Real Life is for March

Sorry gang, busy week. I didn’t have the time to write out full reviews, but I’ll leave you with my ratings anyway. Special shout outs to How I Met Your Mother and 30 Rock. I was quite impressed with both their episodes.

Oh and for once, absolutely no spoilers...

How I Met Your Mother – “No Pressure” (A)

Shameless – “A Bottle of Jean Nate” (B+)

House – “Man of the House” (B)

Alcatraz – “Johnny McKee” (B)

Cougar Town – “A Mind With A Heart of Its Own” (B+)

New Girl – “Bully” (B)

Modern Family – “Virgin Territory” (B)

Happy Endings – “The Butterfly Effect Effect” (B)

30 Rock – “Leap Day” (A)

Parks and Recreation – “Sweet Sixteen” (B+)

The Office – “After Hours” (B)

Grey’s Anatomy – “If Only You Were Lonely” (B)

Wow, a lot of B’s considering I didn’t have to explain myself at all. You probably shouldn’t read into that...

What Did The Rules Ever Get Me? A Bunch Of Music I Paid For!

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Spoilers:

Shameless – “Can I Have a Mother” (B+)

Whoa, is it just me or did that episode just get really sad, really quick. Ethel running away was very bittersweet. Her closing scene with Kev was fantastic, probably the most emotional moment of the episode. Unfortunately, I think this was the writer’s way of writing her off the show and I really wish they’d kept her around – she’s a great character. Oh well, at least she got away from that cult.

Wow, and then Sheila finally kicks Frank out. That was sort of a long time coming and it was probably good for her, I just don’t know how much we’re going to see her now without Frank in the house. Joan Cusack has always been billed as a guest star so I’m not sure if the writers are working her out of the show or if this is just a natural story arc. Hopefully they keep her around. She’s never been a true guest star anyway. She’s as big a part of that show as any other character outside of the Gallagher family.

And last but not least, it’s going to be a long road back for Fiona and Steve, that is if she ever talks to him again (she’s definitely going to). Do you ever get the feeling like you’re cheering for the wrong people on this show? When Fiona’s boyfriend (or whatever) walked out on her when he saw her and Steve come out of the bathroom I kind of felt like “good for you buddy.” I’d forgotten too that Fiona still didn’t know Steve’s real name was Jimmy. Luckily her reaction to the news was pretty decisive. Considering all the other bad news we got this episode though, its importance maybe didn’t register as much as it should have.

How I Met Your Mother – “The Drunk Train” (B)

Lilly and Marshall had a pretty so so episode, and the drunk train stuff was okay but not great. It’s more the potential this story brings that’s got me hooked on this episode. First, because I like Barney’s new girl, despite the fact that apparently she’s a stripper that Barney has frequented in the past. I don’t know if they’re gearing us up for a revenge storyline or not, but at this point pretty much any girl attached to Barney is a potential candidate for his bride at the end of the season (that is of course, if they even reveal that to us at the end of the season) and hence  peak my interest.

The second reason I liked the episode is because I read an interview with Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and I think I see where they’re going with this Robin and Ted thing. Now yes, they aren’t going to end up together and it’s easy to see why people would be frustrated by the fact that they’re seemingly taking another step backwards, but there’s a lot of potential for growth for those two coming out of a storyline like this.

I spent most of the episode a little chagrined that Robin would even be considering marrying Kevin considering the writers didn’t give us that much before this episode indicating she was more open to the concept. But when you look at Ted in this episode and you look at Robin, they really are at two opposite ends of the spectrum from where they started out. Now this is the spoilers part so if you don’t want to learn the premise of an upcoming episode (tonight’s potentially) turn away. So anyways, this is what Bays and Thomas were saying – apparently early in the run of the series the two of them discussed their five year plans. The plan is to give each character the opportunity to evaluate where they were 5 years ago and how far they’ve come. Done right I think that’s a really cool idea for an episode.

And to be honest, it does make a lot of sense for Ted to do what he did. He and Robin originally broke up because she never wanted to get married, but both of them were head over heels for each other at that point. Now all of sudden the only real reason why they didn’t stay together disappears – I don’t think it’s that much of a stretch that he would want to revisit that relationship again. The guy’s desperate.

Are they spinning their wheels? Sure they are. But they’re going to be doing that until the series finale (unless they reveal the mother before then). It’s how they’re filling the time in between that’s going to keep the show watchable. Take a good storyline when you can get it.

*** Note *** This was written before tonight’s episode. ***Note***

House – “Chase” (B+)

I don’t know if it’s because I’m all of a sudden looking at this show through rose coloured glasses, but I’ve enjoyed the last couple of episodes since the announcement the show would be ending. This was a solid look at Chase, a character who for the most part hasn’t really had much given to him over the past few seasons, and it did a great job of reminding exactly what made him interesting in the first place. Well, with any luck this episode was his route back to prominence.

It was the final scene between House and him that really stuck with me. When House essentially admitted to Chase the decisions he’s made that have led him to be as unhappy as he is, it felt like real character development for both of them. It helped that Chase was sporting his own House-style limp, but you could see the parallel between the two characters, and for once you saw House trying to break the cycle. Actually giving a crap about someone other than himself and admitting it to that person... that doesn’t happen often.

Again, it could just be rose coloured glasses, but this is exactly the type of storyline that the end of a series can bring.  I don’t know if you can give House’s character a truly happy, set sail into the sunset type ending, but little victories like the one in this episode (and hopefully the writers haven’t completely finished with this storyline) should be able to bring the series to a satisfying close.

Alcatraz – “Paxton Petty” (B+)

I’ve really liked the progress this show has made over the last couple of episodes. These flashbacks are getting more and more intense and because of that I’m starting to get more and more hooked into the basic mythology of the series. “Paxton Petty” in particular was the perfect way to use one of the 63 inmates. I loved how the writers connected Petty to the early relationship between Lucy and Hauser. It took the focus away from a once-off character and put it back onto the main story that comprises the backbone of the series. If the writers can figure out a way to strike a balance like that in every episode – and it’s starting to seem like that’s the direction they’re going in – watch out, because this show could get good.

Cougar Town – “Ain’t Love Strange” (B+)

It may not have been the definitive episode of the series, but I like the direction the writers took for the rest of the season. Grayson and Jules were obviously destined to get married eventually, why not just go ahead and get them engaged in the season premiere. There’s no need to string us along. It’s not like they’re going to lose what makes them funny by getting them married. If anything it’ll make them funnier. Though I do wonder how Tom’s going to creep on Jules once she’s a married woman...

Obviously the proposal was the centerpiece of the episode, so I guess it was sort of natural for a few of the other storylines to get a little neglected, but there were some decent bits sprinkled into the B stories. They finally decided to Stan an age bump and thankfully it wasn’t as abrupt as I’ve seen on a few other shows of late. Hopefully the writers stick with this bond Laurie seems to have found with the kid. That’s got a lot of promise.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the green screen. That has to be one of the weirdest/surprisingly effective ideas for a joke I’ve seen in a while. It makes you wonder if maybe that was born out of a real life experience. Either way, I’ll be hard pressed to get the image of Bobby and Andy flying hand in hand through the clouds out of my head, and that’s a good thing.

New Girl – “Valentine’s Day” (A-)

This was a very funny episode. Anytime someone quotes Malcolm Gladwell in reference to obtaining one night stands, it doesn’t really matter what else happens in the episode the end result is going to leave an impression. But I liked just about everything in this one – from Jess’s all round hilarious experience finding a suitable partner to Schmidt and Cece finally hooking up to Nick and his very funny side story with Julia and her assistant (Hot Tub Time Machine’s Clark Duke). Even Winston got a few good laughs, and that was despite being pushed to the background once again.

Modern Family – “Aunt Mommy” (B)

I don’t have a whole lot to say about this episode. The surrogate storyline was kind of funny, kind of weird. I wasn’t a huge fan of the little conference Claire and Mitchell held under the table at the end of the episode. It just seemed a little too cute for my tastes. But there were a few good one liners here and there. Phil still makes me laugh on an almost weekly basis. As for the other big storyline this week, I quite enjoyed Gloria and Manny’s penny collection, even if it wasn’t the funniest thing I’ve ever seen from the duo. It had a sweet ending and I still respond to those brief moments when Jay lets his guard down.

Happy Endings – “Everybody Loves Grant” (B+)

A pretty solid episode in my books. This show is still in that wonderful sweet spot where everything it does still seems fresh to me. I loved Dave’s cool guy act. And the scene where they went through the group assigning roles was pretty special, precisely because Dave ended up as the “Dave of the group.” I also loved the fact that the “Dave” of the Dave Mathew’s Band isn’t Dave Mathews himself. Oh and full chickens down the garbage disposal – hilarious.

30 Rock – “The Tuxedo Begins” (A)

“The Tuxedo Begins” was probably the best episode 30 Rock has had all season. I actually can’t remember the last time I laughed this hard at the show (this was perhaps one of those “pleasantly surprised” A’s). The Dark Knight parallels were just placed in there so subtly that by the time I realized where they were going with it, it was 10 times funnier than it would have been otherwise. It’s actually the kind of episode that wouldn’t be all that out of place on an episode of Community, ironic since 30 Rock took over their timeslot.

Here’s hoping they don’t totally drop the Jack running for mayor plotline. I actually thought that was a pretty funny idea.

Parks and Recreation – “Dave Returns” (A-)

Ahh, Duke Silver, how I missed you.

Yeah, Andy in a recording studio was a great idea. But I actually thought April was the break out star of the episode. All of her piped in comments about Andy’s unconventional genius really made my night. Well that, and her enthusiastic destruction of all the Duke Silver memorabilia she could find. I also liked watching Ron take over the studio. The way he’s always looking out for Andy is such a nice touch to his character.

I’ll reserve my judgement on Ann and Tom for another episode. I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting the rest of the parks department to find out about them so quickly (though I don’t know why as it does seem to fit Tom’s character perfectly), nor was I that keen on Tom’s attempts to win her back. I thought perhaps they’d dial back some of his more... we’ll say quirky, personality traits as he tried to win Ann over, but not so much I guess. I still see a lot of potential in that relationship if the writers can find a good angle for it.

It was also nice to see Louis C.K. return to the series. Dave was always a good character. It was a little weird to see him turn into the crazy ex-boyfriend – he always used to play straight man to Leslie – but at least they kept his familiar cop-talk way of speaking. I have no idea if they’d ever be able to swing this, but Dave as police chief would be an incredible get for the show.

The Office – “Tallahassee” (B+)

Not a bad episode. I think above all it was a great coming out party for Stanley. Especially the way Jim started to look up to him after previously believing he never wanted to turn out like him. And speaking of Jim, that was the best cold opening I’ve seen all year. They’d been struggling with those lately and this one seemed to come out of almost nowhere. I guess it just goes to show what a change of scenery can do for a series.

The rest of the Tallahassee storyline kind varied after that though. There were times I was laughing at Dwight and other times where I thought the whole appendix storyline was just a little too much. I still don’t have a good beat on Catherine Tate’s character either, which made my enthusiasm for her part in the episode a little temped. Still, the rest of the crew back home had a good week, and I especially love that Andy is missing Erin, so overall I’d still give the episode my seal of approval.

Now all NBC has to do is figure out how to get people to watch. “Tallahassee” was lowest rated episode The Office has ever had, and that’s going all the way back to the ratings challenged first season. Of course, I guess to be fair it was the highest rated episode on NBC that night. That’s a little sad, isn’t it?

Up All Night – “Travel Day” (B+)

I’m really starting to wonder if Jason Lee is just on this show now. I mean the writers have had plenty of opportunities to break Kevin and Ava up – it seems like pretty much all they do is fight – and he’s always back the following episode. Now don’t get me wrong, that’s not a bad thing. I think the guy is a great addition to the show. I’m just surprised he surviving all these tussles.

“Travel Day” was a charmer though. I quite liked Chris and Reagan’s trip through the airport. It was funny and it ended with Chris’s heart melting speech on the plane – it’s hard to do better than funny and sweet. And the wedding wasn’t too bad either, if only because we got introduced to Ava’s old girl group, the Lennon and McCartney of Hip Hop. Or wait, was that the Simon and Garfunkel of Hip Hop. Either way I hope this wasn’t the last time we see Alanis Morissette on the series.

Grey’s Anatomy – “Have You Seen Me Lately?” (C+)

This episode just had some serious tonal issues. Callie’s storyline was trying way too hard to be funny, to the point where it could have passed as a parody on how narcissistic the characters on this show really are. And then you’ve got the collapsing pregnant intern describing her symptoms as she’s falling to the floor. I mean, really? Is it just me or is that not trying a little too hard to be quirky.

I wasn’t huge on Christina and Owen’s therapy session either. I don’t think either of those two came off all that likable. It actually just served to highlight all of the reasons why I never liked their relationship in the first place. And what I really don’t understand is why the psychiatrist needed to be hidden for most of the episode, like there was going to be some big reveal at the end. There wasn’t dammit!

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Spoilers:

Shameless – “Father’s Day” (B+)

Another step in the right direction. I thought “Father’s Day” did a great job of carrying the momentum from last episode, and that’s a little odd because I can’t think of any developments that were that major – it was just funny all round. I’m glad Steve’s back. I quite liked his scene with Fiona. Very understated, but I think that’s probably more true to life than most would care to admit. I also loved Sheila’s reaction to hearing that Frank slept with Karen. I have to admit, I didn’t see that coming. I probably should have, but I didn’t.

I’ve noticed that the writers have kept up with this spare room idea. I’m kind of wondering if this is going to be a recurring thing they do all season long, just a revolving door of tenants. Or perhaps this new stripper is here to stay (and if that’s the case I hope they keep her as undeveloped as she is now – these brief glimpses are so much funnier than giving her a real backstory). Either way I’ll be keeping an eye out.

How I Met Your Mother – “The Burning Beekeeper” (C)

This episode was painfully unfunny. I respect the show for the ambitiousness of the concept – it’s no secret How I Met Your Mother is willing to try things – but I sat in silence through most of this one. It felt a bit like some poor stand up comedian bombing out on stage. You could tell they were trying, but the harder they tried the more painful it got.

None of the rooms really had any cohesion. It seemed like the more foreshadowing they did for each of the 5 minute segments the more the episode disappointed. Each set up seemed to be perfunctorily dealt with, as if they were something to get out of the way rather than something to build off of. It felt like there was a different writer for each room and none of them were speaking with each other that week. Needless to say, there weren’t a whole lot of surprises.

And the last room was the worst. There was a chance, had something, anything, panned out over the course of “The Burning Beekeeper”, that it could have salvaged the episode, but it didn’t really give us anything to make it worth sticking around the whole half hour. Not the reason for Robin and Ted’s fight. Not the reveal of the mystery man in the beekeepers outfit. Not even Marshall quitting. It was the underwhelming cherry on the top of a forgettable episode.

House – “Nobody’s Fault” (B)

So it’s official – House is sailing off into the sunset at the end of the season. It’s bittersweet to say the least, but I don’t think I’ve kept it a secret that I think it’s the right move. The show has struggled over the last couple of seasons, and I hate watching once great TV series get bled out in their waning years. I think it’s better to end House now than to watch it implode simply for the sake of keeping it on the air.

And hopefully this allows the series time to give itself a proper send off. This final string of episodes should be better than whatever the writers had planned to keep the show going. There’s nothing like finality to creatively reinvigorate a series.

In fact, armed with the knowledge that the show was coming to a close, I found myself pleasantly surprised with “Nobody’s Fault.” I like it when they bring in an outsider, someone who isn’t familiar with House and his methods, and shine a different perspective on the character. After this many years on the air viewer fatigue is a huge problem, and it’s episodes like this one that really remind you why the character was so interesting in the first place. Obviously, I doubt there’s much of a chance the writers had any idea the series would be ending when they penned “Nobody’s Fault,” but it was definitely timely.

Alcatraz – “Guy Hastings” (A-)

I actually thought, outside of maybe the original set up in the pilot, that this was Alcatraz’s best effort to date. For once I felt like the episode found the perfect balance between connecting to the overall arc of the series and showcasing the inmate of the week (or in this case guard). The bread crumbs just seemed to be trickling a little faster in this one and that was good for a couple of reasons. One, it made Ray’s character infinitely more interesting and likely just gave us somebody else we know to watch for in the prison flashbacks. And two, it gave Madsen some leverage over Hauser which is probably going to lead to a more adversarial relationship between the two of them and in the process hopefully a deeper exploration of the mythology of the series.

New Girl – “The Landlord” (B+)

While it may have gotten a little silly at the end, I couldn’t help be charmed once again by the remarkably fresh writing on this series. When Jess talked down the guy brandishing a pistol into giving her and Nick the parking spot I laughed out loud. And many of her early interactions with the landlord were equally as funny. You also had to love watching the guys clear out a bedroom in under a minute. Who left the library in such a mess?

Winston however still seems to be struggling to find his place on the show, and you can tell the writers know it. They’ve made a few attempts to give themselves something to build off of, but nothing has really stuck so far. Wasn’t he going to be a nanny? Or what about his hilarious skills playing the bells? Can we not make a thing out of him quickly picking up random, completely unmarketable skills? Even the way the writers tried to give him a love interest last week felt a little forced – he wasn’t developed enough yet for any of us to care. Cece may be able to skirt by as a background player, but Winston lives in the apartment, and the disparity between him and the rest of the guys is starting to become distracting.

Modern Family – “Me? Jealous?” (B)

I didn’t really have strong feelings either way for this one. I liked Cam and Gloria together, especially Manny’s masterful manipulation of the two of them. His friend does sound like a real piece of work. I was less enthused about Jay and Mitchell. That storyline just didn’t seem to go anywhere for me. Phil and Claire had a decent week as well, but I’m having a hard time of remembering anything that really stood out for me other than Betty Luke, which I guess is good for that joke but bad for the rest of the episode.

Happy Endings – “The St. Valentine’s Day Maxssacre” (B+)

This episode didn’t quite live up to the hilarity of the one that came before it, but there was one joke in particular that bumped it up for me almost singlehandedly, and that was Dave’s middle school e-mail address. Capital H Hilarious. The rest of the show had its moments though. I liked Alex’s numerous retellings of the story of St. Valentine, each revealing an even worse demise for the protagonist. And Brad’s plaque plaque was pretty clever. That dude really loves the dentist. Overall I didn’t think it was a bad outing for the series.

30 Rock – “Hey, Baby, What’s Wrong” (B)

The big hour long Valentine’s Day episode. I thought Liz and Criss’s Ikea storyline was clever. With the amount characters on TV talk about that company it’s about time one of these shows actually went there. I’m also kind of wondering if perhaps Criss is here for the long haul. It’s a little naive of me to think that a guest star on a sitcom will be around for any length of time, but it would be a new look for Lemon and if I were a writer in the sixth season of a comedy series I’d want to take whatever creative springboard I could get. For this episode anyway that does seem to be where it’s going, but who knows – these things can turn on a dime.

The rest of “Hey Baby, What’s Wrong” was fairly average for me though. I didn’t care much for Tracey and Frank leading Lutz around. Jack and Avery’s mother had good bit going with their trip to the UN, but once they left the building they came back down to Earth. And while I love the fact that Pete used to be an Olympic calibre archer, there wasn’t much else that stood out for me in his guest producing stint (I didn’t know that was a thing) on Jenna’s new hit TV show.

I do have to commend casting choice of Kristen Schaal as Kenneth’s Page replacement though. That part is just tailored to her exact style of humour and since Flight of the Conchords went off the air I’ve missed her. She’s almost definitely going to flame out of the Page program, but it should be a good ride while it lasts.

The Office – “Special Project” (B)

Second episode in a row without an appearance by James Spader. I don’t know how much I should read into that, but I’m pretty sure he’s only on a one year contract, and the way they’ve been sparingly using him of late doesn’t bode well for his future with the series. I’ll let you decide if you think that’s a good or bad thing.

I didn’t think “Special Project” was the funniest episode I’d seen this season, but I am looking forward to the titular special project. That’s a rag tag group of characters with a lot of potential for laughs. I like that they’ve gotten Ryan involved. It’s not that he needs to be as main a character as he was in the first few seasons but it’s nice to see him with a little more screen time. And Erin – I think there’s going to be some drama there. She’d better not stay in Florida, dammit!

The only thing I could have done without is the writers turning Kathy into a home wrecker.  Despite being painfully underdeveloped before this episode, she didn’t even seem to like Jim that much, so her infatuation with him just didn’t seem earned. I’ll give the storyline a chance though, seeing that it hasn’t really even started yet. Otherwise I think I might be doing some book cover judging or whatever...

Up All Night – “Day After Valentine’s Day” (B+)

You know, it doesn’t really matter what they’re given, I could watch Christina Applegate and Will Arnett do just about anything and like it. And sometimes I wonder if that maybe covers up for the odd weak script here and there. “Day After Valentine’s Day” felt like one of those episodes. Not terribly clever, but fun nonetheless thanks to some great work by the show’s two leads. There’s not much more to say than that.

Grey’s Anatomy – “All You Need Is Love” (C+)

I don’t know what it was about this episode, but it just seemed like it epitomized all of Grey’s bad habits. Perhaps it was the Valentine’s Day theme. Give an already melodramatic show that kind of ammunition and you can’t be that surprised when they turn up the schmaltz.

It does seem though that this hospital has had more than its fair share of accidents befalling it. That car barrelling through the front door was completely unnecessary. They didn’t even follow up with it – no one from that point on even mentioned the big hole in the side of the hospital. Hell, the patient that crashed through the door barely even registered.

And while I like that Derek and Meredith are finally happy, their happiness finally became annoying in this episode. Now I get that it was more for Lexi’s storyline then it was for them, but give the actors something more than “crash through the house giggling.” There had to be a better way to do that scene. Add to that a few terrible monologues by both doctors and patients, and you had a pretty good reason not to like the episode. I can see more than a few Grey’s haters pointing to this one as an example of why they don’t watch the show anymore (or in the first place).

It’s Tough To Move A Psychedelic House Boat In This Market

I’m still mourning my boys falling to the Giants in the Super Bowl. This is the best I could muster up...

Spoilers:

Shameless – “A Beautiful Mess” (A-)

Now that’s more like it Shameless. Doesn’t this show finally feel like it’s gaining momentum? We’ve got some Fiona/Steve action happening, which was both funny and added some nice drama for her character (you had to love her scene with Frank as she hid at Sheila’s). Lip and Karen finally had their inevitable confrontation, which was pretty much everything you could have asked for. And last but not least, we got a whole storyline almost solely dedicated to Debbie. Now while all the Gallagher children have their strengths, Debbie is the one that brings it more consistently than any of them. Everything about her slumber party, from the planning to the party to its aftermath, all of it was entertaining. Emma Kenney is a heck of a young actress.

Plus, this episode also reminded me just how much I love the music on this show. Let me just reiterate my admiration for the music supervisor one more time. And don’t underestimate just how important that aspect of Shameless is. It not only sets the mood, but it matches the setting perfectly and really helps the show transition back and forth between its comedic and dramatic elements.

Also, it’s fun to listen to!

House – “Runaways” (B)

Pretty much by the numbers. We got to see a little more from Adams, but not really enough to make her anymore interesting. “Runaways” just kind of proved again that House is still pretty much a one man show. I liked the patient though, even if for some reason I found the ending a little anticlimactic. I guess once the mother showed up I lost interest pretty fast. And this Taub’s kids storyline is really not doing it for me. I mean sure, the ending was cute, but it’s pretty much dominated every one of his stories this season, which has taken him right out of the game. And that leaves Adams, Chase, and the seldom used Park to unsuccessfully fill the hole left behind.

Alcatraz – “Cal Sweeney” (B+)

Not a bad episode, but again I would have liked a little more mythology than we got. A part of me knew we weren’t going to get to see what was in that room at the end there (a classic JJ Abrams move). Although I am liking the little hints the writers keep throwing out in the flashbacks. I swear Lucy has gotten more screen time since she’s been shot than she ever got beforehand.

But this episode gets a decent grade because I’m a sucker for a good bank heist, especially when it involves charismatic con men. And I guess we did get some more back story on Soto. It seems like his parents are going to become a huge part of the show. That could really go either way. Hmmm, I wonder if they’ll recast Hurley’s parents for the parts.

New Girl – “Jess and Julia” (A-)

This has been another one of my favourite new series this fall so I figured I would give it a shout out for a great episode. Lizzy Caplan and Zooey Deschanel are one heck of a comedic tag team. It’s definitely not a secret that Jess and Nick are pretty much destined to end up together, but I’m secretly hoping that it takes a while so they can keep Caplan around a little longer.

Also, the towel saga was absolutely hilarious. I wasn’t sure how much I was going to like Schmidt when the series premiered, but he’s really turned into one of the standouts on this show. In fact, I can’t think of many characters out there in general that can really compare to the style of humour Schmidt brings to the table. His Irish walking cape quip had me on the floor. My only complaint so far is that Fox can’t seem to get the show on the air with any consistency. We get an episode here, and then two weeks, and then another one – it makes it hard to keep up with.

30 Rock – “Today You Are a Man” (B+)

Funny episode, but 30 Rock has got to be careful they don’t keep repeating themselves. I think we’ve seen Liz and Jack in negotiations at least a couple of times before, and while it’s funny, it’s less funny every time they do it. Tina Fey had a great quote once about how it’s impossible for 30 Rock to ever jump the shark because they’ve been pretty much jumping it since the first season. And she’s dead on with that – the show could go in pretty much any direction, save perhaps for Liz and Jack dating, without looking like they’ve run out of storylines. But if the show starts becoming predictable then they’re going to start experiencing some viewer fatigue, and that’s something they really need to watch out for. It’s why I’m excited to see where Kenneth quitting the page program takes us. It may move Kenneth out of his comfort zone, but it’ll bring something new to the table, and that’s important for a show in its sixth season.

Parks and Recreation – “Operation Ann” (A-)

Do not discount Ann and Tom together. I’ve mentioned a few times over my last couple reviews the great chemistry those two have had with each other of late, and now I think it may have been the writers preparing us for this moment. I have a lot of faith in the creative staff on this show. They have a knack for turning odd story twists into comedy gold. I would have said April and Andy getting married was a terrible idea just an episode before it happened and now they’re probably my favourite married couple on TV. Now while I’m not making any of the same guarantees for Tom and Ann – they could be over in an episode –I’ll definitely be keeping an open mind about it. I’ve seen worse moves by a writing staff.

The Office – “Jury Duty” (B+)

Pam’s back! And I hope it’s for good. She and Jim may not be what they used to but I missed her while she was gone. I like that they finally got their kids involved in an episode too. No Robert in this one though, and to be honest you didn’t really notice either. I’m excited to see where Dwight and Angela’s secret baby takes us. Both of those characters have been dying for a good storyline (especially Angela, who has been painfully underused of late) and this one is kind of reminiscent of the two of them back in their glory days. Add her gay husband to the mix and who knows – this might be a good shot in the arm for both of them (and the series in general).

Up All Night – “Preschool Auction” (B+)

Man that baby is cute. I think one of my favourite parts about Ava’s character is the way she interacts with little Amy – like she’s a full grown adult with actual motives. The scene where Reagan convinced her to do the charity auction had to be the highlight of the episode for me. And kudos to the writing staff for not taking the obvious route of having her drunkness ruin the auction. The way they ended things was a lot more original and better for it. As for Chris and his uber competitive brother, I’m not sure if I liked the storyline as much as I was hoping for, but I did like the decision to cast Dean Winters in the role. You know he’ll be back, and if his work on 30 Rock is any indication, he’ll be damn funny.

Grey’s Anatomy – “If/Then” (B+)

You know what – you’ve got to hand it to the Grey’s team for this one. That was a gutsy episode that had a high chance of failure and I thought they pulled it off quite well, I mean despite the fact that it seemed to highlight the tumultuous history of actors leaving the show (there was literally a scene about mid-way through where they went down a checklist of who wasn’t there). The trick with "what if" episodes like this one is to make sure you’re making a point – something that connects to the through line of the episodes that came before it. “If/Then” did a great job of that, and because of it I didn’t feel at all cheated that we didn’t get any movement in the main plot. Plus, it also gave the music supervisor a chance to take a trip down memory lane with a few classic Grey’s songs. It warmed my heart to hear some Rilo Kiley and Teagan and Sara again.