DERE CAN BE ONLY WAN: Hulu is running a March Madness-style bracket of the best shows on TV (guest critic: Alan Sepinwall), and the opening round has begun. I kind of hate the way that they've matched shows that are thematically or demographically similar, because it often forces me to vote against shows I like while voting for shows I don't watch, but I suppose that it makes for more interesting pairings. Some of the early returns are interesting, though early returns probably overcount depth of love relative to breadth.
Your homework, which appears to be the argument Hulu wants to provoke: make a cogent argument for why Glee is better than Friday Night Lights.
FWIW, matchups are here. The real reason they've set up the bracket this way is to match up shows with devoted fanbases early rather than in the final. Because their fanbases are extremely devoted, depending on seeding, Fringe and Supernatural could have easily made it to the finals against one another. This knocks some of those out early. Some seriously weird Round 2 matchups are possible--Community v. Family Guy, Breaking Bad v. Grey's, Good Wife v. Louie.
ReplyDeleteBig Bang vs. Chuck and Mad Men vs. Boardwalk Empire? Ugh. Those are the hardest ones for me to pick.
ReplyDeleteIn every instance on the ballot but one, I either watch both or neither of the shows listed.
Guest was me.
ReplyDeleteThe one result I really don't get is the House/Grey's one. I haven't watched House much this season, but it has apparently been excessively House/Cuddy centric, while fortunately sidelining Thirteen, which doesn't seem appealing, while Grey's is continuing a really solid season.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to fail that homework assignment, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteSo far, I'm voting the loser except in the case of The Simpsons, Chuck, Mad Men, Parenthood, and HIMYM. I really should never be surprised now when shows I like get cancelled.
I refrained from voting in races where I don't watch both, because there are a lot of "not yet but someday" shows in there up against "not as good as it could be but I love it anyway" shows, so I don't trust my own judgement in those cases.
ReplyDeleteBut here's my concern about Friday Night Lights, which falls into the former category for me: word has it that the actors improvise their lines, as they have been doing on this season of Parenthood. And on Parenthood it drives me crazy to the point where I stopped watching because of it. It stresses me out--it's like I can FEEL the actors trying to think of what they should say, not to mention all the over-talking. Anyone here watch both? Want to reassure me that yes, it's annoying on Parenthood but no problem on FNL? Because I feel a bit like I'm the only one annoyed by it on Parenthood, which worries me that I'm going to hate FNL, and I don't want to hate FNL.
I definitely find the actors on FNL more adept at the style than most of the Parenthood cast. Could be more because the scenes are less pat on FNL than on Parenthood. I don't think you'll hate it. It's too good.
ReplyDeleteGlee vs Dexter could be an interesting second-round match-up, I just noticed. They're so different, but they both walk that oh-so-thin line between "good enough to forgive the bad" and "so bad it's good."
ReplyDeleteOn a similar note, I once smelled something stinky, so I stopped breathing.
ReplyDeleteHow can The Simpsons be ahead of Family Guy?!? I am a hugely devoted Simpsons fan. The kind who annoys his friends by coming up with a Simpsons quote to fit just about any situation. If you go grocery shopping with me I'll ask you where to find the Burns-Os. If you mention Australia I'll remind you that disparaging the boot is a bootable offense. Yeah, I'm that guy. But for the last few years, there is no dispute that Family Guy has been way, way funnier.
ReplyDeleteMy only concern with Friday Night Lights was resolved during Season 1. A few episodes in, the handheld camera was used so much and was so dipsy/shaky/jerky that I would have to look down in my lap to avoid getting queasy. Thankfully, they pulled out of that style of camera work about halfway through the season.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little annoyed that Dexter is up against The Walking Dead: I don't have any premium channels, so I can't watch half of this stuff, but I don't think anyone was watching Mad Men after six episodes, either and that's all we've had so far of The Walking Dead.
ReplyDeleteThey don't let the manatees vote?
ReplyDeleteI voted for The Simpsons because Family Guy annoys me with prolonged, unfunny filler clips of Conway Twitty and Peter fighting a chicken.
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