Better of Ted, Dead?

What’s the point America? It seems like every time I really get into a show it gets cancelled.
Today I learned of the pretty much certain death of one of those said shows. Better of Ted will not return tonight with its counterpart Scrubs (2.0). The show about middle management and office sociology echoes that of NBC’s The Office, except without all the whiney documentary and general downhill slide that that particular show has been experiencing. Don’t get me wrong I love The Office; it was one of my favorite shows. But it doesn’t hold a flame to what Better Off Ted was. For however smart The Office was, Better of Ted was smarter.
And that was probably its downfall. America doesn’t get smart comedies (Arrested Development, cough, cough). Instead we’re stuck with the same terrible comedy, the likes of which are only twisted further by “class-acts” like NBC’s The Marriage Ref and shows that should have been left to rot, yet somehow live forever (Simpsons).
In short, there was nothing wrong with Better Off Ted, save from this one seemingly fatal flaw. Sure it had a fairly bizarre name (is it a play off of ‘better off dead’?) but there wasn’t anything else wrong with it. Most people can appreciate the fight against a seemingly evil company who puts money before people. And each of the characters was unique and funny in their own way. Portia de Rossi, as boss Veronica Palmer, always stole every scene. In the end it was all the characters together playing off each other and in the situations that gave the show its amazing life. This only got better in the second series, making it definitively the funniest show to return this season—nothing had me laughing out loud quite like Better Off Ted did for its short 11 episode, second season, run.
So thanks ‘Ted for the laughs. And honestly ABC, I thought you were better than this. I thought you were a place where smart comedies would be respected (I’m looking at you NBC and FOX). After LOST is finished there will be officially nothing to watch on your network.
If you're looking for an first-class episode of this amazing show. check out ‘Impertinence of Communicationizing’ on Hulu.com, although it my opinion they’re all good.

Underrated: Modern Family

As I watched this week’s episode of ABC’s new half hour comedy on Wednesday, Modern Family it dawned on me that this was definitively the best new show on television. The mix of comedy is both smart and calculated and of course funny. The characters are understandable, quirky likable and the storylines are interesting and usually beyond funny.

The premise
The show consists of three separate family units. The first is the traditional nuclear family, one oblivious dad who wants to be a friend as apposed to a dad, 3 kids and a mom who just wants to keep everything together. The second, a gay couple who recently adopted a child from Asia. And finally an older man who has remarried a younger Colombian woman with a single child.

What makes this show great?
The key thing to know for this show is that all three families are tied together. The older man is the father of one half of the couples in the other two family units (the super mom and the smaller half of the gay couple). What this means is that at times the story lines will intertwine to a single (and often hilarious) point at the end. Three separate storylines means that if one storyline sucks the other two generally make up for it. Each family unit works by itself, developing its own plot, but then takes it a step further when the families come together. From being learner parents to learning to drive the show takes on the most prevalent and funny issues and trivialities in parenthood and families. Without spoiling any of the multitude of jokes crammed into a half hour, some of the best parts of the latest episode (and the best of the series) were issues of driving, waking up, baby bumps and who could win a race, fitting in and the first day of school. Despite the humor the show usually always wraps up with a lesson—almost Grey’s Anatomy-esque—which ultimately ties the episode together nicely and completely.

While NBC’s Community did have a good streak, it ultimately falls in second behind the admittedly lesser known but far funnier standards of Modern Family. Do yourself a favor and tune in Wednesdays at 9 on ABC; I’m fairly sure you’ll be glad you did.

Checkout the clip below for a taste:

NBC Fall 09- Community

So today’s big TV news revolved around the NBC ‘in front’ presentations. Infront presentations are basically an advertising/network thing for deals and such, but the TV community takes notice because it’s when a network announces its plans for the coming TV season. Today we got the official word on a number of NBC shows, although one was still conspicuously left off—chuck. It hasn’t been canceled and it hasn’t been renewed (I vote renewal). Today is also when the names of the pilots who have been picked up are announced. I was looking at some trailers for said pilots, and I definitely think this is the best one by far, and I can’t wait for it.
Staring Joel McHale (I lurrve the Soup, it’s the best show on E!) and Chevy Chase (?!!) it tells the story of a Lawyer who has an illegitimate bar degree, and now has to go to community college (gasp!). Anyway, it unfolds from there. Watch the trailer:

Also Mercy looks good…

“In the End…”

This Thursday marked the end of 15 years of ER. Over the past decade and a half, the peacock has brought America through the halls of County General in Chicago and into the lives of the people who worked there. It is probably for this reason that this show resonated with the people who watched it week in and week out. The serious character development that made ER the program is was, as the characters struggled with the everyday life of an emergency room.
Ever the Same
So it is sad to see this program leave its hallowed spot at the end of Thursday night. Even for a casual viewer like me, ER has always been something of a spectacle. An hour of non stop drama, both in the thick of a heart pounding mass casualty trauma, and with the heart wrenching complicated relationships and lives the staff lead. While the show might have fallen from it high back when its first seasons were airing, the core dynamics of the show have remained the same (at least for the episodes I have watched). It’s been good these past few weeks and especially in the final episode to see characters from years gone return to the show, reprising their roles and showing why we love ER. If you haven’t had a chance to see the Retrospective, take a look at it on HULU. You can see the effort and emotion that the actors, directors and writers really put into creating a show with such a reputation and history.
(It was also nice to see the opening credits return from their three year hiatus)
After It’s Gone
It was a show that survived the reality show invasion, remaining tied to the network that had developed the movie-like program. And what doubles the gloom following the departure of such a strong player is the thought that there won’t be a chance for another ER. With Jay Leno taking the 11pm time period, larger budget products cant get a foot in the door with NBC instead looking to the lower cost talk show as an option for entertainment. You can see my opinion on late night, talk shows and jay leno here.
One More Thing
I’m a huge fan of Michael Crichton—Michael Crichton being the brain behind the beginning of ER. So it’s kind of sad to say that he never saw the end of the show he started 15 years ago. It’s also sad to say that there won’t be anymore amazing books by this one of a kind author. So rest in peace Dr. Crichton, your novels, shows and movies will forever assert your creativity and intellect.

in the news today

I don't know who was in charge of guests and reported on this mornings MSNBC, but they were all highly retarded.
Firstly was a women commenting on President Bush's visit to Iraq. Casually she stated that the war in Iraq had been going for 8 years now. 8 years?!! does she know what year it is? or, what does she know that the rest of us don't. as far as my mathematical skills go, that would mean the war started in 2000...before the event that started all the U.S involvement in the middle east (September 11, 2001). The worst part was that no one checked or challenged her on it. whats the news come to when anything that's said goes...
secondly, the weather guy was describing the blizzard like conditions in North and South Dakota today. Roughly quoting he said, 'with visibility at or below zero.'
...
at what point does visibility decrease below zero? i don't even have words or sarcasm to comment on this with the due diligence it deserves.
Finally on MSNBC this morning i saw them using Google Earth for their imaging. In case you didn't know, or couldn't figure (perhaps your visibility is below zero?) MSNBC is a joint venture between Microsoft Corp and NBC Universal. Microsoft has its own satilite imaging software, Virtual Earth...so why is MSNBC using Google software?

I'm usually a fan of MSNBC, but the news this morning was baffeling and confusing...so i watched a rerun of Mythbusters instead.

Prime Time with Leno?

Yesterday the announcement was made to stop packing. That’s right Jay Leno is staying at NBC…“but how can that be? Conan’s taking his seat and Conan’s is replaced by Jimmy Fallon (who’s house band I’m skeptical off). And besides leno is past his prime” you yell (ok so maybe the last part was my input). But the execs at NBC have decided to keep Leno at the Network at a five night a week 10pm slot. With that you can pretty much kiss your bubble shows goodbye—with Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy already in the can. What does that mean for the 10 hours of prime time left to be scheduled? Well we’ll still have comedy Thursdays, then geek Mondays (chuck and heroes), a double dose of Law and Order, medium and life might make it through alive, which combined adds up to 6 to 8 programming hours. Shows like Friday Night Lights and Knight Rider though will probably see their end. With ER gone after this season, NBC probably did the right thing by filling their lame duck of 10pm slot with easily produced (and cost effective) duck shit.
But I’ve held the long opinion that late night is dead. I’m sorry, but there are only so many times you can photoshop advertisements, or use the same joke about a unpleasant dog or Abraham Lincoln. The writers strike really spelled it out for me, Conan unscripted was great and unpredictable, but the first week back they slipped right back into a dumb and pointless joke about canoeing.
Do I think he’s going to do well? Only if he can bring his 1130 audience to the 10 o’clock time. Will I watch it? No.