Shh...My stories are on!
Zach and I have been watching an unhealthy amount of TV recently. Okay, not recently, since most of our favorite shows have been on summer hiatus, and also we don't have TV per se, but let's just say we've been watching a lot of stuff.
I hear a lot of people watch TV, and a couple of people even care what I have to say about things, so here's some stuff I've been watching in case you're looking for new stuff to watch. Initial descriptions are from Wikipedia or IMDB or wherever I find a description that satisfies me. Just know that they're copypasted.
Dexter: Set in Miami, the show centers on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a blood spatter-pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, who moonlights as a serial killer.
I hated this show when it first started. I watched the very first episode the night it premiered and decided I'd never watch it again. Now? It is one of my very favorite shows. I don't know what changed. Maybe the fact that I am now TOTALLY INTO dramas and cop shows, where I used to hate them. Hmm.
Anyway, we've totally been meaning to re-watch all of these since the new season is starting soon. Oh, Dexter, what crazy serial killer mishaps are you going to get into THIS time. Will we ever have another season as AMAZINGLY AWESOME as season 4? HURRY UP AND COME BACK, DEXTER.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The series follows the exploits of "The Gang", a group of self-centered friends who run Paddy's Pub, a relatively unsuccessful Irish bar in South Philadelphia.
Thanks, Wikipedia, for the not-so-great description of the show. Let me put this out there first: If you're offended by raunchy language and situations, this is NOT the show for you. AFAIK, we're all adults here, but some people are too sophisticated to appreciate a good dirty joke, and I am not one of those people. Poop. Heh.
Seriously, I love this show to pieces, and Charlie Day is quickly becoming one of my favorite people. He recently came to Oxford with his wife (the waitress) for some independent film festival or something. Anyway, a friend of mine is a huge fan. Charlie Day came into his work while he was out running an errand. All of his co-workers told Charlie what a huge fan the kid was, and Charlie waited for him to come back to introduce himself. Such a nice guy! The whole story is much cuter than that, but still! Watch this show!
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Inspired by a 1999 one-hour mockumentary titled Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm, which David and HBO originally envisioned as a one-time project, the series follows David, who plays a fictionalized version of himself, in his life as a semi-retired writer, producer, and actor in Los Angeles.
I love this show. It's both hilarious and fascinating. There are several instances where you get to see what goes on behind the scenes on various theater and film projects (omigad there's a whole season dedicated to the Broadway version of The Producers. Mel Brooks is the most adorable man ever).
I personally never got into Seinfeld myself, but I understood the merit of it. If you were a Seinfeld fan, you had damn well better check this show out. It is genius, and there are PLENTY of celebrity cameos to go around. No spoilers, but the Seinfeld cast members all make several appearances.
Mad Men: The show centers on Don Draper (Jon Hamm), creative director at Sterling Cooper and a founding partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, as well as those in his life, both in and out of the office. As such, it regularly depicts the changing social mores of 1960s America.
Um. Wikipedia? Seriously. Could you BE any more boring?
Look. The simple fact is, if you're an adult and not watching Mad Men, then I just don't even know what to say to you. There's a little something for everyone. I think if I went into what my ideas are regarding the men vs. women themes within the show, I'd probably come off as some kind of anti-feminist. No, the gender issues in the show are not meant to be offensive or sexist, but more to outline what women of the time went through as well as why it was perfectly acceptable and how they dealt with it.
They also manage to address themes that are entirely relevant today while maintaining a totally believable 1960s atmosphere. Also, John Hamm. Oh my dear, sweet Jesus. Oh, and Christina Hendricks. DEM HIPS, GURL. I think this is the biggest lady crush I've ever had.
The Office (U.S.): An American comedy-drama television series broadcast by NBC. An adaptation of the BBC series The Office, the series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
Man oh man my love for this show knows no bounds. I liked the British original as well, but I mean come on. Steve Carell.
People who have trouble with awkward social situations and embarrassment on the behalf of others are not advised to watch this show. Sometimes it even makes me squirm, but still. Worth a watch.
Also, don't make the same mistake I did and just catch an episode here and there when you can. Watch it from the beginning and get to know the characters. Yes, it is a kind of mockumentary, but to me, the characters and relationships work right alongside the comedy to make it one of the best shows on TV. It's a shame that Steve Carell isn't intending on continuing past the seventh season, he is just too amazing in this role.
The Sopranos: Set in New Jersey, where it also was produced, the series revolves around mobster Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads.
Okay, I'm like 7 (8?) years too late. If you didn't watch this show when it was the thing to watch, I'd recommend watching it from the beginning now. In fact, Zach and I are on our second viewing. Most of the characters are instantly enjoyable, and I caught myself talking to the television more than once.
To me, the best description of the show is "A New Jersey mob boss goes to a psychiatrist." That's all you need. If that's not instantly intriguing, then I don't know what kind of thing you people like to entertain yourselves with :P
Adventure Time: The series focuses on the surreal adventures undertaken by two best friends: Finn (a 12-year old boy) and Jake (a wise 28-year-old dog with magical powers) that dwell in the Land of Ooo.
Guys, if you have a soft spot for silly cartoony nonsense, this is the show for you. It's quirky, funny, and downright mathematical! Also, it has a suspiciously good cast. Also also? There's an unexpected mix of drama and subtle lessons. Situations are always resolved, but sometimes in weird and unexpected ways.
Or you can just enjoy it because it's a silly fun cartoon. Your choice.
The Venture Bros: The series mixes action and comedy together while it chronicles the adventures of two dopey yet well-meaning teenage boys, Hank and Dean Venture; their emotionally insecure, ethically challenged super-scientist father Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture; the family's bodyguards: ultra-violent and macho secret agent Brock Samson and later the former super villain and "cured" pedophile Sergeant Hatred; and the family's arch-nemesis, the Monarch.
What a mouthful! Seriously, this show is so deep I'm discovering new and exciting details even now, on my sixth viewing. That's right guys, a cartoon enthralling enough to warrant many multiple viewings to catch all the wonderful little details the creators put into it. Every time I watch it, I crack up even more.
Besides having an amazing story, the cast of characters is incredible. These aren't one-dimensional characters, either, and the ones mentioned in the Wikipedia description up there are FAR from the full cast. Believe it or not, I love every single character. There is not a character that I do not like in this show, and that's saying something. Even the lovable pedophile character is so lovable that it's easy to forget and dismiss the fact that he is definitely sexually attracted to young boys. Don't judge me based on that sentence. If you watched the show, you'd totally understand.
So it sounds like I'm gushing about a cartoon, and I totally am. I love this show with every fiber of my being. It has a pleasing visual style as well as being hilarious and incredibly deep. I am willing to fully defend the opinion that this is not only the greatest (adult-themed) cartoon ever made, but it is one of the greatest shows. Period.
Watch it from the beginning. Things may seem a little hectic, but literally everything that happens in the show is either extremely significant to the episode, or it comes back to be extremely significant later. The creators are still writing new characters they pulled from the very first season. We're talking silhouetted characters. Characters who were written in before they were even written in. Okay, now I'm babbling.
Do yourself a serious favor and watch Venture Bros. You won't regret it. And if you DO regret it? I just don't know. Let's discuss our friendship or something, because I just don't think this will work ;)
I hear a lot of people watch TV, and a couple of people even care what I have to say about things, so here's some stuff I've been watching in case you're looking for new stuff to watch. Initial descriptions are from Wikipedia or IMDB or wherever I find a description that satisfies me. Just know that they're copypasted.
Dexter: Set in Miami, the show centers on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a blood spatter-pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, who moonlights as a serial killer.
I hated this show when it first started. I watched the very first episode the night it premiered and decided I'd never watch it again. Now? It is one of my very favorite shows. I don't know what changed. Maybe the fact that I am now TOTALLY INTO dramas and cop shows, where I used to hate them. Hmm.
Anyway, we've totally been meaning to re-watch all of these since the new season is starting soon. Oh, Dexter, what crazy serial killer mishaps are you going to get into THIS time. Will we ever have another season as AMAZINGLY AWESOME as season 4? HURRY UP AND COME BACK, DEXTER.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The series follows the exploits of "The Gang", a group of self-centered friends who run Paddy's Pub, a relatively unsuccessful Irish bar in South Philadelphia.
Thanks, Wikipedia, for the not-so-great description of the show. Let me put this out there first: If you're offended by raunchy language and situations, this is NOT the show for you. AFAIK, we're all adults here, but some people are too sophisticated to appreciate a good dirty joke, and I am not one of those people. Poop. Heh.
Seriously, I love this show to pieces, and Charlie Day is quickly becoming one of my favorite people. He recently came to Oxford with his wife (the waitress) for some independent film festival or something. Anyway, a friend of mine is a huge fan. Charlie Day came into his work while he was out running an errand. All of his co-workers told Charlie what a huge fan the kid was, and Charlie waited for him to come back to introduce himself. Such a nice guy! The whole story is much cuter than that, but still! Watch this show!
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Inspired by a 1999 one-hour mockumentary titled Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm, which David and HBO originally envisioned as a one-time project, the series follows David, who plays a fictionalized version of himself, in his life as a semi-retired writer, producer, and actor in Los Angeles.
I love this show. It's both hilarious and fascinating. There are several instances where you get to see what goes on behind the scenes on various theater and film projects (omigad there's a whole season dedicated to the Broadway version of The Producers. Mel Brooks is the most adorable man ever).
I personally never got into Seinfeld myself, but I understood the merit of it. If you were a Seinfeld fan, you had damn well better check this show out. It is genius, and there are PLENTY of celebrity cameos to go around. No spoilers, but the Seinfeld cast members all make several appearances.
Mad Men: The show centers on Don Draper (Jon Hamm), creative director at Sterling Cooper and a founding partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, as well as those in his life, both in and out of the office. As such, it regularly depicts the changing social mores of 1960s America.
Um. Wikipedia? Seriously. Could you BE any more boring?
Look. The simple fact is, if you're an adult and not watching Mad Men, then I just don't even know what to say to you. There's a little something for everyone. I think if I went into what my ideas are regarding the men vs. women themes within the show, I'd probably come off as some kind of anti-feminist. No, the gender issues in the show are not meant to be offensive or sexist, but more to outline what women of the time went through as well as why it was perfectly acceptable and how they dealt with it.
They also manage to address themes that are entirely relevant today while maintaining a totally believable 1960s atmosphere. Also, John Hamm. Oh my dear, sweet Jesus. Oh, and Christina Hendricks. DEM HIPS, GURL. I think this is the biggest lady crush I've ever had.
The Office (U.S.): An American comedy-drama television series broadcast by NBC. An adaptation of the BBC series The Office, the series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
Man oh man my love for this show knows no bounds. I liked the British original as well, but I mean come on. Steve Carell.
People who have trouble with awkward social situations and embarrassment on the behalf of others are not advised to watch this show. Sometimes it even makes me squirm, but still. Worth a watch.
Also, don't make the same mistake I did and just catch an episode here and there when you can. Watch it from the beginning and get to know the characters. Yes, it is a kind of mockumentary, but to me, the characters and relationships work right alongside the comedy to make it one of the best shows on TV. It's a shame that Steve Carell isn't intending on continuing past the seventh season, he is just too amazing in this role.
The Sopranos: Set in New Jersey, where it also was produced, the series revolves around mobster Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads.
Okay, I'm like 7 (8?) years too late. If you didn't watch this show when it was the thing to watch, I'd recommend watching it from the beginning now. In fact, Zach and I are on our second viewing. Most of the characters are instantly enjoyable, and I caught myself talking to the television more than once.
To me, the best description of the show is "A New Jersey mob boss goes to a psychiatrist." That's all you need. If that's not instantly intriguing, then I don't know what kind of thing you people like to entertain yourselves with :P
Adventure Time: The series focuses on the surreal adventures undertaken by two best friends: Finn (a 12-year old boy) and Jake (a wise 28-year-old dog with magical powers) that dwell in the Land of Ooo.
Guys, if you have a soft spot for silly cartoony nonsense, this is the show for you. It's quirky, funny, and downright mathematical! Also, it has a suspiciously good cast. Also also? There's an unexpected mix of drama and subtle lessons. Situations are always resolved, but sometimes in weird and unexpected ways.
Or you can just enjoy it because it's a silly fun cartoon. Your choice.
The Venture Bros: The series mixes action and comedy together while it chronicles the adventures of two dopey yet well-meaning teenage boys, Hank and Dean Venture; their emotionally insecure, ethically challenged super-scientist father Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture; the family's bodyguards: ultra-violent and macho secret agent Brock Samson and later the former super villain and "cured" pedophile Sergeant Hatred; and the family's arch-nemesis, the Monarch.
What a mouthful! Seriously, this show is so deep I'm discovering new and exciting details even now, on my sixth viewing. That's right guys, a cartoon enthralling enough to warrant many multiple viewings to catch all the wonderful little details the creators put into it. Every time I watch it, I crack up even more.
Besides having an amazing story, the cast of characters is incredible. These aren't one-dimensional characters, either, and the ones mentioned in the Wikipedia description up there are FAR from the full cast. Believe it or not, I love every single character. There is not a character that I do not like in this show, and that's saying something. Even the lovable pedophile character is so lovable that it's easy to forget and dismiss the fact that he is definitely sexually attracted to young boys. Don't judge me based on that sentence. If you watched the show, you'd totally understand.
So it sounds like I'm gushing about a cartoon, and I totally am. I love this show with every fiber of my being. It has a pleasing visual style as well as being hilarious and incredibly deep. I am willing to fully defend the opinion that this is not only the greatest (adult-themed) cartoon ever made, but it is one of the greatest shows. Period.
Watch it from the beginning. Things may seem a little hectic, but literally everything that happens in the show is either extremely significant to the episode, or it comes back to be extremely significant later. The creators are still writing new characters they pulled from the very first season. We're talking silhouetted characters. Characters who were written in before they were even written in. Okay, now I'm babbling.
Do yourself a serious favor and watch Venture Bros. You won't regret it. And if you DO regret it? I just don't know. Let's discuss our friendship or something, because I just don't think this will work ;)