanks to Ken Jeong, Jim Rash and Donald Glover it rises above some of the previous overblown parody episodes (I’m looking at you “Basic Lupine Urology”) and brings an enjoyable end to the otherwise uninteresting arc of the group’s expulsion.

I’m actually disappointed that the rise of Chang didn’t lead to more screen time for Ken Jeong.  He’s by far my favourite person on Community and I always feel he’s underused.

Rating:  7/10

Season 3 episode 22 – “Introduction to Finality”

I don’t see how this episode couldn’t have fit at any point this season after Shirley decided she wanted to open a sandwich shop in the Greendale cafeteria.  It’s essentially a standalone episode in which Jeff gets to say that he wants to be a good person.  It certainly functions as a series finale instead of a season finale, and I can’t help but feel that it was produced to actually be a series finale.  Hell, it even had that #sixseasonsandamovie hashtag at the end.  Everyone got a little bow tied on their story at the end of an otherwise forgettable episode about Pierce and Shirley arguing over who would sign a lease for their sandwich shop.

Given that all fans of Community know it’s coming back for a short order 4th season, that bit of melancholy nostalgia at the end of the episode doesn’t hit as hard as it would of if the show had been cancelled.

All this isn’t to say that the finale was without any redeeming qualities.  After all, we did get to see a good amount of Evil Abed, including him taking Britta down a peg or two and attempting to cut off Jeff’s arm.

The problem is the other story involving Troy being forced into air conditioner repair school and discovering he was their Messiah was equally unimpressive.  Plus there was nothing for Annie to do.

As a season finale this was a letdown and I think “The First Chang Dynasty” would have worked better as the finale.

Rating:  6/10

Related posts:

1. COMMUNITY 1×01 review
2. COMMUNITY pilot script review
3. LOST 5×16/17 season finale review

COMMUNITY season 3 finale review HollywoodHubbub

The TV season is just about over so I thought I’d have a look back at the best shows of 2011-2012.  Some things don’t line up that well because the way cable channels like FX and HBO air their shows is slightly off kilter to the networks.

Below are my thoughts, rankings and scores for the 29 shows I watched on an ongoing basis this season from worst to first.  Bear in mind that my rankings are based on what I’m most excited to watch each week so they might not match up with the score I give for the quality of the show.  Oh, and I’m behind on Mad Men so that’s not included in the list.

29. Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23
Meh.  Talk about high concept, that ridiculous title says it all.  I’ve watched the first two episodes and it’s very ordinary.  Kristen Ritter basically plays the same character she did in She’s Out of My League.  It’s not very funny and that hurts a sitcom.  Still, bonus points for James Van Der Beek.  4.5/10

28. Awake
The pilot was intriguing, but the few additional episodes I watched beyond the pilot just reinforced that the show is a basic procedural but with two storylines for the protagonist crammed into each episode.  It’s not necessarily bad I just don’t like procedurals.  It’s been cancelled now and you can read my opinion on that here.  5/10

27. Alcatraz
It’s a far cry from the brilliance of Lost, but that should be expected.  It’s in effect a basic police procedural with a hint of sci-fi and mythology to suck in genre fans.  Jorge Garcia is wasted and Sam Neill is almost as annoying as David Caruso in CSI: Miami.  Oh, and Fox has cancelled the show now.  5/10

26. The Secret Circle
It was obvious from the very beginning that The Secret Circle wanted so desperately to be The Vampire Diaries that it was embarrassing.  The truth is it’s not even close.  There’s no chemistry, there are no characters to root for, there’s no “big bad”, there’s no overarching plot, there’s shitty dialogue and lame special effects.  The CW has opted to not bring the show back next season and I think that’s one of the smartest decisions the netlet has made in a long time.  5/10

25. How I Met Your Mother
Just like Glee, HIMYM doesn’t feel like the show I used to love.  Something’s off and I’ve continued to lose interest in the show from the beginning of the season.  It’s a shame because I always looked forward to each new episode.  Aside from the good episode here or there, I think the show started to lose something when Barney and Robin got together, and things only got worse when Marshall and Lilly moved out of the apartment they were sharing with Ted.  The show did improve once Marshall and Lilly moved back into the apartment in Manhattan, and the season finale was pretty good, but I just know it’s gonna be another long drawn out season when it starts up again in September.  I should just stop watching because I know HIMYM never really delivers on the promises it makes.  5/10

24. 2 Broke Girls
I started watching this show simply because I’m a big fan of Kat Dennings (having loved her in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Charlie Bartlett), but it quickly became apparent that the show isn’t that good.  Beth Behrs has grown on me, as has the Russian cook in the diner, but the Asian dude and the black guy are annoying racist stereotypes that I can’t let slide.  There’s also the glaring problem that the show isn’t funny.  Sitcoms are supposed to be funny.  5/10

23. Glee
This show seems so far removed from the one I loved in season 1 that it doesn’t even feel like the same show anymore.  Rachel has been sidelined and the other voices given more screentime.  Each episode is framed to force feed a moral story on a weekly basis.  And the one gay relationship I do like on the show, Brittany and Santana, never seems to go anywhere.  I’m hoping that Kurt, Mercedes, Artie and Quinn disappear for good next season.  I rank it higher than the stuff listed above for the simple fact that every now and then they do a good cover, and Heather Morris is awesome.  Quality-wise it’s subpar.  4.5/10

22. Veep
I’ve only watched the first episode so I’m a little behind, however I’m happy that Tony Hale is back on TV and that I can see Matt Walsh each week.  I’m concerned that a political parody like this show is going to get tiresome quickly though.  6/10

21. Justified
Another solid season for this Elmore Leonard based show.  It’s never spectacular but Dickie Bennett (played by the extremely talented Jeremy Davies) more than makes up for that.  Plus Timothy Olyphant has been a favourite of mine since Scream 2, Go, and Deadwood.  6.5/10

20. South Park
How the mighty have fallen.  South Park was the best animated show for a very long time but as soon as Archer debuted it fell to second place and I even think that Bob’s Burgers is better now too.  The show is still good but it’s far more hit or miss now than it ever was before.  5.5/10

19. Bob’s Burgers
H Jon Benjamin strikes again, and whilst it’s not as good as Archer, it’s another good animated show which is far superior to everything on Fox’s Sunday animation block.  Kristen Schaal does a great job as Louise and there’s great cinematography (if that even applies to animated shows) in episodes now and then.  I remember being really startled during the pilot when there’s a shot of a leaf falling towards Bob.  I’d never seen something animated that way in a show before and it really impressed me.  It’s also laugh out loud funny on a consistent basis.  6.5/10

18. Happy Endings
I decided to watch this show simply because Damon Wayans Jr was in the pilot of New Girl and then disappeared due to his commitment to Happy Endings.  I was surprised to discover that the show is decent, and very surprised to discover that Elisha Cuthbert has some comedic ability beyond being stalked by a cougar.  6/10

17. Game of Thrones
You know what, this show is nothing special.  It’s got a crazy enthusiastic following, both because of the books and because of the show, but it never blows me away.  It just keeps plodding along, sometimes jumping along in time from episode to episode, sometimes with each episode being very close together in the timeline.  Still, it’s suitably violent every now and again, and it did allow me to see Carice Van Houten naked again, so I’ll continue to watch.  I’m really looking forward to Joffrey being killed and Daenerys doing something (anything) other than threatening to do something.  6/10

16. American Horror Story
It’s bat shit fucking insane and has completely random stories, but it’s weirdly addictive all the same.  I remember having a chat with a friend about the show and whilst neither of us could articulate why we enjoyed it, we both did.  I’m intrigued to see how the second season plays out with an entirely new cast and location, although given that Ryan Murphy is responsible I fully expect the storytelling to be just as disjointed as the first season (and Glee).  6/10

15. Survivor
Colton was the villain that didn’t go far enough, Chelsea was really fucking hot, Troyzan was probably my favourite, but Kim deserved to win.  Thankfully the person who deserved to win actually did, which isn’t something that happens very often on Survivor.  You can check out what I thought of the season and the finale here.  6/10

14. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It continued to be highly inappropriate and wonderful because of it.  Thinking back on the season the things that really stick out are the gangs visit to the Jersey Shore and the game of Chardee MacDennis.  6.5/10

13. Modern Family
I never keep up with Modern Family on a week to week basis, but when I do eventually sit down and catch up I’m always angry with myself that I wasn’t watching the episodes as soon as they aired.  Everyone in this show is good, but I am most impressed by Sophia Vergara, Ty Burrell, Sarah Hyland, and Ariel Winter.  It’s not the best comedy on TV (network TV), that honour probably goes to Parks and Recreation, but it’s gotta be in the top 5.  7/10

12. Boardwalk Empire
It continues to be a slow-burn show, which has flashes of violence and mayhem and not enough pure mob related drama, but it deserves credit for having the balls to whack Jimmy in the season finale.  I didn’t think that would happen.  7.5/10

11. True Blood
God this show is frustrating.  There are so many elements which make it good, like Pam, Jessica, Russell, Godric, Sophie-Anne, the flashbacks, the sex, and the violence.  Then there are the terrible things which drag it down, like Tara, the Merlotte family, the love triangle between Sookie, Bill and Eric, the shitty villains in season 2 and 4.  True Blood never gets the majority of things right.  Never.  Yet I can’t stop watching.  I’m not sure there’s ever been a show as addictive and truly frustrating as True Blood before.  5.5/10

10. New Girl
For a show that I only started watching so I could see Zooey Deschanel it’s very pleasing to know that it introduced Schmidt, the best new character on TV.  Not only that, but Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris, and Hannah Simone have made this into a true ensemble show.  The only thing I’m not looking forward to in season 2 is the inevitable “will they won’t they” between Jess and Nick.  7/10

9. Luck
Who would of thought that a show about horse racing and betting could be so damn good. Considering my undying love for Deadwood I shouldn’t have been surprised that David Milch would create another great show.  Luck also did the impossible, it made me like Dustin Hoffman.  It’s a distinct shame that the renewed second season was cancelled due to a number of deaths of horses on set.  7.5/10

8. Community
Some of the super-meta, pop culture referencing parody episodes go a little too far in my opinion, but there’s no doubt that Community is a very good show that doesn’t have the viewership it should do.  This show deserves praise for introducing Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Annie’s boobs, Dean Pelton, and Chang.  Plus I’m a big fan of Chevy Chase so having him back on a regular basis is awesome.  No matter how much of a prick he’s supposed to be in real life.  It’s great that NBC has picked up Community for a 4th season but somewhat bittersweet because they’ve only ordered 13 episodes.  But you never know, maybe one of their other million new sitcoms will be shit and they’ll extend the episode order for Community.  We can only hope.  7/10

7. Parks and Recreation
To be honest, this season has been a little bit of a letdown after what we’ve come to expect from the show.  Still, it’s been enjoyable and funny, and Adam Scott has remained, which I didn’t think would happen when he was first introduced.  We also got to see Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn on a fairly regular basis which was pretty cool.  7/10

6. Archer
The best animated show on TV by a wide margin.  It’s often hilarious and inappropriate, and there are never enough episodes.  There’s not much more that needs to be said.  8/10

5. Breaking Bad
I find it hard to sit down and watch a single isolated episode of Breaking Bad because each season is constructed in a way that demands you watch it from start to end.  There’s a beauty to just about every episode of this show that you don’t find anywhere else on TV with the exception of Mad Men.  I’m very disappointed that the final season is going to be broken up into two segments, but I’m looking forward to how the tale of Walter and Jessie ends.  My money is on Hank discovering the truth and Walter killing him.  Walter has gotten darker each season and I can only see that trend continuing right until the very end.  8/10

4. Girls
There’s been a crazy amount of online chatter and criticism about this show which was mostly a knee jerk reaction to the fact that a 26 year old girl was writing, directing and starring in a very good show on HBO, and people were upset/jealous about it.  There were also those who were mad that the show didn’t depict the female gender as they see it or live it.  Whatever.  Girls is funny and entertaining, and it seems grounded in reality (to me at least), so what’s not to like?  I’ll continue to watch and hope for many more seasons to come.  I also want to give kudos to Dunham for getting naked a lot.  I would of thought that someone of her age who’s able to control what she does on screen would not have flashed her tits so often, if at all, so I’m pleased that she’s not shy about it in the slightest.  Chances are we won’t see Allison Williams naked though based on what she said in an interview with Vulture.  I’m also continually amazed that this show does stuff that I’ve never ever seen on TV before.  Who would of thought that Adam jerking off while Hannah watches and admonishes him would be so damn funny (and tragic).  7.5/10

3. Louie
It has to be the most unique show on TV right now because despite being a comedy it can often be very serious and poignant.  Witness the God episode from last season, or the Afghanistan episode from this season.  I don’t see any other comedic shows being able to do something like that and do it so well.  It’s a credit to Louie CK and FX that the show is the way it is.  Here’s hoping that we get plenty more before the show finally goes off the air.  8/10

2. Eastbound & Down
It’s a credit to Danny McBride that a guy as loud, brash, hedonistic, and completely immoral as Kenny Powers can be so damn likeable.  There are so many things to love about this show that I find it difficult to believe that anyone couldn’t be a fan.  Whether it’s Kenny’s ridiculous insults or turn of phrase, Stevie Janowski (the best sidekick ever),  Ashley Schaeffer, Deep Roy, the change in locations for each season, the nudity, the soundtrack, or the fact that Kenny basically stayed the same throughout the show, I don’t think I can pick fault with Eastbound & Down.  8.5/10

1. The Vampire Diaries
My A #1 favourite show last year is in the top spot once again.  This season was kinda all over the place.  It started well with Stefan being dragged around by Klaus, it lagged a bit in the middle, it introduced the entire Original Family only to scatter them and kill some, mother Original Ester was very underwhelming, father Original Michael was awesome and then dead far too easily for someone that Klaus (the baddest most scary of Originals) was running from for centuries, Klaus got softened too much, the Salvatore brothers were given too much leeway by the Originals considering they are clearly inferior to Klaus, Rebeka, Elijah and the rest, Jeremy still comes across as the emo younger brother who throws temper tantrums, and Bonnie is still the second most annoying person on a vampire show behind Tara on True Blood.  None of that matter.  I love this show and waited with baited breath for each new episode.  Now that Elena has finally been turned (or will be next season once she transitions) I cannot wait to see what happens.  As long as Klaus gets back in his own body soon I’m gonna be very happy.  7.5/10

Related posts:

1. Best of the Week: 25th Sept – 1st Oct 2011
2. Best of the Week: 18th – 24th Sept 2011
3. Best of the Week: 9th – 15th Oct 2011

The best TV shows of 2011-2012 HollywoodHubbub

Following on from the brief clip of Go On that was released the other day after NBC revealed it’s fall lineup, the network has now provided a proper full trailer for the show, and it’s made me even more excited than I previously was.  It gives a good look at not only the tried and true “Matthew Perry performance” that I love, but also the supporting characters, and also hints at some of the underlying heart of the show.  I think most comedies need to have a tender and endearing side to them to go along with the fun, and that’s why shows like Parks and Recreation, Modern Family, and How I Met Your Mother have been favourites of mine.  I really truly hope that Go On allows Matthew Perry is to attain the success he had with Friends once again and I’m very excited to check out this show.

Go On follows sportscaster Ryan King (Matthew Perry, Friends, Mr. Sunshine) who thinks misery should just be left alone.  After taking some time off, Ryan – who recently lost his wife in a car accident – is now ready to get back to work. And while he seems like his same old charming, cocky self, his boss won’t set him back on the air until he seeks counseling.  So, Ryan reluctantly joins a support group with one goal in mind: get in, get out and get back on the radio as quickly as possible.  Played by the fast-talking, sarcastic, and charismatic Perry, Ryan gives grief a real run for its money.  Within one day of group therapy, he hijacks the meeting and suddenly the downtrodden are cajoled into playing a game of “who’s got the best sob story?”  And in no time all of them are battling it out, trying to one-up each other’s despair.

Laura Benanti (The Playboy Club), Julie White (Transformers), Suzy Nakamura (Dodgeball), Khary Payton (General Hospital) and Allison Miller (Terra Nova) also star and it looks like John Cho has some kind of role too.

Related posts:

1. GO ON and REVOLUTION, the only two new NBC shows that look decent
2. Three new MR SUNSHINE posters
3. Full trailers for Fox’s THE MINDY PROJECT, BEN & KATE and THE GOODWIN GAMES

Full trailer for GO ON starring Matthew Perry HollywoodHubbub

Within the mass of high concept shit NBC plans to air then cancel next season are two shows which interest me, Go On (starring Matthew Perry) and Revolution (created by J.J. Abrams).

Go On
Misery loves company. Unless you’re sportscaster Ryan King (Matthew Perry, “Friends,” “Mr. Sunshine”) who thinks misery should just be left alone. After taking some time off, Ryan – who recently lost his wife in a car accident – is now ready to get back to work. And while he seems like his same old charming, cocky self, his boss won’t set him back on the air until he seeks counseling. So, Ryan reluctantly joins a support group with one goal in mind: get in, get out and get back on the radio as quickly as possible. Played by the fast-talking, sarcastic, and charismatic Perry, Ryan gives grief a real run for its money. Within one day of group therapy, he hijacks the meeting and suddenly the downtrodden are cajoled into playing a game of “who’s got the best sob story?” And in no time all of them are battling it out, trying to one-up each other’s despair. Now, this is fun! Ryan’s total lack of interest in healing might be just what this group needs – and maybe, exactly what he needs to move on with his life. Also starring are Tony winner Laura Benanti (“The Playboy Club”), Julie White (“Transformers”), Suzy Nakamura (“Dodgeball”), Khary Payton (“General Hospital”) and Allison Miller (“Terra Nova”). From the Emmy-winning writer and executive producer Scott Silveri (“Perfect Couples,” “Friends”) comes a new series that proves grief can be good. Todd Holland (“Malcolm in the Middle”) and Karey Burke (“Free Agents,” “Miss/Guided”) also serve as executive producers. The pilot was directed by Holland. “Go On” is a production of Universal Television, Dark Toy Entertainment and Silver & Gold Productions.

Revolution
Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why? Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it? On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks. And a young woman’s life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously – and unbeknownst to her – had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future. From director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”) and the fertile imaginations of J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Person of Interest”) and Eric Kripke (“Supernatural”), comes a surprising “what if” action-adventure series, where an unlikely hero will lead the world out of the dark. Literally. The series stars Billy Burke (“The Twilight Saga”), Tracy Spiridakos (“Being Human”), Anna Lise Phillips (“Terra Nova”), Zak Orth (“Romeo + Juliet“), Graham Rogers (“Memphis Beat”), J.D. Pardo (“A Cinderella Story”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”), David Lyons (“The Cape”), Maria Howell (“The Blind Side”), Tim Guinee (“Iron Man”) and Andrea Roth (“Rescue Me”). Kripke, Abrams, Favreau and Bryan Burk (“Lost,” “Star Trek”) serve as executive producers. “Revolution” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions, Kripke Enterprises and Warner Bros. Television. The pilot was directed by Favreau.

I’m a sucker for post apocalyptic films so I’m very hopeful that Revolution is as good as it looks.  Still, it is NBC so even if it is good they’ll probably fuck around with it like they do with so many other shows.

Go On interests me because I really like Matthew Perry.  He’s just so damn likeable that I don’t care if he’s essentially playing the same character in everything he does.

Related posts:

1. The top TV shows of the ’00s
2. The best shows on TV
3. Three new MR SUNSHINE posters

GO ON and REVOLUTION, the only two new NBC shows that look decent HollywoodHubbub

NBC cancelled Awake the other day.  Well, strictly speaking they opted to not renew the show for a second season.

I was somewhat excited about Awake before it aired thanks to a decent amount of positive buzz which typically included phrases like “intelligent” and “thought provoking”.  In some respects Awake is/was these things, however it’s mostly a standard police procedural with a unique delivery method.

The concept of the show is that police officer Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs), his wife Hannah (Laura Allen) and their son Rex (Dylan Minnette) are in a car wreck.  Michael survives and following the accident he lives in two realities, one where Hannah survived and one where Rex survived.  Every time he goes to sleep he wakes up in the other reality.  Each episode contains one case in each of Michael’s two worlds which he sets out to solve, aspects of each case typically bleed together between the worlds even though they’re not always related, and Michael is forced to deal with either a grieving Hannah or his stereotypically distant emo teenage son.  It’s not a bad show but it’s not a spectacularly good one either.  It is also kinda depressing for the simple fact that every episode contained people grieving for either a dead mother or a dead son.

I don’t like police procedurals.  They don’t usually allow for serialised storytelling and their formula is duller than watching paint dry.  Needless to say, I was very let down by Awake.

Now, despite being let down by the final product after reading such glowing reviews before the show aired, I am disappointed that NBC decided to not bring Awake back for a second season.  I’m disappointed because for a network that’s doing as poorly as NBC I don’t understand why they wouldn’t at least try and do something different.  Awake is still a basic cop show at it’s heart and I don’t think there’s any denying that the general population like watching cop shows.  The thing that made Awake interesting, even if not for me personally, was the way it was trying to present the procedural genre.  It was still a show which revolved around good guys catching bad guys, but the delivery mechanism for these stories was as markedly different as it could be for this genre.  At least it was trying something different with a stale genre of television.

What hope is there for the arrival of the next great one of a kind show like Lost when creativity of even the smallest kind like that in Awake is stifled?

The sheer lack of imaginative ambition on network TV these days makes me truly angry.  No-one is willing to take a chance on something even slightly different.  No-one will let a show grow and develop and find it’s true voice.  Hell, I read on Deadline today that CBS will pass on Nick Stoller’s sitcom Entry Level, even though it was received well by the network, because it’s a single camera sitcom and CBS’s other comedies are multi-camera sitcoms (source).

And that’s why I’m disappointed that Awake isn’t coming back.  Not because it was especially good but because it was trying something slightly different, and that ambition seems to have resulted in it’s cancellation whilst a show like Whitney gets to live another day.

No related posts.

NBC cancels AWAKE and why that disappoints me HollywoodHubbub

A weekly post with the purpose of highlighting the shows I watched during the week from Sunday to Saturday and how I ranked them.  It’s not intended as a list of all shows on the air, only those that I actually watched during the week.  Watching something on Monday that aired on Friday won’t make the cut.

Like everything on this site it’s for my own enjoyment but feel free to comment.

Again, too much work and FIFA12 for me to watch any decent amount of TV this week, but I will say that my top two shows this week were a much appreciated return to form.  On top of that, I just don’t have the time to post anything substantial beyond what’s here in this draft form.  I wanted to get something up so here it is.

1.  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia “Chardee MacDennis” (7×07)  - I love these episodes where they never leave the bar.  7.5/10

2.  Community “Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps” (3×05) - Great viewing on the first occasion, good viewing on the second.  7/10

3.  Parks & Recreation “Meet n Greet” (4×05) – It seems like this show can do no wrong lately.  Then again, it’s been like that for pretty much this show’s entire life.  I’m hopeful that the demise of Entertainment 720 will mean that Tom will return to work with Leslie.  7.5/10

4.  The Vampire Diaries “Ghost World” (3×07) – Even average episodes of this show are above average.  If that makes sense.  7/10

5.  American Horror Story “Halloween Part 1″ (1×04) – It continues to be really random and all over the place, yet I continue to enjoy it.  I can’t put into words why.  6.5/10

6.  Whitney “The Wire“ (1×05) – This show is really starting to grow on me, and with impressive considering I don’t like the two other women and the Indian guy.  This show succeeds on Whitney, Alex and Mark.  6/10.

7.  2 Broke Girls “And the Disappearing Bed” (1×06) – Meh.  6/10

8.  The Secret Circle “Masked” (1×07) – Cassie has power outside of the circle.  That’s good news because I didn’t want the development of the character to be hindered by the drama of the rest of the group.  6/10

9.  How I Met Your Mother “Noretta” (7×07) – More lameness.  5.5/10

10.  Survivor (23×07) – Poor.  5/10

11.  Once Upon a Time “Pilot” (1×01) – The real world stuff was far better than the fantasy land stuff.  I don’t have high hopes for this show moving forward, despite the presence of two Lost writers.  5/10

12.  Beavis and Butthead (8×01) – I knew there was a reason I never got into this show back in the day.  Because it’s annoying.  5/10

13.  Grimm “Pilot” (1×01) – So very very lame.  4.5/10

Related posts:

1. Best of the Week: 17th-23rd Jan
2. Best of the Week: 2nd – 8th Oct 2011: Twitter Style
3. Best of the Week: 16th – 22nd Oct 2011

Best of the Week: 23rd – 29th Oct 2011 HollywoodHubbub

A weekly post with the purpose of highlighting the shows I watched during the week from Sunday to Saturday and how I ranked them.  It’s not intended as a list of all shows on the air, only those that I actually watched during the week.  Watching something on Monday that aired on Friday won’t make the cut.

Like everything on this site it’s for my own enjoyment but feel free to comment.

This week has again been dominated by FIFA 12, with the added bonus that I got the new iPhone 4S on Friday and didn’t watch any TV.  This has led to a reduction in the number of shows I watched this week.

1.  Breaking Bad “Face Off” (4×13) – An absolutely fantastic conclusion to the season and one which will hopefully set up next season (being the shows last) to be the one where Walt faces the possibility of actually getting caught by Hank.  It’s a shame that Gus is gone but this was an amazing episode.  9.5/10

2.  The Vampire Diaries “The Reckoning” (3×05) – When Klaus snapped Tyler’s neck I was happy.  Not because I thought for one second that he was actually dead, but because I knew there was gonna be another change in the dynamics of the show.  Either Tyler was going to die or he was gonna be turned into a hybrid.  Good stuff.  Plus we also got some info on the guy who’s chasing Klaus.  His name’s Michael and he’s a vampire who’s also a hunter.  Like I said, good stuff.  8/10

3.  Community “Remedial Chaos Theory” (3×04) – I really enjoyed the alternate timelines, each one telling the same short story differently.  It reminded me of the multiple endings to Clue, one of my favourite films of all time.  7.5/10

4.  Parks and Recreation “Pawnee Rangers” (4×04) – Ron was awesome, as he always is, plus every episode where Ron and Leslie compete with each other is good.  7/10

5.  American Horror Story “Home Invasion” (1×02) – It continues to be kinda weird and random, and I like it.  This episode also benefited from the fact that Dylan McDermott wasn’t around much.  He’s the week link for me so far.  6.5/10

6.  2 Broke Girls “And the Rich People Problems” (1×04) – Finally, the girls are starting to develop a friendship.  6.5/10

7.  How I Met Your Mother “Field Trip” (7×05) – Kal Penn was wasted again, but this was certainly a better episode than last weeks.  6.5/10

8.  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia “Frank’s Brother” (7×04) – Some of it was good, but the gang did just about nothing for the entire episode.  That’s a letdown.  6/10

9.  Whitney “A Decent Proposal” (1×04) – I don’t think this is as good as previous episodes based on the fact that Whitney’s friends were sort of pushed to the foreground.  I like that Mark was more involved this week though.  6/10

10.  South Park “The Last of the Meheecans” (15×09) – This episode was so average I stopped watching after 5 minutes and went and made dinner.  Chicken and pasta for those wondering.  5/10

11.  Survivor “Taste The Victory” (23×05) – It continues to be average, but most seasons of Survivor usually are.  5/10

Related posts:

1. Best of the Week: 2nd – 8th Oct 2011: Twitter Style
2. Best of the Week: 18th – 24th Sept 2011
3. Best of the Week: 25th Sept – 1st Oct 2011

Best of the Week: 9th – 15th Oct 2011 HollywoodHubbub

A weekly post with the purpose of highlighting the shows I watched during the week from Sunday to Saturday and how I ranked them.  It’s not intended as a list of all shows on the air, only those that I actually watched during the week.  Watching something on Monday that aired on Friday won’t make the cut.

Like everything on this site it’s for my own enjoyment but feel free to comment.

NBA 2K12 and FIFA 12 have taken up a great deal of my free time this week so I’m gonna do my Best of the Week Twitter style.  140 characters or less.

1.  Modern Family “Door to Door” (3×04) – A really great episode of Modern Family.  Sometimes this show blows my mind with how good it is.  8.5/10

2.  Parks and Recreation “Born & Raised” (4×03) – Ron and April should always be together.  Plus another good appearance of Joan.  8/10

3.  Breaking Bad “End Times” (4×12) – Not as good as last week, but impressive nonetheless.  8/10

4.  The Vampire Diaries “Disturbing Behavior” (3×04) – I love how this show moves at such a brisk pace.  Klaus is back in Mystic Falls.  7/10

5.  American Horror Story “Pilot” (1×01) – It’s a weird, freaky, retro, David Lynchian horror drama from the creators of Glee.  And I really liked it.  I just hope they keep it weird.  7/10

6.  South Park “Ass Burgers” (15×08) - Wow.  This has to be the darkest episode of South Park I’ve ever seen.  It wasn’t necessarily that funny, but it was pretty damn good.  6.5/10

7.  Community “Competitive Ecology” (3×03) – Chang was completely unhinged and Todd was cool.  Much better than last weeks episode.  6.5/10

8.  2 Broke Girls “And Strokes of Goodwill” (1×03) – Kat Dennings is still awesome, and Beth Behrs is growing on me.  6/10

9.  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia “Sweet Dee Gets Audited” (7×04) – Definitely a step down from the last couple of weeks.  6/10

10.  Whitney “Silent Treatment” (1×03) – I just don’t get the high level of criticism this show get.  It’s far superior to The Big Bang Theory in my opinion.  6/10

11.  New Girl “Wedding” (1×03) – Another poor choice of having the guys support Jess by doing something dumb. You don’t need to force “heart”.  Just be funny.  5.5/10

12.  Suburgatory “The Barbecue” (1×02) – Meh.  It was OK but that’s it.  5.5/10

13.  How I Met Your Mother “The Stinson Missile Crisis” (7×04) – Lame.  So very lame.  5/10

14.  Survivor “Survivalism” (23×04) - Mykayla is still around so that’s good.  5/10

Related posts:

1. Best of the Week: 7th-13th Feb (Twitter style)
2. Best of the Week: 8th-14th Nov (Twitter style)
3. Best of the Week: 18th – 24th Sept 2011

Best of the Week: 2nd – 8th Oct 2011: Twitter Style HollywoodHubbub

A weekly post with the purpose of highlighting the shows I watched during the week from Sunday to Saturday and how I ranked them.  It’s not intended as a list of all shows on the air, only those that I actually watched during the week.  Watching something on Monday that aired on Friday won’t make the cut.

Like everything on this site it’s for my own enjoyment but feel free to comment.

I’ve dropped Hart of Dixie, and I won’t be watching any more of Two and a Half Men, but I’m still willing to give some other new shows a little longer to keep me on the line.

1.  Breaking Bad “Crawl Space” (4×11) – Holy hell.  It’s episodes like this that ratchet the tension up to unbearable levels which shows you why this might be the best show on TV.  I cannot wait to see what happens next.  Although I can’t help shake the feeling that nothing of consequence will happen to the White family or Hank.  It never does.  They play the angle that someone’s in danger but there’s never that payoff.  I hope the show proves me wrong.  9/10

2.  The Vampire Diaries “The End of the Affair” (3×03) - Hooray, another great flashback episode from one of the best shows at doing that.  I’m curious to know who the guy chasing the originals is.  Plus, I really really hope that Stefan and Elena are a thing of the past.  But something tells me Rebekah isn’t gonna be around for too long.  Also, the perfect amount of Bonnie, Jeremy and Matt.  None.  8/10

3.  How I Met Your Mother “Ducky Tie” (7×03) - A massive massive improvement over the double episodes last week.  This one felt far more like a classic episode of HIMYM.  7.5/10

4.  Modern Family “Phil On Wire” (3×03) - Four enjoyable stories from each of the families (two from the Dunphy’s) and another set of impressive performances from Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell.  7/10

5.  Parks and Recreation “Ron & Tammys” (4×02) - Neutered Ron is really creepy.  Now I just hope there’s a showdown between all three Tammys.  I loved the cameo by Roy Hibbert.  One of my favourite young NBA players.  7/10

6.  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia “Frank Reynolds’ Little Beauties” (7×03) - An episode of this show based on kiddie beauty pageants, how could it not be weird and super uncomfortable?  Thankfully this episode delivers like you’d expect it to.  Dee berates a young girl, Frank is crazy inappropriate, and Mac, Charlie and Dennis do an awesome techno/Kraftwerk performance.  7/10

7.  Archer “Heart of Archness: Part III” (3×03) - The last part of the trilogy opener to season 3.  It was enjoyable, as all three episodes have been, but it feels like something’s missing.  The show doesn’t seem to have that same spark that it had in earlier episodes.  Still good though.  6.5/10

8.  New Girl “Kryptonite” (1×02) - I kinda miss Coach, but this was another positive episode.  It’s a little strange that there was another display of solidarity with the guys backing up Jess.  I’m hopeful that’s not gonna be a running theme with this show.  Still, Zooey Deschanel continues to be unbelievably charming, so what’s not to like about the show?  6.5/10

9.  Whitney “First Date” (1×02) – A big step up from last week and a good episode in it’s own right.  Despite what the various reviews I’ve stumbled upon might say.  Plus I got to see Whitney in another slutty outfit.  Hooray.  6.5/10

10.  2 Broke Girls “and the Break-Up Scene” (1×02) - I’m not sure why the reviews I’ve read said this episode was so bad.  I enjoyed it.  I could do without the horse, so I hope they sell it or it dies, but I thought Behrs was much better this week.  I continue to love Kat Dennings.  6.5/10

11.  Boardwalk Empire “21″ (2×01) - Oh my God this show is slow.  Even the second season premiere didn’t build any excitement for the rest of the season.  I know it’s gonna be good but couldn’t the writers at least tried to hook me with something.  6/10

12.  Community “Geography of Global Conflict” (3×02) - Ken Jeong was the highlight in a pretty ordinary episode.  The whole Annie’s nemesis plot was really lame.  Props for Martin Starr though.  Gotta love that guy.  Freaks and Geeks FTW.  6/10

13.  Person of Interest “Ghosts” (1×02) - Another show that improved on the season premiere.  This time we got another standalone episode (which I think will be the norm with this show), but we also got to see some of the history surrounding the development of the machine.  Some groundwork for the “mystery” of the founder of the company was also laid.  All in all this episode gave me renewed enthusiasm for the show moving forward.  6/10

14.  Pan Am “Pilot” (1×01) - You know what, it was better than I thought it’d be.  And that’s worth something.  6/10

15.  Suburgatory “Pilot” (1×01) - It was definitely better than I thought it would be, and I was very surprised to see Alan Tudyk.  Hopefully he’s gonna be a major player for this show.  I’ll be coming back to see how it develops.  5.5/10

16.  Fringe “One Night in October” (4×02) – I made it about 20 minutes into the episode, up to the point where the guy was clearly going to discover that he was in some weird alternate universe, and then I quit.  I’m not ready to give up on the show entirely, but I just hate these freak of the week episodes.  Give me mythology all the time.  5.5/10

17.  Glee “I Am Unicorn” (3×02) - More Brittany, which is always welcome, but the songs were extremely boring.  I don’t watch this show for Broadway numbers.  I watch it for pop and rock songs.  That’s what I want.  Any episode without that I typically find to be a letdown.  5.5/10

18.  Survivor (23×03) - Brandon’s a dick.  Mikayla is awesome.  End of story.  5/10

19.  The Secret Circle “Loner” (1×03) - I can’t get over the feeling that unlike the first season of The Vampire Diaries, this show just isn’t building any early momentum with the stories it’s telling.  I want this show to develop into a good companion to The Vampire Diaries but so far I can’t help but be let down.  5/10

20.  How To Be A Gentleman “Pilot” (1×01) - I thought I’d give this show a go just because I wanted something to watch, so imagine my surprise when I saw Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day listed as producers.  Unfortunately the show is nowhere near as brilliant as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  4.5/10

21.  The Big Bang Theory “The Pulled Groin Extrapolation” (5×03) - That’s it.  90 episodes of mind-numbingly shit television is enough.  I will not be watching this piss poor excuse for comedy ever again.  I’ve had a large enough sample to be able to say with concrete certainty that anyone who likes this show doesn’t know good TV.  3/10

22.  Terra Nova “Genesis” (1×01 & 1×02) – I made it 17 minutes into this show before I had enough.  That slow motion “reveal” of the kid in the back pack was just too lame for me.  3/10

Related posts:

1. Best of the Week: 18th – 24th Sept 2011
2. Best of the Week: Delayed by FIFA 11 Edition (26th Sept – 2nd Oct 2010)
3. Best of the Week: 20th Sept

Best of the Week: 25th Sept – 1st Oct 2011 HollywoodHubbub

A weekly post with the purpose of highlighting the shows I watched during the week from Sunday to Saturday and how I ranked them.  It’s not intended as a list of all shows on the air, only those that I actually watched during the week.  Watching something on Monday that aired on Friday won’t make the cut.

Like everything on this site it’s for my own enjoyment but feel free to comment.

Oh my God, TV is finally back in full swing.  Last week featured the return of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the premiere of some new shows, but this week the floodgates really opened.  And holy hell did I watch a shit ton of TV this week.  Not only did I watch approximately 11 hours 39 minutes of shows that aired this week, but I also watched every episode of The Vampire Diaries.  45 episodes.  The equivalent of roughly 33 hours and 45 minutes.  I can’t believe I’d never seen an episode before last Saturday.

So for the week I watched about 45 hours 24 minutes of TV shows.  And that doesn’t even take into account the movies I watched.  I’m impressed with myself.

1.  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia “The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore” (7×02) - What’s not to love about this episode.  Dee gets braids, Mac is still fat, Charlie has a romantic moment with the waitress, Dennis and Dee smoke angel dust and people get shot, and Charlie, Dee and Dennis encounter two homeless guys fucking under the boardwalk.  Awesome stuff.  8.5/10

2.  Parks and Recreation “I’m Leslie Knope” (4×01) – What’s weird is nothing really stood out to me, but it was yet another great half hour of comedy, from one of the top 3 comedies on TV.  I particularly liked Ann’s storyline of all the guys in City Hall sending her pictures of their dicks.  8.5/10

3.  Community “Biology 101″ (3×01) – John Goodman and Jim Rash.  I hope that becomes an ongoing thing this season.  And Ken Jeong better get a whole hell of a lot more screen time or else I’m gonna be very disappointed.  Props to this episode for also letting me get a glimpse of Annie’s (Alison Brie’s) underwear.  7/10

4.  Breaking Bad “Salud” (4×10) – The Walter and Walt Jr stuff was crappy, the Skyler stuff was even worse, but the Jesse, Gus and Mike stuff easily made up for what was boring about this episode.  Who the hell knows what’s gonna happen between now and the end of the season.  7/10

5.  Modern Family “When Good Kids Go Bad” (3×02) – Julie Bowen was good in this episode.  I mean, really good.  Plus, “Kill the new baby”, how freaking funny is that.  7/10

6.  Modern Family “Dude Ranch” (3×01) – Same rating as above, but I just didn’t like the setting of the episode that much.  I did enjoy the New York kid and Alex’s scenes.  And I can’t help but be a little disappointed that Dylan may no longer be around.  7/10

7.  The Vampire Diaries “The Hybrid” (3×02) – Just the right about of Bonnie (none), too much Stefan, too much Jeremy, and nowhere near enough Caroline.  It looks like Klaus is either aware that Elena is not dead, or he will be soon.  Hopefully that means he returns to Mystic Falls.  Plus Horn Rimmed Glasses guy from Heroes has arrived as Caroline’s father.  6.5/10

8.  Glee “The Purple Piano Project” (3×01) - The gang singing The Go-Go’s “We Got The Beat” was the highlight of the episode, plus the wonderfully awesome Heather Morris and Naya Rivera are back on my TV.  I really hope they get even more to do this season.  And that they finally start their lesbian relationship.  That whole storyline was easily the most effective and moving aspect of last season.  6/10

9.  Archer “Heart of Archness: Part 2″ (3×02) – David Cross featured so that’s an obvious bonus, but Judy Greer did just about nothing, so that brings it back down.  Plus for the most part it wasn’t very funny.  6/10

10.  New Girl “Pilot” (1×01) – See my review.  6/10

11.  The Secret Circle “” (1×02) – I’m hopeful that this show will develop like The Vampire Diaries has.  The only thing which kinda concerns me at the moment is I don’t typically like “witch” stories.  I think the whole genre lends itself to lazy and easy writing.  Unlike vampire tales, which in general have rules which govern the powers (silver, garlic, vervain, stake through the heart), witch tales aren’t like that.  If something can’t be done, then there’s a spell for it.  I’ve seen it a couple of times in The Vampire Diaries so far.  Someone dies and can’t be brought back, never worry because we just found a long lost spellbook.  As long as The Secret Circle doesn’t fall into this trap I’m gonna enjoy watching it.  And I hope down the line they do a crossover with The Vampire Diaries.  6/10

12.  2 Broke Girls “Pilot” (1×01) – Beth Behrs was completely underwhelming but I really do love Kat Dennings.  Therefore, I rate it as slightly above average.  I have a feeling the show will stick around thanks in no small part to the lead-in it has.  5.5/10

13.  How I Met Your Mother “The Best Man” (7×01) – Has it really come to this?  A show that I consistently thought was among the funniest on TV is now making jokes about its own lame storytelling device.  Yeah, we get it, you’re gonna drag out the whole “how I met your mother” angle until the very end.  Fucking bullshit.  Not even Barney is funny anymore.  Plus, I hate to say it, but Alyson Hannigan is starting to look old.  5.5/10

14.  Survivor “He Has Demons” (23×02) – I want Ozzy to win.  If not him, then Mikayla, Papa Bear, and Cochran.  In that order.  The problem is none of the people I want to win ever do.  That inevitably leads me to get angry with the show.  Just as long as Brandon goes soon I’ll be happy.  And that’s coming from a massive fan of Russell.  5.5/10

15.  Fringe “Neither Here Nor There” (4×01) – It was plainly average.  I don’t have much else to say.  5/10

16.  Person of Interest “Pilot” (1×01) – I’m hopeful that as the season progresses there will be an extra layer of intrigue introduced, because if it stays like it is in the pilot, it’s simply a by the numbers procedural.  And that’s a waste of Michael Emerson’s talent.  5/10

17.  Free Agents “What I Did for Work” (1×02) – Azaria and Hahn are so charming, it’s a shame the show doesn’t appear to be funny in the slightest.  5/10

18.  The Big Bang Theory “The Skank Reflex Analysis” (5×01) – This show is always average to below average, and I can’t explain for the life of me why I continue to watch it.  It must be because I’m continually hoping to see Kaley Cuoco in something vaguely slutty.  4.5/10

19.  The Big Bang Theory “The Infestation Hypothesis” (5×02) – As above.  4.5/10

20.  Two and a Half Men “Nice To Meet You, Walden Schmidt” (9×01) – I checked out the season premiere only because I actually like Ashton Kutcher, not because I’m a fan of the show.  I watched the first three seasons over the last month or so for the first time, and found it to be even less funny than The Big Bang Theory.  Kutcher didn’t help in the funny department.  How this show continues to get good ratings is beyond me.  4.5/10

21.  Up All Night “Cool Neighbors” (1×02) – So far this might be the worst kind of sitcom, one that goes for that “uncomfortable” humour and ends up being completely and totally unfunny.  It doesn’t help that I truly dislike Christina Applegate.  When oh when is Will Arnett gonna catch a break and end up on a good show again?  4/10

22.  The Playboy Club “Pilot” (1×01) – In my eyes this show very clearly wants to be Mad Men.  It’s trying for that same kind of style and awareness of the social mores of the time, but it fails at everything in the pilot.  I didn’t expect it to be good and it’s not.  I love it when I’m right.  4/10

23.  Hart of Dixie “Pilot” (1×01) – I love The O.C..  And it should go without saying that I love Rachel Bilson by extension.  But the pilot for Hart of Dixie was really underwhelming.  I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but Rachel Bilson is just too hot to be a doctor.  And it’s because of that (and my general distaste for medical shows) that I’m gonna have to give up on Hart of Dixie after just one episode.  4/10

Related posts:

1. Best of the Week: 18th-24th Oct
2. Best of the Week: 20th Sept
3. Best of the Week: 20th-26th Sept

Best of the Week: 18th – 24th Sept 2011 HollywoodHubbub