New TV, Part 3

First comers to this blog are going to think that all I talk about is television.  It's not, I assure you, but I do talk about it a lot.  Here's my reviews of the new season which aired last night.

Community (Returning, NBC):  Joel McHale is probably one of the most underrated entertainers of the past few years.  If you have never watched The Soup, then you don't know (and also you need to start watching The Soup, on E!).  He really knows how to deliver a look, line and scene, seemingly effortlessly.  Community is a show about a group of people attending a community college for various reasons who go t together as a study group for a Spanish class.  The show, so far has been really clever in finding reasons for them to stay together after that first semester (the first half of season 1).  Now they aren't even taking Spanish, and kept the study group together because they have formed such a bond with each other.  Each character has an archetype, which was fantastically self-referenced in the season 2 premiere.  They even went to far as to reference a new show on a competing network ($#*! My Dad Says, review coming up).  I am very happy to see this show return keeping a similar, if not better pace than last season.

Recommended for: People who have been to college (either at the "proper age" or as an "adult"), fans of The Soup, fans of Chevy Chase, fans of UCB comedy, fans of (long-form) improv, fans of ensemble comedies without a laugh track

Not For: disconnected people, people who just can't stand the lack of structure in slightly improvised tv shows

30 Rock (Returning, NBC):  I am waiting for this show to feel like it's failing, because it amazes me that it's still going strong!  Not that I want it to fail, I am very happy that it's constantly entertaining, and if it can be on TV forever and stay just as entertaining, I will be a very happy (with television) man.  30 Rock is about the behind-the-scenes world of a fictional NBC sketch comedy show filmed at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.  Lead by writer/creator/producer/star/awesome-sauce comedienne Tina Fey, this wily cast of characters get so obscure and wacky, it's like watching a live action cartoon show playing "just the tip" with reality.  If you aren't watching it by now, I must ask why, because it is just pure funny.  The season openers are some of the best of any show, and this one was no exception.  I know it's not going to happen, but I hope Matt Damon becomes a permanent member of the cast.  He's really funny.

Recommended for: Do you like to laugh?  Watch this show

Not for: People who don't like to life, people who don't like an occasionally well timed poop/booger/boob/fart joke, My brother finds Kenneth annoying to the point of never wanting to watch the show, so I guess it's not for anyone who finds Kenneth annoying

The Office (Returning, NBC):  Unlike 30 Rock, The Office frequently flirts with "losing it's edge" of being a great/funny show.  It has still managed to keep from sucking, and season after season manages to give us some great television moments, but knowing that this is the last season of Michael Scott, I can't help but wonder what the future has in store.  The Office is about a place where people do their jobs in a building with cubicles and the lot.  Basically, if the title doesn't explain it, then what's the point of you?  Every character in the cast is immediately identifiable if you have ever slaved under florescent lights at a computer for 8 hours (or more) a day, 5 days (or more) a week, which is probably why it's one of NBC's biggest hits.  The cold opener was great, the entire cast doing a single shot music video for the song "Nobody (But Me)".  Probably an internet reference that actually went over my head (I know, shocker!), but was still pretty clever and at moments, funny.  The rest of the episode got back into some classic elements, which made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  NBC pretty much owns my Thursday nights.

Recommended for:  Anyone who has ever worked in an office

Not for: People who don't like docu-style shows

Outsourced (New, NBC):  I think we have reached a point where television can't get past the fact that there are so many people without jobs in this country, that almost every show (new and old) are trying to "tackle" this subject (i.e. exploit it as either a plot device or a "trending point").  This show starts off with a similar premise.  A call center for a novelty company outsources it's call center to India and sends one of it's only two remaining employees to go manage it.  So right off the bat we get that office humor and the culture-clash humor are going to drive this show.  The first episode was riddled with them, but kept me amused enough to not change the channel at 9:30 to South Park reruns on Comedy Central.  If the show can keep the humor sharp, I predict a decent shelf life.

Recommended for: Not sure

Not for:  Well if I don't know who it IS for, then I sure as hell can't tell you who it's NOT for, can I?

$#*! My Dad Says (New, CBS):  So now CBS has a Thursday night comedy line up as well.  Since I have been a fan of the NBC line-up for so long, I am sticking with them.  However, a show based on my favorite Twitter feed starring everyone's favorite space Jew (after Leonard Nimoy), William Shatner, I had to give it a shot.  The Twitter feed is an extremely funny collection of one-liners said by the poster's father (in case the title didn't explain it enough for you).  The TV show takes that premise and says "oh look, half the script is already written here on Twitter, why don't we just add some dialog in between and call it an early night!"  They should have changed the title to just $#*!, because that's how I felt after wasting the 22 minutes it took to watch the episode (maybe that's why I had such trouble sleeping last night).  There was even a Shatner complaining about people doing impressions of him joke because that's totally original.  And we all know Shatner isn't the greatest actor (even though he is an Emmy winner for Boston Legal), but through the entire episode, i couldn't tell if he was bored, high, or about to die.  He just delivered his lines as though he was propped there and being used as a puppet Weekend At Bernie's style.  He wasn't the only one, the entire cast seemed like they just got the script the morning of filming and the director thought he was Clint Eastwood and only used the one take for each shot.  It was nice to see Will Sasso and Nicole Sullivan (both Mad TV alums) working together as a couple on the show, but I could tell that even they were looking for other jobs backstage.  Thankfully I don't have to worry about this thing clogging up my DVR ever again, and I look forward to it being a punchline for obviously bad ideas.

Recommended for: The severely mentally challenged, those who have never seen a television before, those who didn't understand what I was talking about when I said "Twitter Feed", those who will watch Shatner in anything because his career isn't still going on it's own

Not for: Everyone else

Wow, my first scathing review.  It just had to be said.  Who knows what DVR weekend will hold.  Stay tuned for further reviews.  Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel!