It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Part 2

So what I've learned over the past week or so is that May sweeps as we once knew it basically doesn't exist anymore.  For one thing, it apparently starts in April now, which bumps the whole schedule forward by several weeks (remember back in the day when the season finale of your favorite shows would coincide with the last days of school?).  Most of the shows discussed below will end in the first two weeks of may, and have already begun to ramp up their plot lines accordingly.  Let's get to it.


Parks and Recreation

Last week's "The Debate" continues to present new things for me to gush about (especially now that I've watched the director's cut, which has even more glorious extra laughs).  And things are only going to get more exciting from here.  The remaining two episodes will determine Leslie's political fate, and rumor has it there are going to be some major complications before the end of the race.
*I've already watched this evening's episode, "Bus Tour," and am holding off on elaborating here so I can post a better review later.


Grey's Anatomy

I have to applaud the current arc centering on the residents taking their medical boards, which I thought might grow tedious but which has been really very interesting to watch.  It's the first time in a while that Grey's has really emphasized the journey each character is on as an individual, rather than simply exploring their romantic relationships with one another.  The hype for the finale has been on the rise for a few weeks now, with several cast members cryptically giving interviews about how anyone's death is fair game in the season finale, due to air May 17th (although rumor has it Meredith, Alex, and Christina are safe, at least from death).  Of course, anyone following the show knows that this has more to do with ongoing contract negotiations with the actors than anything on the creative side, but it definitely feels like things are in flux, and that everything is about to change, for better or for (probably) worse over at Seattle Grace-Mercy West.


New Girl

(Yes, this is the overrated freshman show I was talking about in my previous post.)  Although the writers and actors seem to have finally found something of a groove in terms of humor, storytelling, and minimizing the "isn't she ador(k)able?" aspect of Zooey Deschanel's character, I still think the finale of this show's first season will be (somehow) both predictable and anti-climactic.  Fans are rooting for a Jess and Nick hookup with a fervor reminiscent of the early seasons of Friends and the Ross/Rachel tension.  Now, New Girl could potentially pull off a satisfying conclusion and/or cliffhanger if they go a similar route (that is, resolving it and not resolving it simultaneously, a la season 1 of Friends, where Rachel goes to the airport having realized her feelings only to see Ross with Julie).  I predict that by the end of next Tuesday's episode, either Nick or Jess will have an epiphany of sorts (though it could be argued that Jess kind of did at the end of this week's installment), but I doubt that anything with a clear resolution will happen.  I'd also like to see Nick go through with his decision to move out of the loft, if only because it presents more possibilities for the start of season 2.


Cougar Town

Jules and Grayson are going to get married, which is probably the official moment this show will demand a new title, as there is no substantial age difference between the two.   But rumor has it that Laurie might be assuming the role of a cougar of sorts, if the murmurs of something real happening between her and Travis are to be believed.  My only reservation with this story line is that if the writers aren't careful about handling it, they may run into the same criticism that plagued the show in its early days about how appropriate and/or realistic its interpretation of relationships is.  As someone who's been very happy to see how far this show has come since the pilot, I'm hoping they can pull off an acknowledgement of the palpable chemistry between these two characters in a way that fits with the show we know and love.

Golden Globe Nominations 2012: Just Stick to Movies, Guys

Dear members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association:

I respect you.  I do.  In the past you've nominated some of my favorite performances and films, if only because you have more room for them than the more crowded Oscars, for which you also usually set the tone.  And this year you've come through again, giving praise to some films, actors, and actresses who haven't gotten all the credit they deserve for the work they've done this year.  I'm very happy with the film nominations, particularly the heavy presence of The Ides of March, which thus far has my unswerving vote for most well-crafted film of the year.  You've also confirmed my hunches about which movies I must see before awards season really kicks up, including (but certainly not limited to) My Week with Marilyn, J. Edgar, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Descendants, Hugo, and The Iron Lady. 

There are some specific nominations I'm very happy about and/or intrigued by, and most of them are the ones I know will evaporate just in time for the Oscars.  I love that you nominated Joseph Gordon-Levitt and 50/50, which is one of the more underrated movies of the year-- the only icing on the cake would've been if Seth Rogen could have sneaked into the Supporting Actor mix.  I love that Ryan Gosling is nominated twice; I think we can all agree that he just deserves some kind of "Best Human Being" award for everything he's done on and off screen this year.  Putting Rooney Mara in there for Dragon Tattoo is bold, and if I weren't already planning on seeing the film at midnight next week, I'd be even more inclined to watch it now.  Overall, I think you guys pretty much nailed it on the films front, with the only outrageous robbery being of Alexandre Desplat for the Deathly Hallows Part 2 musical score. 

Let's talk about television.  Namely, the burning question of whether we're watching even remotely the same shows.  Have you actually seen New Girl or Glee, or were you merely blindsided by the cuteness of Zooey Deschanel (who you nominated for best actress in a completely incomprehensible move), and the iTunes sales of Glee?  As two of the most overrated and wildly inconsistent shows on TV right now, there is no way either of those shows should be within 18 miles of a nomination for any kind of award, let alone one of the most prestigious in the bunch.  And on top of that, you refused to recognize anything about Parks and Recreation (with the exception of the brilliant Amy Poehler), which is currently in the midst of the television equivalent of a no-hitter.  There is so much wrong with this that I can barely articulate it. 

Therefore I move that the HFPA stop pretending it knows anything about quality television, and just play to its strengths, which is acknowledging movies that deserve recognition.  Just consider it, ladies and gentlemen; it might save you some time in the future, and fans of shows that are actually good a lot of needless frustration.

Sincerely yours,
Andrea

(Advance) TV Review: New Girl

So the folks over at FOX decided to go for a more aggressive approach marketing this show by putting the full pilot up on iTunes for free downloading (at last check it was still available, so if you don't feel like waiting till next Tuesday, I recommend it).  I watched it on Saturday but wasn't quite ready to form an opinion of it, and so watched it again last night to see if I could glean anything new.  I think I'm one of the few people I know not blinded by the Zooey Deschanel adorable factor, and so that has allowed me to be more objective than the army of her fans who will undoubtedly supply this show with the bulk of its ratings.

The premise is pretty simple:  Deschanel's character Jess is smarting from a bad breakup and wants somewhere new to live.  Cue interview session with the three amigos in their almost too-good-to-be-true apartment.  We meet her three soon-to-be roommates, only one of whom (Nick) seems to have a first name.  The other two are called Coach (yep, you read that right), and Schmidt (which I'm assuming is his surname).  And yes, on the whole they are as flat and douche-y as they sound.  The only redeeming quality these three have in the pilot is that they form a quick, platonic attachment to Jess and by episode's end really have her back, which is nice because she needs all the help she can get. 

Looking at this show's long-term potential, however, raises some flags.  The pilot had some laughs, certainly, and the writers should be able to coast on the whole "the gang gets into a mix-up" gimmick for a while, but if they don't do something about characterization this show is going to lose its charm fast.  Jess is very funny and has the potential to continue to get laughs, so long as she doesn't let the guys whitewash her.  Most of the things I thought were funny were her awkwardness and "nerdy" references, but you could already see hints of her trying to shed that skin because it wasn't "cool" enough.  I'd like to see Jess remain an unabashed nerd, something that can still work really well in comedy (there's a reason both male leads from The Big Bang Theory have Emmy nominations).  If she becomes just another pretty girl trying to fit in, this show will embark on a slippery downhill slope, fast. 

Of the three roommates, only Nick is tolerable right now, and even he's walking a tightrope there.  He is introduced with an easy role; he's the heartbroken, kind-of-a-bummer guy.  But that works for him, and of the three guys he seems to have the most genuine interest in being friends with Jess, proven when he ditches drinks with his ex to go and "save" Jess from being stood up.  His character runs the risk of becoming bland, though, if they don't come up with something other than the recently-dumped angle.  I noticed that he apparently works at the bar they go to on their first night out; I'm sure that could be incorporated in some way to add to his character or at least provide an activity for him that isn't moping over his ex (played, incidentally, by the fantastic Mary Elizabeth Ellis, aka "the waitress" from Always Sunny).  Coach, on the other hand, has hitherto exhibited almost no personality whatsoever.  By the end of the pilot we know two things about him:  he's a personal trainer and he is apparently a hardass/sucks at talking to women.  Let's peel the onion a little with this one, guys.  And Schmidt...well, let's just say that if this character keeps up his current antics, he will be the reason I (and likely many others) have to stop watching this show.  He is really, really douche-y, unapologetically so, even when he has to put money in the "douchebag jar" (I did like that).  I get that we need to have the one guy who is kind of full of himself and is (hopefully) being set up for eventual redemption, but if you ask me, his personality still needs to be toned down a little.  Not only is he kind of a jackass in a very stereotypical way (he decides Jess should move in because her friends are models, and he removes his shirt whenever he feels like there's a woman nearby who needs to be impressed), but he also comes off as extremely unintelligent.  If this is all for the sake of his later development/improvement, I hope that Jess intervenes sooner rather than later.  Also, on a somewhat unrelated note, what the heck is his job, where he apparently works exclusively with shrill women?

All of that said (and now looking back I'm realizing I had a lot more thoughts than I expected), there are still some moments where the show exhibits real potential.  Jess' quirks, as aforementioned, so long as they aren't overused or wiped away completely, make her character much more relatable, so that even though it is clear why the guy stands her up for their date, you still feel genuinely bad for her.  Additionally, the scene in the restaurant, as cheesy as it was, gives us the most fantastically garbled, off-key rendition of "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" that I've ever heard, although I spent most of the episode wondering why Dirty Dancing would be someone's go-to breakup movie. 

Overall, New Girl gives us a somewhat uneven pilot with glimmers of potential.  I think it will be clear within the next two or three episodes whether this is a show worth sticking with, because it will either get much better or much worse (there's not much room for a middle ground).  Check it out on iTunesTuesday, September 20th on FOX.

Fall TV 2011: The New Class

The new season of television is nearly upon us, and I for one am very excited (probably too much so, in fact).  I can't wait for my favorites to return, but more than usual I'm excited to see what new material the networks have up their proverbial sleeves.  Because I will no longer be watching or reviewing the weekly train wreck that is Glee, I have an open slot in my review-roster, and I think that I may just fill it with one of the somewhat promising new shows headed our way.  I've narrowed the field to three candidates I plan on watching, and in a few episodes' time I hope to decide which one, if any, will become a part of my weekly lineup.

Up All Night  (NBC, Wednesday September 14th)
This show has so many ingredients that should make it a smash hit.  Genius producer who also produces a little show called Saturday Night Live?  Check.  All-star, proven hilarious cast?  Check.  Potentially amusing premise?  Check.  Of all the pilots I plan on watching, this is definitely the one that seems most like a sure thing, provided the writing isn't overshadowed/overcompensated for by all of the aforementioned factors, and provided that they haven't already shoved every funny moment into the onslaught of promos I've already seen.  There are few people I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt to more than Will Arnett, though, so for now this remains my frontrunner.

New Girl (FOX, September 20th)
I am definitely intrigued by this one, even if I still don't know that I buy Zooey Deschanel as awkward in a non-hipster, non-ironic way.  I do think I might like her better on the small screen (and in smaller doses) than carrying an entire movie, and the premise definitely has potential.  I'll be interested to see what kind of role the supporting characters play, as right now it just seems like a vehicle for Deschanel's character.  I think I'll like it as long as her roommates stay platonic, because I really do think the idea of her becoming kind of their new bro would be much more fun than her developing a default romance with one of them.  Don't know that I'll be able to glean evidence of all of this from the pilot, so it may take a couple of weeks for me to make a judgment call on this one.

2 Broke Girls  (CBS, September 19th)
Two girls, different sides of the tracks, unlikely friendship... I'm a little bored already, I'll admit.  However, I will give this one a chance if only because I do enjoy Kat Dennings and if the Upfront for the pilot is any indication, the show will at least be full of her trademark sass until it either settles into a groove or gets canceled.  I honestly think this show could go either way, but I'll watch it primarily because I like the idea of having a pilot out there that seems very much a throwback to the classic sitcom and could be part of a revival I'd very much like to see.

*  Additionally, there are two other shows that will probably come across my radar and which I may or may not be inclined to comment upon here.  The first is the ABC series Once Upon a Time, which doesn't premiere until October and the premise of which I'm not entirely sold on, but turning down something from the writers of LOST is something I'm just not able to do.  The other is, unfortunately, NBC's new comedy Whitney, which I will inevitably wind up watching by accident when I don't change channels fast enough following The Office.  This show looks by far the worst of the over-hyped pilots, which is a shame because I actually do like most of Whitney Cummings' stand-up.  I'll probably see one of the few episodes before NBC comes to its senses and boots it, and I hope that it won't be the torture-fest promised by each and every ad I've encountered.