In which I fancy myself a TV critic

It's time to talk television, people. What else is there to do on a rainy Friday? Certainly not the things I'm supposed to be doing right now. (And dear God, I never thought I'd say it, but Hallelujah for forty-three degrees and rain. I am no longer imprisoned in my own house.) (Although that is the only valid reason I have for having watched 300 hours of television in the last two weeks. The things I do for blog fodder!)

Knowing as you do about my undying love for Scrubs, did you make time to watch the musical episode last night? The Turk and Carla tango? The beautifully sung Dr. Cox rant? The way Elliot never had to sing by herself for very long? And the 'Guy Love' number, which, as soon as the show was over, was instantly located on YouTube at my house last night? If you didn't, you missed out. One of my coworkers recently threatened our friendly relationship by informing me that Scrubs has jumped the shark, but I loved this episode. I sort of hate the whole J.D. is having a baby storyline, mostly because I hate his new girlfriend, ick ick ick, but not enough to keep me from watching. Has this show ever won one stinking award? For shame!

Speaking of shame, I have watched the first two episodes of The Apprentice. I know. And people still let me go out in public. But remember when this show was awesome? The original Thursday Night TV Gang used to obsessively watch the first season, picking apart the board room scenes and arguing over who should have been fired (because Trump never ever fires the person who should be fired.) You'll be pleased to know the tradition has continued through season six (six?) as Trump went ahead and fired the creepy be-bow-tied guy instead of screamy strident Frank after the first task, and the gay guy who modeled the pink man bikini instead of the useless project manager who allowed the gay guy to create the pink man bikini in the first place. Also, Trump is even skeevier than previously thought, having gifted the winning team with a party at the Playboy Mansion and pretty much fired the gay guy because he was gay. Kick ass Ivanka or no, I've removed The Apprentice from my scheduled recordings. Shudder.

Oh, before Scrubs last night was The Office and one of the best pranks ever. We pull a lot of pranks in my office, but nothing like sliding a cell phone on top of the ceiling tiles and mercilessly calling it all day just to watch the owner go crazy. Also, Jim still loves Pam! Squee! Although I hate it when I find it impossible to hate the Other Woman. I hope she just quits and saves me from the whole dilemma. Everyone keeps telling me The Office is good, but not as good as the British version, which means I am never going to watch the British version. Is the British Jim as super as the American Jim? It cannot be.

There will be no discussion of American Idol, as American Idol is sadistic and boring and who are these people so entertained by horrific karaoke performances? I honestly don't get it. I don't like to watch people embarrass themselves for entertainment value, no matter how many times Phillip tries to tell me that most of them are doing it just to get on TV. Because that is even more sad. Ugh. I have to admit I'll get into the last couple shows, but only when the contestants are actually good and have a shot and aren't on stage for me to laugh at. At least, not on purpose.

I'm never home on Tuesday nights to watch Friday Night Lights, so I end up devouring the episode on a Saturday morning before Phillip gets out of bed, along with a giant bowl of cereal. Kind of my grown up version of Saturday morning cartoons. You guys, this show is so good. It's the best thing on TV while Veronica Mars is still on hiatus. This show manages to be my favorite, even though it is 1) about football 2) set in rural drawly Texas and 3) regularly displays the horribleness of teenage boys. I don't know anything about how to make television, but this show is shot so beautifully and written so well. I used to want to be Amy Abbott, but now I want to be Julie Taylor and have the cutest boyfriend and the coolest parents on TV. Cue long dreamy high schoolery sigh.

I'm not a Grey's Anatomy fan, sorry folks. And I won't watch anything where female characters are routinely abused and murdered, so that crosses off all the legal, forensic and medical dramas, ie: 99% of current programming. Are there, like, 900 versions of Law and Order now?

Phillip and I watched House reruns all summer, but now I find it more entertaining to watch Hugh Laurie than House. Who cares if he has to go to rehab? Not me. But Hugh Laurie on the Golden Globes, that was entertainment. I just like that show because all the celebrities keep getting drunker and drunker. I won't bore you all with my Conan and Daily Show reviews, or the indifference I have towards Demetri Martin's special on Comedy Central. I thought he was hilarious a few times on The Daily Show, but meh, he's just another "Ha, isn't that funny/interesting" comic set to music. He's a good one, but I like him better interviewing college students. People keep telling me to watch 30 Rock, but I don't know if I can deal with the whole Alec Baldwin thing. Also: Ugly Betty. I caught the last half of this show once and didn't get it. Is it worth another scheduled recording on TiVo? The Hollywood Foreign Press certainly seems to think so.

Anyway, I'm ready for Veronica Mars, Heroes and Lost to come back to TV.  I surely won't be watching the State of the Union address next week, will you? I hear another past favorite of mine is coming back next week, but we're not going to mention it, save for a Where The Hell Did The Real Lorelai Gilmore Go?! shriek into an indifferent wind...

Comments

[Angela]

Sadly, I really haven't missed GG... I'll probably still watch it just because I feel like I have a certain investment in the characters, but I just really don't like anyone on that show anymore.

I love Scrubs last night! I've been singing "I'm Dominican!" all day to anyone who will listen and I think I've confused everyone completely.

And The Office, oh, my love for The Office is strong... Although yes, my heart did break for Karen last night even as it did a jig of joy for Jam--or should it be Pim? I watched the BBC version, and while I enjoyed it I think the US version has characters that are much more interesting and compelling. Dwight is just way more insane and hilarious than his British counterpart, Michael is far more likeable, Pam is more adorable than Dawn, and Jim is way hotter than Tim.

Oh my God, how long is this comment??

[Jenn]

I started watching The Apprentice in the middle of last season and I loved it, I loved watching all these Trump suck-ups claw each other up trying to win. But this season is just sort of creepy. The Playboy Mansion? The candidates in swimwear? Trump saying he would wear that pink bathing suit? What? I don't know, I'll probably stick it out, if just to laugh at The Donald's Combover. He's such a windbag.

[the Pharmacist]

I must confess, I watched American Idol on Wed., but only to watch the (dreadful) Seattle auditions. And to see a guy who used to work at my college cafeteria get his 3 minutes of fame. Oh dear, it was Horrible! Turns out folks from his office put him up for the audition.

I am so thankful for The Office! Roomie and I laughed out loud for almost the entire half hour. We think the next prank should be convincing Andy he should try out for American Idol!

Hooray for Fridays, TiVo, and TV worth TiVo-ing!

[lee]

i have to watch just one more episode of grey's anatomy this season. and this time pretty much only for the ferry shots and the establishing footage from the top of the komo buil..er i mean, hospital.

the british office was funny, but the us one has now surpassed it, at least for me. which is unsurprising since they have obviously had more time to refine the funny.

my housemates have been systematically working themselves through 24, which has been surprisingly hard for me. oh noes jack bauer, who are you going to have to torture now? your own self?

[Christina/Mrs Broccoli Guy]

I don't watch any of those! Love Grey's Anatomy (sorry!). Also good ones ... Psych and Monk on USA network... I think they are both new episodes tonight - tivo them once and see what you think. I need to tivo Friday Night Lights... now that we have cable again I want to give it a try.

[Kanuck]

Ugly Betty is totally worth watching. Betty is a refreshingly normal person in a slightly absurd job, and the show has a great balance of laugh-out-loud-funny moments (this coming from someone who has no use for sitcoms) and poignant moments. Oh, and Henry is on his way to challenging Jim for the Most Adorable Guy on TV award.

[Lindsay]

Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Gilmore Girls is one of my favourite shows (if not my favourite) and it makes me want to cry to see what they've done to it. And yet? I cannot. stop. watching. It's all this Amy Sherman-Palladino drama and when she left she ruined the show and they're just making it worse this season. I say they let Quentin Tarantino guest direct one episode, and then maybe everything will be right again. Or just finished. He'd at least not draw out the painful process.

Oh! And thanks for that joke! I loved it. I am a big fan of the corny when it comes to jokes. I giggled for like 3 minutes straight. :o)

[Lynn]

Le sigh, I LOVE Scrubs! I just moved back to the States and consequently miss the new episode EVERY SINGLE WEEK because I can't remember what channel and what time. And it's horrible!

[Laura (Annslee's Mama)]

Love the Office...we just had an Office party the other night and watched all of Season 1 on DVD. An equal opportunity offender that Michael is. Sometimes I feel guilty, know I shouldn't laugh...but I do!