Premiere Week Part 2

Premiere week is now over, and I still have a lot to watch. But here are some quick takes on all the comedies I watched this week, both the returning and the new. New shows first.

If you listened to most critics on Fox's two new Tuesday night comedies, you'd set the series pass on Raising Hope and figure Running Wilde would be a complete waste of time. But personally, I liked Running Wilde better. It's certainly flawed and far from perfect, but when it comes to which one holds more promise and makes me laugh more, it's Wilde.

From the creator of Arrested Development, starring Will Arnett and featuring David Cross, Running Wilde has very much the same tone as its comedy classic predecessor. Steven Wilde (Arnett) is the rich son of an oil company owner who's never had to work or grow up in his life, and Emmy Kadubic (Keri Russell) is an environmental activist who's spent the past six years in the Amazon. They had a thing when they were teens, and now Emmy's back in town. The show's narrated by Emmy's daughter Puddle, who otherwise chooses not to speak, and the rest of the supporting cast consists of the people who take care of Wilde and his competitively rich frenemy/neighbor.

Like most pilots, this one crams a lot into 22 minutes, so it's hard to tell what a normal episode will be just yet. Arnett and Russell's interactions could use some work, and nobody in the supporting cast has really stood out so well (though I sense potential in the neighbor character). But given the amount of talent behind this show, I bet all of that can be worked out down the line. In the meantime, the pilot has more laughs than most other comedies on TV, the three leads are all likable, and AD's style of humor is very much at work. There's even an overt reference to it with one of GOB's catchphrases.

Verdict: May ultimately go either way, but I'm certainly sticking with it for the time being.

As for the show that airs before it, Raising Hope, I'm betting this falls into the category of decent shows that just aren't for me. From the creator of My Name is Earl, the tone is very similar: sweet and funny, but way more sweet than funny, with a cast of colorful hicks. Jimmy (Lucas Neff) is a young pool skimmer trying to figure out his life's purpose when he ends up in charge of a baby for fairly entertaining reasons. His parents want him to give it away since they barely managed to raise him, but he's determined. So the show's about the three of them not-so-successfully trying to raise the baby.

There's a big missed opportunity by taking the baby's mother out of the picture by the 15 minute mark, since she was one of the better characters. And the pilot's best moment may be an inside joke about My Name is Earl's cancellation. Since otherwise the show's more about awww moments than big laughs. And when it does go for laughs, it tends to be in the broader slapstick direction, especially those involving Cloris Leachman's often-topless senile grandmother. And it doesn't have as strong a hook or characters as Earl did. It wants to be the next Modern Family, but it's just not as clever.

Verdict: I'll give it one or two more episodes to be sure, but this one just isn't for me.

Speaking of Modern Family, it came back this week very true to form: no frills, no crazy plot developments, just simple hilarity. Of the three plotlines this week, I'm calling Mitchell and Cameron the funniest, as Mitchell sets out to build Lily a castle using his supposed college theater abilities while Cameron and Jay try to keep him as far away from the tools as possible. Mitchell defending himself while accidentally cutting down the flowers is classic. But plenty of good stuff elsewhere as well, with the Dunphys taking one last trip in the car they hadn't used in years, and Gloria getting jealous of Manny's study date. MF continues to be the most consistently funny show on air.

On to NBC's Thursday, where Community started off the set with plenty of cliffhangers to resolve. Last year I gave Community three episodes then let it go. But it takes time for a comedy's ensemble to gel together, and when I gave it another shot this summer I ended up really liking it.

The premiere sure makes it seem like this could be a break-out year for the show. With season 1 ending with all sorts of love quadrangle drama, this week addressed everything in a way that stayed funny and set up the rest of the season. Overexposed as she may be, Betty White's guest spot totally worked, and it will be interesting to see how letting Senor Chang into the study group will alter the dynamics.

With The Office and 30 Rock increasingly heading into old age, Community's quickly becoming NBC's top show to watch on Thursday nights.

30 Rock started its 5th (!!!) year with plenty of meta references to the fact that nobody expected it to last this long. It's also no longer top comedy dog now that buzz has shifted over to Modern Family and Glee. Which I think is a good thing, as all the overhyping didn't really serve what's basically a fun little gem. And with lowered expectations, it still delivers.

It does seem 30 Rock is the place to go for dramatic actors trying to prove they can do comedy, as Matt Damon follows in Jon Hamm's footsteps to reprise his season finale role as Liz's pilot boyfriend Carol. Having initially played the role pretty straight, Damon definitely gets laughs as he reveals Carol to be kind of needy. Too bad he can't stay too long if he wants to keep making movies.

Elsewhere, the Kenneth-gets-fired plot continues, as Tracy misses him while he settles in at CBS (sorting the Letterman audience by attractiveness). A bit of a missed opportunity as Jenna is given a producer credit only to give it up by the end of the episode. Would have been fun to see her fight with Liz and Pete on stuff throughout the season. And no sign of Danny, except on Glee. There's a danger this season will continue on the all Jack and Liz's love lives, all the time track it keeps heading on, but so far so good.

Finally, The Office maybe should have ended a few seasons ago (why do they want to continue after Michael leaves?), but it always starts its seasons strong and this year was no exception. Last year we met some summer interns, and this year we got Luke, the new office assistant. Who's also Michael's nephew. And sucks at his job. Which led to plenty of hilarity and great Michael moments.

Even better, a return to the Jim and Pam pranks of old, which had been neglected since the writers decided all Jim and Pam could do was be cute. Unfortunately, Dwight continues to become more of a sitcom caricature with every second he's onscreen. Enjoying Kelly thinking she's smart and professional without backing it up. Sad for Andy that Erin left him for Gabe. And not really sure what the deal with the lip dub thing at the beginning of the episode was about. A take-off on a youtube video I haven't seen?

If this year's like the past few years, The Office has 5 good episodes in it before it starts to drag again. But all the writer interviews I've read say they're stepping it up for Michael's last year, so maybe this will be a return to form. It's certainly possible.

TV Midseason Preview 2010

Hey everyone, happy New Year! I know we're already a few days into 2010, but for the first Zandervision post of the year I thought it would make sense to look ahead to all of the various TV show returns, season premieres, and new shows over the next few months. Many thanks to Entertainment Weekly for essentially already doing this, and if you're curious about a show I don't watch, go there.

Scrubs and Better Off Ted (January 5th, 8-10 PM, ABC)

These shows have been airing straight through the holidays, but starting Tuesday they begin doubling up to expedite the burning-off process. While Scrubs' likely cancellation may be for the best, Better Off Ted just keeps getting funnier. Maybe think about giving it a shot before it disappears for good?

Modern Family (January 6th, 9-9:30 PM, ABC)

The funniest new show of the season returns with Benjamin Bratt guest starring as Manny's father.

How I Met Your Mother (January 11th, 8-8:30 PM, CBS)

Not only is this the date that HIMYM returns, but it also marks its 100th episode with Rachel Bilson guest starring, the promise of actually seeing the mother, and best of all, a big musical number featuring the entire cast in suits.

30 Rock (January 14th, 9-10 PM, NBC)

30 Rock returns with two episodes in a row? I want to go to there.

Archer (January 14th, 10-10:30 PM, FX, NEW SHOW)

I missed the preview during the fall, but this animated comedy for adults from some Adult Swim writers is supposed to be well worth a look.

Project Runway (January 14th, 10-11 PM, Lifetime)

If it seems soon for another season of Project Runway, it's probably to wipe away our memories of last season's disaster. But since this time it's back in New York with all judges present, I'll give it at least a few episodes.

The Golden Globe Awards (January 17th, NBC)

The awards themselves don't mean much (if they gave Nine 5 nods they clearly don't watch the movies), but Ricky Gervais as host should make for an entertaining night.

Human Target (January 17th, 8-9 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)

A comic book based action show starring Mark Valley, Chi McBride, and Jackie Earle Haley. Sounds cool to me.

24 (January 17th & 18th, 9-11 PM & 8-10 PM, Fox)

Yes! Bauer is back, and this time in New York with a ton of new blood including Freddie Prinze Jr., Starbuck, Indian Regis Philbin from Slumdog Millionaire, and Bubba from Forrest Gump. Plus some old blood in Chloe, Renee, and President Taylor.

Life UneXpected (January 18th, 9-10 PM, The CW, NEW SHOW)

TV Guide Magazine calls it "Gilmore Girls meets Juno." Since it's about a teenager who becomes friends with her biological parents, if you like Gilmore Girls, you'll probably like this. Not my kind of show, but at least it's not yet another remake of something from the '90s

The Office (January 21st, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)

With the sale of Dunder Mifflin, maybe The Office will find yet another way to keep itself relevant in its 6th season. Just as long as they never do something like "Scott's Tots" ever again.

Dollhouse (January 22nd, 9-10 PM, Fox)

Not a return but an ending, as Dollhouse airs its series finale. Since the episode is titled "Epitaph 2," it looks like Echo and De Witt's fight against Rossum won't stop the eventual apocalypse, but we may find out what happens to everyone after tech takes over.

Caprica (January 22nd, 9-11 PM, SyFy, NEW SHOW)

If you want to get a headstart on this prequel series to Battlestar Galactica, you can catch the two-hour pilot on DVD. Having just watched it, I can say it's nowhere up to BSG quality yet and is a lot slower paced, but I still found enough cool and intriguing stuff here to want to check out the show. Seems appropriate to be premiering the night Dollhouse ends, since I could certainly use something to fill the sci-fi void.

Spartacus (January 22nd, 9-10 PM, Starz, NEW SHOW)

This attempt to essentially turn 300 into a TV show is probably far too silly for my taste, but if the idea of Lucy Lawless doing something somewhat back in the Xena realm sounds exciting, this is the show for you.

Damages (January 25th, 10-11 PM, FX)

Heading into its third season, Damages is looking to be just as complex and crazy as ever. This time the case centers on a Bernie Madoff like figure (played by original Sweeney Todd Len Cariou) and his wacky family, including wife Lily Tomlin, son Campbell Scott, and secret keeper Martin Short, in an attempt to go serious. If nothing else, Damages always wins for creative casting.

Lost (February 2nd, 9-11 PM, ABC)

Beginning its final season, Lost is easily my most anticipated return of all of 2010. Since the writers say even a single clip would give away everything, all I can say about season 6 is that Claire's back, a bunch of dead people guest star, and it's going to be awesome.

Parenthood (March 1st, 9-10 PM, NBC)

Originally slated for the fall, Parenthood intrigued me then and still does now that Lauren Graham's starring. Though does that mean I need to see the movie?

Gossip Girl (March 8th, 8-9 PM, The CW)

Why such a long break mid-season? Hopefully the writers are taking their time to come up with something good to close the season, because Dan's threesome and Tripp's bug-eyes certainly don't count. And no, neither does bringing Chuck's mom back from the dead.

V (March 30th, 10-11 PM, ABC)

It's looking like a massive ratings drop is inevitable given ABC's idiotic decision to take a long break after airing the initial four episodes. But if you keep watching, the mistake doesn't have to be fatal.

Glee (April 13th, 9-10 PM, Fox)

Another mind-bogglingly long mid-season wait, but the promise of Sue Sylvester singing and dancing makes it worthwhile. The bigger problem will be what to watch first now that Glee and Lost share a timeslot.

Top TV Shows of the Decade

Yesterday was movies, today is top TV shows of the decade. In some ways, picking the TV shows of the decade is even harder, as what shows belong to the '00s? Should we count a show like Buffy, that spent half its time in the '00s but had all its best seasons in the '90s (I'm saying no)? Or what about a show like True Blood, which has already made an impression this decade even though most of its seasons will air in the '10s (again, no)?

In most other ways though, picking TV shows is a lot easier. You don't have to sift through previous lists to find the brightest gems; these are shows we've watched for years and spent countless hours obsessing over. So before I begin, I just want to explain a few high-profile omissions: The West Wing may very well deserve to be on this list, but I never regularly watched it, something I'll someday remedy on DVD. While I do love The Wire, the two seasons I've seen aren't enough to beat what's already on here. And finally, I've never seen a single episode of The Shield.

With that out of the way, let's get to it:

11. Freaks and Geeks

Ok, I'm cheating, but I couldn't leave Freaks and Geeks off. In only 17 episodes, Freaks and Geeks became the most believable high school show on TV, with kids that actually looked their age and problems they would actually face. And in one of my favorite storylines, the geek won his dreamgirl...only to immediately realize she's boring! The show would go on to launch the careers of Judd Apatow, James Franco, Jason Segel, and Seth Rogen, to name but a few, but on its own it's a high school show that anyone can relate to, even those of us too young to be there in 1980.

10. Mad Men

Mad Men may still be young in its run, but it's gone through so much in three seasons that it has certainly earned its spot. A historical show so compelling it actually got me to watch (unlike Deadwood and Rome), Mad Men makes 1960s New York come alive while also serving as a great character piece for any age. In every way it earns the title of "the next Sopranos."

9. Battlestar Galactica

It may have been set in a sci-fi universe, but Battlestar Galactica had more to say about our world than anything else on TV, and showed sci-fi can be a powerful way of making a statement. With fascinatingly dark characters and twists out of nowhere, BSG's four seasons stand as a fully realized vision complete with a great ending.

8. Farscape

Keeping up with the sci-fi theme, Farscape may be the least watched and least remembered show on this list, but it's also the first sci-fi show I loved and one of the first shows that showed me what TV can do. With cool plots, great characters, and muppets, Farscape was the kind of cult show you felt unique for watching, which just made its cancellation all the more difficult.

7. The Office (UK)

The American remake may have more viewers and has certainly had more episodes, but I still say the original 12 episodes + Christmas special of the British version accomplished more. Less cartoonish and more heartfelt, the original let Tim be as pitiable as he was likable and made Gareth the kind of rule-following dork you might actually find in your office (as opposed to Dwight's over-the-top buffoon). The second series finale is still one of the most depressing TV endings I have ever seen, and the Christmas special one of the happiest. That's some impressive range.

6. Dexter

Hard to believe a show about a likable serial killer could be one of the best shows of the decade, but with other shows glorifying killers like Tony Soprano and Vic Mackey, Dexter Morgan's killer with a code doesn't seem so bad. More importantly, Dexter started big with the Ice Truck Killer, and every year works to up the ante with the Bay Harbor Butcher and the Trinity Killer. With four great seasons, it's not only one of the most consistent shows on this list, but also the most addictive show to ever air on cable.

5. Six Feet Under

Further proof that Michael C. Hall has had a great decade: that he was equally convincing in the most un-Dexter part imaginable. You didn't always like everyone in the Fisher clan (in fact, I hated everyone for a full season each), but that just made their stories all the more compelling. It may have started as American Beauty: The TV Show, but by the time it reached its unforgettable ending it had evolved into something more.

4. The Sopranos

No show had more of an influence over the '00s than The Sopranos. Not only is it single-handedly responsible for the emergence of cable as a place for quality original programming, but it also led television to be taken seriously as an art form. Without The Sopranos, there would be no Mad Men, no The Shield, and no Dexter. And regardless of what you thought of the still-discussed finale, it had a pretty remarkable run.

3. 24

The Sopranos may have had the biggest influence on TV this decade, but 24 best represented the decade on TV. Premiering right after 9/11 in 2001, 24 brought the War on Terror to TV screens, and cemented terrorists as the new communists as far as action villains go. With its crazy twists and infamous character deaths, 24 is the reason every show goes kill crazy each May. And as much as I like Christian Bale's Batman, Jack Bauer is the real superhero of the decade.

2. Arrested Development

It may have only lasted three low-rated seasons, but Arrested Development is also the smartest and funniest comedy of all time. That's right I said it: Arrested Development is better than Seinfeld. After all, what other show do you need to watch five times just to get most of the jokes? Or features so many recurring gags that real fans always laugh harder than casual ones? With one of the looniest ensembles on TV and the most endlessly quotable lines, Arrested Development is a no-brainer for comedy of the decade.

1. Lost

So many shows have tried to imitate it (cough FlashForward cough), and so many have tried to explain its roots, but the fact is that Lost is a true original, the kind of experience that can only come but once a decade, if ever. A cult show that finds room for oven ten million viewers. A mystery that asks three new questions for every answer it gives. And a character piece that regularly makes even the most minor supporting character seem fascinating after a few well-placed flashbacks. With some of the most iconic characters, images, and storylines currently on TV, Lost is more than a more popular Twin Peaks, a more serialized X-Files, or a more intelligent Gilligan's Island. It's the show of the decade.

So there's my picks. Some shows that just barely missed the cut include The Wire, Veronica Mars, How I Met Your Mother, Scrubs, Alias, The Office (US), and 30 Rock.

Which shows topped your decade? What am I overrating? What am I missing? And what do you think will make this list ten years from now for the 2010s? Let me know in the comments.

NBC Thursday

Thursday night marked the return of a number of shows on NBC. I don't watch Parks & Recreation (after that humorless pilot, it would take a lot for me to give it another shot), and SNL's pretty low priority, but I would like to chime in on a premiere and a pilot, in that order.

Count this week's episode of The Office in the category of "I can't believe they've never done an episode on this before." How in the world did it take five seasons to think of office rumors as fodder for comedy? However, unlike the other seemingly obvious idea (the Michael Scott roast), this one actually (mostly) worked.

On the one hand, amazing that Michael's attempt at obviously fake rumors so often came out true (most notably in Pam being pregnant). But far funnier were some of his less plausible rumors. My favorites: that Kevin had someone else inside him and that Toby was a virgin (not nearly enough Toby hating last year. I'm glad it's back). While seeing Michael end Stanley's marriage was maybe not so funny, it's nice to see this past-its-prime comedy still has some good ideas left in it. Maybe there is a sixth season left in it after all.

One final gripe though: it took five seasons to bring in interns, and that's all the show did with them? There's so many jokes to be made about interns, especially in that setting, and they barely scratched the surface. The new blood alone would have been welcome. Farewell, Jet Li, Julia Stiles, and Robin Thicke. We hardly knew ye. Or why Michael chose those nicknames (except Julia Stiles, he's right on that one).

Grade: B

First pilot review of the season! And critics said it's one of the better ones. I'd say it's got exactly three things working for it so far:

1. John Oliver. Hilarious in every single one of his scenes.

2. Joel McHale. While at first too sarcastic, he soon proved himself a likable and funny central character.

3. The writing is actually (if only sporadically) funny.

Otherwise, the show's more of a mixed bag. I'll add Britta (the girl Joel McHale keeps asking out) to the list of people I like, but the rest of the cast still seem too much like types. Abed had promise, until he turned into "guy who quotes movies constantly" (it's NEVER funny! when will they realize that!) It's funny to see Pete Campbell's wife as Aderall Annie, but the nickname seems the extent of her character. And Chevy Chase, well, I don't even know.

I also don't know how exciting a show about a study group can actually be. Will we have to actually see them study? I'm guessing the show will quickly become more of that, and do hope it can make a college-set show (other than Undeclared) work. And with Joel McHale's likability and some Arrested Development writers in charge, I'm certainly willing to give it a few more episodes. But if things don't pick up soon, I won't be bothering to find it once 30 Rock reclaims its time slot.

Fall TV Preview

As enjoyable as summer TV could be, this week begins the process us TV junkies have been waiting for: Fall TV Season, when all of our favorite shows come back from their summer vacations to come entertain us once more. If you want to know when CSI and Grey's Anatomy come back, look elsewhere. If you want to know what I'll be watching, read on.

Glee (September 9th, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)

If you saw the pilot last May (and if you haven't, do it now), you know this is heading into the fall as frontrunner for best new show. As hard as that performance of "Don't Stop Believing" may be to top, the news that there will be 2 soundtracks in 2009 alone to cover all the songs leaves me very hopeful.

Gossip Girl (September 14th, 9-10 PM, The CW)

Will Gossip Girl avoid the college curse that's plagued every high school show ever? Since we never actually saw them in high school, and NYU barely counts as college, they stand as good a chance as anyone. Just as long as it's not another season of "omg Blair & Chuck 4eva omg."

The Office (September 17th, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)

Jim and Pam get married! Other than that, we'll really see the writers' creativity in keeping this show going into its sixth(!) season.

Community (September 17th, 9:30-10 PM, NBC, NEW SHOW)

A chance to see Joel McHale do something other than make fun of Speidi/Ryan Seacrest/Miley? I'm so there (as long as I can still get my weekly Soup fixings on Friday).

Curb Your Enthusiasm (September 20th, 9-9:30 PM, HBO)

This show's still on? After however many seasons, Larry David's found a surefire way to get people to watch: Seinfeld reunion! Guess he wins, cause I'll be watching.

Bored to Death (September 20th, 9:30-10 PM, HBO, NEW SHOW)

Sure, it's cool that the cast consists of Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson, and The Hangover's Zach Galifinokusableskiver (maybe someday I'll learn his name, but today is not that day). But the real reason I'm excited? The theme song. Wouldn't be the first time I watched a show just for its theme song (that would be Angel).

How I Met Your Mother (September 21st, 8-8:30 PM, CBS)

Barney & Robin! Ted's at Columbia! The mother's in his class! 100th episode musical spectacular! All of which suggests this season will be legen - wait for it...

Heroes (September 21st, 8-9 PM, NBC)

I know I wrote a whole post on how Heroes' fourth volume wasn't as bad as everyone said, but that doesn't mean I'm actually looking forward to the new season. It's go big or go home time for Heroes, cause I don't think anyone will put up with another year of coasting by.

...dary! Legendary!

The Good Wife (September 22nd, 10-11 PM, CBS, NEW SHOW)

This so doesn't seem like my kind of show, but critics seem to be enjoying it. And there's absolutely nothing else AT ALL on Tuesday nights. So maybe I'll check it out? We'll see.

Modern Family (September 23rd, 9-9:30 PM, ABC, NEW SHOW)

Count this as another one the critics (may or may not) have convinced me to watch. Sounds like a pretty standard family sitcom to me, but supposedly it's hilarious. Maybe I should actually watch a promo...

Cougar Town (September 23rd, 9:30-10 PM, ABC, NEW SHOW)

Ok, promos aren't going to help on this one, but it's Bill Lawrence! The Scrubs man himself! So I've got to at least give it a try.

Flash Forward (September 24th, 8-9 PM, ABC, NEW SHOW)

People keep calling it "the next Lost", thinking it will fool all of us die-hard Lost fans into watching. They're right. I can't wait. Whether it lasts past the pilot to become a great series or suffers The Nine syndrome (which many critics fear), at least it won't be an NCIS spin-off.

Dollhouse (September 25th, 9-10 PM, Fox)

Yes! After getting hooked this summer, this is one of my most anticipated returning shows. Adding to my excitement is their decision to go all-out geek this year, with guest/recurring roles by BSG's Apollo and Colonel Tigh, Summer Glau of Firefly fame, and Buffy and Angel's Alexis Denisof (aka Mr. Alyson Hannigan). Now we just need to get Amy Acker's show canceled so we can have our Whiskey back.

Saturday Night Live (September 26th, 11:30 PM-1 AM, NBC)

New girls were cast. Other girls were kicked off. Still nobody can do a decent Obama.

The Cleveland Show (September 27th, 8:30-9 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)

Even though I no longer regularly watch Family Guy, I'd still like to give the spin-off a look. Can't be as bad as American Dad, right?

Dexter (September 27th, 9-10 PM, Showtime)

Yes! My #1 most anticipated show of the fall. No matter what the storylines, I'm always happy to watch Dexter, Deb, Rita, and the rest. And with John Lithgow's Trinity Killer, the return of FBI Agent Lundy, and domesticated Dexter now married with a baby, this season should up the watercooler factor even further.

South Park (October 7th, 10-10:30 PM, Comedy Central)

South Park likes to alternate between smart, satirical humor and stupid, gross humor. While the former may be less than 25% of the show, it's good enough that I trudge through the rest.

30 Rock (October 15th, 9:30-10 PM, NBC)

Why does NBC keep holding 30 Rock back a month? If season 4 starts better than last year's guest star marathon, I'll forgive them.

V (November 3rd, 8-9 PM, ABC, NEW SHOW)

Juliet vs. aliens? What's not to love? It's like a preview to the Lost series finale (I'm kidding....I hope).

So that's what I'm looking forward to. How about you? What new shows are you most excited to try, what returning favorites have left you in suspense all summer, and what shows are finally getting kicked off your DVR? That's what the comments are for.

Comedy Finale Catch-Up

Of the three comedy finales I watched, How I Met Your Mother wins for finding the right balance of funny and season-ending satisfaction. In fact, that balance was best exemplified by Barney and Robin. Since their first hook-up last season, there's always been the danger the writers would cave in to shipper pressure and let that dominate the show. But between coining "The Mosby" as a way to lose someone's interest in 10 seconds and all the flip-flopping of feelings between them, it was funny, true to the characters, and had the result everyone wanted.

The goat was of course completely anticlimactic, after being hyped up since season 1 and especially in "The Goat" last season. Since Ted had already told most of the story, there wasn't too much more for it to do than...well...chew Robin's washclothes. Oh, and send Ted to the hospital for the second finale in a row. Frankly, there was enough else going on in this episode I'm glad the goat was allowed to do its part without stealing too much attention.

Attention from what? How about the biggest clue to the mother yet? Namely, that Ted's future wife is an architecture student in his class at Columbia (Ted going after one of his students? Barney must be involved in this somehow). So Ted met the mother because Tony got him the professor job, and THAT'S why his run-in with Stella was so important. All right, I'll accept that. And we got a nice twist to ponder heading into next year.


Moving on to The Office, a show that more and more is shooting for the warm fuzzies instead of the funny bone. The finale saw the very welcome return of Amy Ryan's Holly, who single-handedly kept the show moving through the first part of this season, and she continued to elevate Michael in every scene they shared. Their torture-filled, intel-dropping take-off on Slumdog Millionaire was certainly a high point for the episode, but their story was more about Michael's "soulmate" speech at the end. Still, gotta be relieved he didn't do any of the number of inappropriate things I was expecting throughout the episode.

The other couple playing cute was of course Jim and Pam, who got some special news at episode's end. I guess this was supposed to be the big end-of-season reveal, but was it really so shocking? This season has shown Jim and Pam go from one life cycle moment to the next. Getting engaged, buying a house, getting pregnant, it's all so...normal. We get that Jim and Pam are a happy, well-adjusted couple, and it's great that a show is finally showing that on TV. But do they have to prove the rule that normal couples are boring? Jim and Pam played the cute card way too many times this season. It's time they go back to being funny.

This was a step up from most of season 5's episodes, but I can't help noticing how poorly it holds up to finales in years past (not counting season 1, of course). Season 2 had Jim and Pam's first kiss, season 3 had Ryan get the corporate job, and season 4 had the introduction of Holly and Jim's botched proposal. After 5 seasons and 100 episodes, The Office is starting to run out of ideas. Maybe it should take some advice from its 12-episode-and-a-movie predecessor and bow out while the show's still good.

Unlike the other comedies on this post, 30 Rock has never tried for particularly ambitious finales. Now, I know that seems weird to say about a show that brought in Elaine Stritch as Jack's mom in season 1, saw Jack join the Bush administration with Matthew Broderick in season 2, and had half of the music industry guest star for season 3. But given the way 30 Rock spent its season, stunt casting is hardly anything unusual.

So I feel like this finale, which only addressed issues raised in the previous episode, should be judged not on finale standards but as any other 30 Rock episode would be. And in that respect, it did just fine. Love Alan Alda and his scenes with Jack. Already can't remember anything else about the episode. As for the "Kidney, Now" benefit song? I had hoped it would be funnier. So it was a fine end to a fine season, not living up to the highs of "el generalissimo" nor falling to the lows of Steve Martin's episode.

Recession TV

In an odd coincidence, two of my favorite comedies this week featured a major character starting his own company after being laid off (or in The Office's case, stupidly resigning). Now, I'm surprised it's taken The Office this long to acknowledge the economy, seeing as how the British show revolved around redundancies (such a nicer word for lay-offs). But in the battle of the recession-set comedies, I give the prize to How I Met Your Mother.

Even before the writers knew about the market crash, this season of HIMYM has been all about unemployment. The season started out with Marshall unemployed, moved into Robin's near deportation after quitting her job, and now it's Ted's turn, laid off after his Goliath National Bank project was canceled due to, you guessed it, the bad economy.

But while the show's had plenty to say about unemployment, last night's episode showed it had even wiser things to say about how to keep your job. Watch and learn:



This storyline had the biggest laughs of the night, but I think it's because it made an odd kind of sense. Who would fire "the food guy?" So all you i-bankers out there fortunate enough to still have jobs, best think about what kind of "guy" you want to be. If you need help, there's always the wolverine claws.


But back to my original point: Mosbius Designs vs. The Michael Scott Paper Company. Both tackled similar themes - unpreparedness, fear of failure - but I still found Ted's venture funnier. I think part of it is that all Ted needs to continue being an architect is clients. While as for Michael, I kept asking "where is he getting the paper from?" Also Ted is a fairly responsible guy, even if occasionally "douche"-prone and procrastinating. While Michael is....Michael Scott.

I guess what it comes down to is that while both shows have one foot planted in reality, HIMYM seems better able to spin that relatibility into humor, while in The Office, it's sometimes just sad. Plus, Ted didn't drag anyone into his company the way Pam is trapped in Michael's. Except for PJ. But he had his break-up/firing coming. I may have more faith in Mosbius Designs than the Michael Scott Paper Company, but both proved relevant TV can still be funny.

Top 5 Series Finales

With Battlestar Galactica and ER having recently ended, and the Scrubs finale coming up, I've been thinking about some of my favorite series finales. I've never seen the MASH finale or many of the others regularly mentioned, so I'm only talking about my favorites here.

It's so rare a show gets to go out its own way, without being cut too short to get the finale it deserves (Veronica Mars) or outstaying its welcome too long to have the right impact (Friends). Battlestar certainly belongs on this list, but I'll leave off this season's finales for now.

5. Twin Peaks
Actually, this was a terrible series finale. Canceled after its second season, the multiple cliffhangers seemed more of a "screw you" to the network than any way to end the show. But I'm including it because the entire sequence inside the black lodge is easily the weirdest thing I have ever seen on TV, making Twin Peaks' final hour one of its absolute best, series finale or not.

4. Arrested Development
Another show cut down too soon, Arrested Development somehow still got the finale it would have wanted anyway. With George Sr. cleared of all charges and Michael sticking by his family (on a boat!), the series came full circle back to the pilot. But it's on this list because of all of the awesomely crazy twists. Linday's adopted! Lucille was behind everything! Annyong's a mole! And to cap it all off, Ron Howard's single line that have kept us all going since, "Maybe a movie."

3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Finally, an example of a show that went out at the exact right time. Sure, Buffy had long since faded from its season 2 and 3 glory days (e.g. season 5 villainess Glory), but season 7 was just enough of a creative comeback to provide a solid lead-up to an action-packed finale. It's hard to think of a more final ending than literally going into Hell to fight Evil, destroying Sunnydale in the process. Buffy may not have answered where they would go next, but with her mission accomplished, so was the show.

2. The Office (UK)
The real series finale may be the most depressing half hour of TV I've seen, between David getting fired and Dawn rejecting Tim. But all of that just makes the Christmas special all the happier. The special additionally earns its ending with some of the series' more excruciating moments, as David milks his D-list celebrity status and creates a hilarious music video. And in the end, David finds love, Tim and Dawn get together, and best of all, David finally tells off bullying "friend" Finch. I only hope the American version can find an exit even marginally as satisfying.

1. Six Feet Under
I'll be the first to tell you Six Feet Under's final season was borderline unwatchable. But all of that is forgiven due to what may be the greatest series finale of all time. The episode contains plenty of great finale-like activity, as Nate and Brenda's baby is born and David buys back the funeral home to again be Fisher and Sons. But it's the epilogue that makes the finale stand out, as we flash ahead to everyone's deaths, ending with Claire at 103. We see how life goes on beyond the scope of a TV show, and get real closure with each character to the tune of Sia's "Breathe Me" (well before every other TV show took it. Seriously guys, SFU has dibs). Far more than a gimmick, the ending let Six Feet Under die in the most natural way possible.

Now That's Comedy Night Done Right

Why couldn't last night's combo of The Office and 30 Rock have followed the Super Bowl? The Office was everything the Super Bowl ep should have been, and the combination of Don Draper and Alec Baldwin as a Mexican soap star would definitely have gotten 30 Rock new viewers. Whatever night it was, last night was quality comedy, so let's get into it.

First up, The Office, which managed to find the perfect balance between cringe and funny with the return of a very pregnant Karen, the party planning antics of Jim and Dwight, and Andy's sad attempts to woo a client.

Finally Jim and Pam get to be funny. How great was Pam saying she's sure Al Qaeda would like her if they got to know her? While Pam was trying to make peace with Karen after winning Jim, Michael was, of course, making things as awkward as possible, asking if Jim is the father of Karen's baby. Michael also got to go all David Brent (British Michael Scott) with his public speaking, which again let Karen play the funny straight man. Karen here serves as a reminder that Michael's antics are only funny when there's someone to judge him for it. With the promise of an Amy Ryan return next week, this story should stay funny for another week.

Back in the office, Dwight creates the most pitiful birthday decorations ever and Jim elicits a $3 bill from Creed. Nice to see Jim and Dwight working together. As for Andy: who in their right mind would take Creed's advice, especially since he thought Andy was Jim? I can't say I managed to look directly at the TV during any of Andy's encounters with crush client Julia, but if The Office isn't making me incredibly uncomfortable, it's not doing its job.

Last night marked the arrival of Mad Men's Don Draper (or Jon Hamm in real life) as Liz's new romantic interest, a doctor who bakes and trains seeing eye dogs. He proved he could do funny on Saturday Night Live, and plays off of Liz nicely. Best was when, post-roofie, he realized all of Liz's manipulations with horror in his eyes. Hilarious. Also, I know some people miss the days when Liz just played straight man, but crazy Liz is here to stay, and I'm liking it.

Elsewhere, a Mexican soap star doppelganger of Jack Donaghy? Hilarious. Especially his hawking of some Mexican snack, "Now with more bull semen." If that wasn't enough, there was 30 Rock's idea of what Puerto Rican grandmothers like: pictures of their grandchildren and Tito Puente. Matt Lauer's cameo at the end was a guest appearance well worthwhile.

Finally, Tracy hanging out with laid off i-bankers let the show comment a little on the times ("They don't know how to do anything"), making it a funny enough C-plot. I just hope it doesn't inspire Congress to put "have celebrities buy banks" into the stimulus plan.

The Post Super Bowl Letdown

This isn't a sports blog, so you know I'm not referring to disappointed Cardinals disheartened by their down-to-the-wire loss. I had trouble even pretending to care about the team I arbitrarily decided to root for (the Steelers). Even with more interesting teams, the Super Bowl for me is still about wings, beer, commercials (which I'll cover tomorrow), and the show that gets to follow the big event. That post Super Bowl time slot can do a lot for a show. Grey's Anatomy's bomb episode helped make it one of the highest rated shows on TV. Yet despite all the hype, The Office tonight felt more like a fumble, or at least a 5 year penalty.

It started off well enough, with a humorously absurd plot about Dwight setting the office on fire to teach a lesson on fire safety. Seeing everyone smash things to try to get out (or, in Kevin's case, get into the vending machine) made for a pretty hilarious start. But while the rest of the episode had its laughs, nothing worked as well as it should have. I mean, there was a roast of Michael Scott, one of the greatest ideas the show has ever come up with. With so much about him to mock, how could it not be hilarious? Well, by showing a couple of merely ok snippets before making it all serious. Why couldn't we hear the rest of Jim's speech? What did Kevin say? When Angela's roast is the funniest, something went wrong. At least Michael got a few good lines in his final roast of everyone.

I also have to say that Jack Black, Jessica Alba, and Cloris Leachman had probably the lamest guest appearances I've seen in a long time. They were relegated to a weak movie parody that had virtually no relevance to the rest of the episode. The only real jokes involved Jack Black making out with Cloris Leachman while really cheesy music played. You couldn't even tell it was Jessica Alba in her 15 seconds of mini-screen time. It's the kind of movie parody we've seen oh so many times before, except usually much funnier. It was almost like The Office writers were trying to prove to NBC that they have no use for big name guest stars.

The fake movie's only relevance was in maybe sorta not really relating to Pam's parents' marital roles, a storyline that had no place in a Super Bowl episode. Why don't Jim and Pam get to be funny anymore? Writers, make them be funny again. The CPR class was a bit of old-school Office, harking back to the British days or, if you prefer, "Diversity Day," as Michael completely took the class over. I admit I laughed when Dwight started carving up the dummy, but coming right out of the fake fire it meant way too much of Dwight at his craziest.

The whole thing just proved The Office can't handle all the expectations. Now in its 5th season, I'm not sure the show still has any great hour-long episodes in it, and certainly not of post Super Bowl calibre. Seems NBC would have been better giving the spot to 30 Rock, which could have used the exposure and could have come up with a funnier episode. After all, Alec Baldwin's Hulu ad was one of the highlights of the night. With another new episode on Thursday, I have to wonder, "Do we really need three episodes of The Office in one week?"

TOP 10 TV SHOWS OF 2008

2008 was not a strong year for TV. The writer's strike nearly destroyed the spring season and left the fall season with no new shows worth putting on my list. But those shouting that this Golden Age of Television is over are a bit premature, as I've got ten shows right here that prove TV is doing just fine. Here are my top 10 TV shows of 2008 and my 2008 TV awards:

1. Lost
Lost may always top my top 10 list, but rarely has it deserved the spot so much. This season Lost found the perfect balance between mythology and character. For every Ghost Christian in a cabin, there was a heartwarming phone call between Desmond and Penny and a personal tragedy for Ben. Lost also finally figured out how to bring in new characters, teasing Faraday and Co. without letting them take over. Just as last year's finale changed the game with flashforwards, this season's final scene left a freighter full of questions. Who's alive? Who's dead? Who cares! Being confused has never been this exciting, and I can't wait until January 21st.

2. Mad Men
Mad Men's first season was hard to top, bringing us into the world of 1960s advertising and the life of the mysterious Don Draper. Season 2 started slow, with a new copier and the insufferable Barretts. But every story served its purpose by the end. Peggy had a great season, moving up the creative chain while hiding her secret until a heartbreaking scene with Pete. Betty became a whole new person after kicking Don out. Even minor characters like Duck Phillips and Freddy Rumsen got episodes to shine. By the time the Cuban Missile Crisis hit in the explosive finale, it was clear Mad Men is no one season wonder.

3. Dexter
Season 1 was the hunt for the Ice Truck Killer. Season 2 saw Dexter hunted. Season 3 was...the friendship of Dexter and Miguel Prado? Doesn’t sound quite as cool. Yet as their relationship shifted from best friends to student and teacher to enemies, their psychological games created all the suspense needed. It helps that Jimmy Smits was able to play both charismatic and deranged so fantastically. Who cares if the IA girl was annoying or the Skinner plot didn’t satisfy? The Dexter/Miguel face-off, along with Dexter’s shift to family man, made season 3 must-see TV.

4. How I Met Your Mother
It may have seemed like a Friends rip-off at first, but How I Met Your Mother quietly became the best comedy on TV. HIMYM came back from the writer’s strike with nearly a full season of episodes. And good ones, too. Like Ted’s very sweet two-minute date for Stella. And Robin Sparkles’ hilarious break-up ballad “Sandcastles in the Sand.” Plus, Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney Stinson may be the single best character on TV. Season 4 got a bit more serious with everyone looking to the future. But whether the gang is addicted to interventions or singing “Let’s Go to the Mall” karaoke in a Canadian bar, the show is consistently legen – wait for it – dary.

5. Pushing Daisies
The fact that the most innovative comic fantasy on TV has been canceled is sad. But the fact that it got canceled just when it was getting so good makes it tragic. Pushing Daisies has done procedural better than CBS since day 1, with crimes involving a comfort food bake-off, gambling with Chinese food, and magicians. But with the arrival of the mysterious and deadly Dwight Dixon, the serial element kicked in just as strong. The last episode, which saw the gang covering up a murder from Norwegian detectives, was as suspenseful as anything on Dexter. With one hell of a cliffhanger, it will be a long wait until those final three episodes air.

6. The Daily Show/The Colbert Report
The presidential election was the TV event of the year, and Comedy Central was the place to watch it. From the primaries to the transition, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert had more insight than any of the real news networks. On The Daily Show, Stewart brought out all the ridiculousness and hypocrisy of the campaign to hilarious effect. On The Colbert Report, Colbert personified said ridiculousness and hypocrisy. Both of them had their best material since, well, Indecision 2004.

7. Top Chef
Top Chef is my favorite reality show for combining two great things: food and competition. I may not get to taste anything the chefs make, but it all sure looks good. Season 4 had some of the most talented chefs yet, as Richard, Dale, Antonia, and Andrew all had a decent shot. But it was still satisfying to see the very deserving Stephanie become the first female Top Chef. This season has seen a number of early stand-outs while taking full advantage of the New York setting. Top Chef makes it on because unlike in most reality shows, talent wins out over drama.

8. 30 Rock
Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impersonation may have made her the Comedienne of the Year, but she brought the funny just as hard in her day job, as writer/star of 30 Rock. Her Liz Lemon has gone from best straight-man to straight-out funny as the show has gone on. But best is still Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy. From greenlighting "MILF Island" to working for the Bush administration, Jack always gets the funniest stories. Throw in Will Arnett in a hilarious recurring part, and I'm starting to understand why critics love 30 Rock so.

9. Battlestar Galactica
Despite the jaw-dropping reveal of four secret Cylons in season 3's finale, season 4 had a rough start. First there was Crazy Kara yelling, "WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAAAAAAY!" Then there was Chief shaving his head. But somewhere around the midpoint of the season, BSG got awesome again. There was the Cylon civil war (badass), President Roslin's visions (creepy), and finally the landing on Earth (really creepy). I have no idea where this final season is going, but I know it will be frakking amazing.

10. The Office
In 2008, The Office showed its age. It put out a weak slew of episodes after the writer's strike and similarly dropped the ball after Amy Ryan's Holly was transferred back to New Hampshire. But when Amy Ryan was onscreen, The Office was often season 3 level good. The idea of a perfect woman for Michael is so mind-boggling that the joke never got old. From insulting Toby to beatboxing for Michael's lame rap, Holly's presence made everyone around her funnier. The Office needs her to transfer back, stat.

Now for my TV Awards:

Best Drama: Lost
Runners-Up: Mad Men, Dexter

Best Actor, Drama: Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Dexter
Runners-Up: Jon Hamm (Don), Mad Men; Bryan Cranston (Walt), Breaking Bad

Best Actress, Drama: January Jones (Betty), Mad Men
Runner-Up: Mary McDonnell (President Roslin), Battlestar Galactica

Best Supporting Actor, Drama: Michael Emerson (Ben), Lost
Runners-Up: Jimmy Smits (Miguel), Dexter; Vincent Kartheiser (Pete), Mad Men

Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Elisabeth Moss (Peggy), Mad Men
Runners-Up: Christina Hendricks (Joan), Mad Men; Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), Dexter

Best Comedy: How I Met Your Mother
Runners-Up: Pushing Daisies, 30 Rock

Best Actor, Comedy: Alec Baldwin (Jack), 30 Rock
Runners-Up: Lee Pace (Ned), Pushing Daisies; Steve Carell (Michael), The Office

Best Actress, Comedy: Tina Fey (Liz), 30 Rock
Runners-Up: Anna Friel (Chuck), Pushing Daisies; Mary-Louise Parker (Nancy), Weeds

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Neil Patrick Harris (Barney), How I Met Your Mother
Runners-Up: Chi McBride (Emerson), Pushing Daisies; Justin Kirk (Andy), Weeds

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Amy Ryan (Holly), The Office
Runners-Up: Kristin Chenowith (Olive), Pushing Daisies; Jenna Fischer (Pam), The Office

Midseason Preview

2009 may have just begun, but the TV midseason isn't wasting time, beginning on January 5th. I'll help you figure out when my favorite returning shows come back and what new shows may be worth considering.

Gossip Girl (January 5th, 8-9 PM, the CW)
When we last saw the Upper East Siders, Chuck was a mess over his father's death. This week introduces his Uncle Jack, played by Desmond Harrington (Quinn from Dexter). Elsewhere, Jenny finally goes back to school, but no word on whether she'll start looking human again.

Scrubs (January 6th, 9-10 PM, ABC)
Now on ABC, Scrubs is back for its (probably) final season, starting with two episodes. The season starts with Courtney Cox as the new Chief of Medicine and, judging by the promos, awkward facial hair for JD. There's also a Hawaiin wedding for Janitor later this season.

Nip/Tuck (January 6th, 10-11 PM, FX)
At the end of last season, Sean was stabbed by his crazy fake-publicist Colleen Rose and Julia was shot by her girlfriend's crazy daughter Eden and was left with amnesia. Eden should hopefully be gone, given that her portrayor (Annalynne McCord) is now on 90210, but Colleen is definitely back. No word on how long they'll continue the never-successful amnesia device, but don't expect a creative comeback anytime soon.

Top Chef (January 7th, 10-11 PM, Bravo)
Season 5 returns with new judge Toby Young (author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People), and two chefs will be eliminated.

Damages (January 7th, 10-11 PM, FX)
Damages tries to top season 1 with a boatload of top-tier new cast members like William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, and Timothy Olymphant. After settling the Frobisher (Ted Danson) case, Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) is moving on. When a whistle blower (Hurt) tells of her of shady practices coming from his company, it seems she's got her next case. Meanwhile, Ellen (Rose Byrne) works with the FBI to bring Patty down, and Frobisher survives his shooting to come back for more mischief.

30 Rock (January 8th, 9:30-10 PM, NBC)
30 Rock continues to become the next Will & Grace by having Salma Hayek and Peter Dinklage both guest star.

Grey's Anatomy (January 8th, 9-10 PM, ABC)
The surgeons have to work on a death row inmate, and it's not even a sweeps month? What are they saving up for February, an operation on Ghost Denny? Also, Jessica Capshaw joins the cast as a pediatric surgeon and a romantic interest for Callie (since she hasn't had enough this season).

24 (January 11th and 12th, 8-10 PM, Fox)
As it has the last two seasons, 24 will begin with a two-night, four hour premiere to kick things in motion. These year-old episodes see Jack on trial in DC for his actions after CTU has been shut down. But he gets off when the government needs him to stop Evil Back-From-the-Dead Tony Almeida from his terrorist activities. Also, there's a Lady Prez.

How I Met Your Mother (January 12th, 8:30-9 PM, CBS)
Reality stars taunt Marshall from a magazine, as they do to us all. Ted and Robin become friends with benefits. That should last about as long as it did for Jerry and Elaine.

The Office (January 15th, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)
I don't have an episode description, but expect fall-out over Phyllis telling the office about Dwight and Angela.

Battlestar Galactica (January 16th, 10-11 PM, Sci-Fi)
In the final season, Earth has been found, but now what? Will they try to live on that post-apocalyptic planet? Will the human/Cylon truce hold? And who is the last frakking Cylon?

Big Love (January 18th, 9-10 PM, HBO)
I still haven't seen season 2, so I got nothing on season 3. But this is when it premieres.

Flight of the Conchords (January 18th, 10-10:30 PM, HBO)
You could wait until January 18th to see Bret and Jermaine's newest adventures. Or you could go to Funnyordie.com and watch it now.

The United States of Tara (January 18th, 10-10:30 PM, Showtime, NEW SHOW)
Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) plays a woman with multiple personality disorder. John Corbett (Sex and the City, Lucky) plays her husband. Steven Spielberg's producing. Diablo Cody (Juno) wrote the pilot. With all those big names and Showtime's recent hot streak (Weeds, Dexter), this is certainly worth checking out. But it is paired with the ultra-dull Secret Diary of a Call Girl, so who knows.

Lost (January 21st, 9-11 PM, ABC)
After a year of waiting, it's finally here. Lost is back. Season 5 will find Jack and Ben getting the Oceanic Six back together to return to the island while we learn just what "bad things" happened to those who stayed on the island. Those who have already seen the premiere say the new time-jumping device makes flashforwards seem like child's play. They also say it's awesome.

Lie to Me (January 21st, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)
Tim Roth (Pulp Fiction, The Incredible Hulk) plays a human lie detector that heads some special FBI agency. Is this just a lame procedural a la The Mentalist? Too early to tell, but it could be fun to see Tim Roth on TV.

Trust Me (January 26th, 10-11 PM, TNT, NEW SHOW)
If you've watched TNT at all in the last month, you've surely seen tons of ads for this new show in which Tom Cavanaugh (Ed) gets a new boss: his best friend, played by Eric McCormick (Will of Will & Grace). I have yet to get into TNT's other original shows (The Closer, Saving Grace), but the leads seem likable enough to make me want to give this one a try.

Heroes (February 2nd, 9-10 PM, NBC)
After season 3 got bogged down in too many characters and too little logic, why am I still watching this show? Well, cause season 4 looks kind of cool. After Nathan leaked word of the heroes to the government, the Hunter (Damages' Zeljko Ivanek) will start rounding them all up. Seems like a welcome break from the typical "stop big threat to save the world using lots of time traveling" formula. But the second it starts to lag, I'm out.

Dollhouse (February 13th, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)
In this new show from Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly), Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy) plays Echo. She works at a secret agency (is there any other kind?) as a blank slate, with personalities put into her depending on what her mission calls for. The show has suffered some bad early buzz, due to conflicts between Whedon and Fox and some production issues. But the plot sounds badass, and it's Joss freaking Whedon. If given time to grow, it can definitely stand with his previous classics.

Merry Christmas TV!

I covered movies on Monday, so for Christmas I'm listing my five favorite Christmas-themed TV episodes. Now, I've never seen the Festivus episode of Seinfeld or the West Wing episode where Toby plans a funeral for a homeless veteran. So I may not know the classics, but here are some new classics for you.

5. "How Lily Stole Christmas," How I Met Your Mother

It can't hold up to the Thanksgiving episodes, but this Christmas episode has plenty of holiday gold. There's the Christmas miracle of Marshall delivering all the packaged presents. Ted's trip to his religious cousins' presents-free celebration. And the many uses of "grinch" as a euphism. Plus, who can't get behind beer as a unifier?

4. "An Echolls Family Christmas," Veronica Mars

The main plot involves a poker game gone wrong, but the B-plot is all Christmas. As Keith investigates a death threat on A-list movie star Aaron Echolls, we get to see what the Echolls' Christmas party looks like. With murderous Christmas cards, deranged pumpkins, and a vengeful server, this darker Christmas tale is a nice balance for all the cheesy Lifetime specials.

3. "Afternoon Delight," Arrested Development

Arrested Development took a trip to The Office as GOB used his role as Bluth Co. president to insult all of his employees. But this episode's best remembered for teaching all of us what the song "Afternoon Delight' is really about. The moment when Michael/Maeby and Lindsay/George-Michael realize what they're dueting about? Hilarious.

2. "The Best Chrismukkah Ever," The OC

It's a tough call between this and season 2's "The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn't," but I have to go with the episode that coined the word. No "yamaclauses," but a simple explanation of Seth Cohen's Christmas/Chanukah hybrid. Also, Seth's identical gift packs to Summer and Anna, leaving him with neither by the end, helped bring out the show's best love triangle.

1. "A Benihana Christmas," The Office

This hour-long episode was The Office at its best. Michael's cluelessly creepy Christmas card to Carol inserting himself into her family. Jim and Pam's CIA prank on Dwight. Dwight and Andy fighting over Michael while drinking at Benihana. Michael marking his date with a marker to remember which one she is. The date riding off on Michael's bike. And the beginning of Michael and Jan. The holiday brought out the best in every character, creating the perfect blend of awkward and hilarious.

Midseason Finales: The Office and Gossip Girl

This week and next, all the network shows will be airing their last episodes of 2008. Many will be back right away (Gossip Girl returns January 5th), others won't (Heroes comes back in February). But with a ridiculous amount of midseason shows this year (Lost and 24, to name two), all will be trying to keep viewers hooked heading into the new year. This week I'm looking at The Office and Gossip Girl.

The Office


The Office has not had its best year. It came back from the writer's strike with a slew of episodes on the wrong side of the awkward/funny scale, such as the Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf-style dinner party and the excruciating job fair. But that was all forgotten when Amy Ryan joined the cast, leading to one of the show's better finales. She brought new energy to the beginning of this season and brought out new sides of Michael, completely reinvigorating the show.

But since her departure, the show has felt, well, blah. The Business Trip episode showed more of Oscar and Andy, but that's it. Frame Toby and The Surplus were both completely forgettable. It's not that The Office has been bad. It's still perfectly pleasant to watch, and even still gets in a few laughs an episode. But I can't help feeling it might be reaching the point The Simpsons did about ten years ago, where it settled for being reliably watchable but nothing more. The Office seems to have lost interest in being a buzzy, watercooler show.

Which brings us to last night's Christmas episode. The Office has a tradition of excellent Christmas episodes, from season 3's A Benihana Christmas, one of the best episodes period, back to the British version's holiday special. All of which would lead us to expect something a bit more than the fairly typical episode that aired last night.

It certainly starts off well, with Jim gift-wrapping Dwight's desk. The Jim/Dwight dynamic, always hilarious, has been far too lacking the past few seasons. There are also some solid comedic ideas. An intervention for Meredith should have been hilarious. It provides a perfect opportunity for Michael to do what he does: take a cause and make it all about him. It was also very amusing to see Mean Phyllis come out, gleefully bossing Angela around before announcing her secret.

But for all of the good ideas, it didn't seem to work that well. The Meredith intervention was neither as uncomfortable nor as funny as it should have been. Michael may have failed in helping her, but he actually seriously tried instead of making it an opportunity to grandstand. Since no one else cared one way or the other, there was little juice to the plot. Even the Michael/Toby conflict provided nothing more than an acknowledgement of its continuance. As for Dwight and Angela, their romance was amusing enough as a C-storyline but has become far too prominent this season. For all the time it has dragged on, I just really don't care that much.

And why have Jim and Pam had nothing to do all season? I applaud the writers for trying to show a realistic couple instead of using typical TV procedures to keep them apart. This season has shown them struggling with long-distance, heading in different life paths, and getting a house together. But as real as it may be, it's not funny. And since Pam's come back from New York, all she's done is complain about a microwave and petition for new chairs. They're the heart of the show. Use them.

I do have to mention Dwight buying up all the Christmas dolls and selling them off at higher prices. Everything about it was funny, especially Toby's desperation to get one and dismay upon seeing its race. More bits like that and maybe The Office will regain its old buzz.

Gossip Girl



I've suspected for quite awhile that Bart Bass was not long for the Upper East Side. And by suspected I mean was pretty much told. The cast had been teasing a death all season, and it wasn't a leap to realize it would be Bart. Reasons: He's the oldest major character, it removes an obstacle between Rufus and Lily, it creates conflict between Chuck and Lily, and Bart's OC equivalent also died in the second season. Outside of glorified extra Vanessa and not-really-still-on-the-show-anymore The Captain, who else could it be?

But as unsurprising (and vaguely described) as Bart's death may have been, it certainly led to plenty of drama. Chuck's plunge into drunken anger brought him to whole new levels and created quite the dramatic mess for everyone else. Even when she overdoes the "We're Chuck and Blair," Blair's attempts to support Chuck against his rejections were moving. I'm totally ready to see Chuck and Lily go at each other in ways beyond the blame game for Bart's death. Also, an episode with no Vanessa and little Jenny or Nate is always a good thing.

On the other hand, I'm getting a little sick of the Roses. Cyrus gave one (or three) too many "we must be married this second" speeches, which I hope means he has some sort of illicit secret that encouraged his haste. Otherwise he was just being annoying. Aaron continues to get more boring by the episode. Though Dan wasn't much better with his wishy-washiness over Serena. As for Lily's big secret, when it gets hyped up over two episodes and causes a man's death, its revelation is bound to be a letdown. But that all she did was have a secret baby? So what? That's the go-to secret of any soap opera. There better be some extra twist there if it's to be worth all that build-up.

TV Catch-Up: Thursday-Monday Edition

Gossip Girl

Best part of the episode for me was that so much was shot right outside of Dodge Hall (see above) where I had all of my film classes (the Yale they visited is actually Columbia). It's been interesting to see how Blair has become the main character this season. The Blair and Serena fight was nearly identical to the one last season. But this time it's through Blair's perspective, as Serena has started to feel more and more like a minor character. Dan has also had trouble staying part of the show post-break up. But I kind of liked his interactions with Chuck and Nate. I'm sure he and Nate discussed being new bffs over burgers at HamDel. And Chuck's playing of the not-so-secret society was what he does best.

How I Met Your Mother

Best episode yet of the season. I'm not sure which was funnier, the series of interventions or Barney convincing a girl that he has come from the future to tell her to sleep with his present self. That's not even including the stories of how Ted's apartment was banged up. Wtih Robin in full-on Canadian mode, Lily getting an intervention for her bad British accent, and R2 Sweet Tooth, there were a lot of laughs to go around. But it was also nice to see how all of the funniest gags led to more serious moments, as the interventions led Ted to question moving in with Stella and Barney the Old Man convinced him to go through with it. After Ted's decision last week to leave Manhattan for New Jersey, this episode continued to show the life-altering decisions people make in their 20s/30s. But it's nice to see they can make those decisions while still being funny.

Heroes

4 episodes in, Heroes is a bit of a mess. Last week there were enough time jumps to leave everyone spinning, and this week we can't tell who's alive and who's dead. Mohinder's foray into being a mad scientist has become far more ridiculous than I could have ever imagined. And I don't believe Ando is really dead, because if so that is the worst character death I have ever seen. So where's the upside? Well, even with all the flaws, it is still kind of fun. The emphasis on the vortex guy (Bubbles from The Wire) helped focus the episode somewhat with all of its many plotlines. Sylar's far from my favorite character, but partnering him with Noah has been fun to see. And it's nice to see Angela's secrets unraveling. The writers just need to bring Parkman back from Africa, get Nathan to stop talking about God, and get rid of Mohinder and Majjjja.

Mad Men

Is Don really returning to Dick Whitman? Who did he call at the end? Was it that woman from the flashback at the used car dealership? Plenty of questions left at the end of an episode that saw Don, Roger, and Duck Phillips all dealing with divorced futures. First Don, who took the vacation he denied to Pete by driving off to Palm Springs with a 21-year-old aptly named Joy who sounded a lot like Betty. Joy's crowd hardly seemed like Don's people, but it seems he may be through with being Don Draper. Next Roger, preparing to lose his money to divorce in order to marry the secretary he barely knows. But the most interesting one this episode was Duck, plotting to improve his job by selling Sterling Cooper. Roger and Cooper may have jumped at the thought of new clients, but Don won't be happy to see he's reporting directly to Duck. Don't trust him. Remember Chauncey.

Grey's Anatomy

If you look back to my post on the season premiere, you'll see I was giving this one more chance before dropping it. Unfortunately, Grey's managed to be just watchable enough to delay that happening. I can't say I really remember what happened 5 days after watching. But I do remember it being lighter than the usual melodrama and that some of the characters may have been momentarily likeable. I guess I'm stuck watching for now.

The Office

Another great episode. Best storyline was easily Jim keeping track of all of Dwight's personal time. Trying to draw Dwight out of work by calling Battlestar Galactica a shot-for-shot remake of the original and describing its plot as Dumbledore Calrissian needs to take the ring back to Mordor? Hilarious. Meredith's confession provided lots of great Michael/Holly moments as well. The Office is definitely back from its post-writer's strike slump.

SNL: Thursday Night

Much like the debate it spoofed, the first sketch of the new half-hour edition fell a bit flat. Joking about the time limits might have worked once, but making it the main joke of the sketch left little else. There were some good McCain moments though, even if SNL still doesn't know how to spoof Obama. Things improved with Weekend Update (outside of Kenan Thompson's "Fix it" bit). But there was nothing within the half hour that could compete with any of Tina Fey's sketches this season. It seems SNL needs Palin as badly as the news media does.