I DO Like You, TV! I Really Do!
Last Friday, Chris pointed out to all of us why newly scripted television post-writers' strike is just as vast of a wasteland as it was pre-writers' strike. While I wholeheartedly agree with his points that "Eli Stone", "Lipstick Jungle", and "quarterlife" are less-than-quality entries to scripted television, I have been enjoying quite a bit of newly scripted television. This writer's opinion is that one can find good scripted television if one looks harder than network television (which clearly is dying due to the rise of cheaply-made reality television and rising interest in different mediums to deliver more intelligent fare, like the internet.) Although, network television does occasionally have fresh, intelligently written scripts. Such as on..."Saturday Night Live"
Can you believe that this show is funny again? I can't. I definitely saw tremors of the show returning to at least some kind of relevence earlier this season, pre-writers' strike, mostly with the SNL Digital Shorts (like "Andy Punches"). And the past two weeks episodes, hosted by Tina Fey and Ellen Page, respectively, have both had more laughs per sketch than I can remember. I haven't laughed through SNL this much since I pretended I was also George H.W. Bush, portrayed by Dana Carvey. "What's funny about it?" you say, Skeptical Sally. Multiple things -- first, the political satire is much sharper than it has been in recent years. Whether one thinks they are merely ripping off "The Daily Show" to appear more satirical or are relying more on imitations being the comedy rather than the writing, the sketches skewering the media in the coverage of the Clinton / Obama race have been spot-on and hilarious. Additionally, the regular sketches have been more original and less reliant on annoying characters that rely on talking loud to convey comedy (with the exception of anything Kenan Thompson does.) Even those sketches that sound like on paper would be lame (imitations of Daniel Plainview of There Will Be Blood drinking other people's milkshakes just shouldn't really be funny) And, the digital shorts from the past two weeks have made me cry laughing. By the way, NBC, you can start paying us some of those internet advertising residuals at any time -- you're welcome for all those links.
"In Treatment"
Okay, okay. Most people can't watch this show while it is airing on the air, you probably don't have HBO because you "can't afford it", blah blah blah. Okay, okay, this show was actually written and produced before the writers' strike. My point is, "In Treatment" is the best new drama of the year, on any channel. Into week six (of nine weeks) of daily 30-minute, the acting and writing have transcended the premise (a therapist, played by Gabriel Byrne, meets with a patient, one of which is, of course, Blair Underwood, and they talk for 30 minutes.) It works as a drama because Byrne's character is at times sympathetic, at times totally enraging, and in all, completely human. Although it is probably easier to watch on DVD (or DVR) than regularly on the air, its totally engrossing and highly recommendable. This show also does something HBO's last new dramatic series, the supposedly risque "Tell Me You Love Me" could not -- make sex actually seem somewhat desirable, even without showing a single naked body part. And let's face it -- who wouldn't sleep with Gabriel Byrne?
This entry was posted by Unknown, on
Sunday, March 02, 2008.
You can leave your response.
I've watched In Treatment about thrice in two minute spurts. It's a bit too act-y and theatre-y for me, but I've kind of blocked non-sports TV out of my head for the month. Yeah, I'm a guy, check it out. The scripted side of my brain will reawaken April 4th with the Cylons.
wow, that sketch you posted actually WAS funny -- that's a prime example of something that sounds horrible on paper too, but i laughing pretty good near the end
p.s. tina fey is way hot
tina fey is way, way hot.
Yeah, so hot that it's not work appropriate! How can I read the Blogulator at work with that up on top? You want me to actually do some work? Come on!
I actually thought the Undead Andy short was only smirk-worthy, save for Dracula showing up near the end, which was great. The Tina Fey episode was leagues better, and only because she was hosting I believe.
And this is one time I will not complain about the scantily clad images on the Blogulator. I would totally defend myself if a student walked in on me looking at it. "Typewriter! English class! Hotness! Get out!"
They should have asked Tina Fey to play Marilyn Monroe instead of Lindsay Lohan. Woulda been WAAAAAAAYYYYYY hotter!
wow, smirk worthy?
you're an ass hole.
can i say ass hole? is that work appropriate?
LQ -- you shouldn't be reading blogs at work anyway!
Chris -- when/where did you see the entire SNL episode? Do y'all have a DVR-ish thing to tape stuff now? I thought this week's was still a sign of better things to come, as even the sketches that should have been annoying were funny.
Another example of what I see as the rising tide in SNL is the fact that the cast seems to work better together than they have in recent years. There are no real breakout superstars, but there are not many weak links, either. Other castmembers who I never really liked that much have grown on me, as well. Maybe seeing them in other projects has made me see their style of humor (like Will Forte in an episode "Flight of the Conchords")
I agree that the cast has grown as a whole to be better, mostly due to them appearing in 30 Rock and having a good script to work from. I didn't see the whole episode, but I watched 6 sketches online (nbc.com/metacafe) - I'll definitely need to see the rest of it if there's more things worthwhile than what's already been mentioned. I thought the debate send-up was mostly redundant of last week's...
It's true that the opening was somewhat of an extension of last week's opener, but I don't think you're giving the cast enough credit by stating that they've grown as a whole to be better mostly from appearing on 30 Rock -- how can periodic guest appearances on a sitcom be the most important factor for an entire cast to work better together? If anything, the fact that the castmembers are appearing in more movies in bit roles and forging friendships/collaborations with other comedians (a la Bill Hader, Jason Sudekis, and Kristin Wiig appearing in multiple movies). Yes, Tina Fey has been a great influence, but while she was the head writer of the show, as a whole the show was a lot spottier.
also, i totally love in treatment, but i'm thinking that it definitely doesn't count as newly scripted television since each episode is based on that other show...BeTipul...though, i'm not sure how closely it's based on it, since i haven't seen the original series. so maybe it still counts? new for us at least?
They've grown to be better in my eyes, because they actually have a good script to work with on 30 Rock and with a lot of last week's episode. When Tina Fey was head writer, no it was still a bad show, and I don't know how or why 30 Rock is capable of being so much better than her SNL years, but it is. Maybe it's the team of writers she works with on that show, maybe she's learned something since her original SNL days, whatever. But the fact is, the SNL cast depends on its writing to be funny. Their stints on 30 Rock helped me see their potential - I'm not trying to talk for "what is fact" and what's not, I'm just stating my opinion.
leave a response