Monday, October 3, 2011

Fall TV


Since I am a self-professed TV addict who has recently cut cable, I thought now would be as good a time as any to give you my first impressions of some of new shows this fall.

Whitney. I wanted to like this show. A comedy written by and starring a woman, that should be a train I could get on. But it disappoints on all fronts. The relationship jokes feel tired.  Men and women want different things, so that’s funny! I don’t really expect a character drawn like Whitney’s – supposedly unconventional and unwilling to conform -  to care about half the stuff the address. I turned it off half way through the second episode. I. Turned. It. Off.  My verdict: Don’t waste your time. Instead watch her much more promising writing vehicle…

Two Broke Girls. While it might not be totally consistent, the cupcake business plot line seems trite at this point (isn’t that what New York needs, another cupcake business) and I’m not sure how they are going to pull a whole series out of the theme, at least it feel fresh and funny. Kat Dennings is all around pretty awesome.  My verdict: Giving it a few more episodes.

Playboy Club.  Note to Eddie Cibrian, you are dashing, good looking and man, can you wear a suit.  But STOP talking like you are Don Draper. You’re not. And the Playboy Club is certainly no Mad Men. My verdict: Might watch one more but not banking on it.

Pan Am. Another show guilty of grasping at the Mad Men straws but at least this felt like more of a fresh angle than the Playboy Club. Think there’s more potential here. Really I think I just want one of those sweet vintage Pan Am bags.  My verdict: Giving it a few more episodes

The New Girl. Zoey Deschanel is the cutest, most whimsical thing you have ever seen!  She’s manic pixie dream girl incarnate! She wears funny hats! She sings! She knits hats! Which would all be super annoying if it wasn’t devastatingly true and utterly charming. It’s also pretty funny when she bounces off the male roommates, who are much more grounded in reality. My verdict: Giving it the season.

Up All Night.  I’m not a new parent but I certainly feel like I can related to what the characters on Up All Night are going through. Will Arnett can read the phone book for all I care. And I thought last week’s back story on Maya Rudolph’s character was hilarious, complete with 90s R&B video and everything. My verdict: Giving it the season.

Old Shows I Can Hardly Contain My Excitement About
  • How I Met Your Mother
  • Happy Endings – This is my new Friday Night Lights and The Wire. I’m telling everyone I know to watch this show. Other than Modern Family and HIMYM, it’s the most consistent in terms of LOLs per episode. Plus it’s on right after Modern Family, so just don’t change the station. Ah-MAH-zing.
  • Modern Family
  • Community
  • Parks & Recreation 
  • The League
  • Parenthood

Violet in Jessica Simpson Cody, brown, leather flats with brass toe buckle

3 comments:

  1. Great picks for the new year. Haven't checked out Whitney (and doubt I will now). I also watched the first episode of Revenge and that was pretty good. Planning to watch the second episode online. A little disappointed that Glee didn't make the list - but I guess you've got to draw the line somewhere. :)

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  2. Love Happy Endings!

    Also have been meaning to watch Free Agents - a remake of a Brit office sitcom (sounds familiar) set in Portland! As these things usually go (Portlandia excluded), I hear they have Portland all wrong. But we'll see!

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  3. Totally with you on the New Girl. Can we address the fact that they replaced Coach from the first episode completely without commentary except now this new roommate is a basketball player who happens to also be black, and seems to have the same story line...

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