Community - Season One (2009-2010)

Community (2009-????)

Created by: Dan Harmon

Season: One (2009-2010)
Genre: Comedy | Drama
Number of Episodes: 25
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

[IMDb]

Comments: Holy shit, I love Alison Brie. She's cute as hell on the show, and just makes the funniest (and hottest) damn faces. Oh, and Community's pretty good too.

I have two gifs of great Little Annie Adderall (Brie) moments, but it was slowing the page down, so hit them up after the jump...

Scrubs - Season Seven (2007-2008)

Scrubs (2001-2010)

Created by: Bill Lawrence

Season: Seven (2007-2008)
Genre: Comedy | Drama
Number of Episodes: 11
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

[IMDb]

Comments: OK, so I lied a bit. I was eagerly anticipating Season 1 of Community but the wonderful last scene of Season 6 between JD and Elliot made me come back to see what would happen between the two the following season (which wasn't much; also I'll admit that I wrote the review for Season 6 before I watched the finale...). Anyway, Season 7 of Scrubs was a step forward after last year's lackluster season, even though it's only a strike-shortened 11 episodes. There's much less silliness, which makes the show funnier and better. My only real complaint was the last episode ("My Princess") is aired completely out of order. If it's aired wrongly on TV that's one thing, especially with all of the craziness of the writer's strike. But on DVD? Come on! How hard is it to move the episode around? This time I won't lie, that shit's fucking annoying.

Scrubs - Season Six (2006-2007)

Scrubs (2001-2010)

Created by: Bill Lawrence

Season: Six (2006-2007)
Genre: Comedy | Drama
Number of Episodes: 22
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

[IMDb]

Comments: It's been a few months since I've seen Season 5 of Scrubs, but I was itching to watch a sitcom whilst waiting for Season 1 of Community to arrive on my doorstep (which it did today, for the low price of $12.99 from Amazon - amazing!). Initially, this season of Scrubs is terrible. I couldn't believe I was watching the same show that I did a few months ago. Zach Braff's character was extremely annoying and so ungodly effeminate that it drove me insane (which was always part of JD, but now it was heightened to the Nth degree). Luckily, the second half of the season was much better as there was more drama infused back into the show, which is what always made Scrubs great. The comedy isn't always funny and the daydream scenes are a bit too ridiculous at times, but it's the "realer" moments that made the show what it is. I'm probably being a bit generous with the rating, but when you've watched a show for so long it's easy to give it slack from time to time. I have Seasons 7 and 8 as well, but it will probably be awhile until I watch them, as there's a ton of other stuff I want to get to. Hopefully Season 6 didn't signal the decline of the show, but I guess we'll find out.

Oh, and this was the funniest moment of the whole season. Hearing Jack say "Yeah, up yours Bobbo!" was the funniest damn thing.

Brooklyn's Finest (2009)

Brooklyn's Finest (2009)

Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Screenplay by: Michael C. Martin

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 132 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Blu-ray

This is war. This is Brooklyn.

[IMDb]

Comments: I've really wanted to watch Brooklyn's Finest for a while now (I bought the DVD the week it came out), but I just never got around to it. I finally watched it last night at my Dad's house, and while not meeting all my expectations, it certainly was a solid film and Fuqua's second best (behind the great Training Day). The three main characters (Gere, Cheadle, and Hawke) share almost zero screen time together, but I felt the script was written well, and it did a fairly good job intertwining the stories and keeping me interested in each story. I wasn't the biggest fan of the end of the film, as Michael Martin went more for "unexpected chaos" rather than a satisfying, emotionally resounding resolution. I'm not dissing the chaos element, as it certainly works for other films, I just don't think it fit in quite right here. Still, Brooklyn's Finest is an engaging crime drama that's worth your two hours. Definitely recommended.

The Town (2010)

The Town (2010)

Directed by: Ben Affleck
Screenplay by: Peter Craig, Ben Affleck, and Aaron Stockard

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 125 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

Welcome to the bank robbery capital of America.

[IMDb]

Comments: Ben Affleck has been the butt of many jokes over the years, mainly due to the fact that he has made some poor career choices (and that Matt Damon was the actual talented one of the two). I've never had a problem with the guy, mostly because I enjoyed him in the several Kevin Smith films he did. But Affleck set out to change the public perception a few years ago when he directed the excellent Gone Baby Gone, a film I really enjoyed. The Town is his second directorial effort, and as soon as I saw the trailer for The Town, I knew I'd be seeing it in theaters (Warner obviously didn't trust Affleck's reputation either, as they failed to mention his name when stating the film was "from the director of Gone Baby Gone"). The Town certainly didn't disappoint. While the film isn't perfect (the very end of the film is certainly clichéd), it is right up my alley in terms of the plot and entertainment value, hence the five-star rating. I was hooked for the entire two hours, as was the rest of the packed house (during a moment of silence toward the end of the film you could've heard a pin drop in the theater). At times, I was reminded of Michael Mann's crime classic Heat (which isn't a bad thing), and I would favorably compare the two. The Town is everything I want when I go to the theater, and I really couldn't have asked for more. Kudos, Ben.

The Office - Season Six (2009-2010)

The Office (2005-????)

Created by: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
Developed by: Greg Daniels

Season: Six (2009-2010)
Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
Number of Episodes: 25
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Reams of laughs.

[IMDb]

Comments: A lot of people felt the sixth season of The Office took a step down, and I'm inclined to agree. There's a notable difference in the overall quality of the show compared to the previous seasons (mainly Seasons 2 through 5). Still, I was entertained by the show, so it wasn't a total loss.

The best episode of the season (by far) was the two-part "Niagra," where Jim and Pam get married. It successfully balanced humor while making the show memorable and touching; I especially loved the wedding scene that spoofed this YouTube sensation). It was one of those great Office moments. The other two-parter, "The Delivery," was solid as it showcased the birth of Jim and Pam's child (and had some great moments between the two), but like the entire season, it lacked that special energy.

I also enjoyed the addition of Erin as the new secretary, and her and Andy's budding (yet strange) relationship. Ellie Kemper, who plays Erin, is cute as hell and makes the audience love her despite her lack of intelligence and the fact that she gets a little... crazy at times.

But overall, the series simply lacks the spark the show previously had. Jim and Pam are no longer the driving force of show (which would be hard to accomplish since they're married and have a kid now), and it's apparent. While I like Andy and Erin, there's no way in hell they could ever take Jim and Pam's place. And it's hard to consistently find new and fresh storylines. The season finale was terrible as a final episode, and hardly enticed me to come back for the new season (which I will anyway). Like I've said before, Season 7 should definitely be the last for the show, but the cast (sans Carell) is signed through at least Season 8. Who knows, maybe I'll be surprised by the quality this year (Holly and Jan are coming back, and Timothy Olyphant is guest starring as a rival salesman that used to date Pam). It's a possibility.

Chuck - Season Three (2009-2010)

Chuck (2007-????)

Created by: Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak

Season: Three (2009-2010)
Genre: Comedy | Action | Drama
Number of Episodes: 19
Episode Running Time: 60 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

No more Mr. Nice Spy.

[IMDb]

Comments: This review contains spoilers from Season 3. If you plan on watching Chuck soon or in the future, look elsewhere (unless you don't care about that sort of thing).

So the third season of Chuck divided a lot of fans, mainly for two reasons. The first was that Chuck and Sarah, after two years of the will-they/won't-they drama, were essentially split up and given separate love interests. Kristin Kreuk (of Smallville fame) had a four-episode arc where she worked at the Buy More, and had about one episode's worth of romance with the Chuckster. On the other hand, Brandon Routh (of Superman Returns) played a large role in the third season as he transferred into Team Bartowski, teaching Chuck how to be a spy while seducing Sarah at the same time. They had much more of a developed relationship (albeit offscreen), and that really annoyed a lot of loyal Chuck fans.

The second reason was the darker tone that Season 3 took on. There wasn't as much humor in the episodes, and there was constant worries over Chuck being able to kill someone. The Buy More wasn't used as often as before, and there weren't as many high jinks occurring as fans were used to. So what did I think?

I loved Season 3. Granted, it's not quite as good as its predecessor (Season 2 was my favorite singular television season I've seen in years), but I think Chuck was given a lot of unnecessary grief. While I prefer Chuck and Sarah to not see other people also, I liked the inclusion of Routh (it didn't hurt that I loved Superman Returns and generally like the guy). Right after I finished the second season, I accidentally read a headline on IMDb's message board stating that Season 3 sucked because Sarah cheated on Chuck. I was heartbroken after that, because they did such a great job building the romance between the two. But that person was generally incorrect, because both had their own separate relationships, and Sarah was never "cheating" on Chuck. The two finally did get together toward the end of the season, and while the initial spark from Season 2 isn't there, it's still extremely satisfying.

The interesting thing about Season 3 of Chuck was that it was initially green-lit for 13 episodes, but 6 more were tagged on later. So the first 13 episodes played out as one cohesive season, and end on what feels like a season finale with "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" (I actually thought that episode would have made a great series finale, but I'll never complain about more Chuck). The remaining six episodes then feel a bit like a different season, but they do reincorporate storylines eventually to reconnect the episodes. I enjoyed the added six episodes, but I guess I'm one of the few that thought the first 13 episodes of Season 3 were... awesome.

The main thing I didn't like in the season was the inclusion of Morgan to Team Bartowski. I'm all for him knowing the secret and helping out occasionally, but it only stretches an already incredibly thin premise that they would add some random guy to a C.I.A. team simply because he's Chuck's friend and Casey has a soft spot for him. I don't know, it just kind of annoys me. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the intersect all of a sudden "crushing" Chuck's brain, and that some magic watch fixed it, but I can live with it.

Anyway, I was a really big fan of Season 3 of Chuck. It's a fun show that's always entertaining, even when there's a more serious nature to it. As I've said a few times before, I expect Season 4 to be the last just because it was barely saved for Season 3, and then super-barely saved for Season 4. It's a great show that I'd love to see continue for years, but at the same time it's hard to keep a show with a specific premise like this consistently fresh. Here's hoping to a Season 5, and that if the show does go out, it goes out with style. Chuck style.

Random Thoughts: Summer Lovin' and Onward

While I should probably wait a few more weeks to make this post, I was thinking about it in my head last night, and felt the need to discuss the few shows that I watched over the summer and what I'm planning on watching once the 2010-2011 season starts.

What I've watched this summer (ordered by the days of the week):

- The Hard Times of RJ Berger: I'm pretty sure this is one of the first scripted shows that I've watched on MTV (I can't forget about Beavis and Butt-Head). And it's surprisingly funny. There's not much in terms of originality or anything that makes the show stand out, but there's several un-PC jokes that usually make me chuckle. Oh, and Amber Lancaster is fucking gorgeous. I don't give a shit that she's 30 and playing a high school student. I just appreciate the fact that the producers try and get her in lingerie (or less) around once a show. I think I'd give the show around a 3 / 5.

- White Collar: OK, so I didn't watch this show over the summer. I just watched Season One on DVD over the weekend, and I spent pretty much all of Labor Day watching the eight White Collar episodes from the summer (that I DVR'd from a marathon on Friday). Like the first season, this is a fun show that I really enjoy. The "summer finale" is tonight, and the show will return in January with a seven-episode run to conclude the season. Definitely still a 4 / 5 for me.

- The IT Crowd: I've really enjoyed the show throughout the first three seasons. IFC started to air the newest season a few weeks ago, and I can't say I'm the biggest fan of it. The bizarreness of the show has risen tenfold. It certainly has some funny moments, but the overall episodes just lack the cohesiveness that the earlier episodes had. I still have half of the season to go (3 more episodes, haha), so I'm withholding my rating until later.

- Louie: I love Louis C.K.'s stand-up. I generally enjoyed his short-lived HBO series Lucky Louie. Louie pretty much combines both of those, in a way, as Louis blends stand up with short segments about his life. At times the skits are funny, sometimes they're serious, and they're almost always extremely self-loathing. Sure, the segments fall flat from time to time, but I really like Louis C.K.'s style. There's a two-part finale tonight as well, and I would give the show a 4 / 5 so far.

- The Glades: Despite bringing absolutely nothing new to the table, I really enjoyed A&E's The Glades. The show follows a cocky detective re-assigned to Florida. He comes off as arrogant, but of course he has a heart of gold. Oh, and he's almost always right (what a shock!). Still, it's perfect summer entertainment providing some fun characters with a hint of romance. There's still four or so episodes to go, but I'd give the show around a 3.5 / 5 (but I'd probably bump it up to a 4 due to some personal bias if the show closes out strong).

There's a few other shows I'd like to get into watching (Mad Men, True Blood, and Leverage to name a few) but I haven't seen any of the seasons so far, so I'm not going to start now.

So what's on the agenda for the fall? This year's a bit different, as a couple shows I watched religiously are gone (24, Lost), but two other shows are stepping in because I've caught them on DVD and loved them (Chuck, The Office). I always record more shows than I watch, and I usually end up liking shows the that get canceled. Monday is a busy day, and my DVR will be going nonstop that night. Without further adieu...

- House, M.D.: While the show's definitely lost some steam, I still enjoy spending an hour a week with Dr. House. Now that 24 and Lost are done, this is the longest running show that I've watched exclusively on TV. House and Cuddy are going to be a couple now, but I really think they waited way too long to do this story. I was interested in this five seasons ago; it's kind of lost a lot of the spark it originally had. From a few previews, it looks like there may be something going on between Chase and 13, which I think will be decent (although I still miss Cameron). I don't expect too much from the show anymore, but it's always good for an hour of escapism.

- Chuck: Even though it says I'm currently watching Season Three in the post above this, it still hasn't arrived yet (hence why I'm writing this now; hurry up UPS! [EDIT: it arrived finally at 7:30 at night]). I really love this show, and will definitely be tuning in for what I think will be the show's final season.

- Lone Star: This looks like a great drama. I've heard a ton of praise about this show, and Entertainment Weekly said it was the best new pilot of 2010. It may have been descrbed as a little "soap opera-esque," but I think it was meant in a good way.

- The Event: This show's had the best marketing for any new show of the season, and they're clearly aiming for the Lost crowd that needs a new show to turn to (even though it's much more of an action show, according the show's producers). Looks promising.

- Terriers: This show looks promising as well. It was created by one of the guys that wrote Ocean's Eleven and produced by the guy that made The Shield. I enjoy Donal Logue as an actor (he was very solid on the second season of Life), and this looks like something that would be up my alley. FX usually doesn't disappoint either.

- The Office: Season Six will be arriving along with Chuck sometime this afternoon. I really enjoy this show, and am looking forward to watching Steve Carell's last season. I know there will at least be a Season Eight as well, so I guess we'll see then if the show jumps the shark like I think it might.

- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Nothing needs to be said.

And at the end of October...

- The Walking Dead: FUCK. YES. A weekly show about zombies?!?! Do I need to say more? How about that it's adapted and written and directed by Frank Darabont, who's done a few films like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist. It's going to be awesome.

So that's that. The only other show I'm mildly considering is Hawaii 5-0, but I really don't know if I'm going to add another show to the Monday schedule (the first four are all on Monday). Of course, there's a wealth of other shows that are on that I'll be watching on DVD once I get caught up on the seasons as well, including (but not limited to) Fringe, Smallville, Supernatural, and Gossip Girl (yes, it's a great guilty pleasure). What else can I say? I love television.

White Collar - Season One (2009-2010)

White Collar (2009-????)

Created by: Jeff Eastin

Season: One (2009-2010)
Genre: Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery
Number of Episodes: 14
Episode Running Time: 60 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Let the games begin.

[IMDb]

Comments: I'd heard a number of good things about White Collar before, but just never got around to watching the show. My curiosity was piqued, however, after watching Matt Bomer on Chuck, who did a great job as Bryce Larkin. He has a natural charisma and swagger, thus making White Collar a show I wanted to watch. And I really enjoyed it for the most part. My biggest complaint is that things happen too easily on the show. Neil Caffrey (Bomer) is released from prison and given a job in the FBI so easily. He's given a tremendous amount of leeway for a notorious con man, and if he stretches his limits he's generally given a pass as if he'd worked for the Bureau for 20 years. But in terms of "light" entertainment, you really can't go wrong. Watching Caffrey's ability to maneuver himself in an out of every situation imaginable is fun as hell. Watching the first season coincided with a White Collar marathon last Friday (which I DVR'd), so I'll be able to catch up on Season 2 (sadly, this week's episode is the last until January... blah). Anyway, White Collar is a fun show as long as you turn your brain off. It's a welcome distraction and generally a good way to spend an hour.

The American (2010)

The American (2010)

Directed by: Anton Corbijn
Screenplay by: Rowan Joffe

Genre: Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 103 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

[IMDb]

Comments: Awesome. A beautifully shot, slowly-built, and wonderfully acted film. I wasn't sure if The American was going to meet my expectations, but it certainly did. One of the best of the year.

The Office - Season Five (2008-2009)

The Office (2005-????)

Created by: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
Developed by: Greg Daniels

Season: Five (2008-2009)
Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
Number of Episodes: 26
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Reams of laughs.

[IMDb]

Comments: Season Five of The Office gave us yet another strong set of episodes. I was ready to give the show four-and-a-half stars, but I really wasn't all that crazy about the Michael Scott Paper Company plot. And Jim and Pam, while still being awesome, tend to lose some of their heat now that they're fully together. Let's delve a little further...

The major plot of the second half of the season was Michael Scott quitting and starting his own company (and Pam, of all people, followed him... which didn't make all that much sense to me). Reading some comments about the episodes, I guess a lot of people really liked the divergence, as it added a new dimension to the show. I didn't really, because everyone and their brother knew that Pam and Michael were going to end up working for Dunder Mifflin again, so what did the whole thing accomplish (other than Pam getting a promotion to sales)? And it also split up Pam and Michael from the core of The Office, which is the main source of humor and entertainment for the show. I will give the writers this, though: the episode where the company is bought out ("Broke") is amazing. It's always great to see Michael succeed, and boy did he kick ass that episode. But in the end what did it all accomplish? Everything pretty went much back to normal after that.

Pam and Jim finally get engaged in the opener of the season. I really love the show for the fact that they don't keep finding ways to keep them apart (thus creating a will-they or won't-they aspect that stretches on forever). They're really like a normal (albeit mostly perfect) couple that everyone envies. The scene where Jim talks to Roy in the bar about the two being engaged was awesome, and I've watched it probably ten times now (even though Roy was never really a bad guy, it's nice to see Jim get his). Also, Jim's reaction to Pam's pregnancy in the finale is one of the great things I've seen on the show. The subtle hint of tears and quiver in his voice was absolute perfection. Beyond those moments though, the story has taken mostly a backseat and has lost some of its original spark. But that's expected, and I wouldn't change anything about how the writers have handled their relationship (other than giving the two more screen time from time to time).

Lastly, I really hated Andy in the third season. He was awful and annoying every time he was on screen. He got better in the fourth season, and was great in the fifth. There's finally a niche carved out for his character, and Andy is finally likable. The duel over Angela with Dwight followed by their eventual friendship was great.

What else can I say? The Office is a terrific show. I don't think I'd ever consider it superior to the original, but I really do love it. It's not perfect by any means, but there's a lot to admire about it. While there's only one David Brent, Steve Carell has created his own separate character from one that started out as a carbon copy of Ricky Gervais. Sure, he's buffoonish at times, but he's become a nice guy that you really want to succeed. Carell's leaving at the end of this season, and the showrunners are actively looking for a new boss. I kind of wish the show would end. I haven't seen Season Six yet (that will be next week, after I get through the third season of Chuck), but where else can the show go? However, NBC doesn't want to let go of one of their few solidly followed shows. Maybe I'll be surprised, and a new boss will revitalize the show. Anyway, The Office is a great show. You should watch it if you haven't already.