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.

Should I Stay or Should I Go (#1.07)

5 Reasons Desperate Housewives is Hard to Watch*

5. It's trying too desperately to be desperate...

Desperate Housewives has been known for its soap opera-y like quality, where every twist and turn was shocking and more dramatic than any one could have imagined.  Now it's more like, "Hey, how much random sex and violence can we add without going too far?"  The story lines have always contained sex and violence, but they are no longer unique.  In season one, Mary Alice killed herself and left her friends with solving the mystery of why.

She narrated and posed intriguing questions and just when you thought they might be onto something, another twist intervened.  Since then, things have gotten increasingly less intriguing.  With each passing season, there have been a ridiculous number of murders by core characters, an insane amount of adultery, and more new neighbors than a haunted apartment building.  Yes, these things are high on drama, but after so much repetition, can you blame a viewer for wanting more?  I'm not saying these things have to disappear entirely, but maybe just have a genuinely compelling story-line, rather than something generated purely for its shock value.  Plus every season is advertised as "more desperate" than the ones before.

4. There seems to be a lack of continuity...

When we learned about Gaby's stepfather and all the abuse he put her through when she was younger, we were made to believe that he was dead.  Part of Gaby's therapy, even, was to visit his grave and read him a letter.  And then he shows up.  While this isn't exactly the first time a TV show has brought someone back to life, it still brings up another question.  If Gaby's stepfather, Alejandro, was believed to be dead by the authorities, how is it that he winds up as a missing persons file on Detective Chuck's desk?  Even though he was not actually dead, he was still technically dead, and that means unless someone knew his secret and reported him missing, the police never would have known about his disappearance.  I think this twist required more explanation.

Also, this season Susan started taking an art class.  In one episode, the teacher says that he is going to force them to paint in the nude.  Later on, Susan whines to Mike about how she has to get comfortable with being so vulnerable and naked in front of people.  Isn't this the same woman who was part of an Internet, cleaning-porn business last season?  I get that with the Internet, things are anonymous, but the recent episode made no effort to clarify that distinction, and really, her Internet situation didn't stay anonymous for long.

3. There are entirely too many missed opportunities for jokes...

In a recent episode, Bree accidentally turns a soup kitchen for the homeless into a hangout for hipsters.  When she realizes this, she decides to kick them out with the line, "Please, pack up your laptops and smart phones and go."  What?  Laptops, OK I guess.  Hipsters like blogging and such.  But smart phones?  Seems a bit redundant.  This was a great opportunity for an extra joke about these weirdos who have taken over a haven for hobos.  Any of these references would have been acceptable (list from CRACKED.com):

• Indie music
• Pabst Blue Ribbon and Miller High Life
• Expensive Vintage footware
• Ironic shirt or trucker hat
• Clove cigarettes
• Digital camera
• Totally Retro Mustaches
• Liberal arts degree

 And yes, this is a minor example.  It doesn't really matter what she said there and the point that they were being kicked out was still made.  I just feel that any opportunity that comes along for a comedy to be funny should be taken.  There are more examples of this, but this is the most recent.

2. It has become very predictable...

The other night, while watching DH, I said, "I bet Susan walks into class naked and no one else is."  My sister added, "I think they sent an e-mail, but she didn't get it for some reason."  And then that is EXACTLY what happened.  At another point in the episode, Lynette walks up to a guy outside of a bar.  He is wearing a vest.  She begins to hand him her valet ticket and describe her keys to him.  Of course, this guy turned out to not be the valet guy.  I saw it coming as soon as she approached him.  Some things won't change - Lynette will always have trouble with her children, Bree will never loosen up, Gaby will always have a shallow streak, and Susan will never get a clue.  These are their characters, but after seven seasons, we get it.  We don't need a lesson on Gaby in which she tries to solve her problems with a spa day.  (By the way, we called that one too, where she buys massages, etc. for the other ladies in the PTA.)

Occasionally, this show will find a way to surprise me and it used to be great at the dramatic twists and turns.  But lately, it seems like I'm always one step ahead, knowing exactly how things will end up before we get there.  My sister and I even joke that we really only need to see the "Previously on Desperate Housewives" each week and don't need to bother watching the full episode to keep up with what is happening.

1. Susan is naked - ALL THE TIME...

I swear it's in Teri Hatcher's contract that she has to be scantily clad at least once per episode.

4 Reasons I Will Keep Watching Anyway

4. I still care about some of the characters...

I want Lynette and Tom to work out their marriage troubles.  I don't really believe they would have split up in the first place (again with the drama for its own sake), but I want to keep watching to see what happens.  I still care about Carlos and Gaby and all the crazy situations that girl gets herself into.  I can't honestly say that I care about Susan, but Mike is still interesting.

3. It is still a pretty funny show...

Sometimes this show can still make me laugh - a harsh one-liner from Gaby, sarcasm from Lynette.  Even aside from the dialogue, Bree's clueless-ness at how she had changed the soup kitchen was a very funny situation.  I only wish that they would have explored that more.  Basically, I'm trying to say that even though I find error in the missed jokes, there are still plenty of funny parts to go around.

2. There are minor characters whose brief appearances are worth the trouble...

My major argument here revolves around Karen McCluskey.  Who doesn't love Kathryn Joosten?  Well, I certainly do anyway.  On DH specifically, though, Mrs. McCluskey is frequently a voice of reason and simultaneously a necessary comic relief.  She does not get nearly the screen time she deserves.  Spin-off, anyone?

Also, the addition of Vanessa Williams as Renée Perry has been very welcome.  I miss Wilhelmina, of course, but Renée is a fun and fancy-free character with little consequence.  To see some of her funniest stuff, check out the season seven finale where she has an entire relationship - first flirtation to horrible break-up - with one of her waiters at a dinner party.  And she is unbelievably terrified of midgets.

1. It's in its final season...

This is the eighth and final season of Desperate Housewives.  I've put seven years in already, why not go ahead and finish it up?  And even though it may be clear that I am disappointed in the recent installments, DH will always have a special place in my heart.  It was one of the first series I watched week in and week out and it was one of the first shows that was appointment TV for me (although, I think my mom was the ringleader in this case).  Anyway, I will continue watching Desperate Housewives until there are no more episodes to watch.  And then I'll move on to something else.

Disclaimer: I was a bit harsh on Susan up above and I want to be clear that it is the character, Susan, that I do not like - I have nothing against Teri Hatcher.

*Hard to Watch, based on the book "Stone Cold Bummer" by Manipulate.

Tricks and Treats (#1.06)

As Halloween approaches, I can't help but be reminded of all the spooky and scary things that appear on TV this time of year.  Halloween can be fun and I do enjoy dressing up in costume.

Mr. Incredible

Although, that was in the middle of the summer.

In celebration of Halloween, here are some spooky TV shows and memorable Halloween episodes.

Shows to feed your inner demon...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)

This one feels like a no-brainer.  It has vampires, slayers, witches, werewolves, and every other demon you could never even imagine.  Of course, Buffy had moments where it could be campy and a bit cheesy, but that doesn't mean it couldn't bring the scary.  Particularly, episodes like "Halloween" and "Hush."  In the former, a spell turns the residents of Sunnydale into whatever their costume is - Xander becomes a real soldier, Willow becomes a real ghost, and Buffy becomes an 18th-century maiden who is less than helpful when the bad guys attack.  For those of you who haven't seen it, "Hush" revolves around the arrival of a group of creepy demons called The Gentleman.  They steal the voices of everyone in Sunnydale and it is beyond unnerving to watch someone attempt to scream for help when not a single sound escapes their lips.

Fringe (2008)

Fringe is a lot more than just the best network drama on TV right now.  It's a crime drama that mixes science fiction with the supernatural and keeps on going.  For the Halloween season, it offers the likes of shape-shifters, a mad scientist, and unbelievably strange ways in which people get killed.  What Fringe does best, however, is emotion.  Olivia, Walter, and Peter have some of the most emotionally dynamic relationships on television.  I could continue to go on and on about this series and how much I love it, but I will leave you with the knowledge that if you are looking for a great show with some mind-boggling and goosebump-inducing situations, look no further than Fringe.

The Walking Dead (2010)

This series always has me on the edge of my seat, face contorted in fear.  It makes me want to cover my eyes while simultaneously forcing me to keep them open.  I have to watch The Walking Dead during the day, unless I want nightmares.  Every moment of each zombie encounter has me frozen until the commercial break.  The episodes, of course, contain a lot more than zombies, but, trust me, the zombies are what you will be thinking about when the show ends.  The Walking Dead is perfect for the Halloween season, especially for those searching for an unwavering case of the heebie-jeebies.

American Horror Story (2011)

I have yet to actually watch this new series - the episodes are piling up on my DVR - but I have heard that this is a new go-to for seekers of the creepy-scary-weird.  Reviews I have seen range from the good side of weird to the bad, but I think everyone agrees that this new series is strange in its own right and definitely has a place among the spooky.  I'll have to let you know what I think once I finally get around to watching it.

And for those of you who would prefer more laughs than screams this year, here are some of my favorite Halloween episodes of comedies...

The Big Bang Theory "The Middle Earth Paradigm"

Penny throws a Halloween party and Leonard wants to go to help ingratiate himself into her social circle.  The rest of the gang comes along so that they can dress in costume.  At first, they all show up dressed as The Flash.  Not wanting to match, they change into new costumes - Leonard as Frodo, Raj as Thor, Howard as Robin Hood, and Sheldon as the Doppler Effect (yes, you read that correctly).

Freaks and Geeks "Tricks and Treats"

Nothing goes as expected on this Halloween.  Lindsay wants to hang out with her new friends, but may not be totally okay with their choice of activity.  Sam thinks he's too old to go trick-or-treating, but then changes his mind.  And Jean (Mrs. Weir, to you) just wants her kids to stay kids a little longer.  This comedy also has a lot of heart, but the Halloween spirit is definitely still present.  Also, Bill dresses up as the Bionic Woman.

The Office "Halloween" 

Michael is forced to fire someone by the company, which is not exactly conducive to a fun office Halloween party.  There are fun costumes galore and in this season two episode, The Office humor we all know and love is in high supply.

How I Met Your Mother "Slutty Pumpkin"

Kids, in the fall of 2005, Ted Mosby attempted yet again to re-connect with the Slutty Pumpkin.  Years earlier, Ted had felt a connection with a Halloween party-goer known only as the Slutty Pumpkin.  Here, he tries to find her at the same party he had attended before, in the same "hanging chad" costume he had worn before.  Barney toys with Ted's mind, trying to break his obsession with the Slutty Pumpkin.  Lilly and Marshall put their effort into winning a costume contest as they double-date with Robin and her new boyfriend.  This episode is packed with costumes.  Just recently, the creators of HIMYM announced that the Slutty Pumpkin would return, played by Katie Holmes.

Community "Epidemiology"

This episode is hilarious.  Doing what Community does best - genre parodies - this episode walks the line of any zombie film, only in this case, the Dean has poisoned everyone with toxic Army-surplus meat.  One by one, the students at Greendale's Halloween party turn into flesh-hungry monsters, attacking each other without pause.  And it's all set to the Dean's playlist of what seems to be primarily ABBA songs.


Happy Halloween, everyone!  It's time for me to schedule my annual viewing of Hocus, Pocus.  Do you have any film or TV-watching traditions?  Maybe a favorite Halloween-themed show or episode?  Let me know below.

Until next time, I'll leave you with this...

Let Bartlet Be Bartlet (#1.05)

Over the previous weeks, between all my other shows, I have found time to watch the first season of The West Wing.

This wasn't the first time I'd seen this series.  I had seen a bunch of random episodes throughout the years, but it wasn't all that fresh in my mind and I never got a chance to pay specific attention to the story lines.  Plus I was pretty young when The West Wing started in 1999, so I don't think I really understood it.

As I watched it this time, I definitely had a much better understanding of the conversations, issues, and inner workings of the West Wing of the White House.  Myself, I have never been very interested in politics.  I rarely have opinions on the topics that come up in debates and most of the time I don't get a lot of the political sketches on Saturday Night Live.  This doesn't mean I can't understand them, just that I don't pay enough attention to political news to understand the more specific and topical jokes.  Don't worry, though.  I got all the Sarah Palin stuff from 2008.

Anyway, my point is that even though I am not a political mastermind, I was still able to truly enjoy The West Wing.  In fact, one of the reasons I like it so much is that it makes me think about these issues and because the characters debate about them, I can get a clear picture of both sides.  Then I can make the decision of where I stand.  Yes, the issues in season one were from 1999-2000, but that doesn't make them completely irrelevant today.  For example, the episode "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" involves a discussion between White House staff members, military officers, and congressmen about the US Military policy of "Don't ask, don't tell."  In the real world, this policy was just repealed less than a month ago (for more information).  I frequently find myself watching this show and wondering what I would do if I were in the shoes of one of these characters.

Additionally, The West Wing doesn't come across as preachy or pushy of any specific ideals.  President Bartlet is a Democrat and many of the characters share the same values that are commonly associated with that party, but in most cases any issue brought up is argued equally on both sides.  There are definitely cases where one side of an issue is painted in a better light, but always can the audience make up his or her own mind.

On the production side, the writing is great.  Although, what else would you expect from Aaron Sorkin?  The pace is fast and there is plenty of his walk-and-talk dialogue.  Frequently, I find myself unsure of what exactly is going on, but I always find my way back.  Even though I may not initially understand an issue, I never get completely lost.  If one character mentions it briefly, another will explain it a little bit better.  It walks that fine line between being too vague and treating the audience like an idiot.  And for a show about a very serious topic, there is also quite a bit of humor and silliness.

CJ Cregg (Allison Janney) doing "The Jackal": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7H_L5cYkg8

And the acting is beautiful.  The main cast for season one includes Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Rob Lowe, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, Bradley Whitford, and Martin Sheen.  They are all fantastic and have the Emmy nominations and wins to prove it.  But what I really enjoy are all the random guest stars from other shows that pop up from time to time.

A Few Examples

Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)

Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation)

Sam Lloyd (Scrubs)

Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives)

Harry Groener (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Liza Weil (Gilmore Girls)

Jorja Fox (CSI)

Lisa Edelstein (House)
Stockard Channing
Marlee Matlin

Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) meets Joey Lucas (Marlee Matlin): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pStRYD1DEKM

I'm sure many of you have seen The West Wing before.  Feel free to agree and disagree as you like.  I'm only four episodes into the second season, so perhaps my opinion will change as I move forward through the next 128 episodes.  But for now, I like what I am seeing.  I urge you to tell me your thoughts in the comments below.  I think the show, which often emphasizes the importance of debate in a Democracy, would greatly appreciate it.

What's My Age, Again? (#1.04)

Remember how I promised to talk about music?

Last night, I went to the Hollywood Bowl to see My Chemical Romance and Blink-182.  It was a great show, although it did seem a bit short.

During the Blink part of the show, they played their song "What's My Age, Again?" and Renée leaned over and said, "That line always reminds me of you."

The line goes:

"Nobody likes you when you're 23
And are still more amused by TV shows"

My response was another lyric from the song:

"I never want to act my age"

But still, the line does describe me very well.  Twenty-three years old and I am definitely still more amused by TV shows.  And I really don't ever want to act my age.  Deal with it!

Back to the music, though, I also went to see Jimmy Eat World at the Wiltern a little over a week ago for the 10th anniversary show for their album Bleed American.

They played every song from Bleed American:

1. Bleed American

2. A Praise Chorus

3. The Middle

4. Your House

5. Sweetness

6. Hear You Me

7. If You Don't, Don't

8. Get It Faster

9. Cautioners

10. The Authority Song

11. My Sundown

And it was awesome.  They also played a ton of their other songs after a quick break.  For my fourth time seeing them live, Jimmy Eat World never disappoints.

I love going to concerts and try to go as much as possible, especially in a place like LA where there are plenty of shows to see.  It can get expensive, though, so sometimes I have to limit myself to how much I really want to see a particular band or artist.

Of course, I have a spreadsheet detailing all the shows I have been to - I am my father's daughter.*  It starts back at my first concert on July 22, 1998 at Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus, Ohio to see the Spice Girls and ends with last night's show at the Hollywood Bowl.  There are over a hundred artists in between, although some of those are repeats and a bunch all have shows in common (like all the bands I saw at Coachella).  Still, I love music and most of the time, it's much better when it's live.

Anyway, this post was pretty pointless, except to show you all that I do have interests outside of television, even when that separate interest just serves to remind me (and my friends) of my first love.

At some point, I plan to get really detailed on how important music is for television and film.  I took a couple of classes on this in college and find that the subject really interests me.  The way music is used in shaping a scene is one of my more specific passions and I plan to speak on the subject heavily.  However, that day is not today and so I will leave you with only this question: What is the best concert you have ever attended?

* If you don't know my Dad, he is notoriously known for his spreadsheets.