As 2009 (and Season 3 of my blog) draws to a close, Top 10 lists seem to be the way to close out the decade. I considered making a top ten of the past ten years of TV, but then I realized that ten years ago "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" was one of my favorite shows, so maybe that wasn't such a good idea. Instead, I have decided to go with:
The Top 10 TV Moments of 2009:
*Note: this will not include such moments as "Kanye drunk stages Taylor", "Oprah says goodbye", "Friday Night Lights announces a new season but it won't air for another year because they just want to make us hate them", etc. While some of these are history-making, others are just awesome.
1) Locke actually is dead. And is Jacob. And our minds are blown. The penultimate season of Lost ends after having redeemed itself with an incredible arc of episodes; the American people realize that 2010 is so close, yet so far away.
2) Jim and Pam get married. This will go down in TV history, and not only because of the brilliant YouTube nod.
3) Glee premieres, creating a completely new television genre, one that incorporates every other amazing aspect of everything else amazing ever (and then Lea Michele sings, sealing the deal).
4) Parks and Recreation hires a new writer's assistant, at which point the show suddenly becomes one of the best on television, thanks mostly to the Andy and Ron moment.
5) Russell finds thee immunity idols on Survivor -- two without any clues -- and re-glorifies the blindside. This might get even crazier by the time the finale airs, but either way proves to us that it's not just Jeff Probst that has made this show last for countless seasons.
6) Dwight and Andy serenade Erin, and then each other, with John Denver in the break room. Musical moments in non-musical shows are, without fail, amazing. (Note: I was hesitant to put two moments of The Office on the list because of the non-world-ending first half of this season, but last night's episode more than made up for it.)
7) Modern Family premieres, reminding us that it is possible to bring back the family sitcom in an age where it's hard to make anything more ridiculous than real-life families.
8) Kevin makes roasted banana, chocolate, and bacon brittle dessert on Top Chef, only to be shot down by the clearly tastebudless judges. All progress Americans have made in the fight against obesity is completely wiped out and we are back to square one. And I'm okay with it.
9) "Legen -- wait for it -- ds of the Fall!" How I Met Your Mother reminds us for the millionth time that its writers are brilliant, almost as brilliant as Neil Patrick Harris.
10) Don Draper dies. Just kidding, I just wanted to be sure you were still reading and I felt bad not putting a Mad Men moment on here.
And while we're on countdowns, 53 DAYS UNTIL LOST RETURNS. 2010, here we come.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Episode 320
There's a new phenomenon spreading through American sitcoms that might be called the anti-Sam and Diane -- or as I would more likely call it, the anti-Dawson and Joey. So many sitcom couples are now happily united with no sign of anything changing in the near future. When it comes down to it, viewers no longer yearn for the will-they-won't-they drama we've been spoon-fed for years. (Side note: I think this is why the whole Jeff and Britta thing on Community isn't taking off.)
As much as we might miss the awkward and perfect flirtations between Jim and Pam, I think we are all much happier after an episode of The Office when there's no drama in the relationship. And now that they're married, we really don't have to worry (pre-marital sex, maybe, but I don't anticipate a divorce). Now we can watch every episode in peace -- that is, if you call watching Michael tell a group of high school seniors that he can't pay for their college education as he had promised "in peace"...
I similarly enjoy an episode of Gossip Girl so much more when there is no tension between Chuck and Blair. Like Jim and Pam, they are so absolutely perfect for each other that even the thought of them not being together makes the viewing experience less enjoyable. Even though Season 1 was by far the best, it was by no means the easiest to watch. And with this economy (yeah, I said it) maybe that's all viewers are looking for.
This tendency is most relevant -- even if subtle -- on How I Met Your Mother. Over the course of four and a half seasons, we have never had to worry about issues in Ted's relationships, because we know he ends up with the right woman, and we know it's not anyone he's dating on the episodes we're watching. So no matter what ridiculous things he does to mess up relationships, there's no tension.
That said, here are my five favorite current television couples - comments welcome!
1) Coach and Tammy (Friday Night Lights)
2) Chuck and Blair (Gossip Girl)
3) Barney and the entire female gender (How I Met Your Mother)
4) Finn and every female viewer ages 14 - 38 (Glee)
5) Jay and Gloria (Modern Family)
*Honorable mention: Don and Betty (Mad Men) -- I don't feel right putting them on the list because I'm not caught up and something tells me it's not going to end well.
As much as we might miss the awkward and perfect flirtations between Jim and Pam, I think we are all much happier after an episode of The Office when there's no drama in the relationship. And now that they're married, we really don't have to worry (pre-marital sex, maybe, but I don't anticipate a divorce). Now we can watch every episode in peace -- that is, if you call watching Michael tell a group of high school seniors that he can't pay for their college education as he had promised "in peace"...
I similarly enjoy an episode of Gossip Girl so much more when there is no tension between Chuck and Blair. Like Jim and Pam, they are so absolutely perfect for each other that even the thought of them not being together makes the viewing experience less enjoyable. Even though Season 1 was by far the best, it was by no means the easiest to watch. And with this economy (yeah, I said it) maybe that's all viewers are looking for.
This tendency is most relevant -- even if subtle -- on How I Met Your Mother. Over the course of four and a half seasons, we have never had to worry about issues in Ted's relationships, because we know he ends up with the right woman, and we know it's not anyone he's dating on the episodes we're watching. So no matter what ridiculous things he does to mess up relationships, there's no tension.
That said, here are my five favorite current television couples - comments welcome!
1) Coach and Tammy (Friday Night Lights)
2) Chuck and Blair (Gossip Girl)
3) Barney and the entire female gender (How I Met Your Mother)
4) Finn and every female viewer ages 14 - 38 (Glee)
5) Jay and Gloria (Modern Family)
*Honorable mention: Don and Betty (Mad Men) -- I don't feel right putting them on the list because I'm not caught up and something tells me it's not going to end well.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Episode 319
I don't intend to blog about Glee every week, but it just might happen. I know TV shows don't get reviewed every time there's a new episode, but Broadway shows get reviewed every time a new one comes out -- and each episode of Glee is kind of like a new mini-Broadway show. Which is why the 98% of the American population that realizes the brilliance of good musical theater loves Glee. Lucky for the other 2%, last night's episode featured an oldie, a song from the Police, and good ol' Bill Withers. If at least one of those three doesn't win you over, there's a problem.
Let's just take a moment or a paragraph to talk about the many perfections of Finn. First of all, have you ever seen a 27-year-old who's supposed to be a 17-year-old look so damn good in a suit? And as if the suit and his tear-jerking rendition of the Pretenders (I know all you Dawson's Creek fans out there were loving that moment) weren't glorious enough, he cries while his (awesome) mom comforts him, making him not only hot and talented, but vulnerable, too. (And by the way, for those three other people in the world who love "I'll Stand by You" as much as I do, you can hear Finn sing the whole thing here.)
Speaking of actors being way older than the characters they're portraying (it's not as extreme here as it is on FNL, but still) - most of Mr. Schu's students are only a few years younger than him in real life. That makes the Rachel-Schu ballad awkwardness a little less awkward, but still brilliantly awkward. For anyone who was fighting against a crush on Mr. Schuster, stubbornly insisting that Finn was their #1 (read: me) this episode's mash-up definitely made you think again. Luckily, People magazine doesn't make us choose.
And one more quick note: Though I did tear up three times during the episode (in order to save face a little, I will not reveal which three moments did it), I absolutely could not find it in myself to feel bad for Quinn when her parents were chewing her out. Yes, that situation sucks in every way, but she will get absolutely no sympathy from me until she comes clean to Finn. Sigh.
Let's just take a moment or a paragraph to talk about the many perfections of Finn. First of all, have you ever seen a 27-year-old who's supposed to be a 17-year-old look so damn good in a suit? And as if the suit and his tear-jerking rendition of the Pretenders (I know all you Dawson's Creek fans out there were loving that moment) weren't glorious enough, he cries while his (awesome) mom comforts him, making him not only hot and talented, but vulnerable, too. (And by the way, for those three other people in the world who love "I'll Stand by You" as much as I do, you can hear Finn sing the whole thing here.)
Speaking of actors being way older than the characters they're portraying (it's not as extreme here as it is on FNL, but still) - most of Mr. Schu's students are only a few years younger than him in real life. That makes the Rachel-Schu ballad awkwardness a little less awkward, but still brilliantly awkward. For anyone who was fighting against a crush on Mr. Schuster, stubbornly insisting that Finn was their #1 (read: me) this episode's mash-up definitely made you think again. Luckily, People magazine doesn't make us choose.
And one more quick note: Though I did tear up three times during the episode (in order to save face a little, I will not reveal which three moments did it), I absolutely could not find it in myself to feel bad for Quinn when her parents were chewing her out. Yes, that situation sucks in every way, but she will get absolutely no sympathy from me until she comes clean to Finn. Sigh.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Episode 318
Why does everyone love Ellen? Seriously, everyone loves Ellen. I do and you do and I would bet money that the person sitting next to you does, too.
I have never met someone who had an adverse reaction to Ellen. I'm not sure where this unbridled love of a talk-show host comes from -- but I do know that her show is one of few (if not the only) daytime programs that does not leave the viewer depressed about the fact that they are sitting on their butt watching television at three o'clock in the afternoon (think Family Feud, any soap opera, A Baby Story, Maury...I'll stop before you need to go take your meds).
One of my favorite Ellen moments is Dennis Quaid's Starbucks appearance. This is just the tip of the iceberg of proof that Ellen can get anyone to do anything. On top of that, Ellen is not only an Emmy-winning talk show host who can get any guest she wants, she's also a Cover Girl and on the cover of O magazine.
All of this makes her an interesting choice to replace Paula Abdul on American Idol. Yes, she'll easily mimic Paula's constant and unconditional praise of the contestants, but other than that, there is not one similarity between these two women. Maybe that's the idea? At least we can assume -- though you never know -- that there won't be tabloid drama about her and Simon getting it on.
I have never met someone who had an adverse reaction to Ellen. I'm not sure where this unbridled love of a talk-show host comes from -- but I do know that her show is one of few (if not the only) daytime programs that does not leave the viewer depressed about the fact that they are sitting on their butt watching television at three o'clock in the afternoon (think Family Feud, any soap opera, A Baby Story, Maury...I'll stop before you need to go take your meds).
One of my favorite Ellen moments is Dennis Quaid's Starbucks appearance. This is just the tip of the iceberg of proof that Ellen can get anyone to do anything. On top of that, Ellen is not only an Emmy-winning talk show host who can get any guest she wants, she's also a Cover Girl and on the cover of O magazine.
All of this makes her an interesting choice to replace Paula Abdul on American Idol. Yes, she'll easily mimic Paula's constant and unconditional praise of the contestants, but other than that, there is not one similarity between these two women. Maybe that's the idea? At least we can assume -- though you never know -- that there won't be tabloid drama about her and Simon getting it on.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Episode 317
Last night's Glee was definitely the "game-changer" it was hyped up to be. What's fantastic about this show is that it can turn what on any other show would be the sappy volume up to full blast and yet it never becomes cheesy. The whole show -- though dealing with a rather realistic situation -- seems to be steeped in an aura of fantasy. It might have something to do with the fact that the characters just break out into choreographed and well-lit song without anyone around them blinking an eye (don't we all wish that's what life was really like?). But no matter what the reason, there is some sort of glowing bubble surrounding Glee, and this bubble allows the show to do whatever it pleases without any protest from fans.
So when Sue reveals that she, like other normal people, has normal-people things to deal with, we are moved instead of groaning and mumbling about how "Sue would never be like that." Sue can be like whatever she wants to be like, just like Artie can sing an early 80s song while wheel-dancing through the hallways and all we can do is tap our foot to the beat.
Other than this Sue-has-a-heart moment (the second one this season), the other standout of the evening was the Kurt v. Rachel audition storyline. Everyone will be raving -- justly -- about Kurt's emotional rendition of Defying Gravity (definitely worth a viewing or 10), but what truly makes that moment all the more moving -- especially in hindsight if you watch to the end of the episode -- is a surprising post-scene performance by Mike O'Malley. Who knew that the king of the Agro Crag and inspiring host of Get the Picture could put on an inspiring performance (and yes, I'm considering everything he's done since his time on Nick)? Actually, his character, along with his acting, was a surprise from the very beginning -- I don't think anyone was expecting a supportive dad out of this guy. But once again, on Glee, anything's possible.
So when Sue reveals that she, like other normal people, has normal-people things to deal with, we are moved instead of groaning and mumbling about how "Sue would never be like that." Sue can be like whatever she wants to be like, just like Artie can sing an early 80s song while wheel-dancing through the hallways and all we can do is tap our foot to the beat.
Other than this Sue-has-a-heart moment (the second one this season), the other standout of the evening was the Kurt v. Rachel audition storyline. Everyone will be raving -- justly -- about Kurt's emotional rendition of Defying Gravity (definitely worth a viewing or 10), but what truly makes that moment all the more moving -- especially in hindsight if you watch to the end of the episode -- is a surprising post-scene performance by Mike O'Malley. Who knew that the king of the Agro Crag and inspiring host of Get the Picture could put on an inspiring performance (and yes, I'm considering everything he's done since his time on Nick)? Actually, his character, along with his acting, was a surprise from the very beginning -- I don't think anyone was expecting a supportive dad out of this guy. But once again, on Glee, anything's possible.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Episode 316
As someone who attempts to write about television on a regular basis, I massively appreciate it when I read a great article about a TV show. I'm not talking about semi-witty yet bantering, superficial analyses on Joe Schmoe's blog (ahem), I am talking about real, insightful, and moving TV writing.
People Magazine's weekly mini-blurbs about upcoming new sitcoms or important series finales keep me entertained for sure. But writing about TV -- and doing it well -- is hard. It's just easier and much more fun to watch television than it is to read. So why would someone read about their favorite show when they could just sit down and decide for themselves? The only way to draw people into TV in writing is by being...perfect.
A recent article in Time magazine, passed on to me by my non-FNL watching sister, is the definition of this perfect television writing. James Poniewozik (please don't google him or you will find his TV blog which is incredibly more interesting than mine) brings the emotion of Friday Night Lights to the written word. Through pithy yet dead-on analyses of the complex characters and comparisons to other television, current and past, he shows why Friday Night Lights can turn any viewer into a fan of heroes without tragic flaws, a fan of high school dramas, and even a fan of football.
People Magazine's weekly mini-blurbs about upcoming new sitcoms or important series finales keep me entertained for sure. But writing about TV -- and doing it well -- is hard. It's just easier and much more fun to watch television than it is to read. So why would someone read about their favorite show when they could just sit down and decide for themselves? The only way to draw people into TV in writing is by being...perfect.
A recent article in Time magazine, passed on to me by my non-FNL watching sister, is the definition of this perfect television writing. James Poniewozik (please don't google him or you will find his TV blog which is incredibly more interesting than mine) brings the emotion of Friday Night Lights to the written word. Through pithy yet dead-on analyses of the complex characters and comparisons to other television, current and past, he shows why Friday Night Lights can turn any viewer into a fan of heroes without tragic flaws, a fan of high school dramas, and even a fan of football.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Episode 315
A favorite word among grad students is "intertextuality". One work never influences another work, there is just a strong presence of intertextuality. Well, it turns out that literature and academic scholarship do have have something in common with television (gasp!).
Intertextuality in TV has been all over my screen recently. Having finally started Mad Men (more to come on that later, I'm sure) who do I see in the first few episodes, but Pam's New York friend on The Office. And then last night, I noticed the guidance counselor from Glee as a possible love interest for Ted on How I Met Your Mother. This is not to mention more extended roles like Julie from Friday Night Lights' appearance on the new 90210.
And talk about TV casts taking on other roles: basically the entire gang (dead and alive) from LOST can be found in new dramas on ABC. And then there's the ubiquitous Freaks and Geeks/ Undeclared crowd that somehow find their way into nearly every episode of every sitcom ever produced, for good reason.
What's fantastic about this is that we all -- without a doubt -- enjoy watching a new character on a beloved TV show much more when we already know that actor from somewhere else. How many times have you said, "Hey, that's __________ from __________!" instead of being either completely indifferent or annoyed that they're introducing new characters?
Case in point: The other day, when I received this link, instead of thinking "why is my Vermonter friend sending me videos of horse racing?", I exclaimed "Hey, that's....what she said!"
Intertextuality in TV has been all over my screen recently. Having finally started Mad Men (more to come on that later, I'm sure) who do I see in the first few episodes, but Pam's New York friend on The Office. And then last night, I noticed the guidance counselor from Glee as a possible love interest for Ted on How I Met Your Mother. This is not to mention more extended roles like Julie from Friday Night Lights' appearance on the new 90210.
And talk about TV casts taking on other roles: basically the entire gang (dead and alive) from LOST can be found in new dramas on ABC. And then there's the ubiquitous Freaks and Geeks/ Undeclared crowd that somehow find their way into nearly every episode of every sitcom ever produced, for good reason.
What's fantastic about this is that we all -- without a doubt -- enjoy watching a new character on a beloved TV show much more when we already know that actor from somewhere else. How many times have you said, "Hey, that's __________ from __________!" instead of being either completely indifferent or annoyed that they're introducing new characters?
Case in point: The other day, when I received this link, instead of thinking "why is my Vermonter friend sending me videos of horse racing?", I exclaimed "Hey, that's....what she said!"
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