Up All Night Review: "Hiring and Firing" (Episode 1.09)
This week has been quite the week for NBC shows. None more than the surprise of the freshman class Up All Night. It was announced that the hit sitcom would move to the prestigious Thursday night lineup starting in January. It’s a big step, and hopefully the Will Arnett and Christina Applegate show can bring the block back to glory. read more
New Girl Review: "Thanksgiving" (Episode 1.6)
It has to happen. Jess had to find a male counterpart, one who as adorkable as she is, (six episodes in, I had to use the cringe worthy word at least once) and doubles the quirkiness of the show. With this weeks’ episode, the appropriately titled “Thanksgiving”, we meet Jess’ match, Paul, a teacher at Jess’ school, played by Justin Long. read more
How I Met Your Mother Review: "Tick, Tick, Tick..." (Episode 7.10)
Last week I predicted that the next episode of How I Met Your Mother would be one of the most important episodes not only of this season, but of the entire series. The Ted-Robin-Barney triangle has already been hinted as a catalyst for this season and “Tick, Tick, Tick…” was a giant step on every level. read more
Boardwalk Empire Review: "Two Boats and a Lifeguard" (2.8)
At its best, Boardwalk Empire feels like there are so many conspiracies and machinations going on that all of the cogs required to keep Atlantic City’s machine of vice running are out of control. Everyone has betrayed everyone else a couple of times and it’s unclear who’s really loyal to whom. When it’s bad it’s just setting up those cogs and watching them play out, slowly and meticulously. “Two Boats and a Lifeguard” was an oddity in that it featured both of these identities for the show, first moving so haltingly that it seemed to go on forever and then... read more
The Walking Dead Review: Episode 2.5 ("Chupacabra")
Unfortunately, there’s no Chupacabra in this week’s deceptively titled episode of The Walking Dead. But mythical goat-sucking creatures aside, since it does start with a flashback, let’s play the Lost game. read more
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Review: "The Gang Gets Trapped" (Episode 7.09)
There have been several times on this season of _It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia_ where it’s seemed like the episode was ending just when it should be getting good. In “The Storm of the Century”, the episode ended right when the gang started looting and getting all sorts of crazy while last week’s episode “The Anti-Social Network”, the episode ended right when Dennis was getting ready to seek revenge on a guy he spent the entire episode trying to track down. In “The Gang Gets Trapped”, we get a rare episode where the usual structure of It’s Always Sunny is taken apart, by starting the episode mid-caper. read more
Community Review: "Studies in Modern Movement" (3.7)
“Studies in Modern Movement” was one of those episodes that helps illustrate how much Community can do within the old-fashioned sitcom format. The episode centers around Annie moving apartments, and there could hardly be a more predictable set-up for the characters to be in. This is the type of high-stress environment that the show’s format loves, one where stakes aren’t super high but they’re moreso than just sitting around a table. There’s a way in which Community takes each one of its four stories revolving around this and pushes them to the absolute limit.... read more
Whitney Review: "Getting To Know You" (Episode 1.07)
Whitney slightly broke the mold this week, but it was still driven by conflict in some way or another. It seems that a week can’t go by where the group just sit at a coffee shop and have a pleasant episode or they all rally together to have some adventure. The show is supposed to be about Whitney Cumming’s experiences in relationships, and maybe she just always had terrible ones where she was constantly fighting. read more
Up All Night Review: "First Night Away" (Episode 1.08)
The cold opening to this week's Up All Night features Reagan and Chris making out numerous times, but always getting interrupted by a crying Amy. They decided tonight’s the night to have sex, but Chris points out they’re having quite a large dinner. So tomorrow it is. Then when Reagan arrives home earlier than expected, Chris wishes she gave him notice she wasn’t working late because he was home alone and…well, you know. read more
New Girl Review: “Cece Crashes” (Episode 1.5)
Who’s that girl? Who’s that girl? For once it’s not Jess, as finally in “Cece Crashes” we get more of Jess’ best friend, Cece. It’s been five episodes and besides the fact that she’s a model that Schmidt likes to hit on, there’s little about this character that is known. But within the cold open, we already get more information about Cece than in the first four episodes combined. read more
How I Met Your Mother Review: "Disaster Averted" (Episode 7.09)
How I Met Your Mother’s ability to tackle current events has always been a pleasure to watch, even when the historic even is three months old. This week’s episode centered on the weekend when Hurricane Irene ripped through New York City as the gang reminisces on the importance of the weekend. read more
Terra Nova Review (Episode 7 - "Nightfall")
Terra Nova has shown that it’s at its best when things are happening, and in its seventh episode, “Nightfall,” things are definitely happening. read more
Boardwalk Empire Review: "Peg of Old" (2.7)
The first few episodes of Boardwalk Empire‘s second season were plodding because they were almost entirely set-up. It’s fine if a movie’s first third is largely expository and getting pieces into play because that’s still only 20-30 minutes or so. In a television show, though, especially one without commercials, that just went on and on. There’s only so long you can care about the maneuvering when it’s just maneuvering.... read more
Hell On Wheels Review: Series Premiere
Being the new series from AMC carries some heavy expectations after Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Killing and The Walking Dead. Some heavy-handed introductions in the premiere make me wonder if Hell on Wheels has the potential to deliver. read more
The Walking Dead Review: Episode 2.4 "Cherokee Rose"
God, sex, a funeral and Jabba the zombie—this week’s episode of The Walking Dead had all four. read more
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Review: “The Anti-Social Network” (Episode 7.08)
It’s kind of surprising that the gang from _It’s Always Sunny_ hasn’t really tackled the Internet before. Besides a horrible attempt at online dating and podcasting, the group from Paddy’s hasn’t had any dealings with the world of Facebook. It would seem like at least Dennis would have had some interest, especially since his woman interests are quickly getting into some dark territory. But with “The Anti-Social Network”, the gang not only tries to widen the popularity of Paddy’s but also find a guy who shushed them at a new bar. read more
Person of Interest Review: “Witness” (1.07)
It’s taken seven episodes, but _Person of Interest_ finally did something…well, of interest. Last night’s episode “Witness” seemed like the big twist for the show would be the severing of ties between Reese and Finch as they tried to protect a teacher named Charlie, played by Enrico Colantoni of _Veronica Mars_ and _Just Shoot Me!_ Charlie became an unsuspecting witness to a mob murder and now must be protected. When Reese goes to save him, his cell phone breaks, also breaking any discussion between the two for the first time in the series. read more
Whitney Review: "Two Broke-Up Guys" (Episode 1.06)
A pattern has emerged on Whitney that can no longer be ignored. Each of the six episodes follows the same exact formula. Now, this can be mind blowing, so hold onto your seats. First we see two characters in some cutesy conversation that we can relate to and then things take a turn for the worst. read more
Community Review: "Advanced Gay" (3.6)
Community‘s ambition to make every episode an event of sorts frequently has its less-themed episodes struggling for an identity. With last week’s Halloween episode, for instance, there was a clear hook that resulted in a something memorable, but it’s when the show needs to come up with something more organic to the normal school dynamic that Community tends to fall into trouble. Unfortunately, the less wacky episodes are also where the show has to find its emotional resonance. “Advanced Gay,” however, succeeded at for once bridging the show’s wackiness with the seriousness of these characters lives. This was the first... read more
Modern Family Review: "Treehouse" (Episode 3.07)
Steven Levitan, co-creator of Modern Family, cracked us up at the Emmys in September during an acceptance speech. Thanking the audience after the show picked up the award for Best Comedy, he told a story about a gay couple who thanked him for making people more tolerant. Levitan quipped, “…there is absolutely nothing wrong with a loving, committed relationship between an old man and a hot young woman.” A beat: “And looking around this room tonight, I see many of you agree.” Levitan wrote this week’s episode, “Treehouse,” and it showed. There were dozens of quick jokes that kept the... read more
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