Better Off Ted
Awkward name aside, this is THE show for all of the displaced Arrested Development fans. Screwball dialogue, tight writing, running gags and ridiculous characters come together into one dynamite package. Seriously, there's only a handful of episodes left before ABC officially pulls the plug on this one so hurry up and catch them while you can. Watch the latest episode right now! It's one of the best. And if you want to continue with this fantastic show, here's the best episode of the series to date, in my opinion.
How I Met Your Mother
It's somehow very fitting that your grandparent's favorite channel, CBS, is using the most routine sitcom format to turn the genre on its head. The traditional three camera sitcom may be looked down upon these days as a symbol of a vapid, lowest common denominator art form, but How I Met Your Mother shows what it can be when it's at its best. This decade's Newsradio, HIMYM uses the set and pacing of the format to showcase gags involving blocking that are damn near impossible on the seemingly now standard one camera show. Neil Patrick Harris has brought a ton of focus to the show, but the entire cast gels as a proper ensemble. Last week's episode was a series high. Plus, we get NPH singing and dancing!
Community
Speaking of ensembles, the newest member of NBC's dynamite Thursday night comedy line-up shows us all how it's done. Joel McHale anchors a cast of losers, loners, and general misfits as they share a community college Spanish study group. The writing has gotten so sharp that any combination of cast members can be placed together and the chemistry still sparks. But where this show really shines is in the meta-humor. Watch as the show explains to you why it is funny; not only on its own but within the larger pantheon of television history. My personal favorite is the Halloween episode, a smart and self-aware take on a sitcom tradition.
Watch, enjoy, and spread the word! Great network television is rare so we need to support what little there is.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Three Best Comedies You're Not Watching
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After visiting South Philly, I cannot stop watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...
ReplyDeleteBut that probably doesn't fit the "under the radar" comedies theme.
It's Always Sunny is fantastic, but it has a cult appeal that is bolstered by its location on FX. These are network shows that may not be "cool" enough to get noticed by the hipster generation. I'm just trying to show them that there is gold to be found in somewhat mainstream places.
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