That Huge TV Meme - Part I
There's a 30 Question, 1/day meme going around re:Television shows. Well, I believe in instant gratification, so I'll be posting in three parts, for 10 answers per:
Though I mostly only talk about BtVS in this space, some readers may be surprised to learn that I am, first and foremost, a sitcom guy.
01. A show that should never have been canceled
Profit / Better off Ted
Shows get canceled because they don't get ratings, and I don't really fault FOX or ABC for doing so. But, my goodness these were both brilliant shows. Profit, in particular, for being both ahead of it's time and strangely dated all at once. If you liked "Angel", "The Shield", or "The Sopranos" -- "Profit" is the show that paved the way for them.
02. A show that you wish more people were watching
Community
Community has rapidly developed into one of the best ensemble comedies on TV in a long time. Great use of characterization, using the whole cast, and using the show's setting to make genuine points about life. And it's damn funny.
03. Your favourite new show (aired this TV season)
Community
I really like Modern Family and The Good Wife. But, again, Community is a show that reaches further and it's best episodes are better than anyone else's best. See "Modern Warfare" of the "Chicken Fingers" episodes.
04. Your favourite show ever
Seinfeld
Really, this kind of changes all the time. But for a solid six or seven years, I simply would not miss an episode of this show. I can't say that about anything else.
05. A show you hate
n/a
If I don't like a show, I mostly don't watch it. There aren't really shows I hate. That requires too much caring.
06. Favourite episode of your favourite TV show
The Puffy Shirt
Spare a little change for a salty sea-dog? It's just random and non-sensical. I love that. Others receiving votes: "the Second Spitter", "Fusili Jerry"
07. Least favourite episode of your favourite TV show
The Pilot Episode
Anyone who tells you they liked Seinfeld right from the beginning is lying. The first few episodes are lousy - they just don't know what they're trying to do. And the cast doesn't have chemistry together. The pilot was lousy. It got so much better...
08. A show everyone should watch
n/a
Honestly, I watch too much TV. I don't think there is a show everyone should watch. We're too different. (I'm reminded of this every time I try to make someone watch Profit.) I'm a big fan of turning on the local all news/weather station in the morning. That's important.
09. Best scene ever
The Carousel Pitch, Mad Men
Again - this is really hard to pick. I could probably change my mind every five minutes. Don Draper's paean to family and nostalgia while he's wiping out his own... Or Jed Bartlett cursing out the Lord in latin. Buffy & Giles at the gravestone in Lie to Me. Really hard to pick.
10. A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Cougar Town, Kings
This year's entry, anyway. The title is awful, I'm not a big Courtney Cox fan. But it has developed into a fun, light show. Kings - boy howdy - had high concept failure written all over it, with a poorly cast David. Fortunately, the lush production made it stunningly beautiful to watch and Ian McShane was the perfect actor to make a show compelling. For viewers who wanted a show with a world where characters really believed in an 'awesome' divinity, this show gave you that. Sadly, there were only about five or six such people.
Though I mostly only talk about BtVS in this space, some readers may be surprised to learn that I am, first and foremost, a sitcom guy.
01. A show that should never have been canceled
Profit / Better off Ted
Shows get canceled because they don't get ratings, and I don't really fault FOX or ABC for doing so. But, my goodness these were both brilliant shows. Profit, in particular, for being both ahead of it's time and strangely dated all at once. If you liked "Angel", "The Shield", or "The Sopranos" -- "Profit" is the show that paved the way for them.
02. A show that you wish more people were watching
Community
Community has rapidly developed into one of the best ensemble comedies on TV in a long time. Great use of characterization, using the whole cast, and using the show's setting to make genuine points about life. And it's damn funny.
03. Your favourite new show (aired this TV season)
Community
I really like Modern Family and The Good Wife. But, again, Community is a show that reaches further and it's best episodes are better than anyone else's best. See "Modern Warfare" of the "Chicken Fingers" episodes.
04. Your favourite show ever
Seinfeld
Really, this kind of changes all the time. But for a solid six or seven years, I simply would not miss an episode of this show. I can't say that about anything else.
05. A show you hate
n/a
If I don't like a show, I mostly don't watch it. There aren't really shows I hate. That requires too much caring.
06. Favourite episode of your favourite TV show
The Puffy Shirt
Spare a little change for a salty sea-dog? It's just random and non-sensical. I love that. Others receiving votes: "the Second Spitter", "Fusili Jerry"
07. Least favourite episode of your favourite TV show
The Pilot Episode
Anyone who tells you they liked Seinfeld right from the beginning is lying. The first few episodes are lousy - they just don't know what they're trying to do. And the cast doesn't have chemistry together. The pilot was lousy. It got so much better...
08. A show everyone should watch
n/a
Honestly, I watch too much TV. I don't think there is a show everyone should watch. We're too different. (I'm reminded of this every time I try to make someone watch Profit.) I'm a big fan of turning on the local all news/weather station in the morning. That's important.
09. Best scene ever
The Carousel Pitch, Mad Men
Again - this is really hard to pick. I could probably change my mind every five minutes. Don Draper's paean to family and nostalgia while he's wiping out his own... Or Jed Bartlett cursing out the Lord in latin. Buffy & Giles at the gravestone in Lie to Me. Really hard to pick.
10. A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Cougar Town, Kings
This year's entry, anyway. The title is awful, I'm not a big Courtney Cox fan. But it has developed into a fun, light show. Kings - boy howdy - had high concept failure written all over it, with a poorly cast David. Fortunately, the lush production made it stunningly beautiful to watch and Ian McShane was the perfect actor to make a show compelling. For viewers who wanted a show with a world where characters really believed in an 'awesome' divinity, this show gave you that. Sadly, there were only about five or six such people.