TV Diary
1. Random 1
As mentioned previously, I have a personal investment in checking this out just to see what my friend's been working on for the last few months. The first episode was promising and definitely set a tone. Like, the two main hosts/creators are out there trying to go nice things for strangers, all while bickering and cutting each other down, which accounts for the comedic element. It kind of bugged me that the intro voiceover characterized them as some kind of charitable organization that would be doing what they do with or without a TV show, which as I understood it is not the case. They alternate between two different cases per episode, and the difference between the two demonstrated the range of people they work with. One was a homeless amputee who needed a new leg, and the other was a Stanford-educated woman who wanted help getting a job with a nonprofit agency that does something good for society. The latter storyline didn't produce much drama, but the homeless guy, Bruce, was a pretty sad story and it did get a little emotional when they were actually able to do something for him. Plus it was one of segments that was actually shot in the Baltimore area, so we got to spot various recognizable places on the Jones Falls Expressway and York Road throughout the episode.
2. Everybody Hates Chris
Been watching it on and off, and it took me a couple episodes to really get into it, which was a little disappointing initially. All the Wonder Years comparisons had me excited, I still have a soft spot for that show. Plus I've always kind of been curious about the fact that Chris Rock, for all his reputation as a kind of daring, controversial comic, really has a clear affection for kind of wholesome mainstream comedy (see: Down To Earth, and to a lesser degree The President) that seems more sincere than just trying to sell out/soften up like Eddie Murphy. So it is kind of nice to see him indulge that sensibility with some success, even if it comes off a little too Malcom In The Middle for my taste sometimes.
3. CSI: NY
Gary Sinise forensic bbq.
4. The Colbert Report
I'm kinda mad at this show just because Colbert's "This Week In God" segments have been my favorite part of The Daily Show for the last couple years and now they have Corddry doing that and it's just not the same. Jury's still kind out on this, though. Been some really funny moments but it doesn't feel like it adds anything to TDS other than another half hour of similiar programming.
5. Movies 101
Though Inside The Actor's Studio may have given us a great target for satire and one of Will Ferrell's greatest impressions, fact is all of James Lipton's ridiculousness got in the way of what was a pretty good concept for a show. And Movies 101, AMC's kind of transparent rip-off of ITAS, cuts closer to what it could've been. I liked the one I caught w/ George Clooney, who comes across really well when he's just talking craft. I really wanna see that new flick he directed, I thought Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind was mad slept on.
As mentioned previously, I have a personal investment in checking this out just to see what my friend's been working on for the last few months. The first episode was promising and definitely set a tone. Like, the two main hosts/creators are out there trying to go nice things for strangers, all while bickering and cutting each other down, which accounts for the comedic element. It kind of bugged me that the intro voiceover characterized them as some kind of charitable organization that would be doing what they do with or without a TV show, which as I understood it is not the case. They alternate between two different cases per episode, and the difference between the two demonstrated the range of people they work with. One was a homeless amputee who needed a new leg, and the other was a Stanford-educated woman who wanted help getting a job with a nonprofit agency that does something good for society. The latter storyline didn't produce much drama, but the homeless guy, Bruce, was a pretty sad story and it did get a little emotional when they were actually able to do something for him. Plus it was one of segments that was actually shot in the Baltimore area, so we got to spot various recognizable places on the Jones Falls Expressway and York Road throughout the episode.
2. Everybody Hates Chris
Been watching it on and off, and it took me a couple episodes to really get into it, which was a little disappointing initially. All the Wonder Years comparisons had me excited, I still have a soft spot for that show. Plus I've always kind of been curious about the fact that Chris Rock, for all his reputation as a kind of daring, controversial comic, really has a clear affection for kind of wholesome mainstream comedy (see: Down To Earth, and to a lesser degree The President) that seems more sincere than just trying to sell out/soften up like Eddie Murphy. So it is kind of nice to see him indulge that sensibility with some success, even if it comes off a little too Malcom In The Middle for my taste sometimes.
3. CSI: NY
Gary Sinise forensic bbq.
4. The Colbert Report
I'm kinda mad at this show just because Colbert's "This Week In God" segments have been my favorite part of The Daily Show for the last couple years and now they have Corddry doing that and it's just not the same. Jury's still kind out on this, though. Been some really funny moments but it doesn't feel like it adds anything to TDS other than another half hour of similiar programming.
5. Movies 101
Though Inside The Actor's Studio may have given us a great target for satire and one of Will Ferrell's greatest impressions, fact is all of James Lipton's ridiculousness got in the way of what was a pretty good concept for a show. And Movies 101, AMC's kind of transparent rip-off of ITAS, cuts closer to what it could've been. I liked the one I caught w/ George Clooney, who comes across really well when he's just talking craft. I really wanna see that new flick he directed, I thought Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind was mad slept on.
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on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 at 8:58 PM.
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