Taters Are For Laters

I’m working on NBC’s Thursday night line up. In the meantime please enjoy this Cougar Town/New Girl/Modern Family recap.

Spoilers...

Cougar Town – “Down South” (B)

Is it just me or did this episode strain its credibility by having the Cul-De-Sac crew run out of wine in the middle of a hurricane. From what I know about Jules and the gang, there’s absolutely no way they would ever let that happen. It’s ironic, because my beef with “Down South” is a direct result of the fantastic character work that came before it, but oddly enough I actually found that it played a factor in my enjoyment of the episode. Totally fine with Tom spending an entire hurricane outside of Jules’ window, but this group of friends running out of wine – grab a pitchfork, we’re storming the Cougar Town offices.

That was a pretty specific example (though I stand by it) but there did seem to be something off about this week’s episode. I think I would have actually preferred it if the writers went for a full out bottle episode rather than having the gang jump from location to location. The cast tend to be at their best when they function as one large group and the constant movement made the episode feel a little disjointed.

I had my issues with the Laurie/Travis storyline this week too. Laurie knows that Trav likes her, so it was odd that she was so oblivious to that fact in this episode. You could argue she was distracted by the break up, but when you have Trav playing Wade’s surrogate I have a hard time believing she would be that clueless. If this is the start of a much larger arc I welcome those two as a couple, but it still feels like they were mishandled a bit here.

I did still like some of their chats though, and while “Down South” may not have been as sharp an episode as Cougar Town in known for, it wasn’t without a few good laughs. I thought Grayson’s search for a new catch phrase was probably the best running bit of the night. I love that the writers have started exploring Grayson’s reasons for owning the bar and his 90s cool guy catch phrase was a great play on that theme. The ending tag between he and Ellie was hilarious – “I used to be so warm”... classic.

My favourite lines:

JULES: I love hurricanes. They’re like adult snow days. You know, you don’t have to go to work, you drink and play games.
GRAYSON: So it’s like every day for us.
JULES: But with wind...

BOBBY: I feel like I’m cheating on Andy.
TRAV: I’m your son, so it’s fine.

ELLIE: I’m only an okay storm, I’m not a perfect storm.

ELLIE: You just ate your hoodie string.

GRAYSON: You know how people say, “hey, you want to come with us?” I was the guy who dropped the “us” part. “Hey, you want to come with?”

And line of the night:

TRAV: You can’t take explosions so personally. You know, sometimes they’re just explosions.

New Girl  – “See Ya” (B)

I expected more from this one, I really did. There was a lot to like in this episode, but for a finale I was disappointed. The last episode of the season, at least in my opinion, should feel like an amalgamation of everything that came before it and for a comedy it should be able to generate a lot of its humour just from that. But too often in this episode the writing staff looked unprepared, inventing storylines or half hearted setups to give it that finale feel rather than going with something that felt organic.

Schmidt and Cece’s sudden break up was a perfect example. Everything before this episode suggested the two of them were happy with each other. I understand the concept of a reversal, but after two weeks of showing these two head over heels for each other apparently all it took to break them up was a short visit to a photo shoot and one side of a text message. Schmidt had visited Cece on set before. He’s always known she was a model, this isn’t foreign territory for him. And because of that his sudden surge of jealousy just struck really false to me. The White Fang reference was funny, but it could have been a lot funnier if it didn’t feel like a poorly executed excuse to drum up some finale drama.

From a story perspective that was probably the worst offender but there were more than a few setups I had to role my eyes at too. Winston’s sudden fear of the dark was ridiculous. And I thought Nick deciding to go search for the keys right before his run in with the coyote was more about that bit than an actual change in the mindset of his character. Also isn’t New Girl set in Chicago? Forgive my geography here, but what desert were they in?

It was hard to deny the charm of their little camp out though, and I did enjoy watching them reminisce to the sound of Nick’s 90s mixtapes (sadly I think all of those songs are currently on my iPod). If this episode had one saving grace I’d say it was probably in some of the more collaborative group scenes. It’s hard to deny the chemistry of this cast when they’re thrown into these big scenes with each other.

I also quite liked the way they capped off the episode, which counter to my earlier criticisms is exactly the sort of thing I like to see in a finale. Nick’s AC/DC return was a fantastic sequence – it didn’t go for too much, in fact it was entirely free of dialogue, and yet it felt entirely earned. A perfect no frills celebration of the season that was. It’s a pity the entire episode couldn’t live up to those last few minutes, but I’ll take what I can get.

To the quotes!

JESS: You think just cause he’s a snappy dresser the mice don’t see the hammer?

SCHMIDT: What the hell war is this?

NICK: I took my fair share of rubber bands so I don’t want to hear about it.

And line of the night:

JESS: Wow, look how pronounced Nick’s couch hole got. All this time I thought he was just sitting here drinking beer and complaining... he was making something.

Modern Family – “Disneyland” (B+)

I quite liked the Disneyland setting in this one. Not because I have any great affinity towards that particular amusement park or even amusement parks in general, I just thought structurally it gave us the best of both worlds – it allowed for some great group scenes while still leaving the writing staff room for a variety of different characters pairings. Not every storyline was a hit, but there were enough of them that if you didn’t like one, another would be around soon enough.

My personal favourite was Lilly’s leash. The number of great one liners that came out of that premise was incredible and I especially loved how immediately ashamed of himself Mitchell was as soon as the leash went on. But I was also partial to Manny’s stock project. Having been given a similar project in high school I completely understand the corrupting influence fake money has on a man.

Of course Phil and Luke had a pretty good week as well, and while I wasn’t as enthused about Claire setting up Haley with the kind of guy she’d like her to date, I am happy that Dylan is back (I loved watching Phil’s reaction to the news – it was subtle but his reaction was priceless). On the other hand, I could have done without Gloria and the shoes. It did end up leading to a nice ending for Lilly’s leash storyline, but something seemed off to me the way Jay attributed a lot of Gloria’s anger simply to the fact that she wears uncomfortable shoes all the time.

The big danger in an episode with this many storylines though is that it can tend to lose its cohesiveness which is where I thought Jay’s Abraham Lincoln story came in handy. Admittedly, I spent most of “Disneyland” wondering why he was telling the story at all (though on repeat viewing I figured I probably should have seen where it was going) but all in all it provided a nice throughline for the episode and produced a much better ending than the sum of those smaller storylines ever could on their own. Say what you want about the content of Jay’s final aside to the camera, but I thought for the most part the writers did a good job.

Alright, now for my favourite lines:

MITCHELL: Okay we just got a glare from Mr. Socks With Sandals.

LILLY: Chip and Dale!
CAM: Oh great now she’s chasing squirrels. (Technically chipmunks. I’m sorry if that seems arbitrary to you but I take my Rescue Rangers pretty seriously.)

MANNY: Ruben, if you heard about that stock at a birthday party it’s already too late.

GLORIA: Fake money has changed you.

CLAIRE: Oh my goodness, you are burning up. You might have the flu.
PHIL: A bunch of guys at work have the flu and we all drink orange juice out of the same carton. We should get cups...

And line of the night:

MITCHELL: Okay, it’s Toontown not Toonton. You’ve been watching too much PBS. (Man, I love Downton Abbey.)

Anybody Up For A Hobo Adventure?

I’m working my way through the week. Here’s Tuesday and Wednesday for your reading pleasure.

Spoilers:

Cougar Town – “Southern Accents” (A-)

I feel like I’ve said this before (I can’t remember and I honestly don’t read this blog) but Grayson’s daughter has been an excellent addition to the show. Her introduction has provided many good storylines this season, allowed the writers to sidestep through Grayson’s desire to have kids, which had sort of been played out, and it gave us Holly, who was the basis of some truly hilarious moments in this episode.

I quite enjoyed watching Jules and Holly get acquainted with each other this week – the story really hit you from every angle. Having Trav make out with Holly led to more than a few hilarious confrontations with Jules, and some even funnier banter with Grayson, who was in the peripheral this week but still found a way to make his presence known. Holly too has found a nice niche for herself confirming just about anything negative anyone ever says about her within a matter of seconds. She infringes on Laurie’s character a bit but because she’s an outsider to the group she doesn’t distract from her.

And the story actually ended up having quite a bit of heart. I liked the way the writing staff humanized her in the end and pointed out her very similar situation to Jules’ struggles to raise Travis as a young mother. The Cul-De-Sac crew have always been a sort of de facto family and Holly and Tampa/Jill are funny enough that I wouldn’t mind seeing them around for more family functions. Though this show has a knack for creating great bit players and could say that about more than a few characters (I used to say it about Tom and thankfully they listened).

The fun didn’t end there though, as Bobby and Laurie had a great episode discussing the nature of racism. Those two are always funny paired with each other and having them discuss a real issue like that was an oddly hilarious use of their characters. Plus it allowed Laurie to start telling stories and I dare say she is never funnier than when she’s off on some bizarre tangent about her life outside of this group. I particularly loved that the moral she drew from the whole race panel was that “all you need to fix minority problems is a really pretty white woman.” Classic.

Andy’s decision whether to run for mayor was probably the weakest thread of the episode, but that’s only because I enjoyed the other two so much. Frankly it’s a pretty promising storyline for future episodes and it wasn’t without a few great bits. I think it’s hilarious that Andy’s view of being mayor is riding around in parades wearing a top hat. I want this for him more than you know...

Alright, to the quotes!

LAURIE: Oh my god, look at your black and white cookie! You’ve only eaten the white part.
BOBBY: I’m a monster.

BOBBY: I don’t really like it when my food talks to me. It’s why I don’t eat monkeys.

TRAV: There’s just something so innocent about Holly. I just want to protect her. Plus Jill could really use a father.
GRAYSON: She has a father.
TRAV: I meant a good one.

JULES: It’s like my life is flashing before my eyes... I should have drank more wine.

GRAYSON: You know when you’re kissing Holly and she pushes her gum into your mouth and then sucks it back out onto hers? Why is that so hot?
TRAV: Probably her big boobs.
GRAYSON: Probably.

LAURIE: Oh my god, my race panel worked. If there is one thing that we’ve learned from Michelle Pfieffer in Dangerous Minds, or Sandy Bullock in The Blind Side, or Hillary Swank in that movie no one ever saw, it’s that all you need to fix minority problems is a really pretty white woman.

And the longest line of the night ever:

LAURIE: So you accidentally said the wrong thing. One time I accidently asked this blind lady when her baby was due. Turns out she wasn’t pregnant. AND she wasn’t even a lady. But he really was blind which was good because when he went to go throw his coffee at me he totally missed and he hit a real pregnant lady and I was like “dude, you’re such a jerk you just hit a real pregnant lady”... and then it turns out she wasn’t pregnant either so...
BOBBY: There’s a lot of fatties in this town.

New Girl – “Backslide” (B-)

Well first and foremost I want to acknowledge New Girl’s generosity of spirit in taking the time to discuss the dangers of backsliding. It’s an issue most people are unaware of and its consequences can be painful, if not for the people backsliding than for the people around them. Don’t backslide people, it’s not worth it.

Jess unfortunately didn’t head that warning in this episode and in her grief over breaking up with Russell called up Paul, who unbeknownst to her had a pretty serious girlfriend. The storyline had its moments but it wasn’t as uproariously funny as one would have liked. The revelation that Paul is a terrible crier felt like a plot device invented specifically as a cue for Jess’ change of heart near the end of the episode. Give Justin Long credit, he sold it, but I rolled my eyes when that was literally the first thing that came out of Schmidt and Winton’s mouths when they saw him leaving the apartment. It’s been a while though, so by all means correct me if we’ve seen Paul cry before.

Regardless, Jess and Paul’s final scene with each other was still enjoyable. Jess’ speech to Jen – you know, the one that ended with her proposing to Jen for Paul – was a good one, staying both funny and meaningful. And it also led to a pretty good ending, with Jess saying some more very sweet things to Nick just before he told her that he is moving out, all the while confirming that those two are destined to end up with each other.

Schmidt and Cece spent another week making me feel those warm fuzzy feelings I tucked away and swore I would never bring out again, even if I found their storyline lacking a bit in terms of laughs. The writers milked Schmidt’s broken penis for all it was worth (that sounded terrible and yet still I’m not going to change it) but it wasn’t enough to carry the entire comedic load on its own. Still, I’ve been having a good time watching these two slowly fall for each other and this episode was no exception. There’s a bit of a danger that as a confirmed couple the two of them will lose some of their appeal but so far I haven’t seen anything yet to make me worried about that happening.

The rest of the episode revolved mostly around the guys trying to convince Nick not to get back together with Caroline with Winston’s new earring tucked in there somewhere too. I enjoyed past Nick’s video to himself, but it felt like the writers could have done better with it, even if just the image of him with that beard was priceless. I didn’t like the earring side story at all though. It would have been fine if Winston had kept it simple – there were one or two good one liners that came out of it – but as his choice of earring got more and more ridiculous it became harder to buy into the fact that he had that little self-awareness. It just didn’t feel like the writers were challenging themselves enough.

To the quotes!

JESS: Why is she dressed like a woman’s studies major?

SCHMIDT: You backslid all the way down the hill and back into the parking lot. Take off your skis and wait for your family in the lodge Jessica Day.

JESS: I hate to have to break it to you but that is the way the Electoral College works man.
PAUL: It just seems so unfair. So votes don’t mean as much.
JESS: It upsets me to.

NICK: Hello Nick, you magnificent dumbass.

NICK: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? No, a summer’s day is not a bitch.

NICK: Do you want to be a grown man who dresses like an unsponsored professional skateboarder?

JESS: I thought you were Asian me, but now I realize I was just Caucasian you.
JEN: What?
PAUL: What?

And line of the night:

JESS: For someone with a soul mate you sure did have sex with me.

Modern Family – “Planes, Trains and Cars” (B)

It only seems appropriate Modern Family would hit on a couple of sitcom tropes in this episode considering its title is a riff off the classic John Hughes film. This time around it was Phil buying a car without asking the approval of his wife, naturally having been egged on by one of his friends. But hey, at least they spared us from the overzealous salesman on top of it all.

To the credit of the writers past the initial premise they did a pretty good job of avoiding clichés. Claire didn’t immediately fly off the handle at the purchase and while she eventually came around to the car she didn’t fall in love with it or claim it as her own as so many other sitcom wives before her have done. Still, it didn’t feel like this story arced as much as it needed to. I liked that Phil enjoyed driving the kids around and Claire felt liberated at the beach but they were nice sentiments more than they were a story. It was like the writers were so busy trying not to do what had already been done before that they forgot to actually write their own narrative.

Jay, Gloria, and Manny were the ones that took on the storyline that most resembled that of the episode’s 80s movie namesake, scrambling through several different methods of transportation on their way to Pebble Beach. Manny provided some funny background comedy for the trip and Gloria was certainly on her game as well, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the premise that Jay was still seeking validation from the guys he went to high school with, what, 40 years prior? While most of the episode was just about them finding a way to get there, I’d be lying if I said that the ending didn’t bug me a bit.

I thought the best thread of the episode was Cam and Mitchell looking for Lilly’s stuffed animal. There were a lot of great little moments I liked, like Mitchell’s failure to recognize Nemo and the way the two of them quickly decided that Jay’s relationship with Mitchell was good enough when they saw the homeless guy coughing on Lilly’s bunny. Plus the revelation that Mitchell is a Star Wars fan made happy, especially since it aired so close to May the Fourth.

Alright, now that you can fully comprehend how big of a nerd I actually am, I give you my favourite quotes...

CAM: Let’s catch the next train and ride it until it catches up.
MITCHELL: They don’t catch up. It’s called a collision.

JAY: How do I say this without sounding like an ass... I’m kind of a legend to these guys.
GLORIA: Not like that.

CLAIRE: I have nothing to say.
PHIL: That just says it all.

MANNY: A lot of amenities disappear when an H becomes an M.

CAM: Really, you don’t know Nemo? It’s on an endless loop in the den.
MITCHELL: I have a job.

CLAIRE: Phil I did cartwheels.
PHIL: Without me?

And line of the night:

PHIL: Honey, I’m not leaving your mom.
LUKE: It might not be your call.

Sandwiches And Sex? I Want That!

Yup, I’m writing reviews again. Spoilers will follow...

House – “Body & Soul” (A-)

Finale fever is in the air, isn’t it? There’s certainly been some added tension to these last few episodes of House. You can sense that the shackles are finally off for this writing staff, which is probably why these past few weeks have seen such a major uptick in quality (though I’ll let you decide if the show is actually getting better or if it’s just that creeping sense of closure making average episodes seem that much better).

House and Dominika are probably the best example of that added weight. If this storyline would have popped up in the middle of season 4 I probably wouldn’t have thought much of it, but since the series finale is looming just over the horizon I find myself asking questions like “is this House’s happy ending?” and “is it possible for House to have a happy ending?” If I were to wager I’d probably put my money on the bittersweet send off, but a lot can happen in 5 episodes.

I’ll admit, on the surface it seems a tad conventional to end the series by giving House that elusive happy relationship he was never able to find during the show’s run (sorry Cuddy), but since House and Dominika have been anything but conventional in their time together I don’t feel particularly cheated with the premise. House has always functioned as one part medical drama and one part comedy, and Dominika seems to be a nice bridge between the two. She crept her way onto this series simply because she and House just have great chemistry together and it’s not hard to cheer for that. I just hope this wasn’t her last episode.

And I say that because of Wilson’s announcement of his cancer diagnosis at the end of this one, which is almost certain to dominate these last few episodes. There’s not too much to talk about at this point – the announcement was mainly there to serve as the episode’s cliffhanger – but it’s obvious what this represents for House. Wilson is essentially House’s saving grace. The one actual stable relationship he’s had over the course of the show. I think it’s safe to say that this is going to dishevel him in a way we haven’t seen before.

New Girl – “Tomatoes” (B-)

Well I don’t think I’m stretching too far to say that the Jess/Nick relationship, which has seemed almost inevitable since the series began, is closer to fruition than it’s ever been. Friends who aren’t into each other don’t fight the way those two did at the end of this episode, at least not on a sitcom anyway, and add to that the fact that Jess broke up with Russell... I don’t think it’s too far of a stretch to say they’re headed in that direction. Something tells me it won’t be hard to get Caroline out of the picture either.

But back to Jess and Russell – while I wasn’t entirely thrilled with the storyline that broke them up, it could have been a lot worse. When Russell and his ex-wife had that “passion” filled argument in the restaurant, I thought for sure the writers would take the predictable route and have Russell realize he still had feelings for her. I’m glad that they at least made it about Jess and Russell, instead of Russell and his ex-wife. That was smart. Still, the whole situation that led to that final conversation felt contrived and devoid of laughs. There wasn’t a whole lot of life in that storyline.

Nor was there much in Schmidt’s storyline either. I quite like Schmidt and Cece as a couple – I could actually see them becoming the staple couple of this show – but while the ending was sweet, the bulk of the episode was between Schmidt and Cece’s weird Russian roommate, who just wasn’t doing it for me. Her mean broken English bit just went on way too long, and reduced Schmidt, one of the most explosively funny characters on this show, to a series of reaction shots. Give Max Greenfield credit, he did his best with it, but he just wasn’t given enough to save the storyline.

I quite enjoyed the episode’s cold open however. Actually most of Nick’s tomato farming scenes were good, primarily because of how terrible he was at it. His inability to complete such basic tasks as watering plants was pretty awesome. The storyline came weirdly out of nowhere, and perhaps it’s somewhat contrived (alright, majorly contrived), but it was funny so I’ll let it go (that tends to be the best criteria for these things).

The writers have got to figure out what to do with Winston though because he has consistently been the weak link on this show. And you can tell that the writers aren’t oblivious to that fact either, which is why his circumstances seem to shift drastically on an almost episode by episode basis. He was downright annoying in this one, and I know he was supposed to be annoying in this episode, but it didn’t lead to any laughs, which should really be the goal for his character since I have very little investment in his relationship with Shelby, which is to say I don’t care about it at all.

Now, I am please to once again say – to the quotes!

NICK: Thank you guys for joining me on this momentous day. As you guys know it’s become a rough year for me. I got dumped by Caroline, and Julia. I opened myself up to love. I was hurt badly, I closed myself up again. The downstairs neighbor put a password on their wi-fi...

SCHMIDT: Beautiful women, you guys can say just about anything, can’t you?

SCHMIDT: You’re gonna sex me in my face?

SCHMIDT: I think I finally understand what The Tree of Life is about.

SCHMIDT: You like my personality?
CECE: I was surprised too.

And line of the night:

JESS: Stop making that face at me, I hate that face!
NICK: This is my only face. I don’t have a lot of faces.

Cougar Town – “Money Becomes King” (B+)

Krazy Kakes sure developed quickly, didn’t it? That’s the type of storyline a writing staff tends to string out over multiple episodes, but I think Laurie’s baking skills were just introduced last week so clearly they weren’t too concerned with making this one last. It’s a fun storyline though, and it should prove to be good material for future episodes. I mean, clearly that’s where this story was headed, so it doesn’t bother me that the writers rushed it along. Although, I do remember a partnership with Grayson at his bar – where did that go?

Anyway, the core of this story revolved around Jules and Grayson sorting through their finance. Well that and Jules dragging people into therapy. We’ll focus on the finances for now though. I thought it was a bit of stretch that the two of them didn’t realize that they would be living together when they got married, but the comedy in this one was strong enough to overcome some of these finer points. I thought the storyline really gained its edge when Andy started looking over their finances. That was a very funny scene.

I’m also a big fan of Jules aforementioned new therapist (she is new, right?). Nicole Sullivan is one of those familiar Scrubs players from back in the day (yup, back in the day) and she did a fantastic job in this episode playing off of Jules’ craziness without falling too sharply into the straight man (or in this case straight woman) role. She’s the type of guest star that could easily be brought back again and again, and if this episode was any indication that is a good thing.

By far my favourite storyline though was Andy and Bobby. Bill Lawrence, Kevin Biegel, and whoever else is on their writing staffs just know how to write the guy love (bravo to those of you who get the Scrubs reference in that). I laughed out loud several times at these two, from Andy’s torment over having to mess with Bobby to their hilarious tear filled reunion. It’s a B story that was so good it actually crept up and stole the episode for me.

Alright, line of the night:

JULES: Laurie, Andy wants to fire you!
LAURIE: Seriously Andy!

Life Is Happening!

I apologise once again for the short post... it’s exam season. Another week though and I’ll whip this blog back into shape.

How I Met Your Mother – “Now We’re Even” (B-)

House – “We Need the Eggs” (B+)

Cougar Town – “Ways to Be Wicked” (B)

New Girl – “Kids” (B+)

Modern Family – “The Last Walt” (B-)

Community – “Virtual Systems Analysis” (A-)

30 Rock – “Murphy Brown Lied To Us” (B-)

The Office – “Angry Andy” (C+)

Parks and Recreation – “Live Ammo” (B+)

I Don’t Want To Be Around When Something That Tight Unravels

Another quick one for you...

How I Met Your Mother – “Trilogy Time” (A-)

House – “Gut Check” (B)

Cougar Town – “You Can Still Change Your Mind” (A-)

New Girl – “Normal” (B+)

Modern Family – “Election Day” (B+)

Community – “Origins of Vampire Mythology” (A-)

30 Rock – “Meet the Woggles” (B)

The Office – “Welcome Party” (B)

Up All Night – “The Proposals” (B+)

Grey’s Anatomy – “Support System” (B-)

Does Anybody Go To Classes?

I should really be studying right now...

Spoilers:

Shameless – “Fiona Interrupted” (A-)

Wow, things wrapped up quite tidily this time around. Not that I’m complaining – Fiona and the family have deserved a win for a while now, I’m just a little surprised at how few crumbs the writers left for next season. If the show were abruptly cancelled, I have to say I wouldn’t feel that cheated with “Fiona Interrupted” as a series finale. I guess there’s Karen leaving though (I’m done commenting on Sheila’s future with the show as I’ve yet to be right about her once) and Ian sleeping with... Jimmy’s... father. Sorry, I’m still getting used to the name Jimmy. Also, the fact that a 50 year old man is sleeping with a teenager.

But what really made the episode special was the execution of some of the bigger moments. Fiona and Jimmy/Steve’s reconciliation absolutely lived up to the season’s worth of build up. Both Emmy Rossum and Justin Chatwin were fantastic in the scene, as was the writing. Lip too, had some great character moments in this episode. From his chat with Mandy on the porch to his parting words with Karen, it was nice to see him let go of some of that anger and finally come home. All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to finish off the season.

House – “Blowing the Whistle” (B-)

Overall, I was fairly underwhelmed. I was hoping for at least the signs of an end game here and this episode just felt like business as usual. Maybe Chase’s “betrayal” will lead to something bigger down the line, but honestly, the writing staff didn’t give me enough to make me care in that moment, which meant the reveal carried no weight. Perhaps my expectations are a little high though. With 7 episodes left there is still plenty of time to craft an ending. I just can’t help but hope they start building the finale sooner rather than later.

New Girl – “Secrets” (A-)

“Secrets” had me the second Jess decided that she needed to live in a more openly communicating household, even if it meant a few difficult truths getting revealed. The fact that I still smile pretty much every time I think back to her balaclava winter coat outfit just proves how funny that third act was. “Secrets” had a lot more going for it than just that though. Schidmt was once again at the top of his game. Nick had some great material, built on an ever-changing line up of young woman and a complete inability to keep a secret. And Cece went ahead and caught feelings, which isn’t that surprising considering it’s TV, but a promising development nonetheless.

Happy Endings – “Four Weddings and a Funeral (Minus Three Weddings and One Funeral)” (B+)

The writers were very aware that this was a season finale and I’m not sure yet how I feel about the love triangle they set up in the closing shot. The idea of revisiting Alex and Dave as a couple was brought up just a few episodes ago, which perhaps made it feel like this week they were just piling it on for the sake of making the finale feel big. But I do want to be fair here and acknowledge that that previous hookup may have also been a way to get the audience acclimated to the idea of those two together again. After all, the show has come a long way since its initial half-hearted premise and both of those characters have become exponentially funnier. The idea of them together again isn’t as awful as it once would have been.

I think the more interesting development was Penny realizing her feelings for Dave. That’s been developed quite subtlety over the back half of the season and it’s another pairing I wouldn’t mind seeing. In truth, I feel like Alex and Dave are more just an obstacle in the way of Penny and Dave, but I don’t want to make any sweeping predictions at the moment – both are probably just as likely. Besides Jane and Brad though (who have been together since the show’s inception), Happy Endings has sort of thrived off of not pairing up characters, which means the writers need to tread carefully no matter what direction they take.

As for the episode itself, Jane was really the one stole the show. Her exclusion from the wedding party was hilarious in and of itself, but the way she clawed her way back into it was equally funny. Max was also pretty great, in no small part due to the slew of fantastic one-liners generated from his all-male Madonna cover band Mandonna. And I’m pretty psyched to watch how Brad reacts to his unemployment next season.

One last thing – this has to be my favourite title for an episode of any show this season.

Community – “Pillows and Blankets” (A)

This is why Community is so awesome. When they hit the mark, they really hit the mark. “Pillows and Blankets” perfectly captured the feel of a typical PBS war documentary, complete with a pledge drive and all. The episode was so good it’s hard for me to even narrow down my favourite part, whether it be Britta’s terrible war photography, the reading of text messages like war letters, the Changlorious Bastards, the most geographically confusing final battle of all time... you get the point.

“Pillows and Blankets” almost definitely rates in my top 5 Community episodes of all time, and if you read this blog with any regularity you know what a compliment that is. Now if only other people could start watching these things... ratings dropped a bit again this week, not great for a show still waiting for a renewal.

30 Rock – “Nothing Left to Lose” (C+)

Ugh, speaking of shows with ratings problems, 30 Rock hit a new low with “Nothing Left to Lose” last week. Unlike Community though, the episode didn’t prove it deserves better. This was a very forgettable episode, and I mean that literally. I watched it three days ago and I actually had to go back and jog my memory as to what actually happened. The answer: not much. Liz’s patriarch-like influence over Tracey was too reminiscent of earlier seasons (I recall Jack once impersonating Tracey’s entire family), the payoff of Jack and Pete’s storyline just didn’t seem to justify the almost lackadaisical premise, and the only thing that charming about Jenna and the writers this week was the revelation that Kenneth is looking through everyone’s trash.

Up All Night – “Hey Jealousy” (B+)

Some great guest stars really helped this episode along. Megan Mullally seems to be in just about everything these days, which is fine by me. She and Maya Rudolph had great chemistry with each other in this episode. I think my favourite bit of the night was Reagan delivery the two of them a hair and makeup tent in their desperate final moments of the race.

Grey’s Anatomy – “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (C)

Nothing happened in this episode.

Smartest Guy I Know

Umm, who else is pumped that Game of Thrones is back? Great! Now shut up about it! I haven’t seen the new episode yet.

Here are some decidingly not Game of Thrones reviews.

Spoilers...

Shameless – “Just Like the Pilgrims Intended” (B+)

I admittedly have some mixed feelings about this episode. On one hand, I like when the show throws a little drama into the mix. The past few episodes have done a good job of building off of each other and the culmination of Lip’s story, despite turning Karen into a far more unlikeable character, did seem rather fitting.

The same goes for Monica’s suicide attempt. Keeping in mind this is based almost solely on what I learned in a first year psych class, the writers (and of course Chloe Webb) seem to have a pretty good handle on the ebbs and flows of bipolar disorder. With the lows she’s hit over the past couple of weeks it doesn’t feel like too far of a stretch that this is where her character would end up. The real verdict on this storyline is still out though. Monica may have provided an interesting twist to the episode, but unless the writers follow up on it in a meaningful manner it just ends up being a manipulative ploy for drama.

I think what endeared me most to this episode was that the writers finally started using Steve in a way that made his character relevant again. He’s suffered a bit this season in the absence of any meaningful interaction with the Gallagher clan, and I don’t mean just Fiona. He got a little better when he started letting Lip stay with him, but this episode in particular reminded me what I liked about his character in the first place. I may not always be able to explain his obsession with Fiona, but I do like it when he’s around and coming through for the family in little ways, like picking up a turkey for Thanksgiving.

Still, the episode was far from perfect. I found the tone of the ending to be a bit scattered. Watching the family go from the shock of Monica’s suicide attempt to the euphoria of the birthing room (it made no sense that they were all allowed in there), just didn’t sit well with me. I’m also not entirely sure what to make of Sheila and Jody’s getaway. Is that how Joan Cusack’s “guest” role finally comes to an end? The fact that she was able to leave her house with barely even a mention kind of cast a shadow over all of her scenes. If that is the last we see of her I’m going to be a little disappointed.

Alcatraz – “Garrett Stillman” and “Tommy Madsen” (B+)

This was a decent finale. Unfortunately, most of the big reveals/twists were more building blocks for future episodes than actually illuminating pieces of information. Rebecca’s first run in with her grandfather didn’t have as many revelations as I would have liked, though I will admit I did not foresee him stabbing her. I was leaning more towards him simply being her misunderstood protector. If that’s still the case he’s not doing a very good job of it. As for her dying at the end of the episode, I have a feeling there’s some magic silver that can bring her back to life.

I was hoping for a little more out of the reveal of the mysterious room as well. I think the weight of the 63s showing up outside of the San Francisco area was lost on me a bit. I was hoping for a Lost hatch type situation here and it just didn’t quite live up to it. But this new architect type character they found in the room could prove to be more than worth the wait if the show gets renewed for another season (does anyone know where they are with this?). Past JJ Abrams shows have used these insider characters quite well before (Ben Linus anyone?).

New Girl – “Fancyman (Part 2)” (B+)

I have no idea why this needed to be a two part episode. Other than the Fancyman himself there was no connection between the two parts. In fact, the Fancyman (yes I’m going to keep referring to him as this) hasn’t even been written out of the show yet.

Regardless, while Part 2 didn’t entirely live up to the hilarity of Part 1, it still had its moments. Winston’s reaction to finally discovering Schmidt and Cece together was quite funny, as was watching Jess spiral after her train wreck of a date with Russell (Fancyman for those of you unfamiliar with that name). And while I thought Martin Starr’s guest appearance was somewhat wasted, the writers saved it a bit with Nick’s frequent “smartest man I know” quips.

Happy Endings – “Big White Lies” (B+)

This is exactly the kind of plot Happy Endings thrives off of. You have to love the spiral of Penny’s lies in this episode, and the lengths to which she’s willing to go to be considered a nice person by someone she herself doesn’t even like that much. None of it would have worked so effectively though if it wasn’t for the strong supporting cast around her. From Brad getting hilariously excited over different items of baby clothing to Max lying just so he can be a part of low stakes 80s sitcom hijinks (and let’s not forget his hilarious trash can oven) everyone in this episode contributed, which is exactly what you want to see happening with an ensemble cast like this one.

Community – “Digital Exploration of Interior Design” (B+)

So apparently everything this week is getting a B+. I didn’t plan it this way.

I have really enjoyed watching Gillian Jacobs these past couple of weeks and her forbidden romance with Subway was no exception. She has really been bringing her A game (at least something’s getting higher than a B+, right) since Community came back from hiatus. As for the character of Subway himself, apart from being a pretty creative way of product placement, I wasn’t entirely sure I got what the writers were going for with the concept. I do love former Scrubs alum Travis Schuldt though, and the idea of having Britta fall in love, literally, with a corporation makes me smile.

Most of my other favourite parts of the episode came in bits and pieces. I loved the “Save Garrett” campaign, as well as Annie’s shock that Jeff had missed orientation. I also liked Vice Dean Laybourne’s appearance, especially the fact that he was “going through some stuff,” with a brand new ponytail and a band. I’m looking forward too, to seeing how this tiff between Troy and Abed shakes out. That massive pillow war at the end there had the same sort of vibe as a paintball episode, which bodes well for next week.

30 Rock – “The Shower Principle” (B-)

Well credit the writers for their willingness to point out their own tendencies. That requires a certain level of bravery (like say a blogger pointing out his love of the B+ rating). My beef with this episode though wasn’t so much that it pointed out 30 Rock’s somewhat repetitive nature (and really the repetitive nature of sitcoms in general), it was that it just wasn’t that funny. As I’ve said many times before, 30 Rock lives and dies on the one liner and there just weren’t enough good ones to elevate this episode above the pack.

Up All Night – “Letting Go” (B+)

It just seems appropriate to end this post with another B+.

I was a big fan of Reagan this week, from her freak out after losing sight of Amy to her not-so-joking suggestions that Ava and Stevie Nicks bring her up on stage to sing with them. Even just watching her get kicked out of a ball pit was pretty funny. And though it’s a bit played out these days, I did enjoy Chris’s hockey subplot. If anyone can pull of the old faking it through the pain routine it’s Will Arnett, and he did. Oh how he did...

No More KRANG!

I’m on a tight schedule this week, so I won’t be able to do my usual slightly more fleshed out reviews. Instead please enjoy my one sentence impressions of each episode.

There are no spoilers...

How I Met Your Mother – “The Broath” (B-)

Meh.

Shameless – “A Great Cause” (A-)

*Slow clap*

Alcatraz – “Webb Porter” (B)

Pretty average.

Cougar Town – “Something Big” (A-)

Grayson’s daughter is a very funny addition.

New Girl – “Fancyman (Part 1)” (A)

Hilarious.

Happy Endings – “You Snooze, You Bruise” (B+)

*Golf clap*

Community – “Contemporary Impressionists” (B)

Not the best episode this series has ever had.

30 Rock – “Grandmentor” (B+)

The better episode of the night.

30 Rock – “Kidnapped by Danger” (B-)

The lesser episode of the night.

Up All Night – “Daddy Daughter Time” (B+)

Pretty much par for the course I guess.

--

I hope that was insightful for you too.

And How Fiscal Will The Quarterly Earnings Be?

Sorry to all the Alcatraz fans out there. My DVR crapped out on recording this week’s episode. I give it a B though just from its description on the guide.

Spoilers:

Shameless – “Hurricane Monica” (B+)

It’s hard to believe there are only 3 more episodes left in this season. Monica’s return is definitely going to add a lot of drama to the rest of these episodes though. First because I thought her appearance last season marked a real turning point for the series and it only took the writers two scenes in this episode to mention she’s bipolar and off her meds. And second, because I accidently read a brief synopsis of the next couple of episodes.

I’m also a big fan of what they did with Lip and Fiona this week. Parking Lip at Steve’s house was a pretty great move. Not only do I like the dynamic between Lip and Steve, but it gave Steve and Fiona a reason to talk and introduced us to Steve’s big new scheme (which I’m hoping the writers don’t just forget about).

I’m also pretty interested in seeing how this thing with Sheila and Jody pans out. I rarely have any idea how Karen is going to react to anything so it could be big or it could end up turning into nothing, but I don’t think the writers are going to be able to simply brush it off. I will say though, Joan Cusack had a heck of an episode this week. Sheila and Jody have weirdly interesting chemistry with each other, don’t they?

Cougar Town – “A One Story Town” (A-)

And I thought last week was a great week for Scrubs fans. First off, how awesome is Sarah Chalke? She is willing to do just about anything for the sake of the joke. I mean how many actresses would agree to do that burnt thighs bit for almost half an episode! I hope Bobby and her character grow old together. I’m also quite happy that Ted seems to have become a recurring guest on this series. I loved the way they used him in this episode, even more so than his first appearance. He and Jules have a really funny vibe with each other.

New Girl – “Control” (B)

Well, they can’t all be winners. A week after probably my favourite episode of New Girl yet the show just sort of transitioned back into the same old, same old. Another one of those Jess ignores the guys’ advice and finds out that they were right all along type deals. Not that I feel as though show is getting stale or anything. It’s early enough that everything still feels fairly fresh. It’s just the jokes weren’t really landing as frequently as they normally do and the familiar premise didn’t help anything. With that said, even an average episode of New Girl is better than most and “Control” still had its moments.

Modern Family – “Send Out the Clowns” (B+)

I’ll admit, I probably shouldn’t have liked this episode as much as I did. The structure of the episode felt a little sporadic and I didn’t think Manny, Jay, and Gloria’s storyline got as fleshed out as it needed to be in order to reach its full potential. I also thought the big twist in Phil’s plotline wasn’t really much of a twist at all. In fact I sort of assumed that Luke was in the middle of some sort of scheme to get that other realtor to give Phil his listing back, which made it all the more surprising when she fell for it. Still, the clown stuff, while a little obvious, was quite funny, and there were a number of recurring bits that ended up working really well in this episode, my favourite being Phil’s frequent calls to “gather round” and all of his ensuing speeches.

Happy Endings – “Party of Six” (B+)

Solid episode. I loved the concept of Brad’s break up restaurant as well as the fact that he and Jane apparently have sex in the bathroom of pretty much every restaurant they go to. I also have to give it up to Max’s creepy “curse” voice and unbelievably stupid plan to get a table (quickly rectified by eating just a tiny morsel of food).

Community – “Urban Matrimony and the Sandwich Arts” (A-)

You have no idea how happy I am to be reviewing this show again. What a great comeback episode too! The entire cast was at the top of their game. I thought Gillian Jacobs in particular had a standout episode. Her “this is who I am” line had me in hysterics. I was also quite impressed with the direction given to Pierce and Shirley in this episode. I was a little disappointed their sandwich shop didn’t work out – far less disappointed if Subway starts paying the bills to keep this show on the air – but I hope at least in Pierce’s case they keep trying to find him a new business venture.

Oh also, Abed and Troy being weird simply by trying to act normal – priceless!

30 Rock – “St. Patrick’s Day” (B)

Nothing too glaringly wrong with this episode, it just wasn’t as outwardly funny as I would have liked. I think my favourite storyline was Kristen Schaal’s character dealing with the intricacies of Tracey and Jenna. It was interesting to see the writers use the fact that Jenna’s celebrity has now risen above that of Tracey’s. I could see that leading to a few more good stories down the line. Also, Jack plays what can only be described as a giant Settlers of Cataan rip off exactly how I play Settlers of Cataan, which is awesome. It makes me happy that I’m finally using my business degree the right way.

The Office – “Get the Girl” (B-)

Okay, so I’m happy that Erin and Andy finally got together, but it did feel a little anticlimactic. The fact that it occurred in some random episode in the middle of the season didn’t help things, but I don’t the writers really tapped into the characters the way they needed to to convey the proper magnitude of the event. Add to that the stupidity of the other storyline where Robert California just watches Nellie steal Andy’s job and you have an episode that, given its subject matter, should have been better.

Up All Night – “Baby Fever” (B)

It’s not exactly a great idea to condense an entire episode down to its last few minutes, but the ending tag was so funny I have to give it the biggest shout out of the night. Perhaps the reason the rest of this episode felt so average was because the writers couldn’t find a way to get that kind of face time between Chris and Reagan. I’m still not sure how I feel about the big shake up at Ava’s show. I kind of liked it when Reagan and Ava were the ones calling all of the shots and I’m not a big fan of watching Reagan fawn over her new boss. It seems like a lot of the show’s energy over the last few episodes has went into integrating these new characters into the mix and so far there hasn’t been a lot of pay off for it.

Grey’s Anatomy – “One Step Too Far” (B-)

I think there are going to be some rough times ahead for Grey’s and me, at least in the foreseeable future. I’m getting really sick of watching all of this drama between Christina and Owen and instead of backing away from it the writing staff seems to be doubling down. Even with the Summer Glau guest appearance I can’t stop my brain from shutting down whenever the two of them start fighting again. I do however see some promise in Karev and this new intern and Lexie’s screw up was pretty interesting to watch so... B- it is, for now.

I’m Partial To Things Like Karate And Brief Nudity

Hurray for TV! (Officially out of things to start posts with).

Spoilers:

Shameless – “Parenthood” (B+)

Lip is going through some shit.

What a great ending. I know the writers are manipulating us a bit, but damn it if it wasn’t heartbreaking to watch Carl chase after Lip as he stormed out of the house. They really know how to use the younger Gallaghers to tug at your heart strings. Obviously Shameless is great when it’s going for laughs, but it’s that much better when it throws a little pathos into that mix. Now I just hope the next episode picks up where this one left off. The show tends to shift back into the familiar at the start of every episode, and from a tonal standpoint that bugs me a bit sometimes.

I honestly can’t figure out what Frank’s deal with his mother is. He wants her dead, he celebrates when she dies, but then he runs to his ex-wife to console him in his grief. I guess it’s a complicated relationship. Karen’s sort of the same with the baby. At one point she was slapping Lip for telling her to get an abortion and now all she cares about is what she can get for the poor kid. I guess her marriage sort of ended in between those two things, but it feels more like a convenient turn for the sake of Lip’s storyline then it does an actual development in her character. I’ll reserve my judgement though until I see how she reacts to Lip telling her he wants to keep it.  

Oh and what do you think the over/under is we ever see Carl play football again?

Alcatraz – “The Ames Brothers” and “Sonny Burnett” (B)

I’m not entirely thrilled that these episodes are apparently so interchangeable they can air them out of order without any sort of repercussions continuity-wise, but I didn’t mind what they gave us this week. “The Ames Brothers” was a good bottle episode, and I’m hoping the Warden’s discovery of the gold plays some sort of factor later on in the series. I could see his character popping up in the modern day as one of the masterminds behind what happened in 63. He has that sort of vibe that he knows more than he’s letting on.

Sonny Burnett introduced the concept of healing blood, an interesting little addition to the mythology, but I found the core of the fairly predictable. I don’t think the inmate story was as good this time around. I’m hoping all this build up between Tommy and Rebecca ends up going somewhere soon, but considering next week’s episode (tonight’s actually) was supposed to air before these two, I’m not holding my breath.

New Girl – “Injured” (A)

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is the first time this show has gone serious. And wow, hats off to the writing staff and the cast for how it was executed. “Injured” was funny, poignant, heartfelt – I found myself really connecting with Nick and his drunken confessions. I think the writing staff waited the perfect amount of time to tackle this type of subject matter too. You do something like this too soon and the audience just doesn’t care enough about the characters. But even Cece made an impression in this episode, and she’s probably the least developed of the 5 main characters. Obviously, the show can’t do an episode like this one every week, but it’s certainly nice to see it’s in their repertoire. While “Injured” may not have been the funniest episode this series has ever done, it was probably my favourite so far.

Cougar Town – “Full Moon Fever” (B+)

There was a lot to like about this episode. You had Andy doing a hilarious Braveheart impression, Laurie starting a very funny (and sweet) relationship over Twitter, and Sarah Chalke making a guest appearance! A guest appearance that actually looks like it’s going to last more than just an episode. Every time I see a Scrubs cameo on this show my heart grows three sizes.

Happy Endings – “The Kerkovich Way” (B+)

Speaking of Scrubs alumni, I have to once again express my absolute adoration for Eliza Coupe. She was the one that earned this episode’s B it’s +. I loved the flashback to Jane and Alex’s great grandmother, saving her village from the Nazis by convincing them they’d already been occupied. But while the main story in this one was strong, the B story felt a little flat to me. I’m not a huge fan of watching Max pine over Grant. With all the fanfare around him finally getting a boyfriend, I thought it was going to last a little longer than it did, and now that it’s all over I’m not sure the relationship earned the kind of fanfare it got in this episode.

30 Rock – “Standards and Practices” (A-)

It’s unbelievable to me how good Chloe Moretz is as Jack’s nemesis. I’d even put Kaylie Hooper up there with Banks, which considering her age and my love of Will Arnett is just downright impressive. How awesome would it be if those two teamed up?

I’m also quite enjoying Kenneth’s new role this season. Taking him out of the Page program was great for his character, and since then I’ve liked almost all of the decisions the writers have made with him, particularly placing him in standards and practices. The combination of his history and unbelievable naivety seems to fit that department perfectly.

Parks and Recreation – “Lucky” (A-)

Sadly, this is the last episode of Parks and Rec we’re going to get until mid-April. But I guess at least the show went out with some pretty good laughs. Not only am I glad that the writers followed up on Andy’s Women’s Studies class, but I also like that they kept Ron involved in proceedings. That Tiger Wood’s outfit still haunts me. At the end of the day though this was really Andy’s time to shine and Chris Pratt absolutely hit it out of the park (Moneyball, anyone?).

The campaign had a pretty good week as well. I liked that Leslie’s strong relationship with the airport staff ended up getting her out of the jam. It reminded me a bit of her cute relationship with the police department. As for Tom and Ann, I’m still not totally sold on the two of them as a couple, but I’m happy that the writing staff is at least having a bit of fun with the mismatch. Their frequent break ups do seem oddly appropriate. Still, it does beg the question why they keep getting back together at all. They have a long way to go to justify those two staying together for any extended period of time.

The Office – “Last Day in Florida” (C+)

While I was happy to see Andy finally set off to win Erin back, the rest of “Last Day in Florida” was so weak by the time they got to that moment I was pretty much over it. Dwight and Jim’s shoving match seemed to drag on and on with pretty much zero comedic payoff and the B story in the Scranton office was as forgettable as most of the storylines that have come out of there since half of the office left for Florida. I’m looking forward to seeing Andy chase down Erin next week, but the little teaser at the end of this one just wasn’t enough to save the episode.

Up All Night – “Couple Friends” (B)

The whole couple friends idea is a bit of a worn out sitcom cliché. Usually writers pull it out when they have a married couple that’s proving difficult to write for and they need to give them the kind of material their single counterparts are having so much success with, hence why finding a couple to be friends with is always comparable to starting a relationship. I guess it’s somewhat inevitable that a show centered around a married couple would end up traversing down that path, but one would have thought it would have taken them longer to do it considering the show is still in its first season. Either way, Christina Applegate and Will Arnett did an admirable job of spicing up the storyline, once again proving they can elevate an episode just on the strength of their chemistry alone.

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!

Cougar Town is back! Also 20,000 other shows. Enjoy!

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!