"i talk a lot, so i've learned to just tune myself out."

[falulatonks]

It's kind of been a terrible week. TV was consistently good, though. Let me talk you all through that instead!

1. How I Met Your Mother - In terms of group dynamics and the general humour, I really enjoyed it! It's partly because I love Ted and Robin interacting at any level (and I maintain that this is the one relationship the writers didn't ever ruin over the last five seasons, which is great), but it's also because I love it when the group has moments together in general, where they just talk about things. On the other hand, as much as I love NPH, Barney's storylines are too thin and predictable, and it's annoying. We know he's sweet, we love him because of that - can we not have that bashed into our heads almost every time we go a little bit into his backstory? It was one-note, and it wore out too quickly. (And I'm not even going to bother talking about the character inconsistency - Barney's mother loved him that much? Wasn't she portrayed as kind of an awful mother in S2?)
2. Castle was sweet, as always; loved the Castle-Martha scenes, and how casually he told Kate his full real name. That kind of ease and understatement in all the relationships is what I love this show for.
3. Chuck was great. Chuck/Sarah are really hot together, by the way. Also, Parenthood is hit or miss for me, but this week's episode was awesome.
4. Modern Family was absolutely wonderful - even the ending voiceover worked as a result. All the stories worked, and it's my favourite kind of episode, where they allowed some of the families to interact among themselves. That ten-minute discussion on kissing/displays of affection was brilliant because of that - all of them talking about the problem, and being funny and sweet while doing it.
   
   It also made me think about how terrible my dad and I are at hugging. My sister has no problem with throwing her arms around people, but my dad has never been up for it, and neither have I. (In 2000, on New Year's Day, my dad and I hugged, and I still remember thinking about what a surprising, awesome thing that was.) My dad's definitely more of a Phil, though, with his goofiness and crazy, sweet jokes. So!
   
   Also, Mitchell had two scenes in this episode of silent, extreme frustration, and I want to use those as .gifs forever. I HATE SHOPPING WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN'T CHOOSE THINGS, TOO! AND I LIKE FLAILING AND MAKING ANGRY FACES WHEN I KNOW PEOPLE AREN'T LOOKING! Loved it a lot.
   
   (Side-note - Sophia Vergara's accent is obviously thicker this season, and it throws me off.)
5. Cougar Town was sweet and sad and hilarious, and I love this show so much, you guys. One day I'll make a list of my favourite comedies currently on television, and this would probably be in the top five (only I have no idea how to talk about how much I love it).
6. So I was surprised by how much I adored The Office this week, but apparently it was written by BJ Novak! THERE IT IS. What he does that I love is that he manages to allow some surprisingly quiet, sweet moments or character asides, while maintaining the really funny moments and keeping up the general office dynamic. We got the great, softly-sad Michael revelations to Toby, but that was after an awesome session of Michael Hates Toby (still always funny), and right before the hating started again. Or Jim being suddenly nice and helping Dwight out, with help from everyone in the office and the always-excellent Kelly Kapoor, but that was after the cold open, where they locked Dwight and Mose in a room! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
   
   (Hey guys, did you notice Mike Schur, CO-SHOW RUNNER OF P&R? I DID, TOO. I MISS PARKS.)
   
   Also, was it just me, or was Pam being extra-super-wonderful in this episode? Paaaam!!
7. Community was great, and my favourite thing about it was how clearly Jeff was doing the things he did not to be mean, but because he genuinely missed being a lawyer - and then he went back because the point was that he wasn't being mean! Yay. I love the group together. I love that they went there to break in and prove to him that his friend Narked on him.
   
   Britta is delightful. And Donald Glover's faint-y girl thing is incredible. and Abed is a cartoon! and Annie Adderall loved using the chloroform! All three of them collapsing on the floor!! Troy taking the chloroform from Annie and making me 'ship them again!! THIS SHOW, YOU GUYS. I love it so much. I think this may even be one of my favourite episodes of this show.
8. 30 Rock and I have been having a pretty rough time with each other for at least a year, but this episode may be the best since at least Season 3's Apollo, Apollo. I mean, really - I think it was as good as S2, and it's been a while since I've been able to say that without reservation about this show.
   
   I think the key part of it may have to be that Liz, Jack, and Tracy were all showing the most likable parts of themselves for the first time in ages - Liz being good (and being pretty!) and wanting to help people a little bit (without being the 'ugh, a feminist!? that's why she's such an ugly character!' woman she'd been for most of S4), Jack being supremely confident without realising he gets just a bit crazy (I've missed this easy confidence), and Tracy talking forever and being surprisingly knowledgeable.
   
   I also loved that Paul Giamatti's guest role was a) not at all as over-the-top as the show tends to go with its guest stars, but just a great character first, and b) sweet, though a little misguided, and not an evil creep. I feel like we don't get that kind of people on this show often, and I missed that. That kind of sweetness worked really nicely in the tag, too, I think - I said this last week, but Jack and Liz interacting like this and influencing each other in these ways is when I like them together the most, and when their friendship rings truest to me. I love that it's obvious that Jack would direct his child to Liz first, before anyone else, if it came to anything. And I loved that in the tag, Jack just sat by, looking pained but humouring her for a while first. And I love that he was lying and looking miserable on her couch when he started talking about how old he was!! When's the last time we saw them like that?!
   
   And it was funny, too - the cut-aways to Jack and his video message were consistently brilliant. I want to quote it all at you. (I haven't wanted to quote from this show in literally years.) And Brian Williams being a douchey jock guy! I LOVE IT ALL.
   
   (ETA: I just checked and this episode was written by Robert Carlock, who wrote my favourite episode Sandwich Day, and Subway Hero and Cleveland and Apollo Apollo (among others)! I guess I'll look out for him more often.
9. Fringe - I can't do a massive breakdown again, but I do want to talk about a couple of things -
   
   1. Guys. I don't get the Fauxlivia hate, and I don't get how the hating is based almost completely on the fact that she shot that deaf man. I think it's pretty clear that Over There is under pretty authoritarian rule, and that the FBI is run almost like an army. The things that Fauxlivia does or chooses to do doesn't reflect that she's a bitch, it shows the kind of training she went through, and the kind of enemies she's used to facing. She's used to being told to be practical and cold - she doesn't want to!
   2. Anna Torv continues to be fantastic.
   3. I really like that Fauxlivia's been paying attention and is being cautious about what she does or says. She's doing her homework! She isn't going to slip up too quickly or too easily.
   4. At the same time, though, Peter didn't notice she wasn't drinking, and this is crushing my heart. PETER. Come on! I love that in the first two seasons he's been attuned to Olivia in a really interesting, unique way - stilling her by just touching her, for example, or realising how to tread around her depending on her mood. I can buy that all this constant surprise he's feeling by the things she's been doing is reasonable, because Peter isn't used to seeing her happy and may think that this is just another aspect of her character, but it feels obvious that he'd still understand her on some level. The fact that he isn't particularly connecting with her is really disappointing. Get with it, you moron.
   5. I loved the time given to the other relationships on the show, though, because the way all these characters connect is what makes this show so interesting/distinctive. The conversation between Peter and Walter was brilliant - I loved the way it was written, especially Peter's hesitant "I'm sorry I didn't - " near the beginning. He doesn't know how exactly to operate, either! I adore that both characters had issues, things to apologise for or think about - the conflict could've been very one-sided if we didn't see that Peter was trying, too. AH, MY HEART. John Noble, goddamn. Joshua Jackson, goddamn. (Anna Torv, goddamn.) All of you are making me want to cry. I don't like crying watching TV.
   6. Walter talking to Astrid was kind of heartbreaking. I love these two together, and I love that he trusts her enough for these things.
   7. I figured out that the guy was deaf pretty soon into the episode. It was the best, most satisfying thing ever. I loved how they used the gun to get around it - the way that scene was executed was pretty brilliant - silent and just a bit scary. When the guy in the tunnel's head exploded I literally swore out loud and jumped, and I loved the way Peter reached for the side of the tracks as they began to rattle (the way that was shot was pretty, too).
   8. I also figured that Fauxlivia's awesome aim maybe meant that she wouldn't have Olivia's memory, woohoo!
   9. I miss Olivia. Just saying.
   10. I lied. I can't not talk about this show in detail.
   11. I can't think of many TV shows that are willing to explore things on such a massive scale the way Fringe does, and that alone makes it important TV for me. It's so adventurous! The focus of this episode wasn't "science mystery of the week" as usual, like it used to be even just a year ago - it was still these characters. The science was just a background against which everything else is being played out. So early in the season, that feels like it's a pretty big deal. I don't think shows like diverting from "weekly"-type stories often.

This was the absolute best way to spend an hour. Woo! I'm done.

-- rachu

ETA: The winner at the German Oktoberfest's pop&lock competition "gets to annex Poland". I LOVE YOU, COMMUNITY! (/history)