Fall 2013 TV Preview: Most Anticipated Returning Shows

I would say that during this time, most people pay attention to the new shows coming out, and while there is an excitement/build up for returning shows its almost never the same.  Part of the reason for this is that networks know people are "coming back" to their favorite show, and now its time to build up the hype for all of these new shows, so commercials at movie theatres and at home are geared more for the new rather than the returning, but what returning shows left people with such massive cliff hangers or cast changes that people are even more pumped for them to come back after a summer drought?

Glee (FOX)

Glee sadly makes the list because of the passing of Cory Monteith, if you ever considered yourself a Gleek, you will probably tune into the tribute episode for the young man who played the love able Finn Hudson.  It's honestly a shame that his character had that story line where he kissed Will, his mentor's fiance, but this episode will not allow a dry eye.

The Good Wife (CBS)

Alicia and Cary having their own firm versus Will and Diane?  Does this mean the end for Alicia and Will?  Josh Charles has only signed on for one more season.    Peter is the governor,  and more Carrie Preston, sign me up. all That  sounds like Must-See Television.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS)

The mother of all reveals happened, we finally met the future Theodore Evelyn Mosby, and I am pumped.  Barney and Robin are getting, still not as pumped about this, but I think this could be a great last season for a little show that became something bigger.

New Girl  (FOX)

Nick and Jess are together, it will be exciting to see where the show takes this romance, and hopefully it will not implode the way some shows lose steam with their popular couples once they get together.  Make them a Monica and Chandler, not a Ross and Rachel. Who will Schmidt pick?

NCIS (CBS)

I do not watch NCIS, but Cote de Pablo who plays Ziva is a fan favorite, and she has decided to leave the show, big mistake.  While this does not affect me I know many fans who will be curious to see how the show handles the characters departure.

Revenge (ABC)

Emily reveals herself to Jack, Victoria's son shows up, Nolan is being held, their is a gunshot to open the show, and Charlotte gets even bitchier bangs than Melissa Fuermo from One Life to Live.  This show ended with all cylinders fired up, but with a new show runner I am nervous.

Scandal (ABC)

There was a massive reveal at the end of last season when Olivia was blind sided reporters, and end up in a car with her father.  Where will the excitement head next with Pope and Associates, Shonda Rhimes is always full of surprise?

2012's Best and Worst in Television: The Series

Best Television Shows of the Year 2012

1-Homeland (SHOW) 

Every week the show re-writes the book on how to make a television series great.  Last year this was number 3 show of the year, and deservedly.  The show’s first season was impeccable, but the second has been a game changer.  While some have complained that the show has become too much about a “relationship” I challenge those folks, and think this show has become even more of a cat and mouse game than ever before.  Do Brody and Carrie “love” one another, maybe?  There is an undeniable tension between these characters, allowing the show to capitalize on the drama.  Watching week after week this show proves to break the rules challenging viewers to examine their disbelief, about what just happened.  Homeland is the must see television of 2012.

2-Girls (HBO)

A show that you will love or hate, I feel that there is no middle ground for this Lena Dunham project.  At 28 I feel like a failure watching this 25 year old girl star in, write for, direct, and produce one of the most well done shows of 2012.  At the beginning the show was seen as “younger Sex and the City.”  The comparisons can be made, Girls is about four women living in Brooklyn.  I think that’s where the comparisons stop.  Girls is a vibrant, and real journey for the millennial who has depended on their parents, or feel like they have everything going for them when they do not.  The show is hilarious, but also awkward, because as you watch these young women struggle you can’t help but think, I have been there, or damn how do they let this happen.  Girls is the bravest show of the year, and one of the funniest.

3-Breaking Bad (AMC)

The show never quits, while the beginning of the season started a little slow and had a weak episode, this show is still one of the best.  When Breaking Bad has a “bad” episode it’s still better than most shows on the air.  Watching the evolution of Walt turn into this kingpin was brilliantly executed, and the last episodes opening sequence was one of the most brilliant choreographed sequences.  Like with this past season’s Dexter (Deb finding out about Dexter) we have been waiting for Hank to stumble upon Walt’s secret, and he finally has, that moment, made me stand up and scream.

                                                                        4-Veep (HBO)

Another HBO show that cracked the top five , comes from the mind of Armando Iannucci is Veep.  What is it like to be the Vice President, to be just that close to the most important person in the United States?  If this show is any indication of Joe Biden’s life it’s quite hilarious. Iannucci is stranger to writing about the humor in politics (see In the Loop), his writing is so crisp, and witty.   Julia Louis Dreyfus’s Selena Meyers is one of the funniest roles I have seen for a woman in television; she proves that she is a comedic genius.  Along with Dreyfus this is one of the best ensembles, they work together like a well-oiled machine.  Great television!

5-Game Change (HBO) 

The television film event of the year.  Game Change is based on a book which looks at the 2008 election, the book looks at everyone involved from Hilary Clinton to John McCain.  This film focused obviously on the McCain/Palin ticket, and intricate details that occurred.  Moore’e performance made me forget about Tina Fey’s impersonation (until the showed it in the film-how meta), and the ensemble worked well together brilliantly.  This film shows the evolution of politics, and the fact that celebrity status plays a role in campaigning.  Palin is an interesting women, and the film proves to be a well-balanced representation of how this ticket spiraled into unrealistic crazy experience for those involved.

 6-Louie (F/X)

With every season this show surprises me, and proves there is something new, and ingenious from the mind of comedian Louis C.K..  Watching Louie date and be with women ranging from Melissa Leo to Parker Posey were some of my favorite comedic moments from this past year.  C.K. like Lena Dunham is a forward thinking person who is brutally honest comedic mind of our time, and his show week after week represents is journey as a single dad, and someone just living their everyday life.  The man knows his stuff, and even helped Robin Williams seem relevant.

7- Sherlock (BBC/PBS)

Everyone is obsessed with Downton Abbey, but the real BBC star from this past year was Sherlock.  Sherlock is in the second series (season UK term) tackled a much darker three episodes, as Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) fought to stay alive.  With three long form episodes the real stand out from this series was “A Scandal in Belgravia” where Holmes meets his match in female dominatrix Irene Adler.  This episode started the series strong and proved that this was not a tired reinterpretation of the great detective, but one of the most vibrant television shows.  Cumberbatch has bested Robert Downey Jr. and Steven Moffat (the writer, creator, and sometimes actor) knows how to hold you on the edge of your seat better than anyone.

8- Parks and Recreation (NBC)

Last year’s number one show is still at the top of its game, but is not as funny as the combination the second season and first half of the third.  Leslie Knope running for city council has been one of the funniest stories, and the debate and election episodes pushed this show to stay on this list.  This show has survived better than its somewhat similar show The Office.  Parks and Recreation uses their ensemble well, and has helped to continue to develop their characters in meaningful ways.  This show continues to make me laugh week after week, even with the occasionally miss episode.  Amy Poehler’s writing is the gift that keeps on giving!

9-The Newsroom (HBO)

Aaron Sorkin got a lot of grief for this, and the critics did not hold back (unlike with the The West Wing).  The show was described as anti-woman, pandering to liberals, and many other adjectives.  What I saw like former news anchor Dan Rather was an honest show about the reality of working in a newsroom.  The show had heavy handed moments (the Coldplay montage) and was often a little left leaning, but there were also some great performances (Jeff Daniels, and Sam Waterston), and some great television moments that looked at the changing face of the 24/7 news cycle.  I was hooked from episode one, and have not looked back.

10- Community (NBC)

The drama, Dan Harmon leaving, Chevy Chase going crazy, and even more of that is permeating into the upcoming season.  When Community returned for the second half of its third season in 2012 it did not completely hit it out of the park, but still provided some of the best comedic moments of television.  From a Law & Order spoof, the misadventures of the Greendale 7, and the gang entering Nintendo like video game this show still has some of the wittiest writing on television.  My favorite ensemble working in comedy.

Worst Television Shows of the Year 2012

1- Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo (TLC) 

Do I need to explain? This show was a cultural phenomenon in a tragic way, and I am sad that the reporters have got on the gravy train.  I feel as though I am in the episode of Newsroom when they are forced to cover Casey Anthony.  This is one of the worst shows of all time!

2- Work It (ABC)

One of the most offensive premises of all time. Two men, living in a woman’s world, so they dress like women.  Lasted only two episodes because of backlash, and well, it was terrible.  How this show even made it to mid-season proves just how bad the material is at the networks.

3-Are You There, Chelsea? (NBC)

Chelsea is one funny lady, but every time she has left late night she (beyond her books) she always seem to fail, the MTV movie awards, films, and now here in her television series.  I watched this show one and a half times, the second time (or half time) I just could not laugh or sit through this show, you can do better Chelsea.

4-How I Met Your Mother (CBS)

The Show feels as though it’s at a standstill.  They keep playing the same storylines, will Robin and Barney get together or won’t they, does Ted still love Robin?  The show seems to be the Barney Stinson show, and do not get me wrong I love NPH, but what about Ted, Marshall, and Lilly they have become secondary figures.  The show is supposedly going to end this year, but they appear to be nowhere in sight of meeting the mother.  To put this show on this list pains me, but there is no way around it.

5-The Killing (AMC) 

What started out as a taught wonderfully crafted thriller unspooled into another run of the mill procedural that had little pay off for the time spent on the mystery of Who Killed Rosie Larson, and made climatic moments a snooze.

2012's Best and Worst in Television: The Episodes

Best Television Episodes

Community “Basic Lupine Urology” How do you spoof Law and Order by paying homage to the show while making fun of the procedural, ask Community, because they are the master.  I may be a bit biased because to me this is the funniest show on the air, but this show is of the hook.  From a hilarious cross examination by Annie to Abed and Troy switching from good to bad cop, there is no reason to stop this show.

“Troy: How did we get the short straw?

Abed: It's not a short straw. It's a hot potato.

Troy: Yeah, well, it looks pretty cold to me.

Abed: Cold or dead?.

Troy: Survey says...

Abed: We can't both do the zinger.”

Game of Thrones “Black Water” One of the best directed episodes of the year, and that I have ever seen in television history.  The battle mixed with the genuine brilliant story telling is so well done.  Game of Thrones had a solid season, but this episode catapulted the season into greatness.  How this episode was ignored by the Emmy Awards in the directing category is beyond me.  From the action to Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey’s great on screen acting chemistry this was off the hook.

Mad Men-“The Other Woman”- Mad Men had its weakest season (which is not saying much), but there were some episodes that were out of this world amazing.  “The Other Woman” highlighted one of the most difficult stories as Joan gave up her body to help land the Jaguar account, and become a partner.  Joan steals the episodes and her scenes with Pete, Roger, Don, and Lane are brilliant.  Peggy also completes her growth as she steps out of Don’s shadow on her own.

Homeland- Q&A-Cat and mouse finally catch up to one another.  Carrie is finally justified on her opinion when everyone at the CIA finally finds out that Brody was a terrorist.  This episode takes place almost entirely in the interrogation room, and its brilliance is sealed in the final moments when Carrie confronts Bordy.  If you take out Brody’s daughter’s storyline, this is one of the most perfect episodes.

Revenge “Reckoning” The best season finale of last year!  Revenge knows how to ramp up the drama, while this year the show is a bit more like Alias (good and bad thing), the season ender was one of the most exciting episodes of a television series.  With twists and turns, cliffhangers about major deaths, and Emily finally being challenged, there was a lot of good here.

Parks and Recreation “The Debate” -Leslie Knope versus. Bobby Newport in a debate to hilariously end all debates.   This is not the end of her campaign, but one of the funniest moments where these two go toe to toe on the stage.  While this remains the main story, the best side story involves Andy reenacting his favorite films because their cable is out and they can’t watch the debate.   This episode proves this ensemble fires on all cylinders.

Worst Television Episodes

Grey’s Anatomy-“Flight” Enough already Shonda!  Stop needlessly killing your characters in these awful tragic accidents.  Losing both Lexie and Mark has proven to set your show in a downward spiral (no pun intended).  You continue to use major plot devices to drive the story rather than let natural character development occur.  Your fans are getting fatigue with this crazy episodes.

How I Met Your Mother “The Autumn of Breakups”-Wait didn’t Ted and Victoria break up in season one over Robin, and wait didn’t Ted tell Robin he loved her last season, and things ended incredibly bad for Ted?  Don’t we already know Robin ends up with Barney?  Why are writers wasting their time and their fans time with retread story lines over and over and over again.  Pick the mother!!

Glee “Dynamic Duets”- Thwap! Bam! Pow!  Blaine and his super hero club came off and cloying, and odd, rather than a cute way for him to get over Kurt.  Couldn’t they have just had him going through a crisis rather than dress up in spandex in order to be tempted back into the world of the Warblers.  I am tired of this shows absolutely poor character development, and storyline progression.  This episode proved this show needed to pick a steadier direction rather than fracturing the direction of the show to NY, Ohio and wherever else folks may be.  This episode stands as something beyond camp, but just an awful train wreck.

Revolution “Pilot” One of the worst pilots I have watched in years, this show had no charismatic characters and never made me invested in the mystery nor did I care about the journey.  Now I often give most pilots the benefit of the doubt because they are establishing the story, and building at something bigger.  This show looked like all of the most recent Lost wannabe shows like Alcatraz, the re-make of V, etc.  Stop trying too hard!

The Office “Here Comes Treble” This show has fallen so far from grace, and even fans know this show is no longer relevant or even funny (most of the time).  This season’s Halloween episode entitle “Here Comes Treble” is proof.  Trying to combine four or five entertaining stories can be provide even a mess with longer dramatic episodes, so why add this element to a comedy.  No storyline seemed to hit its groove.

Season (Series) Finales the Best and the Worst (Spoilers Inside)

Worst Reality Show FinaleThe Voice/American Idol (tie)-I only regularly watched The Voice, I never watched Idol, but all both shows have a hit a point where once the competition begins the excitement is lost.  As The Voice was narrowed down to fewer and fewer contestants the I got more and more bored because the show seems to focus more on the judges bickering.  Idol picked another white boy who plays a guitar?  Will this show realize there is a problem?  Jennifer Lopez is selfish and wants more money for doing nothing.  The problem with these shows and the reason they are bad is that the judges/hosts takeover. Time to go away, or re-tool, in a major way.


Best Series Finale

Desperate Housewives- I am only going to count the second part of the two hour episode (couldn't they have just split them into two different weeks?)  The show was fun, and ended perfectly, the same way it began, with friendship, poker, and mysteries of the suburbs.  There were a lot of great scenes referencing the first season/episode, and the last scene with Susan driving past the dead residents of Wisteria Lane, was haunting yet touching.

Biggest Letdown 

How I Met Your Mother-I love this show, but I am tired of the run around.  The show runners need to get their act together and just take a direct path to meeting the mother, which is the so called point of this show.  I get that they like to focus on Barney, because he became so popular, but honestly the ending left me unsatisfied. Throughout the whole episode I became comfortable in the fact that Barney was going to pick Quinn even though I figured it would be Robin.  I was happy Barney had moved on and of course the pull the old switcheroo.  This show needs to move forward I feel like I have been stuck seeing the same thing.

Best Musical Show Finale

Smash-The show got back to the roots.  The first few episodes of this show were good because they were about the production, the middle got bogged down in drama in everyone's personal, but the last few episodes did a boomerang to make the last episode the best of the season.  Smash had energy, and made things come together for the test run in Boston.


Worst Season Finale (Comedy)


30 Rock-This show has lost its spunk.  I am glad season seven is the last because this season has devolved into something I hoped it would not, something less funny.  Jack's story with Avery was awful, the live episodes was solid enough, but could not save the season.  I love you 30 Rock but this was your worst season, and the finale did not help.  This was the worst for me because the show proved that even their writing could not save their bad story lines (I love you Tina).
Worst Season Finale  (Drama)
Grey's Anatomy-The finale made me want to re-watch all of the seasons and catch up (but only because I missed Bailey and Christina).  The death of Lexie Grey was so quick and sudden I barely had time to process.  At the half  way point I said "Was that real? Did that happen?  Did she die that quick without any payoff?"  While I applaud Rhimes for making her death more realistic, in a television drama you can take some liberties; she was a major character in the shows history and I feel like her death was handled poorly.

Best Season Finale (Comedy)


Parks and Recreation-The buildup for Leslie Knope's city council campaign was done incredibly well, and in the end she lost, but then won with a recount.  The episode was the perfect combination of humor and touching moments.  The characters have continued to develop and find their place, like Andy potentially being a cop.  I think this show has great character, and ended perfectly.


Best Season Finale (Drama and Of the Season)


Revenge-This is how you end a season!! This show slowed down a little in the middle and after the hiatus, but ran on full cylinders in the finale. Emily  and Daniel are done, look for her former best friend Ashley to knock boots with Daniel next season! Emily kicked some ass with the WHM, and thankfully saved Nolan.  Fake Amanda is pregnant with Jack's baby (I don't think its real or it's not Jack's baby).  Then to top it all off Queen Grayson (Victoria) and her friend Lydia get on a plane, and the plane explodes, was Victoria on the plane?  Charlotte sees the news takes too many pills and her father comes in to try and save her.  Then to top it all off Nolan shows Em a video and says her mother is alive...boom ends.  Jam packed action and suspense, way to go!

Closing Time: Time for May Sweeps and Season and Series Finales

As another school year comes to an end, and I close the doors on another chapter of my life it makes me think about all of the wonderful times I had with the RAs I supervised, and the students who lived in the building I worked in.  There were also some crazy moments, but I am excited for some relaxing summer moments where I do not have crazy students damaging my building.  This is also the time of the year when many shows end their seasons or they end completely.

This time is traditionally referred to as May sweeps.  During this time there are lots of shows that end big, with weddings, graduations, deaths, births, elections, or other momentous life events.  The traditional television season has morphed with non basic cable networks, so they do not fit within this typical model, but here what is going on and what we may find out as the shows seasons/series come to an end.

April 29th

The Good Wife-The season has flown by with Alicia struggling with her relationship with Will, becoming friend with Kahlinda again, and trying to find a nice balance with her relationship with Peter.  This season ender has two of the firms most diabolical enemies Patty Niholme (Martha Plimpton) and Lewis Canning (Michael J. Fox) attempting to bankrupt the firm.  Peter is facing an uphill battle in the gubernatorial race potentially against Matthew Perry's character.  Kahlinda has had to face a lot of challenges as well and tonight she will get a major surprise.

May 6th

GCB-This shows pilot made it seem as though this show had no potential but with the show hitting its rhythm I am happy to say I am hope that this show returns next season.  As the season has progressed Amanda has moved forward to try and create a good relationship with mean girls Carleen and Cricket.

May 8th

The Voice-Does the winner even matter?  This show loses so much steam after the chairs stop turning around.  The show is different from American Idol, but at this point I have lost so much interest and honestly do not care who wins.  I do enjoy watching the judges.  I guess I like Jamar Brooks.

May 10th

Parks and Recreation-Will Leslie Knope win the election?  That's the big question on everyone's mind. This show is pitch perfect and has done something The Office could not do keep the the quality, because they do not try too hard.

May 13th

Desperate Housewives-This is end!  Last summer, I stated that this show should end, and ABC and Marc Cherry listened.  This show ran it's course, and I gave up a couple of seasons ago.  I will tune in to see how the 4 ladies will end their time on Wisteria Lane.

May 14th

How I Met Your Mother-Who is Barney going to marry?  We better find out who the bride is in the season finale.  It will be fun to watch Lilly give birth too.

May 15th

Grey's Anatomy-I gave up on this show the same time I gave up on on Desperate Housewives, but this is going to be an interesting finale.  There are a lot of contracts up on Grey's, a lot of doctor's will have offers to leave Seattle Grace, and someone is going to fail their boards.  Mix this up with another crazy ending like the gunman in the hospital, and you have one crazy cliffhanger ending on your hands.

May 21st

House-After many years on the air this show is coming to an end.  How will it end?  The last episode is called Everyone Dies, this cryptic title has a dark an ominous tone for the series ending episode.

May 22nd

Glee-The kids from McKinley High are graduating.  Where will they all go, and what will their futures bring?  Who will be back next season, and who is gone for good?  I think this will bring the show to an important cross roads that will make or break it for me next year.

May 23rd

Modern Family-Will Mitch and Cam adopt their second child, will Haley go to college?  No cliffhangers on this show, just good ole fashioned fun comedy.

Revenge-Amanda knows who killed her dad, and it's on!  The Grayson's are in even bigger trouble with her.

How I Met Your Mother: Does the Identity of the Mother Matter?

Last night How I Met Your Mother broke away from the typical bro humor to deliver one of, if not their most emotional episode ever!  Without giving too much away, the show focused on Robin and used Colbie Smulders (the actress who plays Robin) as the voice over instead of Bob Saget's voice (future Ted).  The episode has divided many fans of the show, but I thought it was a nice departure from the typical direction of the show.  I have also been re-watching all of the rest of the seasons on DVD and came to the realization, I don't know if I care who Ted ends up with.  This can be seen on two levels, incredibly problematic or ingenious.

The show started out focusing mainly on the premise of Ted (Josh Radnor) telling his children the story of how he met their mother.  This show does still come from Ted's vantage point, and the stories are all building to him meeting his future wife, but I have to applaud this show for exploring the concept of friendship well.  The show has had it's ups and downs. Some seasons have been pretty amazing, while other meander as if they have no direction, but this show remains to to have heart, and has brought 5 main characters that viewer connect with.

How I Met Your Mother is not on the level of shows like 30 Rock, Community, or Modern Family, but this show is a unique blend of typical sitcom and a show that takes you outside of that standard realm.  The show is not "smart" humor, but more about relate able humor.  What does that mean?  How I Met Your Mother is about a group of friends, and tells their stories from the triumphs to the failures.  The show uses the day to day scenarios of 20-30 somethings so that people can laugh because they have experience similar situations.

From Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) man whore mentality to Marshall and Lily's (Jason Segel and Alyson Hanngan) romantic love story this show provides a lot of great laugh out loud moments.  Neil Patrick Harris is brilliant as Barney; he has taken a one dimensional man whore and turned him into a character people root for.  The writers and Harris have given Barney more depth throughout the years proving him with his first relationship, and getting him to meet his birth father.  Colbie Smulder's is one of my favorite funny women on television; she plays robin perfectly.  Robin does not represent the typical portrayal of women in the media; she is a gun toting Canadian, who focuses on her career and for the most part is not always seeking to have children; she is shrewd sarcastic and just plain great.  Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan are play the perfect couple so well, their comedic timing and chemistry add the richness of the show.

Then there's Josh Radnor's Ted, who can be the most annoying of the characters (although re-watching the seasons I have found less annoying).  The ironic part of this is that Ted is the central character and the viewers are supposed to care more about his search for his wife.  But do they?  When I talk about this show I always reference Barney and his playbook or many rules to dating or sleeping with people.  I also talk about Robin, her Canadian ways, and her going to the mall or "Sandcastles in the Sand."

The creators behind this show are brilliant.  They started with a simple presence but realized they had more they could do with their other characters and developed some great stories.  I do want to know who  Ted is going to end up with, but I care more about the characters I know and love than gimmick of actually caring about who the mother may be.  I love that this show has developed into something that I watch because I care about the characters not the plot device.  Below is a video as to why this show makes me smile, and why I do not care as much about the mother!

My Favorite Thanksgiving Episodes

Thanksgiving is that time of year when everyone goes home to spend time with their families or avoids their families like the plague an attempts to make on their own with their friends. This is one of the best times of the year where there are numerous holiday episodes.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday with the great food, and its also because it is close to my birthday.  Here are some of my favorite Thanksgiving episodes.

1-Friends-This is the show that had a special Thanksgiving episode almost every season.  This show did Thanksgiving episodes best.  In the shows first season the thanksgiving episode "TOW Underdog Got Away" the six characters all made plans separately but Rachel could not get away and others plans got ruined so they all ended up spending their first Thanksgiving together.  The second season there was no Thanksgiving episode, but then in the third season they competed for the Gellar cup, and in the fourth season had Chandler sitting in a box because he betrayed Joey.  The best Thanksgiving episode ever is in the fifth season of Friends in an episode entitled "TOW All the Thanksgiving Flashbacks" is where we get to see fat Monica again, Chandler losing a toe, Phoebe's past lives, and Joey putting a turkey on his head.  The Thanksgiving episodes continued, but this one was the best.

2-The West Wing had two wonderful Thanksgiving episodes "Shibboleth" and "Indians in the Lobbey."  The better of the two is seasons two's "Shibboleth" and the best story was watching CJ (Allison Janney) having to help pick a turkey for the President to pardon.  Every year at Thanksgiving time the President pardons a turkey.  I love this episode!

3-Will & Grace also had two great Thanksgiving episodes "Homo for the Holidays" and "Moveable Feast."  The best episode among the two is "Homo for Holidays" where Grace and Will talk to Jack's mom and find out that Jack has not only never come out to her, but he has told her that he has dated both Karen and Grace.  This episode has one of my favorite lines in the entire history of the show, which came Karen.

GRACE: Hmmm. Well, you've come on a good night. Jack's mother is going to be joining us, and she doesn't know Jack's gay.
KAREN: How could she not know? What is she, headless?


4-Gilmore Girls-If anyone can eat four Thanksgiving dinners its Lorelai and Rory Gilmore.  In "A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving" Lorelai and Rory start their day at Sookie's and get to see Jackson deep fry a turkey, then they head to the Kim's for tofurkey, then onto Luke's diner for their almost double date Thanksgiving, and they end their night at the Gilmore's mansion.  There is nothing better than a smart witty Thanksgiving.

5-How I Met Your Mother-This show like Friends did a good job of navigating the world of celebrating Thanksgiving with Friends.  In season one we get to watch Barney work at a soup kitchen, and find out he is only doing it because he was court mandated.  Then after each season we get into the world of the Slap Bet.  The Slap Bet Episodes are great!  they focus around Thanksgiving but also on a bet that Marshall has made with Barney, and Marshall gets to slap him for losing the bet.  


I love the more modern Thanksgiving shows.  They do not focus as much on dealing with family, but are more about making Thanksgiving a time where you can spend this holiday with people you love who you want to be around.

Jumping the Shark Part 1: The Phantom Menaces

Two things to start: First, I know my blog has been all about movies for the first three months, but sometimes a blogger  just has to change gears in order to keep me writing, second I am tired of television shows lasting past their prime!!!  I was driving home and I heard an ad that had the them song The Office (USA version), and thought "That is one show I am giving up on!"  There is a term for television shows that have gone on too long, and that term is "Jumping the Shark."  The term comes from an episode of Happy Days (1974-1984) when the Fonzie actually jumped over a shark with his motorcycle.  I think the phrase is overused by people, and they try and pinpoint the time when shows "jump the shark" but there are just several shows on the air that need to call it quits.

The Office (NBC, 2005-2013)  I loved watching Michael make a fool of himself, and Jim and Pam make eyes at each other, date, fall in love, get married and have a baby. Then there was Dwight's beet farm, Angela's disapproval, Phyllis and her big jugs, Stanley ornery nature, Kelly being a ditz, Ryan lazy, and of course Andy just being Andy.  The show has a great ensemble with new characters, and now a new boss on the way, but without Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the heart of this show is gone!  I think once Jim and Pam had the baby this show "jumped the shark." Two characters who we all know and love had their happy ending, that's all we needed.  I did love this past season, and seeing Holly and Michael together again, and Michael's last episode was great.  I think the show should have ended, Mary Tyler Moore style with Sabre closing everyone finding new funny jobs, and walking out hugging each other (with Michael).



Desperate Housewives (ABC, 2004-2012)  I remember Marc Cherry saying "I am going to end this show after year 7" and that did not happen we are entering year 8 of this show.  The novelty of this show show wore off after year one, and season two atrocious.  Season 3 was a little better, but this show never found its grove again.  I understand that having a show that is a success is hard to walk away from but the jump in time is where most would say this show "jumped the shark."  I think this show was a one season wonder.  Like Glee the novelty wore off, and the shows quality faded and dipped quickly.  I stopped watching this show the season before the time change and could not happier to have Sunday nights for better shows.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 2005-Present)  I am going to paraphrase Jerry Maguire for a second, show me the mother!!! I loved this show in the beginning, it almost realistically describes living in Manhattan (much better than Friends at that) and was just a cute show with a great premise.  Somewhere 6 seasons later we are lost in a tangled mess, and we are no closer to finding the mother of Ted's children.  This show is renewed for two more years, really?! I love Barney and his portrayer Neil Patrick Harris as much as the next as the next person, but even Barney would be telling a fake story to ditch this show.  I don't know if there is a specific moment when this show "jumped the shark" but I am ready to jump ship if they don't do better storytelling.

Grey's Anatomy (ABC-2005-Present)  Cut to Meredith falling in the water drowning, dying, talking to Denny (ugh) and coming back to life, "JUMPING THE SHARK!" I kept watching.  Cut to Izzy having sex in the hospital to a hallucination of Denny because she had a brain tumor "JUMPING THE SHARK!" I kept watching.  I can handle the back and forth romances but this show has been sloppy with that. Lexie to George to Alex to Mark, George with Meredith then Callie then Izzie then on his own.  I gave up this show when they killed off George.  I remember watching the season premiere after that, and stating.  I can't keep going!  The only person I would watch this show for is Sandra Oh, even Chandra Wilson's character lost her spunk.

Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit (NBC, 1999-Present) This show without Stabler and Benson is not SVU!  I think this should have ended a few years ago because the procedural sheen wore off.  Throwing in new characters will not make this show worth watching again.  I think this show jumped the shark when they got rid of Diane Neal. In the beginning this show was about the crime and the character development of the shows actual full time characters.  Today SVU is revolving door for guest stars to score an Emmy nomination.  People like Sharon Stone, Robin Williams, made the show campy rather than something to applaud.  I recently watched the episode with John Stamos and fell as though the show had just lost its emotional heft, and the the guest appearances are a novelty.

Weeds (Showtime, 2005-2012) The premise is great, a suburban mom turns to dealing drugs when her husband dies and leave her with no money.  The first two years of this show was genius, but the plot got tired as they tried to invent even crazier places for Nancy Botwin.  This past season where she and her family were fugitives was terrible, and the season before that was even worse.  Usually Showtime knows when to shut it down, but this show has been a big success for them.  I believe this is the last season, but Nancy and company jumped the shark somewhere around the time when Nancy burns down her whole housing development at the end of season 3.




Ironically most of these shows got their start in 2005, maybe it was something about the year or maybe the shows networks don't know when to give up!  I hope that these shows end soon or that fans revolt and stop watching.

UPDATE:

The Office will close it's doors in May, and How I Met Your Mother will end May 2014 (Desperate Housewives, Weeds have ended).