Tuesday, February 9, 2010

BUGS VS. DAFFY DIDN'T COME UP: Somehow, we don't have a thread to talk about last night's television, be it the highly polarizing episode of Chuck (see both the Commentpocalypse over at Sepinwall and Linda Holmes' awesome response), a Big Bang Theory that didn't explain why on earth the show is apparently the subject of a shot-for-shot remake in Belarus, a continuity-happy How I Met Your Mother (Ranjit! The Naked Man! Barney's Blog!), an episode of Castle that proves the Murder, She Wrote theory of guest stars, or something else (surprising pleasure Life Unexpected, for instance). So let's talk about both television and people talking about television below.

18 comments:

  1. You left out a mildly shocking NON-ROSE CEREMONY ever. 

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  2. The M,SW theory of guest stars is (naturally) that the most famous/recognizable guest star is the murderer.  (Exceptions are made for cameos like the Torre one last night, but the murderer was the most recognizable guest star.)

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  3. Benner2:37 PM

    House -- interesting take on Cuddy, but the plot was never that suspenseful.  

    Damages -- I don't know what's going on, but I kind of like it.

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  4. Maret2:39 PM

    I haven't watched this week's LU but am glad to hear it was good. My reaction to that show has been mild disappointment -- I think all the pre-show Gilmore Girls comparisons left me expecting more. That said, I'm giving it a few more episodes so it can get beyond the "let's re-explain the premise in every episode" routine new shows kind of have to do.

    I'm a recent BBT convert and last night's was just ok but I loved Sheldon's comparison of Rupert Murdoch to Darth Vader because "He owns Fox and Fox cancelled Firefly."

    I had a more "meh" reaction to last night's HIMYM than others seemed to -- not sure why.

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  5. I haven't watched this week's LU either, but I've enjoyed the first few episodes.  Hearkens back to the old days of the WB--stuff like Gilmore Girls, Everwood, and the like--sharply written and solidly performed.

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  6. They almost got me, if only because I was sure THE DEVIL was a distractor.  

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  7. lauri3:01 PM

    the whole chuck uproarwill be interesting to watch play out from both sides.  there seems to be a widespread backlash  against the proposed "boycott", even among the 'shippers.  there's not much the showrunners can do at this point, story-wise, since they're so far ahead in production.  josh schwartz has said that he and chris fedak will answer fans questions today to try to calm the fury.   they didn't plan for this episode to be the last before the olympics break, but it's certainly an interesting point to leave off.   cbs had a big night ratings-wise after all the super bowl promotions and chuck's ratings were down.   i'm betting the chuck promos during the olympics will now focus more on the chuck/sarah relationship.   gotta love passionate fans that can interact directly with the showrunners...both the good and the bad.

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  8. Maggie3:05 PM

    The whole comment thing is really nuts.  I've admitted to some random and moderately embarassing things on this blog (being unable to sharpen a pencil correctly for one), but I'm pretty sure I'd be too embarassed to admit here (or elsewhere) that I was so wrapped up in a fictional relationship on TV show that I'd boycott if the couple didn't end up together.  I'm really enjoying Chuck (which I recently caught up on based on reviews here) and my iPod is so very grateful for the new music I've found from the show.

    Also, I can't recommend Linda Holmes' NPR blog enough - her response to this was another wonderful example of her thoughtful writing about all things pop culture.

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  9. You mean you didn't find the renewal of an insurance contract suspenseful?  And did the baby have a rash or not?!  I was on the edge of my seat.

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  10. calliekl4:15 PM

    Anyone else have a problem with the absolute absence of chemistry between Cuddy and Lucas? It's so bad, it's distracting for me.

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  11. spacewoman4:27 PM

    I'm with you; I think she easily seems 15 years older than him, and the idea of them together makes my skin crawl (for other reasons, not bc I'm ageist).  I can't imagine they could even fill a 10 minute cocktail party conversation. 

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  12. Daniel Fienberg4:49 PM

    Dang. Belarussian Penny is HAWT.

    That is all.

    -Daniel

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  13. Emily6:37 PM

    I'm having a hard time buying the Lucas/Cuddy relationship, as well. But I thought it was interesting to have a Cuddy-centered episode, if for no other reason than to see how frustrating it must be to have to deal with House and his absurd requests on a regular basis. Though you also got a sense that in those truly stressful moments House stepped up and was a good friend (in his way). I did enjoy the moment when House started to make a decision about the case and the elevator doors closed indicating that his story wasn't the important one in this episode.

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  14. Jenn.8:24 PM

    I kept poking the boyfriend's arm and announcing "It's got to be him!  He's THE DEVIL!!!!!!"

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  15. Hannah Lee12:37 AM

    I've been struggling to understand why, but lately HIMYM has been really falling flat for me.  


    Previous seasons have been must see, and I've raved about each episode.   This season has been " Yeah, I've got to watch, I guess"  and  after each episode I try to make apogies to myself about why I really should have enjoyed it, when I really didn't.

    My quick take as to why the episode are falling flat:

    - The Robin-Barney relationship was not really honestly explored.  S1-4 Robin-Barney would have been great together:  playing Laser Tag, smoking cigars, having hot crazy sex -- what we got was Robing  Barney dopplegangers having a traditional "sitcom relationship" which fell really flat and left the real relationship unexplored.
    - Most of the episodes have relied on the "mugging" of Barney, Marshall and Lily..overly extreme expressions of the characters that we know and love:   In the right context, (ie Marshall defending the existance of Nessie) ham-handed expressions are within character.  Without that backstory, they are just lazy storytelling, or bad acting.  And from what I've seen of this series, it's the former...this cast delivers on whatever they're asked to do...mis-steps seem to be a result of the writing (relying too much on Barney, making Lily jive, trying to be too cute instead of honoring the characters, etc)


    -Robin and Ted seemed to have lost their actual personalities and been replaced by sitcom dopplegangers that do anything for a sitcom laugh
    -this one is very superficial:  Robin and Lily seemed to have been linked together in some weird cosmetologist pact in which Lily's skin gets tanner and tanner while Robin's skin gets lighter and lighter. 

    Combined with Lily's excessive mugging (see above) and Robin's disintegration of personality, it makes me think that Alfred Hitchcock has taken over the show...the physical representations are showing what's going on with the characters,

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  16. Hannah Lee12:38 AM

    I've been struggling to understand why, but lately HIMYM has been really falling flat for me.  


    Previous seasons have been must see, and I've raved about each episode.   This season has been " Yeah, I've got to watch, I guess"  and  after each episode I try to make apogies to myself about why I really should have enjoyed it, when I really didn't.

    My quick take as to why the episode are falling flat:

    - The Robin-Barney relationship was not really honestly explored.  S1-4 Robin-Barney would have been great together:  playing Laser Tag, smoking cigars, having hot crazy sex -- what we got was Robing  Barney dopplegangers having a traditional "sitcom relationship" which fell really flat and left the real relationship unexplored.
    - Most of the episodes have relied on the "mugging" of Barney, Marshall and Lily..overly extreme expressions of the characters that we know and love:   In the right context, (ie Marshall defending the existance of Nessie) ham-handed expressions are within character.  Without that backstory, they are just lazy storytelling, or bad acting.  And from what I've seen of this series, it's the former...this cast delivers on whatever they're asked to do...mis-steps seem to be a result of the writing (relying too much on Barney, making Lily jive, trying to be too cute instead of honoring the characters, etc)


    -Robin and Ted seemed to have lost their actual personalities and been replaced by sitcom dopplegangers that do anything for a sitcom laugh
    -this one is very superficial:  Robin and Lily seemed to have been linked together in some weird cosmetologist pact in which Lily's skin gets tanner and tanner while Robin's skin gets lighter and lighter. 

    Combined with Lily's excessive mugging (see above) and Robin's disintegration of personality, it makes me think that Alfred Hitchcock has taken over the show...the physical representations are showing what's going on with the characters,

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  17. Hannah Lee12:38 AM

    I've been struggling to understand why, but lately HIMYM has been really falling flat for me.  


    Previous seasons have been must see, and I've raved about each episode.   This season has been " Yeah, I've got to watch, I guess"  and  after each episode I try to make apogies to myself about why I really should have enjoyed it, when I really didn't.

    My quick take as to why the episode are falling flat:

    - The Robin-Barney relationship was not really honestly explored.  S1-4 Robin-Barney would have been great together:  playing Laser Tag, smoking cigars, having hot crazy sex -- what we got was Robing  Barney dopplegangers having a traditional "sitcom relationship" which fell really flat and left the real relationship unexplored.
    - Most of the episodes have relied on the "mugging" of Barney, Marshall and Lily..overly extreme expressions of the characters that we know and love:   In the right context, (ie Marshall defending the existance of Nessie) ham-handed expressions are within character.  Without that backstory, they are just lazy storytelling, or bad acting.  And from what I've seen of this series, it's the former...this cast delivers on whatever they're asked to do...mis-steps seem to be a result of the writing (relying too much on Barney, making Lily jive, trying to be too cute instead of honoring the characters, etc)


    -Robin and Ted seemed to have lost their actual personalities and been replaced by sitcom dopplegangers that do anything for a sitcom laugh
    -this one is very superficial:  Robin and Lily seemed to have been linked together in some weird cosmetologist pact in which Lily's skin gets tanner and tanner while Robin's skin gets lighter and lighter. 

    Combined with Lily's excessive mugging (see above) and Robin's disintegration of personality, it makes me think that Alfred Hitchcock has taken over the show...the physical representations are showing what's going on with the characters,

    ReplyDelete
  18. HIMYM was good, and I do enjoy when they have those debates and only zero in on a few random comments, BUT... the fact that Marshall didn't mention Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck? LAME! Bugs beats Daffy. And there you go. Rabbit over duck. 

    Also, Barney was starting to get a little annoying with the phone. I'm a big Barney fan, but it was all a bit much, even for him. 

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