Sunday, October 25, 2009

Television recap (Oct 18-24)

10. Community- This show is kind of back and forth for me, but I had a really good time with it this week. I thought all of the stories were pretty funny, but it was the non story that made me laugh the most. Aved believes that everything this group does is some sort of television show or movie scene, so when he exclaims that he is going to take the episode off, it is meta and very much in character.

9. Californication- This week's episode was not as good as last week's but as a way to set up what I imagine will be the big conflict of the season, it totally worked. Hank ends up semi hooking up with 3 different women only to have all three of them sit in his classroom as the episode ends. Oh Hank. Now the more base version of myself really just wants to talk about the beyond spectacular breasts of Eva Amurri, but this episode was more than just her breasts, although having them on display a few times doesn't hurt and to have Hank remark on how amazing they are doesn't hurt either!

8. How I met your Mother- So here we are with another episode not at all dealing with "The mother issue." I should be annoyed but the episode was so funny and so full of great moments, it is hard to get too mad. First, you have Robin trying to study to be an American citizen, which leads to great Canadian jokes, which this show does so well and so perfectly over the top. Then you have the road trip with Ted, Marshall and Lilly which is really funny, especially when they stop at a Bed and Breakfast. Everything that happens in the episode stays within the characters we have grown to love, so that was awesome and the audio book was super hilarious with Kenny Rogers reading it.

7. The Office- In a kind of weird turn of events, this show is on this list not for being funny. In fact, the comedy in this episode felt pretty flat until the tag at the end, but it was the serious stuff that got me here. Michael confesses to Pam that he is sleeping with her mother and Pam loses it. She swears, screams and then starts acting out and being kind of a bitch in the office. It is pretty shocking to see sweet Pam lose her shit, but it really changed the dynamic of the show for a little while there and for a show that keeps to the same basic premise every week, it was really refreshing to see something shocking happen.

6. Glee- Typically this show is only as good as its musical sequences, but overall I think this was the best episode so far. The musical sequences were perfect, especially Bust-A-Move and Sweet Caroline, but the non musical stuff was just as good. You get Quinn and Finn realizing how hard it is to not be cool and Sue falling in love and being semi cool and then you have Rachel and Puck fooling around a bit which leads to Puck having some great lines like "We are two good looking Jews, it is natural" or "Are you questioning my badassness. Check out these guns." Add in not having anything to do with Will's wife and you have a wonderful episode. Lea Michelle making out in a pleated skirt does not hurt any, either. Oh and Matthew Morrison singing the Thong. Yeah great stuff.

5. Dollhouse- There was not enough sexy Eliza Dushku in this episode, otherwise it would have been higher because this was by far the best episode of the season. We get Sierra's back story and a glimpse of Victor's back story, but mostly we get this amazing Topher moral quandary. Topher has always been the most interesting character in this show for me and so to watch him show signs morals and a conscience was pretty cool. When you add in the big bad boss lady telling Topher he was hired because he has no morals and you get some seriously good drama. This show is supposed to be examining morals and what memories mean and this episode really hit the nail on the head all the way through. Then you have the ominous ending and the realization that Echo is not only awake, but that she has help in trying to bring down the Dollhouse from the inside.

4. Modern Family- This is far and away the flat out funniest show I have seen in quite a while. Everything about ti works for me, but the gay couple is stealing this show and this week this did it again. First you get the great line "Don't spike our baby" then you get Cameron kind of hitting on Ed O'Neill in some perfectly awkward moments and in the end you get Cameron and Ed O-Neill doing a little quarterback and center while Ed's kids look on. Beyond just that though, you have other great stuff from every character including the kids. Then in the end, like in every episode, the entire family comes together and reminds us that family is all we have when it is all said and done. I keep waiting for this show to lose its steam, but so far it shows no signs of slowing down. I keep getting very excited for it every damn week. If you are not watching, start!

3. FlashForward- Beginning at the end of something is a nice and easy way to create drama right off the bat. It is a gimmick, yes, but FlashForward used it incredibly effectively this week and so from the opening moments I was hooked. Anytime the opening of a show features a car crash, Asians with guns and a car exploding you know you are in for some serious awesome. We also got a little romance in the episode and confirmation that one of the characters is gay. Oh and instead of googling someone you now Mosaic them. As far as moving the story forward, I am not sure this episode did that, in terms of mythology, but it revved up the action and gave us the possibility that maybe the flash forwards can be changed, which will really throw things up int he air and it all crazy.

2. Dexter- Oh Dexter, how do I survive when you are not on my television? I do not have the answer to that question, I just know I love you and all of your serial killing craziness. It is easy to be hooked on the cliff hanger because what an amazing cliff hanger it was at the end of the episode, but everything leading up to it was just as good. We are really starting to see a new side of Dexter and I am liking it because it is just adding to Dexter without taking away anything from who we know he is. This week was interesting because I don't remember a time when Dexter really went after a female, and such a sexy female, but it made for some really great moments including Dexter faking timid and that is always fun to see.

1. Grey's Anatomy- This might come as quite a shock because this show has kind of been middle of the road, but wow, what an episode. First of all, the show is completely void of in the hospital romantic drama and we just get medical drama. Then you have this heavily layered story and brilliant direction and amazing blocking and everyone getting in on the action and a great narrative structure. Finally it gives us a chance to really see the new and old characters interacting with not only each other, but within themselves. Lexi really shined as far as acting and character go, but you also had Alex fighting his personal demons and Christina just fighting to maintain her passion for what she is doing. However, it all paled in comparison to the quiet moment in the end with Derek and The Chief and Derek unsure of how anything is going to work in this hospital now. I am suspect that the show can keep this up, but for one week, this show was just outstanding.

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