Shifting away from the more serious tone of my typical posts, I thought I'd go a lighter route by providing brief reviews of some shows I've been watching over the past few weeks.
The Big Bang Theory (A-): The show may not be at its peak, but it's still one of the better sitcoms on television right now. The cast's chemistry is still strong and for at least one more season, fellow geeks can rejoice Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, and Raj "talking nerdy to me." See what I did there? Yes, the dad joke/nerd talk hybrid. Bucket list? Check.
Black-ish (A): Funny, smart, and topical. When it comes to combining humor with power, Black-ish is the best sitcom on television right now. No episode was more powerful than the post-Trump election episode. If you haven't had the chance to see it, do yourself a favor, drop what you're doing now (yes, reading this), and go watch it! Black-ish is a show at its peak and I sincerely hope it stays there for seasons to come.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (A-): This is one of the more underrated sitcoms on television. It's aired for five seasons, includes one of the bests casts out there, refreshingly non-clichéd dialogue, and I'll be sad to see it go if the rumors are true about this being its last season. Before this show aired? I honestly wasn't a fan of Andy Samberg. After this show? I actually like the guy. That should tell you all you need to know.
Drunk History (B+): I don't care what anyone says, there's something hilarious about a drunk person attempting to tell a detail-oriented story about an actual event from history. While some stories and episodes are funnier than others, there's almost always at least one laugh-out-loud moment to enjoy.
Fresh Off the Boat (C+): This show has been kind of hit and miss with me. While the characters are often times likable, the laughs tend to be in short supply, and if you look past the fact that the show revolves around an Asian-American family, there doesn't seem to be anything present to distinguish it from other family sitcoms. While I think it's great for an Asian-American family to be represented in a television series, that in and of itself doesn't make for a great show and separate it from its competitors. Fresh Off the Boat isn't a bad show by any means, but I'd like to see more laughs, more consistency, and more direction. Until that happens, it will remain an average to slightly above-average show for me.
The Good Place (A): If you want to check out a show that truly stands out from all other, give The Good Place a chance. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say the writers of this show like surprises and unpredictability. In addition to that, the cast is quite unique, each member offering something unique to the table, which oddly enough makes the show work. Love it or hate it, you have to give The Good Place some credit for at least thinking outside the box and trying something different.
Kevin Can Wait (C): It seems that this show is set on being mediocre. It was mediocre from the outset, is still mediocre, and I have a difficult time seeing it progress into anything more than mediocre in the future. Kevin Can Wait is basically The King of Queens, another Kevin James-led vehicle, set in a future decade. Kevin has a similar house, similar group of friends, similar outlook on life. It's amazing that Kevin James has made it this far in film/television by being typecast as himself, yet here he is. It's not an awful show, not great, just mediocre, and it seems perfectly comfortable with that.
LA to Vegas (B-): While LA to Vegas has been quite hit and miss with critics, it may wind up being my guilty pleasure of the season. It's nothing groundbreaking or Emmy-worthy, but the cast is personable, the wisecracks are fast and furious, and the dialogue feels surprisingly fresh. Also, in what other series are you going to find multiple episodes featuring the two guys 97% of the population mix up 84% of the time, Dylan McDermott and Dermot Mulroney?
Life in Pieces (B): While Kevin Can Wait appears to be stuck in mediocrity, Life in Pieces seems to be stuck in solid mode, meaning that while it's a good series, it's yet to reach greatness. The cast is top-notch. The dialogue is typically solid. The laughs may be fewer and further between here than in other sitcoms, but that doesn't typically detract from the show's overall effectiveness. Having said all that, there's just something missing. Perhaps due to the fact the show juggles so many different characters, it sometimes loses steam mid-episode. Whatever it is, I wish the writers would find a way to put forth the necessary changes to make this good show great.
Man With a Plan (C): Remember what I wrote for Kevin Can Wait? Ditto for Man With a Plan. Yup, that's all I'm going to write here.
Modern Family (A-): Like The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family is no longer at its peak, but is still a pretty darn good show. The most difficult transition with this show has been the maturing of its child actors and finding a way to maintain them as integral parts of the plot. Regardless of the sometimes bumpy nature of that transition, the rock solid veteran actors provide Modern Family the strong foundation it needs as it experiments around the edges. When all else fails, you can count on Phil's-osophy of life having me in stitches (not literally).
Mom (B): Two words: Allison Janney. If she weren't a part of the show, chances are I'd never watch it. Her mere presence makes the show what it is for me, makes it intriguing, makes it watchable, and I for one have to say she damn well deserves all the awards she receives!
Superior Donuts (B+): This show appears to want to be a hybrid of Black-ish and Cheers. Almost all of the show is set in or around a doughnut shop. In addition to that, the writers typically tackle a current events topic with each and every episode. While this works great at times and I respect the writers for attempting to give voice to such important issues, Superior Donuts often comes across as uncertain as far as what direction it wants to travel. I think it's a good, promising show as it is, but I sincerely hope its given at least another season or two to try and place itself on par with the likes of Black-ish.
Superstore (B): Like with Life in Pieces, Superstore seems to be stuck on "good" status, albeit in a different way. While Life In Pieces runs more like a dramedy, Superstore plays out more like a straight-up comedy. The cast is typically fairly likable individually; the laughs are fairly regular but not frequent; but the chemistry between some of the characters comes across as forced, and due to that, less than ideal. It'll be interesting to see if some casting changes are made due to that. If so and the proper substitutions are made, I could see this becoming one of the best sitcoms on television. If that's not the case, however, I have trouble seeing it rise above the "good" status where it sits today.
Young Sheldon (B): While I may not enjoy this show as much as I do The Big Bang Theory, it's still a respectable program, much better than I anticipated it would be. The laughs may not be very frequent, yet the cast is likable and, and especially if you enjoy The Big Bang Theory and are interested in all things nerdy, it carries with it a certain intrigue as well. Not only that, but Young Sheldon more effectively taps into Mr. Cooper's thoughts, feelings, and conscience with more emotion than The Big Bang Theory.
One-and-Dones
A.P. Bio: An angry teacher who comes across as sardonic more than sarcastic? Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun...
Living Biblically: The message and intent may be positive, but the execution is anything but. Do yourself a favor and read the book instead.
Can't-Wait-to-Come-Backs
Angie Tribeca: Rashida Jones basically starring as Frank Drebin = fricking hilarious!
Trial & Error: The show was comedy gold with John Lithgow. Hopefully it's just as funny in season 2 without him. Kristen Chenowith, your case is up next!
The Big Bang Theory (A-): The show may not be at its peak, but it's still one of the better sitcoms on television right now. The cast's chemistry is still strong and for at least one more season, fellow geeks can rejoice Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, and Raj "talking nerdy to me." See what I did there? Yes, the dad joke/nerd talk hybrid. Bucket list? Check.
Black-ish (A): Funny, smart, and topical. When it comes to combining humor with power, Black-ish is the best sitcom on television right now. No episode was more powerful than the post-Trump election episode. If you haven't had the chance to see it, do yourself a favor, drop what you're doing now (yes, reading this), and go watch it! Black-ish is a show at its peak and I sincerely hope it stays there for seasons to come.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (A-): This is one of the more underrated sitcoms on television. It's aired for five seasons, includes one of the bests casts out there, refreshingly non-clichéd dialogue, and I'll be sad to see it go if the rumors are true about this being its last season. Before this show aired? I honestly wasn't a fan of Andy Samberg. After this show? I actually like the guy. That should tell you all you need to know.
Drunk History (B+): I don't care what anyone says, there's something hilarious about a drunk person attempting to tell a detail-oriented story about an actual event from history. While some stories and episodes are funnier than others, there's almost always at least one laugh-out-loud moment to enjoy.
Fresh Off the Boat (C+): This show has been kind of hit and miss with me. While the characters are often times likable, the laughs tend to be in short supply, and if you look past the fact that the show revolves around an Asian-American family, there doesn't seem to be anything present to distinguish it from other family sitcoms. While I think it's great for an Asian-American family to be represented in a television series, that in and of itself doesn't make for a great show and separate it from its competitors. Fresh Off the Boat isn't a bad show by any means, but I'd like to see more laughs, more consistency, and more direction. Until that happens, it will remain an average to slightly above-average show for me.
The Good Place (A): If you want to check out a show that truly stands out from all other, give The Good Place a chance. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say the writers of this show like surprises and unpredictability. In addition to that, the cast is quite unique, each member offering something unique to the table, which oddly enough makes the show work. Love it or hate it, you have to give The Good Place some credit for at least thinking outside the box and trying something different.
Kevin Can Wait (C): It seems that this show is set on being mediocre. It was mediocre from the outset, is still mediocre, and I have a difficult time seeing it progress into anything more than mediocre in the future. Kevin Can Wait is basically The King of Queens, another Kevin James-led vehicle, set in a future decade. Kevin has a similar house, similar group of friends, similar outlook on life. It's amazing that Kevin James has made it this far in film/television by being typecast as himself, yet here he is. It's not an awful show, not great, just mediocre, and it seems perfectly comfortable with that.
LA to Vegas (B-): While LA to Vegas has been quite hit and miss with critics, it may wind up being my guilty pleasure of the season. It's nothing groundbreaking or Emmy-worthy, but the cast is personable, the wisecracks are fast and furious, and the dialogue feels surprisingly fresh. Also, in what other series are you going to find multiple episodes featuring the two guys 97% of the population mix up 84% of the time, Dylan McDermott and Dermot Mulroney?
Life in Pieces (B): While Kevin Can Wait appears to be stuck in mediocrity, Life in Pieces seems to be stuck in solid mode, meaning that while it's a good series, it's yet to reach greatness. The cast is top-notch. The dialogue is typically solid. The laughs may be fewer and further between here than in other sitcoms, but that doesn't typically detract from the show's overall effectiveness. Having said all that, there's just something missing. Perhaps due to the fact the show juggles so many different characters, it sometimes loses steam mid-episode. Whatever it is, I wish the writers would find a way to put forth the necessary changes to make this good show great.
Man With a Plan (C): Remember what I wrote for Kevin Can Wait? Ditto for Man With a Plan. Yup, that's all I'm going to write here.
Modern Family (A-): Like The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family is no longer at its peak, but is still a pretty darn good show. The most difficult transition with this show has been the maturing of its child actors and finding a way to maintain them as integral parts of the plot. Regardless of the sometimes bumpy nature of that transition, the rock solid veteran actors provide Modern Family the strong foundation it needs as it experiments around the edges. When all else fails, you can count on Phil's-osophy of life having me in stitches (not literally).
Mom (B): Two words: Allison Janney. If she weren't a part of the show, chances are I'd never watch it. Her mere presence makes the show what it is for me, makes it intriguing, makes it watchable, and I for one have to say she damn well deserves all the awards she receives!
Superior Donuts (B+): This show appears to want to be a hybrid of Black-ish and Cheers. Almost all of the show is set in or around a doughnut shop. In addition to that, the writers typically tackle a current events topic with each and every episode. While this works great at times and I respect the writers for attempting to give voice to such important issues, Superior Donuts often comes across as uncertain as far as what direction it wants to travel. I think it's a good, promising show as it is, but I sincerely hope its given at least another season or two to try and place itself on par with the likes of Black-ish.
Superstore (B): Like with Life in Pieces, Superstore seems to be stuck on "good" status, albeit in a different way. While Life In Pieces runs more like a dramedy, Superstore plays out more like a straight-up comedy. The cast is typically fairly likable individually; the laughs are fairly regular but not frequent; but the chemistry between some of the characters comes across as forced, and due to that, less than ideal. It'll be interesting to see if some casting changes are made due to that. If so and the proper substitutions are made, I could see this becoming one of the best sitcoms on television. If that's not the case, however, I have trouble seeing it rise above the "good" status where it sits today.
Young Sheldon (B): While I may not enjoy this show as much as I do The Big Bang Theory, it's still a respectable program, much better than I anticipated it would be. The laughs may not be very frequent, yet the cast is likable and, and especially if you enjoy The Big Bang Theory and are interested in all things nerdy, it carries with it a certain intrigue as well. Not only that, but Young Sheldon more effectively taps into Mr. Cooper's thoughts, feelings, and conscience with more emotion than The Big Bang Theory.
One-and-Dones
A.P. Bio: An angry teacher who comes across as sardonic more than sarcastic? Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun...
Living Biblically: The message and intent may be positive, but the execution is anything but. Do yourself a favor and read the book instead.
Can't-Wait-to-Come-Backs
Angie Tribeca: Rashida Jones basically starring as Frank Drebin = fricking hilarious!
Trial & Error: The show was comedy gold with John Lithgow. Hopefully it's just as funny in season 2 without him. Kristen Chenowith, your case is up next!
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