Look, I know I'm behind, I'm sorry.

Seriously, I'm going to stop talking about schedules, upcoming posts, and generally making promises to ever post "regularly," because let's be honest, it's not gonna happen. And while I'm tempted to finish my commentary on premiere week by reviewing Fringe and Supernatural, I've decided that that isn't going to happen either.

You see, no one watches Fringe. I know it. You know. They know it. It's smart, it's touching, it's interesting, and it's basically one of the best shows on network television today. I love it. The premiere was interesting, but it's going to take a while to figure out where the show is going, and whether I approve of an a-Peter world ("a-" in this case meaning "without," like in "asexual"). This IS the perfect jumping on place for new watchers, so I highly recommend it.

As for Supernatural... come on. Like I'm really going to sit here and critique something that for me is basically popcorn? No. Supernatural is my "turn the brain off and focus on the good-looking people fighting monsters and demons and try to grasp that feeling I felt when Buffy was still on air" time.

So, I'm going to post really brief follow-ups to some of last week's premieres, and get onto what I really want to talk about: Glee (a part of me just died, admitting that).

How I Met Your Mother
If you don't already know, I wasn't the biggest fan of last week's premiere. I've never been a fan of Victoria, I don't like shows re-treading the same ground (Scrubs), and so few comedies need to be an hour long. However, I positively loved Monday's episode. Not so much the Ted and Victoria stuff - although I enjoyed the Klaus-close-class banter, and the fact that in Robin's head Ted is a silent-movie. IF ONLY SWEETHEART. I much preferred the ducky tie story, in which Barney - over the course of years - trained Marshall to respond to his sneezes like Pavlov's dog, took specialized cooking lessons, faked being drunk, and generally manipulated everyone into allowing him to either see or touch Lily's fantastic pregnancy boobs. [Points to Ted for saying it looked like she had a butt on her chest.] This was classic Barney, trying to win a bet. Strike that, it was classic HIMYM, and it was nice to see again. I also enjoyed Victoria's parting wisdom, that the whole Ted-Robin-Barney triangle needs to be addressed, and dealt with - soon.

Raising Hope
This week focused on the reveal that Sabrina is secretly wealthy, but chose to forge her own way rather than rely on her father, and have to deal with awful rich people. Of course, the real reveal isn't that Sabrina was the one good apple in the barrel, but that she felt insecure around them, and also believes that she is better than, well, everyone. Jimmy et al included. I'm not sure this really jives with the Sabrina we've gotten to know over the past year, but this is a comedy; it will probably never be mentioned again. The toilet plot was absurd to the point of being dumb, but it ended nicely enough with a lesson about putting others' needs above your own... I think.

Parenthood
I watched for about 15 minutes and then went to check my e-mail. My brother than changed the channel to That 70s Show on Nick-at-Night, and that my friends is where we stayed.

New Girl
I was legitimately upset that Damon Wayans Jr. was no longer on the show, as he was - at least in my household - the favorite character. I also briefly worried that the show was going to simply replace him with another black actor and hope we didn't notice. Don't worry, nothing so offensive happened. Instead, it acknowledged that the character was gone, and quickly filled his void with... another black character who is into sports... hmmm. I guess the writers liked the dynamic between a bartender, a douche, and a black fitness enthusiast that much? Anyway, the new character - or maybe it's the actor - is nowhere near as entertaining as Wayans, to the show's detriment. I mean, the side characters were caricature-esque enough, and now we have another new one to deal with? Boo. Honestly I'm not liking the series as much as I hoped. Zooey being weird is one thing, but she's like... aggressively weird on this. I find myself uncomfortable, rather than charmed. Maybe that's the point. I don't know. But I'm still on-board.

Ringer
I'm watching it now, but I have work soon, and I really want to get this up today, so I'll update with Ringer later.


Glee or, The Problem of Blaine
If you're a fan of C.S. Lewis, you're cracking up right now.
If you followed my old blog, then you know my issues with Glee. If you don't, allow me to summarize: Too many guest-stars. Too many themed episodes. Schuester and Rachel went from sad underdogs to unlikable divas. Sue never makes sense ever. Too. Much. Kurt. Feeling exploited for my love of showtunes and or nostalgia for an 80s I was barely part of. Et cetera. So I stopped watching. But they promised to fix (some of) those things, so. I'm back. And I hate to say it, but Glee's actually been pretty good lately. BY GLEE STANDARDS Y'ALL, don't get crazy.
Last night saw logical progression from last week's developments!! For the first time in years! Kurt and Rachel, having learned that they aren't such hot Schmidt (shout-out to New Girl), have decided to push themselves by pursuing musicals and student office. Only, hold on, Rachel now has to deal with her estranged bio-mom suddenly being back in the picture. [Sidebar: as ridiculous as it is that Sugar's Daddy (see what I did there?) paid the school to hire Shelby just so his daughter could feel special is, it got us Idina and actual drama, so I'm OK with it.] This also causes Quinn and Puck to confront Season 1 plots that were forgotten in the haze of Season 2. Puck immediately steps up to be part of his daughter's life. Quinn takes some nudging but ultimately decides to clean up her act so she can get to know her daughter. OR DOES SHE??? (Hint, she doesn't, she wants her baby BACK like Knives Chau wants Scott Pilgrim) I found this a little silly to be honest. But I like that the writers are able to clean up some shoddy character work over the last year or so by basically saying "Well she missed her baby but didn't know it so she got sad and angry and random."
What else... I like that Finn and Rachel had vague chemistry for pretty much the first time since the pilot. Sue's plot line is still stupid, and it seems to be really over-foreshadowing that Will is going to run for the same office. Dumb dumb dumb.

OK, so here's the part I really want to talk about. Season 2 Kurt was like... a saint. The writers took every flaw he'd ever had and tossed it out the window. They beatified him because they realized they'd written a hugely influential character that connected to thousands of gay kids across the world. They made all the other characters realize their prejudices. They created a magical bully-free prep school. They even revealed that the guy who terrorized him was just in love with him! And as a reward for being so wonderful, they gave him Darren Criss - a talented, good-looking, good-hearted guy with interests beyond clothes and musicals such as football. Yay Kurt.

Also, I'm 90% sure that when we met Blaine, he was a year older than Kurt. Now he's a year younger. Guess The Flash really did a number on continuity here too, huh?

Anyway, now Blaine has decided to transfer to McKinley - despite Dalton being better for him academically and probably artistically as well, despite having been a substantial financial burden for his family, despite having made friends - for Kurt. He decides to try out for West Side Story, but not for Tony, because Kurt wants to be Tony. Even though he would be perfect. In the end, the directors ask him to go for it anyway, and we're left not knowing his answer.

Now, this can go two ways. One, he does not go for it. In this scenario, he once again puts Kurt's delicate ego above his own, swallows his dreams, and remains the perfect boyfriend. AKA the perfect reward for Perfect Saint Kurt. Or two, he does go for it. I seriously hope this is the way the show chooses to go. You can't base your whole life around someone else. You can't dim your own star just so someone else will seem brighter (pardon the froufy metaphor; it's Glee). This will force Kurt to confront his own jealousy. Which will mean he has flaws! That he's in the wrong, not everyone else! This could reinvigorate a character I frankly can't stand.

[My main issue with Kurt is this: in Season 1, there was the boys vs. girls episode. Kurt was offended that he was put in with the guys, and betrayed them. He's one of the girls he says. One season later, he is offended when his dad wants to do guy things with Finn instead of him. "I'm a guy!" he tearfully exclaims. Sorry dude, you really can't have it both ways. Also, the total lack of flaws the writers want us to see in him. That stuff too.]

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Kurt vs. Brittany for office. And Mercedes vs. Rachel for Maria. And Kurt vs. Blaine for Tony. I'm actually looking forward to Glee. What. Has. Happened. To. Me.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, pt. 2

Guys, I hope you're enjoying premiere season as much as I am. And, in the event you're not, I hope you're enjoying reading my blog as much as I am enjoying writing it. I'm just going to assume you are, for all of our sakes.

Well, today's post covers the premieres of last night, specifically: Glee, New Girl, Raising Hope, Parenthood, and Ringer. Yes, I know Ringer technically premiered last Tuesday, but I forgot, so it was still new to me, OK. So let's get started, shall we?

New Girl

When I found out Zooey Deschanel was going to have her own television show, I may have fainted. By which I mean, I did NOT faint, but probably squealed like a girl. What is there not to love about her? I mean, she somehow manages to be quirky and off-beat without being the least bit pretentious or hipster! I don't know how she does it, but I dig it. She sings, she wears vintage clothing, she's super nice, and she tweets adorably to Ben Gibbard! I'm. Ob. Sessed. That being said, "New Girl" didn't quite blow me away. Zooey was Zooey, and that was nice. She was a nice stable core, around which rest of the show is clearly built. This is great, but quirky girl being quirky isn't going to sustain a weekly television show forever, if you know what I mean. There have to be solid supporting roles - which I think we have, or at least, will have. I'm hoping the guys in particular begin to differentiate themselves, and gain a couple extra dimensions. Because at this point they are just The Douche, The Chump, and The Black Guy Coach. The Douche takes off his shirt and says fratty things, The Chump cries about being dumped, and The Coach yells. Cool. 

Final Verdict: Zooey alone has me signed on for a five-episode commitment. Throw in the son of Damon Wayans, and Leo from Veronica Mars, and I'm optimistic. Add the model friend Cecelia telling the boys that if they hurt Jess, she "will crazy murder" them, and I legitimately expect to be hooked. I'm just not quite there yet. 

Raising Hope

Easily my favorite new show from last season, Raising Hope seems to be one of those shows not a lot of people watch, or even know about. Fewer make it past finding out that the baby's mother was a serial killer who was electrocuted. But I LOVE it. It blends shockingly irreverent with oddly sentimental in a way that The Office still wishes it could. Martha Plimpton was robbed at the Emmys, because her portrayal of Virginia is nothing short of brilliant. How Garret Dillahunt wasn't even nominated (especially if you've seen his totally opposite character in The 4400) is beyond me. I even enjoy Lucas Neff - who is in some respects the male counterpart to Egg, Bland, Plant, Yam, Ann "Hog" Veal, in that he seems to make no impression whatsoever on most people - and Cloris Leachman, whose character MawMaw is a little too crazy. Anyway, the premiere revealed that Jimmy was once a musical prodigy, who had the power to make girls swoon with his voice and piano skills. Everything was set for him to become a star, until he was struck in the head by a rogue putter. Upon waking, Jimmy had lost all musical talent. Throughout the episode, Jimmy tries to get it back in various ways, before everyone realizes he sounds amazing drunk. What I appreciated about this episode was the numerous ways it subverted expectations, from the drinking, the truth about the putter. Plus, it ended on a somewhat hopeful note that has me excited about the future for Jimmy/Sabrina.

Final Verdict: This show had me hooked about ten minutes into its pilot, and it hasn't done anything to jeopardize that so far. It has avoided two of the biggest sophomore mistakes - suddenly introducing new/irrelevant/unpopular characters (LOST, The OC, One Tree Hill), and going for bigger, crazier spectacle (Glee). All it needs to do now is stick to formula, but introduce just enough advancement to make sure this isn't just a rehash of Season 1.

Parenthood

Ok, so I don't watch Parenthood too often. My reasons are as follows: Lauren Graham will forever be a Gilmore Girl in my head, and to be perfectly honest I heard enough of any of them talking to last me a lifetime. TOO. MUCH. BANTER. Dax Shepard infuriates me a) because he reminds me WAY too much of Zach Braff (who sends me into rage blackouts. I mean, we get it, being a neurotic Jew is hard. This is hardly New Information. But do we really have to suffer through every inconsequential thought you ever have? [This is ironic in a post-Twitter age]) and b) stole Kristen Bell from me. Come on dude, you're eight feet tall. Do you really have to get with one of the seven who are shorter than me? Also, I thought it was a total copy clone of Modern Family, what with the grumpy grandpa and the whole "we are a unique modern family" feel. So when I watched the season finale a few months ago, I was shocked because it was SUPER dramatic and I was expecting comedy or at least a little levity. NOPE. It was all crying. Sorry TV, enough of that going on in my own life [at the time; medication has been sought, no one worry]. But I tuned in for the premiere out of sheer curiosity/I was high on TV and needed more. What did I think? Well, +100 for Peter Krause, because Six Feet Under was Phenomenal. +50 for Mae Whitman (25 because she was Ann in Arrested Development, 25 because she is the voice of Katara in Airbender). But -100 because she didn't appear until 45 minutes in and then only for ten seconds. -25 for Jason Ritter because The Event was JUST SO EFFING AWFUL. So I guess we're vaguely ahead in this game where the rules are made up and the points don't matter. But I don't know if I'll be coming back. You see, I work nights, so I'm never going to see it live again, and I just didn't feel that spark to keep me coming back for more, let alone having to hulu it.

Final Verdict: A show this (melo)dramatic just doesn't have a place in my heart - not at this time in my life. Maybe if I felt it could compete with any of the amazing cable dramas in my life, but honestly I just don't find it interesting. Bring in some meth dealers, some cowboy justice, or some prohibition, and I'll give you another shot.

Ringer

If at all possible, the return of Sarah Michelle "Buffy" Gellar Prinze, Jr. to network TV had me even more excited than Zooey Deschanel. I mean come on people, this is BUFFY. You already should know how much that means to me. It's a lot. In case you were still wondering. Anyway, Ringer, is the story of Bridget, a recovering addict/former stripper, who saw a murder and was supposed to testify. However, she broke out of protective custody to see her identical twin sister Siobhan (pronounced "Shivan" apparently) who is living all Great Gatsby up in here. But things take a dark turn when Siobhan seemingly kills herself while out on the ocean. In a moment of panic, Bridget assumes her sister's life. Only things are much more complicated than they appeared. Siobhan's marriage (to Ioan [pronounced Owen] Gruffold) seems to be totally devoid of love. His daughter hates everything. She has a best friend! But oh guess what she's sleeping with her husband. Oops. So yeah. Frying pan. Fire. You get it. To top things off, there's apparently a hit out of Siobhan for some reason, and Shiv is in France or something being mysterious. Also she's pregnant, but probably doesn't know it. Anyway, I really like it. There's just enough intrigue to keep me coming back. Is Shiv a spy? Is she a villain? Will the FBI figure everything out? Will the murder guy? How's Bridget supposed to fake a pregnancy? Will she fall for "her husband," who is apparently falling back in love with "his wife"? Will the affair be revealed? SO MUCH COULD HAPPEN! 

Final Verdict: I'm pretty well hooked guys. Look. I know this isn't the best show on TV. I know it's in all reality nothing special. But I'm interested. So unless it gets really bad, I'm probably in for the long haul. 

Glee

Guys. I thought this moment would never come. I successfully put Glee behind me after last season. After that Atrocious Rocky Horror episode, I was just done. I was offended on a writer's level, as a fan of Rocky Horror, and as a human being. It was literally the worst thing I have ever seen in my whole life, television-wise. I mean, I stayed a few more episodes to review, because bashing Glee is 10x more fun than loving it, I PROMISE you. But I was done by Christmas. And then they went and promised only two theme episodes this year! And to tone it down on the guest stars! Well, I was intrigued. And last night's episode has not changed that. Trouty mouth is gone. Good, he was useless. I'm sad that really really fat girl is gone, but if it means back to basics, bring it on. Apparently Sue is coach again? Why? Because screw continuity and logical repercussions, that's why. Quinn is angry, and no one knows what to do with her character. Santana is a bitch. Brittany is dumb. Artie is pretty much forgotten. So basically, nothing has really changed. Inconsistent show is still inconsistent. But... I don't know, I still enjoyed it. A) Darren Criss is there. I have to confess that I'm kind of obsessed with him. I mean, he's probably the best singer there. GQ loves his style, and I love GQ. He made the Harry Potter Musical. And his character breaks all kinds of gay stereotypes, unlike Kurt who reinforces ALL OF THEM. So that's nice. B) No more stupid emphasis on being current. Bring on the 80s. C) There seemed to be a renewed sense of purpose. I say "seemed" because it wasn't totally apparent. There was a LOT going on last night. Way too much in fact. But I'm vaguely excited despite myself. As long as the show doesn't try to do all of them every episode.  

Final Verdict: Glee, you're still on probation. Five episodes. If you aren't legitimately GOOD, we're DONE. And I mean it. I can't keep being angry that you have never lived up to that first few episodes forever. My suggestion: abandon the Sue for office plot while you can. It's beyond stupid, and she's past redemption as either a character or a villain. Less Matthew Morrisson being sad about being sexless. More Leah Michelle and Kurt realizing they aren't awesome. And Darren Criss singing everything. OK thanks. 

So, that does it for Tuesday. Holy crap, what a night of TV. I can't handle that much every week. Seriously. Luckily, it looks like Wednesday is just going to be Modern Family, maybe Happy Endings when it comes back, and I might try to review Revenge and see what happens. It's the Everwood Girl, so... who knows. Cheesy ABC is so cheesy sometimes.