So first things first, I’ve no excuse for the lack of posts here (well, a small excuse, but I won’t go into that right now…). I am ashamed at my slacking… That said…
Last night was the season finale of another absolutely fantastic show, Showtime’s “Shameless”. Raw and real, based on a UK series of the same name, this show brings us deep into the lives of the Gallagher family… The trailer below sums it up pretty well, but I just want to add that if you haven’t seen it, get hopping on Showtime OnDemand while the series is still there and catch up. The acting is spectacular and every episode is filled with plenty of drama, laughs and tension that perfectly blend to keep you coming back week after week…
It’s been a crazy year or so and I’ve backed off a little from DVR’ing everything in sight, but there’s still a fair amount of stuff I squeeze into the week. It also goes that percentage-wise, I lean heavy on the funny… That being said, here’s a few bits about a few faves… COMMUNITY -- NBC
This show kicks off NBC’s Three hour block of Comedy (which only contains 2.5 hours of comedy…I’m talking to you Outsourced…), and week after week is stronger and funnier. Quietly underrated, there’s a bit of perfection that comes out every week. I can’t quite pin it down, but it’s some remarkable balance between the casting, the plot-lines and the way it plays along, into and around stereotypical television premises. Where a show like ‘Family Guy’ -- also hilarious -- bombards and inundates with pop culture references out the wazoo, Community will pick a subtle few and weave them into the story, sometimes overtly (Dungeons & Dragons episode), other times subtle (Abed’s many quick references…). Easily one of my favorite comedies right now…
Basically Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein have one of the most hilarious sketch comedies (sadly, it’s only 6 episodes).. The cameo appearances enhance the show greatly, and the loose connection to Portland helps tie it together…(Kyle McLaughlin as the mayor of Portland was fantastic…)
LOUIE -- FX
Louie (currently in between seasons) was by far the best surprise of the past year. Painfully original, so awkward and uncomfortable, and some of the most honest humor ever to hit television…
PARKS AND RECREATION -- NBC People mostly talk about The Office (losing steam big-time) and 30 Rock (always awesome…), but Parks and Rec is a pretty big heavy hitter on the funny front. Slight modifications in cast have really helped this show grow and thankfully it survived the weird hiatus between mid-seasons… Like Community, its the strength of the ensemble cast here that works… Plus any show that has the Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness has to be good…
ARCHER -- FX
Following in the footsteps of it’s FX cousins “It’s Always Sunny” & “The League“, Archer is chock full of non-PC goodness. Archer may just be the most inappropriate spy, but that’s what makes it so damn funny…
MODERN FAMILY -- ABC
I’d be remiss not to mention Modern Family. Even though it’s a mainstream hit, it’s a winner every week…
Ready to fire up the DVR for Sunday… First, it’s the return of one of my absolute favorite shows “Californication“. I think I’ve posted about it before. Solid laughs and drama every week and one of the best pay cable shows out there…
Then the premiere of 2 new shows that I think may really push Showtime above HBO in terms of fantastic original programming… “Episodes” is getting some really good buzz so far and looks like a great companion to Californication as far as another brash look at the entertainment business…Synopsis: Husband and wife writing team Sean and Beverly can’t wait to bring their successful British television series across the pond to make it big in America. But in true Hollywood fashion, it quickly becomes a laughable, clichéd sitcom – starring none other than Matt LeBlanc. Matt not only messes with their beloved show, he rocks the foundation of their relationship. So now, even if they survive the absurdity of show business, will their marriage survive Matt LeBlanc? Last there’s “Shameless“, a show that looks to have some serious undertones mixed with some heavy comedy powered by some serious casting… Synopsis: Frank Gallagher is the proud single dad of six smart, spirited and independent kids, who without him would be… perhaps better off. The brilliant William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum star in this wildly engaging and fearlessly twisted new Showtime Original Series. The Gallaghers may not have much in the way of money or rules, but they know who they are — and they’re absolutely, wildly, unapologetically SHAMELESS.
Not a whole lot to say except that if you haven’t watched the latest Robot Chicken Star Wars (an hour long episode that is absolutely “wizard” by the way), then now you have no excuse… Throw in commentary and interactive features and I’m not understanding why you haven’t stopped reading this and clicked the link already to start enjoying your RC experience in its fullest!
I haven’t sat through this in its entirety and there’s already a little bit that’s annoying about the guy reviewing and commenting through this, but since the actual special hasn’t re-aired EVER, and I was but a teeny toddler last time I saw it, I can deal with his banter…
Wow, what a fantastic site. Stumbled onto this while surfing for ideas for a title sequence to a little piece I’m working on at work. Incredibly deep, this site takes stunning title sequences from Movies and TV and dives into the process of their creation; be it through an interview with the creator or production company, audio or video snippets of the process, and in some cases detailed breakdowns of each step in the life of the project (see the Dexter sequence breakdown). Quite a site to get lost in and the depth of information and visuals is superb. Bookmark this, favorite it or “like” it NOW…
Hulu Plus iPhone app is in the app store and prior to launch they’ve got some free preview stuff. First reaction: works very smooth and streams crystal clear and speedy! Looks very promising!
This show may be 20 years old (holy hell that’s a long time ago…), but this piece gives it a fresh new coat of paint… “This Pie’s so good it is a crime…!”
