Comedy Tonight Last Night

In some ways, I hate the conventions of television. A middling season is passable once a series begins with a bang and closes in the same way. But, last night, I didn’t have time to think about past sins – when it came to NBC’s Thursday lineup each part of the Thursday line-up delivered episodes that were on point. Sure, many finales leave us with a sense of disaster (more on other good showings later) but sometimes nothing is more dear than a well placed laugh, and though they differed in quality I’ll admit all four shows were at their best.

             

I’ll admit, sometimes I feel guilty for my harshness with Community. I’m just a tough grader sometimes, and Community often gets the brunt of it. Last night’s episode was not perfect, but as a whole it was a pleasing season closer. Community has made a good first season splash. I’m not in love with it, but looking forward there are a few tweaks needed to improve the show. I’m unsurprised about Jeff and Annie (I called that way back since last year), and it rings truer than Jeff and Britta original. But interestingly, though I’ve never been a fan of Britta she seems more human after last night’s episode. But Community needs to decide if it’s a farce, or just a comedy. The highlight of the episode, interestingly was Troy and Abed, and Troy’s revelation of his friendship with Abed being like a “giant cookie” was humorously sweet. 

             

Parks & Recreation, though, continues to show why it’s one of the best shows on television. In an excellent episode we learn so much, all the while keeping the funny. Paul Schneider has officially left the series (although word says he may return). The Parks & Recreation office is temporarily closed due to the government overhaul. Dealing with the issue is tough for Leslie who refuses to let the children down and not give them their Freddy Spaghetti concert. Ann is meanwhile taking a break from men as Rob Lowe’s psychotic government officer keeps accosting her. And Andy and April are trying to form their own relationship. As much as I’d like to see the pairing of Andy and April go somewhere, I’m not sure I’m completely over Ann and Andy as a couple (even though it would probably be regression in both cases). But the episode’s highlight had to be Ron Swanson pleading with the officials for Leslie to keep our job. He's a strange man, but Nick Offerman plays him just perfectly. So much character development has occurred since the beginning of the season and the series just keeps getting better and better.

Kathy Bates returns on The Office. I’ve never been a fan of her appearances, but she excels in this particular episode – especially in a poignant (but still, oddly hilarious) tête-à-tête with Michael. The writers have found a way to make Michael funny without exploiting him and Carrell is doing some excellent work. I really hope he gets that Emmy, though I know it’s foolish. B. J. Novak continues to deliver in five seconds what most actors can’t do with five minutes, and though I hate her character, Phyllis continues to deliver excellent line readings defying conventions of fat persons being jolly. It seems as if we may be getting some of the lovely Amy Ryan back as the episode closes with the possibility of her return.I'm neither here nor there on Andy's involvement in the plot, but his exit after his cute moment with Erin was nicely done even though they'll never be as great a couple as Kelly and Ryan (the best duo of the show).

And, 30 Rock...30 Rock. It’s a show that have I issues with, unlike some, but as is often the case it follows a fair season with an excellent closer and the finale was just excellent. I feel slightly for Wesley (played to perfection by Michael Sheen) but Matt Damon was on point throughout the entire episode – like the entire cast. It’s weird, the episode was excellent even though I’m still annoyed that Tina may not know what to do with Jenna anymore. Jane Krakowksi continues to deliver excellence, but Jenna has turned into less of a character and more of an afterthought though. But that, slight issue, was the only wrong turn. Like Amy Ryan on The Office last year, Julianne Moore was a delight on the small screen (but in a different register). I’m sad to see her go, but it was inevitable. There’s no telling what will happen next season, Matt Damon and Elizabeth Banks can’t become series regulars, can they? Will Kenneth really leave? But as a standalone episode, it was brilliant.

   

Community, "Pascal's Triangle Revisited": B+

The Office, "The Whistleblower": A-

30 Rock, "I Do Do": A-

Parks & Recreation, "Freddy Spaghetti" A

            

I can’t choose my favourite scenes, too many come to mind. Seeing Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt reminisce on their characters past was a nicely touch on Parks & Recreation and Leslie’s return at the end to face off with Ben was well played. And though Jeff and Annie’s final kiss was a bit too on the nose it still was sweet. Kathy Bates with Michael was hilarious, while the banter with the IT guy was a highlight especially when Jim couldn’t remember his name. But I guess, I’d have to give it Kenneth’s drunken tirade. The biggest laugh of the entire two hours. What a closer!

          

Did you watch the lineup last night? Were you as unabatedly impressed?

Comedy Tonight Last Night

It seems whatever I do I end up posting this late, but things are busy so I may be MIA for most of the weekend.

        

I often wonder why of all the networks that have good shows the two hours I watch on NBC (the only time I spend on the network) are the two hours I choose to review. The episodes of NBC’s comedy slot this Thursday reminded me why. Each comedy upped their standard this week getting right on track for next week’s season finales.

               

Community embraced its ridiculous and delivered a very decent episode. Lo and behold, Senor Chang turns out to be a Spanish teacher without credentials. It’s a believable plot point and Ken Jeong is a good part of the cast so it will be interesting seeing him become a student next semester. The main plot of Annie’s desperation to keep the group together was endearing in its own odd way, but I wasn’t buying the secondary intrigue of Troy becoming a plumber. It wasn’t that it was random, but it’s just peculiar. Hopefully, it’s addressed in further episodes so it doesn’t end up being just incongruous. All in all, though, Community is back on track with their own brand of weird comedy, and the closing piece revealing Pierce’s affiliation with the Spanish teacher was excellent, and completely in keeping with the weirdness of Community.

        

BEST QUOTE(s)

Teacher: You were gone when I woke up.

Pierce: I left when I woke up. I’m an early riser.

Teacher(seductively): I know. 

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Parks & Recreation continues to impress. Of the four comedies it had the most plot development last night, but it didn’t skimp on the funny. Rob Lowe’s eccentric auditor is well played, and completely unlike we’ve seen him before. Chris Pratt continues to turn in excellent (albeit ignored) performances. The absurdity with the would-be relationship between him and Aubrey is sweet, and it felt strangely authentic, even if I did prefer his chemistry with Rashida Jones. Speaking of Jones, she was on point throughout the entire episode. Her subtle plays and drunkenness were hilarious but never over the top and she and Amy Poehler just work excellently together. It’s anyone’s bet what’s going to become of Leslie’s office and job, and it seems Schneider is set for his imminent departure, but even though I’m a fan of his it seems with the new things pending on the show it’s still going to remain as one of the NBC’s greatest treasures and I will admit Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones looks like a good venture. I have to give a shout out to the weird (but hilarious) plot point of Ben’s political career. It seems Leslie may have met her match, though not in the way we would have imagined.

BEST QUOTE 

Leslie: (offering to pay for a drink) Oh no, Mr. Mayor – let me. (She takes out the money). Whoomp. There it is!

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The Office continues on its streak of improvement. It was nice seeing the entire office come together in anticipation of Michael’s sadness – which was not exactly forthcoming. I wasn’t too keen on Andy taking Michael to visit Donna’s husband, but seeing Dwight and Angela’s legal battle over the child-to-be was freakishly brilliant (like their provisions for the possibility of the child being born a la Benjamin Button). The ensuing settlement for five times of sex was odd and only confuses me more about Angela’s motives – but in a good way. Seeing Pam and Jim struggle with staying awake became even more hilarious when they ended up going down to the basement for a sleep while Angela and Dwight proceeded to their first sexual rendezvous. One thing about Carrell on The Office is his goodness, so even though the ending could have come as preachy we just don’t expect Michael to be a cheater, which made the episode a success.

BEST QUOTE

Andy: Look at the movies. The hero is always the person being cheated on. You’re Ali Larter, I’m Beyonce.

Michael: I’m always Beyonce.

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And 30 Rock delivers a solid episode, even if it was sorely lacking in the lovely Jane Krakowski. Julianne Moore’s return with the oddest of Boston accents was a delight as Nancy. Liz backtracking through a few of her old boyfriends was not particularly inspired, but still enjoyable and Tracy dealing with has past was the perfect blend of honesty and ridiculousness that we’ve come to expect from those crazy folks there at 30 Rock. Though I prefer Moore’s Nancy to Banks Avery I can’t see her staying on as a 30 Rock regular, but her guest appearances are fulfilling and it looks as if we may be seeing some more of Michael Sheen in the future which is always a delight.

BEST QUOTE 

Jack: (referring to Nancy) She put on red underwear. You’d think it would clash with her hair, but it didn’t.

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Community," English As A Second Language": B

30 Rock, "Emmanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land": B+

The Office, "The Chump": B+

Parks & Recreation, "The Master Plan": A-

BEST SCENES

#2 – The Office – Angela & Dwight’s legal battle. It brought back memories of better times between the two and on The Office.

           

#1 – Tracy’s emotional delivery of Garfield’s lines was excellent. Jordan is always over the top, but it just clicked here. 

        
Did you watch the Thursday lineup last night? Thoughts?              

Comedy Tonight Last Night

Another entry in my irregular series on NBC’s Thursday’s comedy slot: LAST WEEK'S ENTRY

                         

I haven’t seen Community in some time. It emerged last year as a somewhat off kilter lead-in for Parks & Recreation. Like any show, it has its good and it’s bad but when it’s bad it’s really bad and for me last night was one of those “bad” episodes. The entire episode"Modern Warfare" centred on the community college students engaging a series of paintball face-offs in hope of gaining priority registration. One of the conceits that sometimes fail on the show is their tendency to veto the belief of there being a real college with students and the resultant being the main characters being the only students. Of course any show focusing on school has this issue but whereas others pull it off (see Glee) Community often fails. The entire premise of the school engaging in a paintball fight was just a bit too ridiculous, even by the standards of TV Land. I figure that Community aims to be a satire, but I’m never sure if their incessant use of clichés is lazy writing or some attempt to make a point (whatever that may be).

Parks & Recreation fared better. In another strong episode this time we saw Leslie dealing with an all night telethon in Pawnee. Amy Poehler continues to give some of the best comedic performances on any TV show; I’m really hoping Emmy remembers. Nick Offerman's attempts to liven the telethon with his chair making skills were indeed funny. The subplot dealt with Mark’s imminent proposal to Ann, but it seems as if the relationship may be heading south. (Honestly, the Ann and Mark relationship is one of my less favourite things on Parks & Recreation. Both Schneider and Jones are actors I like, but they just seem too normal together, combating the whole ridiculousness that should be Parks & Recreation.) However, the person who ended up stealing the show was Aziz Ansari's Tom. His meeting Detlef Shcrempf and ensuing drunkedness (after two lite beers) was golden, and nothing last night precipitated as loud a laugh as when he got up to do an impromptu version of “Turn My Swag On”. I’m going to be missing this when the summer comes.

The Office followed up a good episode last week with a very good one last night. It had much of what I liked, and less of what I didn’t. I’m wondering if my telepathy is working because I’m getting more and more of Ryan and Kelly, easily my favourite two people on the show. It makes sense that it was these two who planted the seed in Michael’s thoughts that his new girlfriend was cheating. Kelly’s awareness of pop culture (and her lack of awareness in everything else) never fails to amuse me, and Ryan’s tips on finding out if your girlfriend is cheating were quite helpful (Does she shower after sex? Does she shower before sex?). Even the iffy subplot of Daryl and Andy managed to work. Even though I didn’t expect it, I wasn’t too shocked to find out that Donna was married. Michael’s delivery was classic, “I’m the other woman?” The episode was filled with small cute moments like Michael’s mayonnaise and black olives (fake ice-cream) or Dwight’s attempt to pickup Donna at the gym in his sweaty repulsiveness.

30 Rock was back on the uphill, somewhat, even if it took a theme episode to bring out – celebrating Mother’s Day. The thing is, as enjoyable as the episode was the one thing that keeps preventing me from loving 30 Rock is the lack of character development – especially with the secondary characters. I’m guessing, though, now that Liz has realised that there’s no such thing as the perfect man she’ll stop setting her standards so high. The episode had some cute moments, though. Jack’s mother attempts to make Kenneth forget his name (which worked) were quite entertaining. It actually was quite fun seeing the cast interact with their “mothers”, though some were fake. All in a pleasant episode, but not quite stellar, but Jane Krakowski continues her excellence.

         

RATINGS

Community, "Modern Warfare": C

30 Rock, "The Moms":  B/B-

Parks & Recreation, "The Telethon": B+

The Office, "The Cover Up" B+

         

Quotables:        

#3 Amy Poehler on Parks & Recreation: There are two types of diabetes, but only one type of caring: type 1 caring, and I hope you'll all be stricken with it tonight. (It works better in context, but still cracks me up.)

         

#2 Nick Offerman on Parks & Recreation: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day…don’t teach a man to fish and you feed yourself.

          

#1 Jane Krakowski on 30 Rock (in response to Tracy’s belief that we all have our faults): Yes, sometimes I sing too beautifully. 

           

What did you watch last night?