Final Week-In-Review for January

It's that magical, magical time again. Friday. Here are my ever-growing thoughts on all the crazy that went down this week.

Best Advertisement: the Parents Television Council’s condemnation of… well, anything
As you know, I was thoroughly underwhelmed by the water-down, tamed and lamed US version of the British classic, Skins. But, as with so many shows before it, even the cut and censored version annoys the ridiculous, puritanical Parents Television Council… which makes me want to give the show another chance. Anything that gets their dander up gets a few extra points in my book. Heh, I’d have loved to have seen their take on the real version. They’re just so spectacularly stupid to think that their condemnation with cause fewer people (especially kids) to watch the show. Nothing made me quite so happy as when Gossip Girl used quotes from the PTC as their ad campaign, because really, that’s exactly what the PTC is doing. They’re basically telling kids exactly what they should be watching. Well, I’m no kid, but I’m suddenly much more likely to watch the US version of Skins… even if it could never hold a candle (crack pipe?) to the original.

Best Kiss: Castle
How could I not put this on the list, I mean really. Sometimes characters have great theoretical sexual chemistry, but then it’s all awkward and uncomfortable in reality. Not the case here. The steamy Castle/Beckett lip-lock wasn’t awkward at all. They’ve always had a really flirty, friendly kind of vibe going, so it just makes good sense that the sexual chemistry works as well as it does. Best part of all? Castle’s flustered reaction afterward. Hehe. Oh, Nathan Fillion. Always good for a laugh.

Best Remake: the US version of Being Human
I’ve actually had this one saved on my DVR for over a week. After the spectacular failure that was the US remake of Skins, I was understandably apprehensive about yet another seemingly unnecessary remake. Well, much to my delight and surprise, Being Human is actually good. Really good, I dare say. The major difference is that unlike Skins, the US Being Human didn’t simply take the exact same characters with the exact same names and film a pilot that was almost scene for scene the exact same show. I spent the Skins pilot feeling like I was listening to a bad cover-band. Being Human took the same base concept and characters, but made it their own in a lot of little ways. The US version starts several months prior to the UK version, so it was able to establish these characters in a slightly different way. By using this tactic, it felt like I got to see something new, but also got to see a bit of an origin story for characters that I kind of know. I say “kind of” because the US versions of Mitchell, George, and Annie are similar in substance, but quite different in tone. The US Mitchell (renamed Aidan) is more cool and casual than his enthusiastic UK cousin. The new George (now Josh) is more sardonic than hysterical, and the new Annie (Sally) is more down to earth than flighty. It gave the show a slightly different vibe and made it seem fresh and new, even though at its core, it’s essentially a show I’m already familiar with. They have tweaked all the original characters (the new Herrick (some of the shoes that would be hardest to fill) is awesomely played by Dexter alum Mark Pellegrino, who gives the character a new persona), and new characters have been added. George/Josh has a sister who, at the end of part 1 of the pilot, is in an incredibly precarious situation. To the show’s credit, after only half a pilot, I’m kind of dying to see what happens. They established these characters in a way that didn’t seem like a bastardized rehash, but rather as an inspired reimagining. I was surprised at how much I loved part 1 and I can’t wait for part 2. I was so sure I would hate this, but at the end of the day, it felt like a different kind of experience than the UK version. The original is clearly superior in many many ways, but I’m surprisingly excited to see how the US team makes it their own. I’m as shocked as you are, but this one seems to be a winner whether you’re a fan of the British series or not.

Best Vindication (the blast from the past edition): Sex and the City
Okay, so this comes about a decade late, but as you all know, I’m catching up on shows that I missed back in the day. I’ve really been enjoying Sex and the City (a hell of a lot more than I ever would have thought). Anyway, I just watched the episode where Carrie runs into Big’s new wife and she’s determined to look fabulous at a luncheon they’ll both be attending (you know, so she can save face and one-up the woman who won Big’s heart). Well, after Natasha (Mrs. Big) can’t make it to the luncheon to see Carrie looking divine, Carrie feels like she lost… until she gets a card from Natasha thanking her for attending the luncheon and lamenting the fact that she was sick. Nothing says vindication quite like poor English skills… “‘I wish I could have been their.’ T-H-E-I-R.” This of course means she has to immediately call Miranda with the good news about Natasha. “It’s a good thing she got married, because she’s an idiot!” Ha! Seriously, it’s like when you see a facebook status or a blog post from someone you hate and you notice that the grammar is horrendous. It just makes you feel good inside. Like pie. (Please keep in mind that I never proofread, so I’m sure I’ve had more than a few foibles in my day. It’s only when it’s someone I want to destroy that it’s truly satisfying…)

Charmiest (?) Third Time: Shameless
After a so-so pilot and a thoroughly disappointing episode 2, Shameless appears to have finally found some footing with episode 3. Engaging, funny, emotionally resonant, and interesting, the show’s third outing proved to be their best yet. I think the more the show focuses on the kids and the less screentime it gives to William H. Macy, the better the show. Fiona’s the real backbone of the family, but I think Lip and Ian are quickly becoming my favorite family members—especially as a pair. This show has been incredibly uneven thus far, but I’m hopeful the writers recognize what they have with these two and starts gearing the show in their direction. I really loved that Lip was more than willing to take a beating for his brother and thought nothing of it. The dynamic between the two of them is the best part of the show, and Ian is quickly turning into the best character.

Most Recent Discouragement from Getting Married: Perfect Couples
I’d say “biggest discouragement,” but that’s a really, really high bar, so we’ll stick with “most recent.” Perfect Couples was perfectly irritating. I made it to the end of the pilot, but just barely. I’ve said before that married couples are apparently boring (at least that’s what TV would have me believe)… Well, I’ll see my “boring” and raise me a “completely grating.” Painfully unfunny, too. Yeah, not adding this sucker to my rotation.

Best Immunity Prize: White Collar
Sure, winning immunity on a cooking show is fun and all, but at the end of the day, who the hell really cares? I much prefer White Collar’s brand of immunity because it comes with an origin story, not just a pass. All I can say is, it’s about time they gave us some background. I can see where they might have wanted to hold off till this late in the series (although I’m hearing that was a network decision, not a creative one), but with a set up like White Collar’s, I think it should have come a long time ago. Up till now, the audience basically knew nothing about Kate and spent every single episode of the show being slightly annoyed that Neal is so obsessed with this random face who has had no character development whatsoever. I defy you to find a fan of this show who was truly upset by her getting blown up last season. This show needed to establish her character in a way that had the audience truly invested in her and in her relationship with Neal. Last night’s flurry of flashbacks helped fill in a lot of blanks, but in terms of Kate, I think it might have been too little too late. It was nice to see that she can speak and all, but I still didn’t really buy the character. I think a different actress could maybe have invigorated the role, but the girl they got was just dull (entirely too dull for someone like Neal to really care about). I had always tried to give the show the benefit of the doubt and created a Kate in my head that was enigmatic, charming, and elusive, but now that I see her in the flesh? Meh. Neal can do a hell of a lot better. It makes the fact that he got arrested for her all the more irksome and ridiculous. Really? For her? Blanda Blahington? The rest of the flashback offerings were outstanding, however. It was great to see how Neal met Mozzie (hilariously toupee’d and goatee’d), how he became the man his is today (sort of—I’d still like to see where he originally came from), and how he and Alex got involved. Man alive, I love Alex. Sooo much more than Kate. She actually has an edge and has some genuine chemistry with Neal. The interplay between them is always sexy and fun to watch. Anyway, the writers did a lovely job keeping the continuity consistent with what we already know and nodding at little tidbits of knowledge (like the Raphael) that were seemingly irrelevant until now. Nicely done, show. Very nice.

Best Moniker: Bonds. James Bonds.
Once again, kudos to White Collar. I love that Neal’s FBI name (you know, before he and Peter actually met and became friends) was something so badass. You could see that it was killing Peter to admit that Neal was so impressive as to deserve such a moniker.

Darkest Matter: Breaking Bad
Yeah, so… started watching Breaking Bad on DVD. Damn… that show is dark. Good, but dark. I’m only a couple of episodes in, but it’s seriously reminding me of that episode of The Black Donnelleys where they have to dispose of some dead guy in a barrel. I’m as desensitized as it gets, but that doesn’t make watching guys dispose of a body pleasant to watch… it just makes it bearable.

Least Tempting Show Saved on My DVR: Chuck

Deadliest Custody Battle: Southland
Well, if True Blood is mommy and Southland is daddy, I think we now know who the judge sided with on the Kevin Alejandro custody trial. As is so often the case, mommy is keeping the kid. I realize that Kevin Alejandro is a regular on True Blood, so something had to give with his gig on Southland, but wow. That’s rough. And unfortunate on any number of levels. I actually kind of adored Detective Nate Moretta and seeing him killed like that was brutal. What’s worse, his partner Sammy is still with us. I’ve hated Sammy for a good long while (mostly because of his grating relationship with this wife), so to see Nate bite the bullet while Sammy walks away? Ouch.

Subtlest Simpsons Reference: Criminal Minds
It’s the little things that count. In terms of subject matter, Criminal Minds is about the unfunniest show on the planet, so when you’re watching an episode that slips in a joke, it’s much appreciated. As Garcia is looking into the deaths of convenience store owners in surrounding states, one such unlucky victims information displays on her computer screen with “Name of Victim: Apu, N.” She didn’t actually say the name, so you had to be paying attention, but it’s still nice to have something funny inserted into the "torture porn" that is this show.

Saddest Countdown: The Vampire Diaries
“One… Two…”
Three. I guess that’s more of a count-up, but still. I was never a huge fan of Rose, but last night’s heartbreaking death really hit me. I guess the good news is that after suffering for the better part of the episode, Damon helped her die peacefully… in his arms… as he created a fantasy in her head. Still sad, but I can think of worse ways to go. If that weren’t sad enough, Damon has to go and break my heart again at the end. Poor guy just can't catch a break.

Quotes of the Week:

“One million PTC members can’t be wrong.”
--Matt Webb Mitovich from TVLine.com, regarding the US version of Skins, which he included on his list of shows worth watching this week. All of sudden, I’m inclined to agree.

“Look, I may not have a badge, unless you count the chocolate one Alexis gave me for my birthday, but I’ll tell you this, like it or not, I’m your plucky sidekick.”
--Castle, from, well, Castle.

“Well, if you need me, I’ll be across the street in the bushes, stalking you. [pause] I saw you smile!”
--Steve, trying to win Fiona back after royally screwing up on Shameless.

“Wow, I don’t even need a corkscrew.”
--Neal, regarding Peter’s cheap choice of wine on White Collar.

“Well, that answers my question. Jeff Winger is sexy even in a coffin.”
--Dean Pelton, admiring Joel McHale on Community, the way all good people do.

“Dude, you have no idea how messy things are about to get.”
--Birkoff, assessing the total ass-kickery that’s about to ensue when Nikita and Michael square off against a gaggle of security guards.

NBC Pilots 2010: Volume 3 (comedies)

Sticking with NBC's "Me too! Me too!" approach to programming, their fall slate follows in ABC's footsteps and makes a major play for new comedy blocks. ABC hit it big with last year's foray into the thought-dead genre, so now NBC is trying to do the same. From what I've seen, NBC is kidding themselves if they think they have the next Modern Family on their hands, but a couple of their new offerings appear to have some potential.

New half-hour comedy Outsourced and hour-long Love Bites are set to premiere after The Office on Thursdays this fall, while Friends With Benefits and Perfect Couples appear to be slated for midseason. There's something called The Paul Reiser Show that's on the list, but I haven't seen it on any official schedule yet, and I kind of have a feeling it won't actually pan out, so I won't be reviewing it here. Plus, you know, I'm lazy. (Also, I just watched the trailer and it looks criminally un-funny, so yeah, count me out.)

OUTSOURCED

Description: Stars Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport, off-Broadway’s “The Gingerbread House”), Rizwan Manji (“Privileged”), Sacha Dhawan (BBC’s “Five Days II”), Rebecca Hazlewood (BBC’s “Doctors”), Parvesh Cheena (“Help Me Help You”), and Anisha Nagarajan (Broadway’s “Bombay Dreams”), Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show”), and Jessica Gower (Network Ten’s “The Secret Life of Us”). Robert Borden (“The Drew Carey Show” and “George Lopez”) is executive producer/writer. Ken Kwapis (“The Office”) developed the project through his company, In Cahoots, and serves as executive producer/director.



My Take: Ummm... wow. It's hard to really know where to start here. I have to give them credit for trying something new, but this isn't really working for me so far. I'm stuck between finding this funny or cringe-worthy. I have a sinking feeling this is just going to be one episode after another of Americans looking like assholes whilst mocking Indian culture. Yeah... not exactly my bag, thanks. I honestly don't know what to make of this one. Handled in just the right way, it's the kind of concept that could be a witty juxtaposition of cultural norms, but so far, I'm not sure they're capable of pulling that off. In case the equivocacy thus far hadn't tipped you off, I'm on the fence with this one. I salute them for being daring. Having a mostly unknown cast and setting your comedy in India is ballsy, if nothing else. There's certainly a lot of room for funny in this concept, but I'm afraid it's going to veer into un-funny, America-is-better-than-you-are territory awfully quickly. Anything that is overtly "We're number 1!" is a major turn off for me, so I'm really hoping this comedy takes jabs on both sides (with the serious jabs coming America's way) and using this show as a platform to expose cultural quirks in a hilarious way. That's a tall order to fill, so I'm apprehensive at the very least. We'll see how it goes, but I have to admit, I'm nervous. It just feels like the kind of show that will make me embarrassed to be American... you know, more so. It has some impressive creative talent behind it, so I'm hoping to hell they pull this one off. I'm not sure it'll find an audience immediately, but to NBC's credit, one of the few things they do right is give their comedies time to grow.


FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS

Description: From Oscar and Emmy winner Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, Arrested Development). Stars Ryan Hansen (Veronica Mars, Party Down), Danneel Harris (One Tree Hill), Fran Kranz (Dollhouse)--a role which is being recast, Ian Reed Kesler--who is also being recast, and Jessica Lucas (Cloverfield). David Nevins (Lie to Me, Arrested Development) joins Grazer as executive producer. Also serving as executive producers are David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers), who directs the pilot, writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ((500) Days of Summer), and Jeff Kleeman.



My Take: Well, it's hard to know exactly what this one is going to look like in the end because half the lead roles are being recast as we speak. Most irksome? That my darling Topher Brink (aka Fran Kranz) is getting the boot. Grrr! Argh! He seemed perfect for the role (which I have to imagine is being tweaked as well) and can absolutely hold his own in the acting department. He has great comedic timing and a hell of a lot of depth. I was really looking forward to seeing him again (you know, in a less Thoughtpocalypse kind of way). Sigh. Considerably less irksome? That guy playing the womanizer (with the plan to sleep with a representative from the major religions) is also being recast. I didn't recognize him (after checking IMDb, it appears he's been in stuff here and there, but nothing noteworthy--you know you're in trouble when the official description doesn't list anything) and didn't find him appealing at all. He certainly didn't strike me as a ladies man (at least not a successful one). Anyway, he won't be missed. Regarding the elements which will be staying the same (presumably), I love Ryan Hansen and think that if anyone could pull this off (and temper the Fran Kranz ouster), it's him. His days as douchey Dick Casablancas on Veronica Mars always make me smile. He wasn't terribly appealing back then (which was the point), so I'm actually pretty surprised at how he came across here (i.e. likable and attractive). The other leads are basically unknown to me, but they seemed to acquit themselves well. The concept is pretty basic and standard and I don't think it'll take more than a season for one (or both) of the primary leads to fall in love with the other, but all in all, it looks like it could be some mindless fun. Ryan Hansen is funny even when the script isn't, so in spite of some "meh" jokes in the trailer and some less-than-stellar line deliveries by his co-star (maybe it's just her voice, but it feels like she's playing a character, not that she is that character--"Well, what would you expect from the acting school of One Tree Hill?" chimes the audience), I think he's abundantly suited to anchoring a comedy. The creative team has some promise, even if 500 Days of Summer didn't really do it for me... My main quibbles with that movie had little to do with the comedy, so here's hoping the writers are better equipped for serialized TV rather than film. This feels like NBC's latest attempt at bringing back the glory days of Friends (hell, let's put "Friends" in the title!), but the odds of it being the cultural hotspot of its predecessor are slim. It looks like it could be a really solid comedy, but again, it's hard to know exactly what this is going to be. I'll give a serious shot to just about anything with Ryan Hansen at the helm. God, I miss Veronica Mars (speaking of which, did everyone see Jason Dohring on Lie to Me? I really miss him as well).


LOVE BITES

Description: From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Cindy Chupack (Sex and the City). Stars Becki Newton (Ugly Betty) and Jordana Spiro (My Boys), whose character names are Annie and Frannie--no, I'm not kidding, although I wish to hell I were. This is kind of a weird one and doesn't have much in the way of a regular cast. Apparently each episode will include several vignettes or something... Their story will anchor the series, while other romantically-challenged characters will come and go each week. Hence, LOTS of guest stars, not so many regulars. Chupack is creator, executive producer and writer. Marc Buckland (My Name Is Earl) also is executive producer and directs the pilot.



My Take: Okay, wow, this might just not speak to my sensibilities, but this looks positively painful. I actually quite like Jordana Spiro, but she and what's-her-face appear to be aiming for Romy and Michelle and are failing, failing miserably. Spiro's ditzy dingbat voice might be a character affectation, but that makes it no less annoying or disingenuous (maybe that's the point? the character is all a front? here's hoping...). More than that, I've never been a big fan of meaningless A-plots, and this show appears to have based itself around that concept entirely. I watch television because it's serialized. While lazy viewers might like a show that they can tune into once in a while and still know exactly what's going on, those are my least favorite shows. If I wanted a self-contained, one-time thing, I'd watch a movie, thanks. Anyway, the concept is dubious for me at best and the creative team leaves much to be desired. I watched exactly 10 minutes of the Sex and the City movie and they had pretty much the exact same gag with the two hot guys turning out to be gay. It was uber-predictable the first time, so you can imagine how thrilling it was to see it once again. Way to recycle, Chupack. I appreciate it when people go green. Quite frankly, can we excise the actual leads of this show and follow the attractive gay guys instead? Pretty please? This feels more like a string cornball casting stunts than an actual series and that is an immediate turn off. I'll never understand the concept of introducing characters, developing them in a way that makes the audience really care about them, and then never having them on the show again. It's like what happened with Cupid. I ended up caring more about the story-of-the-week than the series regulars, so it was beyond irksome when I'd never seen the actually interesting characters ever again and was stuck with total crap. The writing is weak and rife with cliches, the base concept is way too A-plot based to appeal to me, and the two leads aren't coming across as nearly as well as they could. Best part of the trailer? Getting to see Kyle Howard again. He was always one of the better aspects of My Boys. Which, while My Boys was never a home run or anything, appears to have been a million times better than this. Spiro and Howard could do (and have done) better.


PERFECT COUPLES

Description: Stars Kyle Howard (My Boys), Christine Woods (Flash Forward), David Walton (Heist), Mary Elizabeth Ellis (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Hayes MacArthur (She’s Out of My League), and Olivia Munn (Attack of the Show). Jon Pollack (30 Rock) and Scott Silveri (Friends) are the executive producers while Andy Ackerman (Seinfeld, The New Adventures of Old Christine) is the director.



My Take: Are we sensing a theme here? Dadgummit, NBC is going to find the second coming of Friends if it's the last thing they ever do! Or at least they're going to try. And try. And try. This one even has a Friends producer on board. Holy hell, this slate of new comedies is redundant. Speaking of redundant, hey look! It's another My Boys alum! Oh wait, it's the same alum! Anyway, and once again, this one just isn't really jumping out and grabbing me. It doesn't look awful, but it definitely smacks of the inexplicable cliche that men are clueless morons and women are irrational shrews, a la Knocked Up. Okay, not that bad. Nothing could be that bad, but you know what I mean. If the writers can find a way to make these people truly endearing and charming, this show could really work, but I'm cautious. The base concept doesn't leave as much storyline wiggle room as audiences' generally go for (you know, what with the perils of dating being essentially removed). There's just something about established couples that doesn't have people glued to their screens. Okay, there are actually a whole lot of things. It'll be interesting to see exactly what angle the writers take with this, but so far, none of these characters seem all that engaging. They strike me as annoying more than anything. But, as with any show, they might just need time to really establish themselves. I've seen a couple of clips of the show that make it look a lot more promising. The creative team is solid, so if there's enough here that it can work, they're the ones to pull it off. I have to admit, the gag with the dramatic walk-away soundtrack made me smile. The stuff about how annoying married couples can be? Not so much. Here's hoping the writers avoid that. Maybe you have to be married to find that kind of pettiness hilarious... I, for one, am not, and do not. At least Kyle Howard is getting work?