New Fall Sitcoms Is Where It’s At

Friends! And everyone else that is wildly disappointed with this week’s episode of Glee! Stop watching trash television. We don’t have to stand for it. Yeah, I’m looking at you Ladies of Greenwood with all of your Bad Girls Club nonsense. There are actually really charming new sitcoms to feast upon that I think will make you think twice about your allegiances to the shit we’ve been watching lately. Behold: Raising Hope and Outsourced.

Raising Hope

The story of a boy who knocked up a girl that was actually a murderer and then got sentenced to death so now he’s raising a kid with his lovably simple minded parents and senile Maw Maw. I’ll admit that at first I thought this show was just trying to milk (pun intended) the joke made popular in The Hangover: inept man takes care of infant. Hilarious right? Well, luckily that’s not really at all what this show is about. Jimmy, the boy in question, earnestly wants to be a good dad. He’s got a lot of heart and compassion. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him make his baby do jerking off hand gestures any time soon. The show has hints of My Name is Earl (and I say that as someone that never watched an episode but gathered that it was all just about making fun of republican hicks) but with the sensibility of How I Met Your Mother (the humor comes from relatable characters and relationships instead of relying solely on pop culture references and over-the-top antics). We’re only two episodes in and you can catch up on Hulu. I say give it a spin. It’s a really cute show.

Outsourced

The story of a boy who was ready to start a brand new management position for American novelty products when he suddenly learns that to keep his job he’ll have to move to India. Way to finally tap into the Bollywood scene, Hollywood. This show is just plain charming. It’s The Office but without all of the unbearable awkwardness. Just a group of people, in a room, coping with one of the worst jobs known to mankind: customer service. I love that it takes place in India because it allows the writers to shine a light on all of the bullshit things that Americans consume. I look at every product in their catalogue and can think of at least one person that I know that would not only buy it, but would show it to me the second I come over to their house, giggling like a little girl. It’s sad but true. And I know, I know, I’m only 1 episode in, but I’m hopeful. I think it looks pretty funny and easy to watch. And that’s what this 24 going on 44 girl needs.

Emmys Noms: First Impressions

You might be tolerable this year!

The Emmy nominations were announced today and I was SHOCKED with some of the results. And by that I mean that it didn’t look like an exact replica of last year’s ballot which is a huge breakthrough for the Emmys. I have been watching the Emmys since I was a little kid (probably long before the Oscars since I wasn’t old enough to watch any of the movies–but dammit I was old enough to watch Fraiser) and I gotta say, I’m pretty happy with how things shook out. Here are my random thoughts on the whole thing, take ‘em or leave ‘em.

-Jack Bender got nominated for his direction of the final episode of LOST and all I have to say is hallelujah. He has probably directed the most episodes of the show and is responsible for so many of those long, sweeping montages or action-packed running-in-the-jungle sequences that were so beautiful we can’t get them out of our head. I hope he wins but I also wouldn’t be surprised if it went to Mad Men or Breaking Bad.

The Tony’s: A Comedy of Errors

No additional dimming necessary.

I’ll be honest… my memory ain’t what it used to be.  Hell, I can’t really even remember what my memory used to be well enough to tell if what it is now really isn’t what it was back in the day.  (What? Sorry.) But the parts of my brain that I haven’t drank away assure me of one undeniable fact about awards shows: they keep getting harder and harder to watch.  Sadly, I think tonight’s Tony Awards underscored my biggest problem with the genre with  today.

Sure, these shows in general are kind of television’s black sheep: they don’t make much money; the voting is flawed; the wrong people win; they’re more than a little bit indulgent – for me, that’s all a matter of course.  Let’s face it, they’re not for everybody to begin with.  But for those of us who are into whatever artform Awards Show du Jour happens to be honoring, it should still be a good 3+ hours’ worth of viewing pleasure, right?

Apparently not.

Summer TV Possibility

People. Have you seen the preview for the new TV show premiering tonight on FOX called The Good Guys? Because I am really looking forward to it. Like, I might actually watch it when it happens instead of waiting to Hulu-it, kind of looking forward. Here’s the trailer:

I can’t quite pin point why exactly I’m so stoked, but here are some theories. (And further proof that my Achilles heel is my penchant for list making.)

The Power of Three

And I’m not talking Charmed.

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the superstition that bad things happen in threes. Think about movie trilogies like Austin Powers, Barbershop, or Spiderman. Pretty terrible, right? Consider musical acts Wild Orchid, Cleopatra (comin’ attcha), The Jonas Brothers, and Wilson Philips. Stop happening! Two out of three of those gifts from the wise men sucked! And don’t kid yourself that it’s any kind of coincidence that there are three branches of government.

Sure there are exceptions, and you don’t need to fill our comments box with your “Hewey, Dewey and Louie” nonsense. I’ll just say Star Wars Episdoes 1, 2 & 3 and leave it at that. Hate to play that trump card but mama’s got to do it.

Little known fact: Blanche Devereaux is the "she" in every That's What She Said joke.

Noting this rich history of terribleness you can imagine my horror when I heard the news that Gary Coleman and Dennis Hopper bit it last week. I knew it was only a matter of time before we heard about what famous person that we’d forgotten about suddenly kicked the bucket. Well, we finally got our third corpse (you’re off the hook this time, Lindsey Lohan) but unfortuantely it was Rue McClanahan, of Blanche from Golden Girls fame, who passed away this morning. While I am relieved that it isn’t Betty White, yeah I said it, I’m still sad to hear this news. First Bea and now this? It’s almost too much to bear. Damn you, power of three! You’ve bested us yet again.

(Although if anything could turn this superstition around, perhaps it’s this. Fingers crossed!)

Comedy Showdown: ‘Community’ vs. ‘Modern Family’

Compelling soap opera it was not.

This season has brought us some amazing new shows as well as some lackluster ones (sorry, Jamie Oliver, but I hope to God this is the last time I will bring up your lame-ass Food Revolution.)  Through it all, two sitcoms have outshone the rest, and it is those two sitcoms we sit down and dissect.  Enjoy!

Michael: For you, which has been the better new comedy this season: Community or Modern Family?

Kiki: I’m going to have to go with Modern Family on this one, although I do enjoy Community a lot. Modern Family for one is more consistent. I know when I watch I’m going to lol at least once. (Which for me is saying something. I usually watch it on Hulu by myself at 7:30 am so there isn’t a need to outwardly display how much I’m enjoying the show. But I do. I lol every episode.) I also enjoy more of the characters on Modern Family. Cameron is of course my favorite with his broad comedic bits and flare for the theatrical. He’s every theatre person I’ve ever known all balled up into one giant lovable lug. And his melodrama is always perfectly juxtaposed to Lily’s adorable dead pan.

Michael: Can a baby really be credited with a deadpan?  I mean, she’s probably staring at a Beanie Baby off camera…

Finales Finally

One of our faithful PopFountain addicts pointed me to a survey on EW about this season’s finales that I’ve quickly come up with my responses to. Hey, better to read my opinions here than me posting it as a note on Facebook. Am I right?

She's f***ing Matt Damon. Hopefully.

Best Death: Jack from LOST wins hands down. It might be time for that guy to get nominated for an Emmy.
Most Welcome Exit for an Unloved Character: Vaughn on Community. Little nipples are not okay.
Best Overall Ending to an Otherwise Crappy Season: V. It wasn’t for everyone but I thought they went out strong. Cest la vie visitors.
Worst Overall Ending to an Otherwise Solid Season: Community. What happened that was funny in this episode? No, really?
Best Romantic Cliffhanger: Michael and Holly on The Office. I know, I’m the only one still watching. But it beats that four-some on Community.
Best Non-Romantic Cliffhanger: 30 Rock. If Matt Damon is supposed to be the love of Liz Lemon’s life, how the hell is that going to work out? Unless he becomes a regular I’ll be very, VERY disappointed.
Best Kiss: Jack and Kate on LOST. That aggression was steamy.
Best Fight (Verbal or Physical): More like Best Sexual Tension which of course goes to Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest.
Top Tissue Moment (Single tear or sobfest): LOS…I can’t even finish typing it without getting choked up again.
Most Clever Single Twist: I hate to sound like a broken Dharma record, but the Sideways/Purgatory story takes the cake.
Weakest Single Twist: Annie kissing Andy on Parks and Recreation. Yawn, boring, saw that coming 2 seasons ago.
Funniest Half Hour: Modern Family, although I don’t think it was their strongest episode by a long shot. They should have ended on the Hawaii vacay.
Spookiest Image: Why is this even a category?
Most Rewound Moment: Last 10 mins of LOST.
SPECIAL AWARD: Biggest Regret That I Didn’t See It, I Just Read About It: Grey’s Anatomy. Apparently not watching for the past 2 years doesn’t matter and I should still watch this finale. But I probably won’t.

And here are a few categories of my own:

Tears, Jeers, and Purgatory: Our Final Thoughts on ‘LOST’

Okay, so it’s been more than a week now since the thrilling 90-minute conclusion of Lost (inflated to roughly twice that length by commercials) – more than enough time for the two of us to process our thoughts on the episode, the sixth season in all of its flash-sidewaysiness, and the series as a whole.  If you still need a spoiler alert, this is it.  MMNNEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW….

Unanswered Question No. 6,192: Why didn't Kate imagine herself with better hair in the afterlife?

The 2010 ‘American Idol’ Survey: A Cheater’s Guide

Over it.

Thank God for DVR, right? Right???  I mean, what else but the ability to fast forward through everything but Crystal Bowersox’s performances has made this season of American Idol watchable?  Surely none of the Ford Focus Music videos, nor Randy’s endless and nonsensical string of “yo”s and “dawg”s.  No, not even Ryan and Simon’s awkward homophobic lover’s spats can make me want to actually sit down and endure an entire episode of American Idol.  At the end of the day, the best part about this season (aside from Crystal, who is set to take home the title) is that I never once suffered the misfortune of having to watch that freaky little Aaron Whoever sing – and I have my DVR to thank for that.

Happily, the folks over at American Idol had the clever idea of asking all of us our opinion of the show by sending out a gloriously time-wasting survey where we the viewers can tell them what works, what doesn’t, and why in the world the show is so laboriously boring.  Don’t want to waste your time thinking up answers?  Don’t watch the show anymore because you too have found it frustrating beyond comprehension?  Think Paula was the shit?  In any of these cases, I will happily provide you with the correct answers for selected questions on this test.  Pencils ready?  Let’s go!

I’ll take “Don’t Add Crappy New Characters” for 100, Alex.

As a college student I didn’t have time for TV. No Thursday night line-ups on NBC. No TGIF on ABC. Not even a Movie and a Makeover Sunday with TBS.

But now I’m a bonafide working girl with a less strenuous schedule and Hulu has taken away any barrier between me and the small screen. I’ve unearthed my IV drip of yore, plugged it directly into my MacBook and with only a few hits a day I’m back in my TV coma. While I’m propped up on my Tempur-Pedic bed waiting for my jello to arrive I’ll confess that I am actively following LOST, The Office, Modern Family, V, 30 Rock, Community, Parks and Recreation, Glee, and the occasional Project Runway. Damn, it feels good.

Looking at this line-up I notice a lot of newcomers. Shows that are doing pretty well in their first season with no looming signs of cancellation in sight. LET ME WARN ALL OF YOU. You will be tempted to add new characters in future seasons. But listen to this re-lapsed TV junky: I beg you, choose wisely. There is right way to do it. And there is a very, very wrong way to do it.