Weekend Rewind

At this point, I am like a political blogger not watching debates. I am a restaurant reviewer who has been making his own dinner, I am a gardener who put a sport court in the backyard, I am an auto racing writer on a bike ride.

I am just not watching any scripted TV right now. A lot of it can be blamed on the baseball playoffs and the NFL/College Football season. I am sure some of it can be attributed to age – I used to be able to stay up and watch TV until 2 AM, I can’t even come close to that anymore. Some of it is due to just general responsibility as some kids’ dad and some lady’s husband. Turns out clothes don’t wash themselves nor do houses clean themselves nor do lunches get made magically. Although growing up, I could have sworn that all the above was true.

But here is the real reason….is there anything compelling on TV right now? Is there a water cooler show that has to be watched in real-time, or at least that night?

There is only one in my world – The Office. It gets discussed, broken-down, quoted, re-quoted, and misquoted over and over again beginning Friday morning. I went to a party Saturday night and I think I talked about it for an hour. 30 Rock comes close, its fun to talk about that show too, but the urgency isn’t there.

What else is there? Heroes? Do people get all excited to talk about it? Is there a buzz around this show such that every move is documented in the USA Today and online news services the next day? Nope. There are really only a couple of these shows besides the aforementioned workplace situation comedy:

-Dancing with the Stars (reality, no thank you)

-American Idol (ditto, and not on TV yet)

-Lost (please come back soon!)

-24 (lost its way last year, but ye shall have faith)

I only watch the last two, and right now I cannot wait to start breaking down Jack Bauer and finding out what unbelievable, unfathomable, and utterly improbable scene is coming next. Same for Lost – you know if you miss it on Wednesday night you better stay off the internet until you do. USA Today usually leads with Lost information like its real news.

Anyway, all I am trying to say is that I still plan to knock out my current rotation of seven comedies and nine dramas – its just that none of them make me want to come home, put the kids to bed, turn off the computer, and sit down and watch TV.

Here is what I did see this weekend:
-'Til Death' - Haven't stayed awake through an episode yet. Didn't even make it to the second commercial break this week.
-'Curb Your Enthusiam' - Good as usual, always laugh out loud funny, always uncomfortable. I will miss this show when its gone, but I think at this point it has run its course.
-'Mad Men' - I am about 4 shows behind right now (anyone can catch up on AMC On-Demand). I really, really like this show. As I have said before - very stylish, well written, well acted, very interesting. Nothing ever happens really, but this week once Don Draper got busy with what I believe is his first Jewish sexual conquest, he subsequently began to open up to her about his childhood and get in touch with his feelings for the first time. Surprise, Surprise...

Two Offices and 30 Rock

Lets get right to it. I loved this episode of The Office - you know, the one where Ryan was asking Michael to do a PowerPoint presentation and he hadn't yet loaded it onto his laptop. Where Michael taught us all the "Power - POINT", and I can now repeat over and over, "Click the start button, pull up the tool bar (that's what she said)." I even enjoyed the uncomfortable humanization of Michael at his other job, "I wonder what I would have been back home?"...where they lost me was at the Shrute farm. Sorry, I like Dwight as the office nut, and I can only assume his home life is odd. To see it through the eyes of the loving Jim and Pam was filler for me. But give me more Power-POINT, more Daryl and Miss Kapoor, more Scrantonicity II, and more Creed any day of the week....

30 ROCK IS GENIUS
I knew they still had it in them. That whole episode was genius top-to-bottom. What I would like to focus on is one line. One perfect throw away line that shows how clever, how smart, and how awesome this show really is and can be....
First, some history...there is nothing I enjoy more on TV than a little self reflexivity. When a show or actor can make fun of themselves and who they are, or how the show is percieved, within the context of the show. The Simpsons are really good at this, The Family Guy has had its moments (like the Robot Chicken Star Wars parody conversation between Peter and Chris was very well done). The OC characters once met the stars of the show 'The Valley' which was their own parody of their own show -- they were very good at milking the 'Valley' bit. I wish I had more examples off the top of my head -- I will work on it this weekend. But any time an actor mocks a prior performance in a subtle way is good enough for me. I am not sure where to classify this 30 Rock line, but it was just so fast, so simple, and so self aware that I stood up in bed and applauded. OK, I did this in my head - but you get the point.
So what was it? Did you catch it?
When Steve Buschemi (great performance) is asking Jack Donaghy if he has any skeletons in his closet, or relatives with skeletons, he mentions quickly in passing that his cousin Tim got caught fixing NBA games.
Loved it. Genius. Great writing. Great Tracy Morgan this week too.

I also saw that the Big Bang Theory got picked up for a full season -- good luck to them. I have watched all three so far and can tell you for a fact - they are out of material. Good night folks, don't forget to tip your waitress.

TPIR and other thoughts....

Any daytimers out on OP-EDTV land seen the new Price is Right with Drew Carey? I am going to have to TIVO that thing to see whats going on. Do you think they left everything the same including the cheap set and long microphone? Or do you think they gave it the 'Millionaire/Deal' makeover with a dark set, big lights, and loud music? If someone has seen - let us know. We need to know.

I read an article where the author was commenting on how Olberman's show 'Countdown' on MSNBC which one could call the cure for 'The O'Reilly Factor' has been rising in viewers and has either caught up with, or passed, the once untouchable zone with no spin. The author concludes the reason must be the Countdown format - 5 top stories and worst person in the world segment. Yeah...that's the reason people are watching Keith -- the format. No one should ever call the media liberal ever again.

Can someone please tell me what the CW stands for? I don't think they have answered this one yet. Hang on, I am going to google it.....nope - they don't know either. The stock is worth $600+ and they don't know.

Tonight is The Office and 30 Rock. Color me fired up. This is the last 60 minute Office for some time. And hopefully the first funny 30 Rock.

A Week with No Drama

I am sure there have been some good shows this week and I am sure you don't want to hear about how I haven't watched any of them, but its been one of those weeks. Last night I went to bed at 10 for the first time since 9th grade - that was interesting. I have never actually been so awake in the morning that I think I realized I have been using the same razor since 1997. Anyway, Lauren watched Beauty and the Geek last night while I tried to sleep but instead listened to her go - "Oh Wow", "Wow", "Really?" -- yes folks, its that episode, the one where the geeks are transformed into hunks with a decent hair cut, some gel, perhaps some highlights, and more importantly my wardrobe of a decent pair of jeans and a non-tucked in button down. I know, I know, how could anyone else anywhere in America choose to do this to me and wear the same thing. In breaking news, I am not a fashion trendsetter.
I am sure they all came out looking nice because Lauren was talking back to the TV which she never does. We call this a 'Hoffman' - where Lauren thinks I am on the phone but in fact I am talking to either Jack Bauer or the writers of Lost, depending of of course on what I am watching. Do other people do this? I need to know. I like talking to Jack Bauer, I think it helps him. And I like telling the writers of Lost what I think as the show is going. Lauren just thinks I am fucking crazy.
I know a guy who is very close friends with a Lost writer. One time I told that guy to tell the writer something I thought, and then that guy told me that he told his friend and I believe him. Either way, it was a big day. Because I think they need to know that there are actually Lost fans out there that don't take to the internet and rip the show to shreds scene by scene all in the name of 'being a fan'. Please, just sit down and watch the damn show.
If we were all that involved in our shows, then we would be making crazy internet posts like this:
"On last week's Gossip Girl, I am pretty sure that when they were in the hotel elevator, it had buttons going up about 50 floors. But when they show the hotel from the outside, it couldn't have more than 4 floors. MY GOD? Are they in a different hotel, is there a time space continum issue? Did they die and are now in pergatory? We must break this down and start a seperate forum"
Anywho - we did watch How I Met Your Mother on Monday night and Rules of Engagement. I will continue to say this about Rules: Patrick Warburton kills me, I wish his show the Tick had made it, he was even better on that. I also still struggle with the casting of David Spade as the single ladies man.
HIMYM - solid show, better than the tricycle episode, good twist at the end, and I agree with Ted and Barney, Marshall has no game. I should know, I think I am him.

Weekend Rewind

Having spent the WHOLE weekend at a work conference in St. Louis, my total weekend TV time logged was about 2 hours - and all of that was on Sunday night when I got home.
The good news is I couldn't watch the Badgers go down in flames - its easier to deal with on BlackBerry refreshes of ESPN Mobile. The bad news is I missed Adrian Peterson's breakout performance on Sunday. In this case, refreshing on ESPN Mobile doesn't do his work justice. My hotel room TV had a brutal red tint to it, and I was pretty tired (read: drunk) to finish either late baseball game on Friday or Saturday.

For those of you scoring at home, here is what is piling up on the fake-TIVO:
Big Shots (3 episodes)
DirtySexyMoney (3 episodes)
Chuck (3 episodes)
Pushing Daisies (2 episodes)
Las Vegas (3 episodes)
My Name is Earl (4 episodes)
Law and Order SVU (2 episodes)
Sarah Silverman Program (2 episodes)
Womens Murder Club (1 episode)

RE: Womens Murder Club. My trusted reviewers said that as far as TV Murder mystery shows go that are not about collecting forensic evidence - this is the first one in years that didnt star Angela Lansbury or Dick VanDyke, and is also pretty good. I also enjoy the acting stylings of Angie Harmon, so by defualt this show goes on automatic 3 episode probation. Its a Friday show so I figure why not?!?

Friend.SDR told me not to get into Friday Night Lights until I watch the first season. So I plan to knock that out sometime before 2008 is over, then I will move onto season 2. One fear I do have though (as do all fans of FNL) is that its ratings this year can barely top 5 million people. This show (which everyone says is genius, brillitant, awesome, best-on-tv) cannot seem to find an audience and is probably not long for this world. I will place this show in the category with Studio 60, Eyes, and more that can't come to mind right now of shows that were too good for their own good, and for one reason or another, just couldn't get a large enough fan base.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS
I am now mentally checking out everytime Justin and his mom come on screen. "Take the pain meds, I won't take the pain meds, take the pain meds, I won't take the pain meds"....and scene. My god, give me the pain meds. Other than that I didn't enjoy this show at all this week.

GOSSIP GIRL (from Wednesday)
This is still my favorite show in the TIVO right now for some reason - maybe cause its just fun and I ask nothing else from it. Low expectations are the best kind of expectations I guess.
This week, Nate gets taken by some 21 year old hanging out with high school kids and Bair and Serena look hot in expensive outfits while Dan continues to blow the best chance he will ever get with the most popular girl on the upper east side. This show does need to get moving though a bit. I think it might be stuck in neutral.
"We'll see you next week for some continued slow moving plotless action, XOXO Gossip Girl."

THE OFFICE (from Thursday)
My brain is too-fried to remember much, I plan to rewatch it. But here is what I loved:
-Daryl and 'Miss Kapoor's' impending relationship
-The air horn underneath the pelts in the trunk
-The party invite to 'Chat Room', "does the address have a WWW in front of it?"
-The breakdown of the two pizza places by Kevin and Oscar, "one is like eating a garbage circle"
-Stanley dancing to the website
-Ryan's buzzword bingo breakdown of his work, "apples to apples/end of the day/from 30,000 feet"...it was all great stuff
-Angela and Phyllis
and of course....
-Andy's speakerphone version of 'Take a Chance On Me' was pure genius through and through.

Best.show.on.tv

The Office (Weekend Edition)

I am off to St. Louis for a 3 day work conference over the weekend. Uh huh. That's right. It's on the weekend. Business Casual attire required.

I am pretty sure they are having a breakout session in my hotel room on Saturday at 2:30 called "Managing Client Expectations while breaking down Badgers-Penn St". It should be a good one.

I will blog The Office when I return, but would love to hear your comments before you forget...hope it was a good episode, see you on Monday.

Brothers and Sisters Talk

We finished up Sunday's B+S last night. Again, very dramatic - my god they are going to drag out this Justin injury for all its worth I bet. They even threw in the 'is Justin dead' tease at the beginning of the show just for some overkill. What they don't realize is that TVguide or TIVO or whatever you have on-screen already told you in the mini-synopsis that Justin was coming home.

Do you think there is a way to turn off the on-screen program guide? I only want it to tell me what the show is, and if its new. The rest I would prefer to learn for myself. During 24, you could go out like three weeks to see what is generally going to happen. I refuse to try that trick with 'Lost'.

It's good to see Rob Lowe really streching as an actor. If anyone can point out to me anything different between his West Wing/Lyons Den/B+S character besides their names, I would be interested in hearing about it. So really, its just like a watching a Sam Seaborn dates Ally McBeal spin-off. Because really, Calista isn't really doing anything different either other than she can't see a dancing baby this time. I digress.

Terrible news to report....Per TVGuide.com, Chevy Chase has signed on to do a few episodes this year playing an old friend of Nora. I am surprised he was available. I wonder if he will be playing a former funny-man turned angry jackass.