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I think that Valentine’s Day has jumped the shark. At the very least, it seems to have surpassed its usefulness. No one takes it seriously (although also people definitely take it very seriously? “It’s complicated” — Alec Baldwin’s Facebook). I just feel like almost everything that could ever be said about Valentine’s Day has already been said AD NAUSEUM (that’s Latin for Ad Barf, right?). Like, last night’s shows were good, as usual, but the things that were good about them had very little to do with their thematic tie-in to the holiday. Conversely, some of the things that were not as good about them had everything to do with their thematic tie-in. So. You do the math, professor.
Anyway:
Community was great. That show is so strong, I hope that it officially gets picked up for a second season. But maybe in the second season they can relax with the Jeff-Britta stuff. I know that Hollywood thinks you need the constant tension of a back-and-forth will-they-won’t they romantic relationship, but it’s 2010. Maybe you don’t need that if it isn’t working and kind of feels forced and slows the show down? Besides, we already have that delicious balancing act in Troy’s relationship with Abed, no duh. The best part of the episode: Abed’s attempts to direct Jeff, and when Senor Chang kicked his legs up and over a student’s head to get a letter from the Greendale Human Being. The worst part of the episode: the weekly moral lesson, always.
Parks and Recreation, also so great. Can we just call season 2 of this show season 1? Because if this is what the show had been like out of the gate, we would be having this conversation in the Laughter Hall of Fame (real thing, look it up, just kidding, it’s rude to waste people’s time). The worst part about the episode, though, was how Rashida Jones suddenly doesn’t like Paul Schneider anymore and is starting to like Chris Pratt again? Come on. That is not supported by the evidence! A judge would be like “bailiff arrest this episode for contempt of court.” Don’t get me wrong, we all wish we could be dating Chris Pratt, but I am talking about the CHARACTERS’ motivations. It’s bad enough that a nurse is spending all of her time hanging out at the municipal building, but now she is seriously going to throw away a blossoming relationship with a professional man in order to satisfy the pang of jealousy she is feeling over a man-child’s new crush on a teenager? We may not know Jay-Z’s schedule, but we know that this is unrealistic.
The Office‘s credibility gap is only growing wider. If you ever wondered who on Earth was still watching this documentary about paper merchants, or why the paper merchants themselves agreed to be filmed for so long, then it is only more problematic when you introduce an entirely new cast of characters and another corporate environment. Would a printer company from Florida engaged in a semi-hostile takeover really allow their meetings to be filmed? “Gabe, it is a comedy show, you are thinking too much about it.” Your mom is thinking too much about it. The best part of the episode: Michael’s temporary return to the sales desk and/or the scene in which Ryan suggested to Dwight that they give Jim the Saw treatment.
30 Rock could have used more Beeper King, but otherwise the episode pretty much killed it. After everything I said in the introductory paragraph about how there is nothing left to be said about Valentine’s Day, which I MAINTAIN IS TRUE, 30 Rock made the strongest effort. Like, needing a ride from two words: “oral” “surgery” on Valentine’s Day as the not having a date plotline was funny, and Jenna’s abandonment by her stalker was also clever. Even the Bon Jovi cameo was basically perfect. People magazine’s Sexiest House Plant 1999! BRAVA, 30 ROCK. If it is true that every song has already been played and now it is just a matter of new inflection on the old notes, then your inflection made me laugh last night, show.
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“Stay away from John Mayer!” The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
So insanely true. After this week that line was perfect Serendipity (I am killing the double references today).
30 Rock won last night, hands down. It was an episode I believe by year’s end will make Maxim?s ?I?d Rape That 100.?
Movie reference.
There were so many broken relationships on Parks tonight! April and her gay-bfs, Leslie and Justin, Ann and Mark, Tom and his wife.
Also, the Breakfast Club montage on Community was hilarious. Fav part of the night.
Jon Hamm with a Jamacian accent = good stuff.
Don Cheadle on rice.
I know I’m misunderstanding at least three technologies, but I want that whole scene to be my ringtone.
Community was last night’s champion for me. When getting drunk broke Abed’s brain I lost my shit all over him (DOUBLE REFERENCE!). The Office got better for a couple of episodes then worse again. Boo to Kathy Bates’ character. 30 Rock is the marathon champ, but I’m getting tired of every episode focusing on Jack Donaghy’s dating life. Isn’t 5 girlfriend story arcs a season enough for that man?
I greatly enjoyed Liz Lemon practically shouting her final line directly into the camera: “Happy Valentines Day, no one!” That show was on fire last night.
It was hilarious to see Andy performing all his tasks with two massive dogs in his crotch.
New party game: Try to guess what they rubbed on Andy’s crotch to make the dogs keep sniffing it!
The final scene of this week’s Office with Jim moving back to sales and playing a playful joke on Dwight (tie in the coffee), followed by a shot of Pam smiling was Season 2-esque, which can’t possibly be a bad thing. I just feel like even the writer’s know that the show has run it’s course, but at least this appears to be an opportunity to recapture some of that former glory.
Speaking of “The Office” running its course, I am dreading the arrival of Pam and Jim’s baby. When they revealed she was pregnant I was totally unsurprised and even a little offended that they would take such a predictable route with the show. I used to love, love, LOVE “The Office”, but at best I can say I’m bored with it. I wish they would do something totally wacky and off-the-wall to breathe some life back into this show.
Would it be funny if for the rest of however many seasons the Office has left Pam was always pregnant but never gave birth?
Just end the show after Season 10 with Pam still pregnant.
The answer is yes. At least to me, yes that would be funny but of course in a completely inane, random way.
Me and me, giggling back and forth, FOREVER.
30 Rock killed it. I find myself looking most forward to 30 Rock or Parks. Community is solid, but I feel the Office is in the sunset (twilight?) of its run. They should swap with ABC for Modern Family.
Complaining about the plausibility of the Office documentary? What is this, 2006? Put down your antique Rubik’s Cube, trade in your 2-D scarf for a 3-D neckie, and join us in the teens, Grandpa!
If sarcasm is bad, why did Jesus make it look so good?
Here’s to you Aubrey Plaza! And Chris Pratt, oh my, Chris Pratt. You can be my Wedding Singer any day.
Julie Powers is such a bitch, But I love Aubrey Plaza so much. Kudos to you for the picture though.
archer was great again. and as a bonus for watching this show that you guys should all at least try watching once, they show teaser commercials for louis ck’s upcoming show.
They’re YOUR clothes, idiot.
Happy Anna Howard Shaw day everyone!
Yours, in professionalism, Nard Dog
Jeff-Britta is superfluous. He’s got a girlfriend and we like her. Teasing us that he might move to Britta (note to self: remember to change water filter in the fridge) and dump the girl that he had to fight to win over, is not endearing. It makes him look like a douchehole.
I want to eat your boogers, 30 Rock!
http://jdlutz.com/karen/proof/
Thank you, 30 Rock for knowing that you have geek fans who would do this.
“Get ready to eat your words, Frank, Toofer, Liz, and Writers Who Never Talk.”
(That’s your fourth wall.)
Still waiting on that Archer tag.
“Andy, why did I just get a mass email from you saying you don’t like me? Don’t you know how hard that makes me like you?”
I like Kelly so hard.
What was up with the Julia Roberts joke on 30 Rock? the one that was possibly breaking the 4th wall?
That episode was awesome but i did not get that particular joke, which kind of bothered me, because i am always looking for a reason to laugh at Julia Roberts.
Jenna worries her stalker might move on to one of her “peers”, like Julia Roberts. Everyone looked at each other awkwardly because Julia Roberts and Jenna are obvioiusly no where near peers but they didn’t want to tell her this.
man. i cannot tell you how loud the “WHOOOOOSH” was, when that joke sailed over my head.
thank you for the explanation.
Hopefully, bringing the Jim Halpert we know and love back will save the show. Probably not. Because, the baby.
I cannot upvote this comment enough. IMO funniest line in P&R last night.
Scorsese drank with DeNiro. Yes he did, Abed. But DeNiro probably never woke up wearing two different face masks and the pizza guy’s t-shirt. But thanks for going to the gym, Joel McHale. Because the gun show was much better for it.
Community made me extremely happy, and then 30 Rock made me even happier with two little words: Hey dummy. Is it possible that Jason Sudeikis is even more handsome than Jon Hamm? It is in my mind. And I’m going to make a website about it and the URL to that website will contain the word “proof” so nobody can argue with me.
I didn’t think anything could weird me out more than the Greendale Human Being, but then Kenneth put on his gender neutral face sack.
Even with the decline in quality with The Office this season, the opening was always a bright spot. Last night might have been the worst one they’ve ever done. There was only one okay line in it with the whole “From this conversation, Vancouver doesn’t look so good.” thing. But I get it already, Michael is stupid.
This week I watched the uber-popular CBS triumvirate of Accidentally On Purpose, Two and a Half Men and Big Bang Theory.
Needless to say — with Community getting better each episode and the writers of The Office at least trying to fix the problems with the show this season — I will never take Thursday night comedies for granted again.
No How I Met Your Mother? Or did you exclude it from the list since it’s undeniably awesome?
Excluded intentionally, of course.
“It’s not because of the smell, I’m just expecting a nosebleed” was the first time the Office has actually made me laugh in months.
Would have liked to have seen Jim be the manager a bit longer than just one episode to explore that dynamic a bit more, but I guess the writers just wanted to reset things back where they were before like they’ve done so many times now. Oh well, hopefully this will make Pam and Jim less boring.
I am liking Erin and her “specialness” more and more each week though. Like when she didn’t recognize Snoopy or Woodstock, and saying that she couldn’t compete with Kelly because in part she “gets her clothes at the mall.”
Parks & Rec continues to kill it, week after week. Ever since they started using Aubrey Plaza more, it’s been on fire. “I’ll take you for an ice cream malt and then we can go choose our caskets.” “God, why does everything we do have to be cloaked in like 15 layers of irony?!”