So for some reason, the networks decided they were going to throw all of their good (or, in NBC's case, trying too hard to be good) comedies on the same night because...I don't know, why the fuck not? That's made Tuesday into a gigantic comedy clusterfuck. Tuesdays include a whole lot of the very best comedy that network television is churning out right now (and, on NBC, some of the worst). So in this post, I'll run through each show (that I watch) and offer you my inspiring thoughts on each of these programs that air on the televisions.
(Note: I usually don't watch Raising Hope because even though I like it, I need a fucking break at sometime during this n ight. I also don't watch the NBC comedies because, if you can't tell from my previous passive aggressive comments, I think that they suck).
Let's start off with Ben and Kate, which is pretty easily the best new comedy this season and arguably the only one really worth a damn. Its tepid ratings suggest it may not be long for this world, but right now I don't want to think about that, and I just want to enjoy the misadventures of these wonderful weirdos for a half-hour every week. Actually, tonight's episode was sort of about just how weird all of the people in Kate's life are, and although I thought that was a flimsy excuse for her to break up with the guy whose name I can't remember (I'm sorry, I just can't keep track of all of these vanilla temporary love interests peppered through various sitcoms), it was a nice way of kind of tying together the ensemble and showing just how important they are to Kate. I also really enjoy the BJ/Tommy interaction in this episode. It's gotten to the point where basically anything BJ says is going to make me laugh out loud for several minutes, and she said a lot of things in this episode, so I was happy. This show has really found its groove rather quickly - I can't remember the last time a show was firing on all cylinders a mere nine episodes in. (Well, maybe Apartment 23 this season, actually, but whatever, before that). I keep praying for a ratings miracle with this show because it really seems like the type of show that could stick around for a long time and not wear out its welcome. It's just so pleasant, and very low-key while still being funny and entertaining, which a lot of shows that try for that down-to-earth, conversational style forget to be. Seriously, if you like comedy and you aren't watching it, watch it! I don't care how weird Nat Faxon's teeth look, the dude's hilarious.
New Girl has become a reliable powerhouse this season, churning out excellent episodes pretty much every week. "Bathtub" wasn't quite on the levels of the best of this season, like last week's "Eggs" or "Menzies" from a few weeks ago, but it was still an episode I really enjoyed on the whole. I particularly liked seeing Jess and Winston sharing a storyline together, even if it got a little typical sitcommy at points, but Zooey Deschanel and Lamorne Morris were clearly having a lot of fun with the material which really sold it and made it really entertaining. It also provided a nice contrast to the surprisingly heartwrenching Schmidt/CeCe plot. I was unsure of how the show was handling the CeCe/Schmidt break-up early on, but I like how they seem to be building to getting them both to a point where they realize they both need each other. It'll make their reunion feel earned rather than typical sitcom will they/won't they schmuck. (Can I use that word?). Nick's plot was also pretty entertaining (can a Nick Miller plot ever be less than at least pretty entertaining?) and having his crush turn out to be a stripper was kind of an interesting test for the character. While I like Olivia Munn far less than Lizzy Caplan, let's hope her character can do just as many good things for the show as Caplan's did. I also liked the return of perverted landlord Remmy. Yay for universe expansion! I'm just really enjoying the fuck out of New Girl right now. Never change, friend.
The Mindy Project, on the other hand, was...fine. I don't know, I'm just really not being drawn into at all, and I can't say this episode did much to change that. There was nothing particularly bad about it, and I chuckled a lot through-out the episode, but the whole thing still feels weirdly unfocused for a show so early in its run. This episode was about Mindy trying to balance her home life and her work life, but really, we've hardly seen any of her home life, so who cares? The show has a bad habit of trying to get us to give a shit but never actually taking the steps required to get us to give a shit. That said, the office dynamic worked better for me in this episode. The generally useless assistants got some funny lines, and the Jeremy/Danny/Mindy dynamic was well-done. I see plenty of inklings of a good show here, but the show really needs to sit down and realize exactly what it wants to be, because right now it's a mildly amusing jumbled mess.
And now on to the ABC side of the equation...
Tonight's Happy Endings might have been my favorite episode of the season so far. As much as I appreciate it when it tries to do something experimental and play with its format a bit like it did in the last episode, I always enjoy it the most when it just buckles down and does a lot of silly shit. When Happy Endings is going all out with its playfulness, there's nothing quite like it on TV. I love just sitting down and having no idea what weird place any of these plotlines are going to go - who would've known that the seemingly generic "Jane tries to be one of the guys" story would turn into Brad becoming a trophy wife and buying an obnoxious pig? (This show is a big fan of impromptu animal purchases. First Alex's parrot, now this). Penny's guy-of-the-week plotline was once again great if for no other reason than the fact that it was an excuse for Casey Wilson to do a bunch of perfect physical comedy, and I like that the show is making Dave a more interesting character by essential having him lose his mind. Happy Endings is never going to be a particularly deep show or one that takes its characters very seriously, but damn if it isn't the most fun show to watch right now. The recent news that ABC is pulling it from the schedule in March seriously depresses me, and I hope it can pull a Cougar Town and save itself somehow because my life will be sadder without its servings of pure insanity every week.
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 - or simply Apartment 23, or as I prefer to call it, "Bitch 23", had a Season 1 holdover on tap for tonight. It was pretty obvious that it was a Season 1 holdover considering it featured that unnecessary stalker girl that we haven't seen at all this year, and it seemed a little less polished than the show's other offerings this season. Still, it was pretty funny, even if it was one of the show's weaker outings thus far. The sequence in the beginning that showed Chloe and June's routines on fast-forward was the highlight of the episode, though there were plenty of good gags through-out. My main issue with the episode was the plot, which came across as rushed and even slightly out of character for June. This show may have the tendency to go dark, but this episode may have been a step too far. I have to say though, after watching a handful of episodes of American Dad recently, it's interesting just how much this show plays as a live-action version of that one, and I mean that in the best way possible (I mean, American Dad's a pretty excellent cartoon). Chloe has so many similarities to Roger that it's uncanny, and June is kind of like Francine, seemingly well put together on the outside but just as horrible as everyone else on the inside. So while tonight was far from the show at its best, I'm still enjoying just how weird this show is willing to go every week. This is another show whose future is looking pretty grim, so I guess I'm just going to have to enjoy its insanity while I can. Again, if you aren't watching this and you enjoy comedy, you should watch it, as it is fantastic.
Geez, this took a long time. Make smarter scheduling decisions, networks.
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