Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning (#1.14)

30 ROCK IS BACK!!!

I can't contain my excitement anymore!  Although there are still no return dates for my beloved Community or Cougar Town, I can't help but be jazzed for new 30 Rock next week.

30 Rock is one of my favorite, and one of the best comedies on TV.  I am so happy with NBC for allowing this show to get to its 6th season, despite sometimes pretty low viewership ratings (although, of course, I'm still unhappy with NBC for other reasons - #SixSeasonsAndAMovie).

If you have never seen 30 Rock and don't watch the Emmy's and haven't read Tina Fey's book, Bossypants, and don't watch or pay attention to comedy television (why are you reading this?), then I can tell you that 30 Rock takes place in the backstage world of a TV sketch comedy show, similar to Saturday Night Live.  It revolves around the lives of these coworkers - Jack, the executive (Alec Baldwin); Liz, the writer (Tina Fey); Jenna, the diva performer (Jane Krakowski); Tracy, the diva performer, male category (Tracy Morgan); Kenneth, the page (Jack McBrayer); and various other members of the cast and crew of TGS with Tracy Jordan.

One of the things I love most about 30 Rock, is its fearlessness.  They did a live episode.  They've done an episode filmed entirely as if it were a reality show about Tracy's wife, Angie, in "Queen of Jordan."  They aren't afraid to play with the format of the story-telling and it totally works for me.  30 Rock has characters named Dr. Spaceman, Jeffrey Weinerslav, Wesley Snipes, D'Fwan, and the new Hazel Whatshername.  They don't hesitate to include strange story-lines about Liz shouting at the Moon with Buzz Aldrin and Jenna dating a man who moonlights as a cross-dressing version of her.  It's this courageousness that makes 30 Rock unique in today's comedy landscape.

Additionally, 30 Rock is supremely well-acted.  Just ask the 5 wins and 34 nominations in  acting categories for the Emmy Awards.  Everyone on this show is great and despite the off-screen drama surrounding the likes of Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan, they always deliver when they are on-screen.  Particularly the guest stars - which account for a nice chunk of the nominations listed above - are phenomenal.  They may only be in an episode or two, but that doesn't make their performances any less wonderful.

The writing is great, too, but I would expect nothing less from a team headed by Tina Fey.  If you don't know me, then you don't know that I absolutely worship her.  And that I was reduced to a speechless puddle when she signed my copy of her book on my birthday last year.  The point I'm trying to make is that there are a slew of other Emmy nominations and wins for the writing, as well.

Now, you might be thinking, "But what do the Emmys know?!"  And in general, I will agree that they sometimes get it wrong and make me angry (I'm sure I will devote an entire post to this anger come nomination time).  But in this case, their nominations and  awards for 30 Rock's excellence hit the nail on the head.

Anyway, I hadn't really thought too much about the return of 30 Rock this winter - my DVR takes care of me so I don't have to remember the millions of dates - and then Entertainment Weekly posted a preview video today and a short article with an unbelievable fact: 244 days have passed since the last new episode of 30 Rock.


Watch that preview video here:

Now, are you as excited as I am?  30 Rock has always had great guest stars - Will Arnett, Steve Buschemi, Elaine Stritch, Jon Hamm, Steve Martin, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Matt Damon, Carrie Fisher, etc. (I could seriously continue for a while) - but the addition of Kristen Schaal to the regular cast has made me one happy camper.  If you're not familiar with Schaal, shame on you!  But really, you should check her out in The Flight of the Conchords (also, because that show is great).

Plus, there is the addition of James Marsden this season, unfortunately for a limited time, that also has me pretty pumped.




I began this post thinking I'd simply highlight the shows making their winter premiere, and instead I wrote a little love letter to 30 Rock.  That's alright.  There is plenty more I could say on the subject, of course, but I'll leave it here for now.


Are you as excited as I am for the sixth season of 30 Rock?  And what other shows are you looking forward to seeing again this winter?






30 Rock returns Thursday, January 12 at 8:00pm.

Critical Film Studies (#1.13)

It's Movie Review Time!

Yes, in fact, I do occasionally go see movies and this weekend I went to THREE!!!  It's true.  On a long holiday weekend, I discovered that going to the movies alone can be quite fun and then I went a little overboard in my excitement and spent way too much money.  But now you get the pleasure of reading my thoughts on each of them, so I suppose more good than bad came of it.


On Friday, I went to see Young Adult.  And yesterday I first went to We Bought a Zoo in the afternoon and then later saw The Descendants.  All of these films have some hype surrounding them - for acting, directing, writing, etc.  Oscar season is upon us, after all.  And while all three of them certainly have their perks, I don't think I saw the best film of the year this weekend.  Anyway, here are my more specific thoughts and opinions on each of these films.

Young Adult

Starring Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, and Patrick Wilson

Written by Diablo Cody

Directed by Jason Reitman

Charlize Theron plays Mavis Gary, a thirty-seven-year-old young adult book writer who, when we come into the story, decides to travel back to her hometown from the big city (aka Minneapolis) in order to win back her high school boyfriend, Buddy (Patrick Wilson, who happens to have just had a baby with his wife).  It's a terrible plan and she's told so on numerous occasions by Matt (Patton Oswalt), whose locker was right next to her throughout high school, but she never bothered to notice.  They become fast friends while under the influence of alcohol - the kind of friends they never could have been in high school.


Is it weird that I keep bringing up high school?  Yeah, it's weird when Mavis does it, too.  She's almost 20 years removed from it, but Mavis still very much acts like the petty and bitchy prom queen she was back then.  You'll hate her and pity her at the same time.  Because even though her life may seem glamorous and she treats everyone like she's cut from a better cloth, she is utterly and terribly alone.  Of course, her plans to win back Buddy go horribly awry and like witnessing an awful train wreck, you'll want to look away, but just can't.  It's funny how bad it gets, but the laughs don't happen out loud.


Theron (nominated for a Golden Globe) and Oswalt both give terrific performances that will make all the awkward and squeamish parts more bearable.  It's a somewhat uncomfortable film to watch, but that's a testament to Cody and Reitman.  And it will certainly make you grateful that you grew out of that high school mentality.  Or it will at least give you good reason to do so now, if you haven't.
Overall grade: B




* Side Note: Shout out to a fellow Jessica Kelly, credited with casting Young Adult.

We Bought a Zoo

Starring Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, and Thomas Haden Church

Written by Cameron Crowe, Aline Brosh McKenna, and based on the book by Benjamin Mee

Directed by Cameron Crowe

If you don't catch the gist from the title, the main characters in this film buy a zoo.  Or more accurately, in an effort to find a fresh start, they buy a house that comes attached to a rundown wildlife park.  Matt Damon, as Benjamin Mee, has recently lost his wife and mother to his two children, Dylan (14) and Rosie (7).  They bond with the animals and the zoo's staff and come together to reopen a once-great establishment.


My snap judgment was this, in the form of a text to my mother, "Two hours of emotional manipulation.  But like in a super cute way."  This film has everything necessary for a complete movie of "awwww" - cute kids, adorable animals, a man still in love with his gone-too-soon wife, inspirational speeches, young love, and more.  I felt like I teetered back and forth between watering eyes and smiles.  But it was cute.  It was uplifting.  It was a great film to see with your family over the holiday weekend.


There were plenty of laughs, most of which were provided by Maggie Elizabeth Jones' young Rosie and Thomas Haden Church's disbelieving Uncle Duncan.  And as someone who usually groans when Scarlett Johansson shows up in anything, I found her surprisingly great.  I think my favorite part was the way they held back on the romance between her Kelly and Damon's Ben(jamin).  It didn't feel rushed or forced or like it took too much of the focus.  I'm not sure if I have any other way to describe it other than cute - charming? delightful? - but in this situation, I don't think that's such a bad thing.
Overall grade: B

The Descendants

Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, and Amara Miller

Written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash**

Directed by Alexander Payne

The Descendants is about a man whose wife has been forced into a coma by a boating accident.  And then he learns from his oldest daughter, Alex (Shailene Woodley), that this wife had been cheating on him in the weeks before the accident.  It's an impossibly tough situation made even worse.  This film is similar to We Bought a Zoo in that it revolves around a widower and his two children trying to deal with the loss of their wife and mother, but that is where the similarities end.  Matt's wife, Elizabeth, enters her coma amidst a heaping pile of anger and betrayal.  When everyone around the tragedy is offering words of hope and encouragement, it becomes hard for Matt, and especially Alex, to hold back the truth of her infidelity.  This is when they set out to find this guy, Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard), whose actions have caused them so much pain.

There is some humor, particularly involving the youngest daughter, Scottie (Amara Miller), but the real emotion of this film comes from how this family deals with this incredible situation.  Shailene Woodley has already received praise for her performance, although I'm not entirely convinced she didn't just luck into it.  Clooney is great, like always, and has already been nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for this role.  Additionally, I got a nice surprise on learning that Judy Greer was a part of the cast.  I already love her from her work on every comedy show ever, but she really showcased some dramatic chops in this one, as the wife of Mr. Speer.  The Descendants was much sadder than I had anticipated.  From the trailers, I think I was looking for something a little more goofy, maybe.  Nevertheless, it was pretty good.

Overall grade: B+

** Yes, Dean Pelton helped write The Descendants.

All in all, I saw some pretty good movies this weekend.  All were above average and worth seeing, although maybe just pick one to see in theaters.  It gets expensive!

I still feel like I haven't seen the best film of the year yet.  Or maybe I already saw it this summer with Bridesmaids or Crazy, Stupid, Love.  With these two, I left the theater amazed.  That didn't quite happen this weekend.  But we all know I prefer comedy, in general, so I may be a little biased.  Although I feel like I am fairly capable of separating what I like and what is good, if need be.

Anyway, if you've seen one (or more) of these films above, let me know what you thought!  What do you think is the best film of the year?

Fear Itself (#1.12)

I think it's about time I talk about American Horror Story.  I've mentioned it a few times before, but never in much detail.  It will be a challenge to talk about it without giving away any spoilers.  This is a show that throws a new twist each week.  But here I go anyway...

American Horror Story will finish its first season next week.  Airing on FX, it benefits from some of the freedoms from censoring allowed to cable networks.  And, boy, do they take advantage of it.  AHS is violent.  It's sexual.  It's creepy and downright pathological.  But it's also original and a completely new take on telling stories through dramatic television.  Of course, there have been scary TV shows.  And there are shows with horror elements to them.  But AHS is all horror, all psychological thriller.  It's like the scary movie that won't quit.  Every week there is a new development in the story.  And unlike most scary movies, the crazy killer on the loose isn't just a party of one.  Anyone could be the killer.  Hell, most of the characters are killers.

The basic story, or at least the one the audience starts with, is that of the Harmon family.  Newly relocated to Los Angeles from Boston, this family of three moves into a renovated mansion, unaware of its strange and sordid past as they look to move on from their own.

Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, and Taissa Farmiga

Ben (Dylan McDermott), the husband and father, is a psychiatrist with a recent case of infidelity on his record and a crazy ex-mistress on his tail.  Vivien (Connie Britton), his wife, wants to forgive him for the indiscretion and is hopeful that this change of scenery will do the trick.  And Violet (Taissa Farmiga) is their teenage daughter full of angst and darkness.  They are in a bad, bad place when they take over the house that we quickly learn is haunted.  Vivien is the first to suspect something funny, but there's no denying that this house is special.

Guest star Kate Mara

The house might be my favorite part.  It's old.  It has history.  It's full of secrets.  It has more ghosts than...well, someplace with a lot of ghosts.  It's got a creepy attic.  It's got an even creepier basement.  The lights flicker.  There is a super freaky mural hidden under the wallpaper in the den.  Name something you'd find in a haunted house and you'll find it here.

Doesn't it just look like the kind of house that could murder you?  If you're feeling brave, the real house, in Los Angeles, is actually now back on the market.  But really, in the show, this house has a dark power that captures the souls of those that perish on the premises.  Most of these lives are taken involuntarily, but it's a safe bet that if you die in that house, you stay in that house.  Forever.

Some of these souls are aware of themselves as ghosts.  Some of them are a little more clueless and confused as to why these newcomers are living in their house.  Most episodes start with a flashback to a former resident, revealing a little more about how these spirits came to be here.  There's Moira, the ever-present maid who was shot through the eyeball in 1984.  There's Nora and Charles Montgomery, the builders of the house in the 1920s (or something like that) - he with a Frankenstein complex and she in search of the baby she once lost.  The mysterious Man in Rubber.  The weird and obnoxious twin pre-teen boys.  The gay couple who last lived in the house.  Whatever is hiding out in that basement.  The list goes on and on, with more people getting added all the time (lots of death in this show).

Then there is Constance (Jessica Lange, just nominated for a Golden Globe for this role), the neighbor who once lived in the house and seems to have a connection with every ghost that shows up.  She walks about the house as if it still belongs to her, a habit that is unwelcome to Vivien and her family.  And Constance's (sort of) teenage son Tate (Evan Peters), who falls quickly in love with Violet, attempting to spend every waking moment with her.  Without revealing too much, I'll just say that the connections and pasts these characters have together are endless, the stories of which are told slowly, through flashbacks.

Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, and Frances Conroy

It's a slower pace than recent horror fans are used to and it's certainly a good thing.  On occasion, things will jump out to spook you; however, the real brilliance here is how AHS can get in your head.  The anticipation of terror is most torturous and I find myself thinking about it long after the episode has ended.  With AHS, you definitely get some substance with the style.  It's a well-done drama combined with a horror show.  The relationships are complex and there is real emotion with every death, no matter how easy a murder seems.  If at all possible, I like to watch this show during daylight hours and it is never the last thing I watch before going to bed.

It's definitely not a show for everyone.  But for those with a hankering for some horror, or in search of a new, intriguing drama, or maybe just someone with a thick stomach, American Horror Story delivers.  In general, I am not a fan of getting the crap scared out of me; however, this new series has me pretty well hooked.  Before my first viewing, I'd heard plenty of reviews criticizing Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for this newest endeavor.  I have to say I disagree.  At least through these first eleven episodes, I am enjoying this strange and freaky ride through what is truly an American horror story.  Yes, I said that.

Remedial Chaos Theory (#1.11)

I apologize for my absence.  Thanksgiving has come and gone and I haven't said anything since that opinionated post about Modern Family.  For the record, episodes since that post have only confirmed my beliefs and even prompted me to think about what other shows might be above Modern Family on that list as of late - How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, Suburgatory, and most definitely Happy Endings would move up.  But I am still holding out hope that MF will return to the greatness it once knew.

On a separate note, I realized this weekend that Eliza Coupe was the actress behind the Secret Service agent in Community that has the will-they, won't-they vibe with Abed in "Intro to Political Science."  Strange to think that when I saw this episode the first time around, I had not yet seen Scrubs or Happy Endings.  Now that I realize this connection, I think it makes me like Community and Ms. Coupe all the more.  I love it when shows and actors/actresses intersect in fun combinations.

Speaking of Community, I am incredibly disheartened that NBC will be taking it off the air for an undecided amount of time.  It's one of the few shows I have to watch the same night it airs and I think my life will be a little worse without it.  Still, I know this is a business that runs on viewership, so I can understand where they are coming from there.  It's just that Community is so strong creatively, I wish it were equally potent where viewers are concerned.  Although, isn't that frequently the case?  Seems like no one watches the really creative and original stuff.


Also, what is up with ABC cutting back their order on Cougar Town?  You may be aware that my sister is an intern for that show.  I don't have any inside information because of that connection, but I can promise that this is the worse-titled show on television and that it is really quite funny (actually, throw it up there above MF, too).

If you know nothing about this show, know that it has the same creator as Scrubs (the great Bill Lawrence).  And every week, Courteney Cox and Busy Phillips will make you baffle at how they've never been nominated for an Emmy.  If you do know the show, but don't watch, PLEASE give it a chance!  I know a lot of people reject it for its title.  Since when is it cool to judge a book by its cover?  Seriously though, it has nothing to do with cougars and more to do with some friends who hang out and drink wine.  And that is the entire premise.  If you know the show and like it, be patient - Cougar Town will return sometime in February or March and definitely be worth the wait!


P.S. The unique relationship between Community and Cougar Town is awesome and adorable.

Continuing my randoms thoughts on TV, I haven't talked too much about dramas in this blog.  It's not from a lack of watching them, I certainly love watching a great drama as much as the next guy.  I think my hesitation to critique them comes from the fact that I feel much more comfortable picking apart comedies.  But, there is never a better time than the present to tackle something new, so here are some thoughts on the dramas I have been into lately...


Violence.  Seems like a lot of cable and pay-cable dramas have been taking advantage of their more relaxed censors and diving head-first into portraying and adding violence beyond imagination.  Shows like The Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire, and American Horror Story have been taking every opportunity for gore, blood, and guts.  On The Walking Dead, the decaying of the zombies is likely the least disgusting thing that may be seen during an episode.  Boardwalk Empire slits more throats than anyone could count and American Horror Story aims for that special breed of mutilation mixed with sensuality.  I only saw the first episode of AMC's Hell on Wheels and the number of scalpings was beyond cringe-worthy.

WARNING: Some viewers might not be cool with this video, so beware!

Now, these things may gross me out, but I am not necessarily saying they're bad or inappropriate for these shows.  Sometimes violence is an important part of the time period or story.  Sometimes violence is needed to convey the extreme of emotion.  It's weird to imagine a time when committing multiple murders didn't really mean a whole lot unless someone saw you do it.  It's hard to picture a world in which one of your friends or family might come back from the dead in such a way that you'd be forced to shoot them through the head.  And ghosts that could easily take your life at any moment?  That's something I don't want to imagine.

This is more gross than violent.

Sometimes, it can get gratuitous.  In some cases, there is more gore than is needed to get a point across.  But I choose to trust the writers, directors, and showrunners to show me what they think is necessary in a given situation.  Although, of course, there is the theory that you shouldn't believe someone is dead until they are actually seen dead on screen - like when Charlie "shot" Gemma last week in Ringer.  Two scenes after he supposedly put a bullet in her, she hits him from behind with a crowbar.  This theory is sort of torn apart in American Horror Story, where anyone may be dead or alive at almost any moment.

I think I'm losing track of my point - dramas are becoming more violent, but I'm not entirely sure what that means.  Maybe it's for shock value.  Maybe it's pertinent for the stories we're telling today.


More random thoughts on dramas...


I miss Fringe when it's not on.  I can't wait for the return of Game of Thrones.  And I am super excited to watch Mad Men on TV for the first time (I caught up via Netflix).

As much as I love the holiday season, it usually means time for TV to take a break and I am not so excited about that.  The good news is that I will have more time for watching The West Wing and other shows I haven't seen before.  I just started Workaholics this weekend and it is pretty funny so far.


Seems like there are always more great shows to watch, old and new.  If you have any suggestions for what I should add to my list next, I'd love to hear them!  I am always game for more good TV.


Thanks for sticking with me through this odd mix of stuff!  Until next time...

When Good Kids Go Bad (#1.10)

Why Modern Family is really only the 5th or 6th best comedy on TV right now...

I am probably going to get yelled at for this one a little bit, but I say BRING IT ON!

"No, people.  Let's be smart and bring it off." - SpongeBob Squarepants

(Part starts at about 6:15)

I obviously have reasons for my opinions, but please, feel free to prove me wrong.  I love a good TV discussion.  Anyway, here are three of my reasons why Modern Family is only the 5th or 6th best comedy on TV right now.

1. Story-lines have gotten very repetitive.

Every week, the story revolves around each of the show's main couples (Phil and Claire, Mitchell and Cam, Gloria and Jay) not getting along.  The stories may or may not involve the children, but for one reason or another, the couples will be at odds.  Gloria finds another way to remind Jay that he is old and she is eccentric.

Phil wants to have fun, and Claire is the giant buzzkill that brings him down to Earth.  Cam does something to annoy Mitchell, and Mitchell tells the camera about how he's always putting up with these situations.  For the most part, I buy the differences between Phil and Claire as minor squabbles in a marriage.  And I can deal with Jay and Gloria's generational differences.

But honestly, after so much disagreement between Mitchell and Cameron, I find it hard to believe that they would actually still be together.  I get it - couples fight and argue and disagree.  But they still have to have a basis for their relationship.  Cameron and Mitchell annoy each other so much I don't see how they could have liked each other enough to have gotten together in the first place.  How about, instead of couples fighting, we mix up the combinations?  Let's go back to the sibling-love story-lines with Claire and Mitchell.

Let's see Cameron and Jay battling it out in some sporting event or competition.  Even the kids, who used to be more mixed into the stories, get treated like occasional comic-relief.  Alex wasn't even in the last episode.  This is (or was) a fantastic ensemble cast - why not use that to the best advantage?  Let's not get stuck in the same rut the writers have made out of these characters' relationships.

2. The jokes have become increasingly broad.

Some recent shows I would attribute the word, "broad" to are Two and a Half Men, 2 Broke Girls, How to Be a Gentleman, Mike & Molly, and Whitney.  They appeal to the broadest possible audience with few jokes that would alienate any person that might be watching.  This means that many of the jokes are obvious and predictable and the characters are more like cartoons than real people.  This is not smart comedy.  Modern Family was once very smart and very fresh and original.  The cast was large and unique with not only a gay couple with an adopted Vietnamese baby girl, but also an old guy married to a much younger and much better looking Columbian woman.  It really was a modern family (sorry, I couldn't help myself).

But then sometime toward the end of the second season, it's as if MF got caught up in its own success and starting writing for the larger audience it had acquired.  Instead of the intricately planned out, inter-weaving story-lines from "Slow Down Your Neighbors," we get the painful saga of Mitchell and Cameron inexplicably getting the wrong car at the valet.  The latter story was not only boring (Our lives suck. No, wait! They don't!), but involved more than one conversation that was easily predicted (Cameron and Mitchell in the car as it gets beaten by a crazy lady with a baseball bat).  Also, who did not see it coming that the guy Claire befriends and thinks is gay turns out to actually be straight?

Last week's episode, "Treehouse," was a slight turn in the right direction thanks to some great guest stars.  Cameron putting the moves on Leslie Mann was a lot of fun and Kevin Hart's entrance as a neighbor and new friend for Phil showed great promise (spin-off with these two, anyone?).  I'd like to see more progress in that direction.

3. The characters have become stereotypes of their former selves.

Remember when Cameron painted his face for football games?  You know how now he simply runs around screaming like a little girl?  The girl scream was funny once or twice, but it seems to have transformed an actual human being into a stereotype of an effeminate gay man.  Gloria is now such a crazy, shrieking foreigner, you'd never know she used to school the wise, old Jay on a thing or two.  And Luke - the silly kid who doesn't seem to have his head screwed on too tight - yes, he says and does some stupid things, but why not let him have the moment after making Phil think over the real reasons behind building the treehouse?  It was ruined when they cut to Luke's talking-head, explaining how he uses the phrase (Are you, Dad?  Are you?) arbitrarily and not just when it seems poignant.  The characters were great when they were real and complex, but now it seems too easy to label each of them with a single descriptive word.

For the record, I still watch Modern Family weekly.  I still laugh while I watch.  The point is that it is not what it once was and I frequently find myself disappointed in it.  Maybe I hold it to higher standards.  Maybe it really is getting worse, but everybody else is blinded by its flashy new Emmys.  Who knows?  In any case, it is still leagues ahead of the other shows I mentioned up there.  Although, there are plenty of others ahead of it still.  And because I know you've been curious this whole post about what comedies I rank ahead of it, here you go:

1. Parks and Recreation

2. Community

3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

4. Raising Hope

TIE 5./6. Happy Endings & Modern Family

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the subject, whether you agree or disagree, and which comedies you cherish these days!

* It should also be noted that had 30 Rock started this fall and not waited until midseason, it would likely be higher than Modern Family on my list, as well.

Raised by Another (#1.09)

Raising Hope: The Best Show You Always Forget About

You're not alone.  I forget about this show all the time, too.  I don't understand why.  It is incredibly funny.  I always enjoy the time I spend watching it.  And when I do remember it, I look forward to it.  I suppose it doesn't help that it was thrown into an untimely hiatus for baseball (yawn) over the last few weeks.  Maybe it just doesn't get nearly the advertising it deserves.  Still, you'd think I'd be able to remember a show that I dubbed the Best Returning Comedy Premiere.  In any case, Raising Hope is way too good for this kind of treatment.  Now, let me tell you why...

The premise is simple, but unique.  Twenty-three-year-old Jimmy Chance has a one-night stand with a woman he later finds out is a serial killer.  She gets pregnant and, shortly after giving birth, is executed for her crimes.  This puts the newborn baby Princess Beyoncé into the hands of Jimmy, his parents Burt and Virginia, and his nutty great-grandmother, Maw Maw.  They change the baby's name to Hope and begin this unexpected journey of trying to raise her.  (Hence, Raising Hope.  Get it?) 

The series was created by Greg Garcia, the same guy that gave us My Name is Earl.  I haven't seen much Earl in my time, so I am very limited when it comes to making comparisons.  I can tell you that Hope has quite a few guest stars from Earl and that both shows tread the same poor-white-trash waters.  This doesn't so much comment on why Raising Hope is so good, except that it was created by a seasoned TV comedy writer.

The cast for Raising Hope is where this series really starts to shine.  Cloris Leachman is a comedy legend and even though they are (hilariously) crediting her as "Introducing Cloris Leachman," I'd be shocked if you didn't already know her.  In Hope, she plays Maw Maw, the rarely lucid and increasingly crazy great-great-grandmother to the baby, Hope.  Her antics, no matter how silly and absurd, are hilarious and sometimes feel familiar to those of us with aging parents.  Yeah, I said it.  I love you, Mom and Dad :)

Hope's grandmother, Virginia, is played by Martha Plimpton, who received an Emmy nomination for the role.  She definitely deserved it.  Actually, after Amy Poehler for her third season as Leslie Knope, Plimpton was my choice to win the award.  It took me too long to make this connection, but you might know her better from The Goonies.

Rounding out the rest of the main cast is Garret Dillahunt as Burt, Lucas Neff as Jimmy, and Shannon Woodward as Sabrina. Kate Micucci also guest stars with her ukulele.

And although I haven't always been the biggest fan of Jimmy, this season he is definitely growing on me.  They stopped making him only the straight-man and let out a little bit of his wacky side.  The same is becoming true of Sabrina.  She's not the "normal" one anymore.

Don't even get me started on Hope, herself.  The twins that play her, Bayley and Rylie Crecut, are beyond adorable.  And if the cuteness alone doesn't win you over, this show gets some really good performances out of those babies.  Now I know what you're thinking, babies can't really act, but watch the episode "Killer Hope" and tell me there wasn't at least a part of you frightened by the looks Hope was giving.

As for the story-lines, they are very easy to relate to, especially in times like these where we are all struggling a little bit.  We might not have the same ways of dealing with these situations - like simply living on your lawn for a few days while the house is tented for termites - but the scenarios are familiar nonetheless.  We can sympathize with Chance family when they realize Jimmy will never be the musician he could have been.  We, too, might be disappointed that our cousin got the dream wedding we always wanted.  We might not try to copy it from the back of the room, but we feel the sting of jealousy all the same.

Burt and Virginia have one of my favorite marriages on TV* and the will-they-won't-they romance of Jimmy and Sabrina grows a little bit each episode.  As they say in the video above, Raising Hope is also a little bit twisted, and I think that is what gives it an edge over other comedies.  It is first a comedy about a family, but not one like any other I've ever known.  The characters are lovable and relatable, but quirky and strange in all their own ways.

Raising Hope easily blends that magical combination of heart and hilarity.  It astounds me how easily I forget about it, but for whatever reason, it is certainly worth the effort to remember.  Or just set your DVR.  Then you'll have an awesome surprise each week when you check your list of recordings.










*Probably second only to Andy and April from Parks and Recreation.

The Girl Who Was On Fire (#1.08)

I have a new obsession and it's not a TV show.  It swept me off my feet in three parts and soon enough I'll get to experience it again in a whole new way.  What is this new obsession?

For some of you, I might be a little late catching up to this party.  The series began back in 2008 with the first book, The Hunger Games, so forgive my tardiness.  It only took me three years to figure out what you already knew.

Anyway, I recently read all three books and was completely enthralled with the series.  I couldn't put it down and in between reading sessions, it was all I could think about.  The basic plot is this (from Wikipedia):

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem, where North America once existed. This is where a government working in a central city called the Capitol holds power. In the first book, the Hunger Games are an annual televised event where the Capitol chooses one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of 12 districts for a massive televised battle in which only one person can survive.

 A brutal set-up to begin with, The Hunger Games is vicious and unrelenting.  Children are forced to murder one another, year after year, in a so-called game devised to prevent a rebellion.  I don't want to give anything away, particularly about the second (Catching Fire) and third (Mockingjay) books of the series, but trust me when I say it's the most violent young adult book series I have ever read.

I'm not sure why I was so affected by this series, but it has been almost two weeks since I finished and I am heavily considering starting it all over again.  I think it has to do with my fascination for post-apocalyptic worlds.  I love that stuff.  Again, I'm not entirely sure why, but I sometimes think of myself as invincible and it intrigues me to think about whether or not I may have survived a given apocalyptic scenario.  In real life, my chances are probably average, but in my head, I'm the one leading the group of survivors.  I am the one who found a suitable shelter and a means for acquiring food and supplies.  I guess we'll know for sure when the zombies take over.  In this book, the apocalypse came and went long ago, but I can just as easily put myself in the Hunger Games and consider whether or not I'd come out a victor.

Yes, this makes me Buffy.

Outside of my (wild) imagination, I think I enjoyed this series so much because of the unique concept and the characters.  These characters are subjected to a world where right and wrong are not black and white, and every shade of gray leaves us questioning their decisions.  Almost everyone is motivated by fear and an instinct to survive.  Katniss, our heroine*, is far from righteous, but every choice she makes is based on what she views as being right in that moment.  You root for her from the beginning, even when you don't agree with some of her decisions.

Of course, there is a love story, but it isn't all-consuming.  This love-triangle is simply another battle in Katniss's war to survive.  And even though the pressure to choose between Peeta and Gale is always there, Katniss puts this decision pretty far down her priority list.

In summation, go read these books.  Or you can borrow them from me.  And I do mean borrow.  I'm going to want them back in a timely manner.

Furthermore, The Hunger Games has recently been adapted for film and is set to open on March 23, 2012.  Just last week, posters were released, giving fans a first look at the characters, as portrayed in the film (all posters can be found at EW here).

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen

I am giddy with excitement!  However, not all adaptations are good.  In fact, most of them are pretty bad, but right now, I'm happy for any and all things Hunger Games-related.  Perhaps my new fixation will subside by the time March finally rolls around.  But if it doesn't, you know where to find me.  Until then, I'll be watching the teaser trailer on repeat...

* And by heroine, I mean "lady hero."  I don't want to inject her and listen to jazz.