Fresh Meat: Workaholics

Now I know its stupid of me to say that there has never been a show that truly relates to the college
student. There is South Park and It's Always Sunny etc... However, there is a new show in town that beautifully represents the image of our budding youth from lazy college student, to now, lazy worker. For this generation of employees, there is a whole world outside of the work office that would scare the shit out of their bosses. Workaholics, delightfully melds those two worlds together. Three friends, (Anders Holm, Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine) work as salesman selling random products to anybody who will stay on the phone long enough. They play pranks on each other at home, at the office and on their coworkers. In one episode, they take mushrooms and camp out in their office cause their house is being sprayed for bugs. They think that the IT guys are robbers and set up this obstacle course to catch them, using lasers like the movie Entrapment and broomsticks fashioned into spears like Braveheart.

Bottom Line: If you are in your early 20's and miss your college days, this show is your cure. It will have you singing Catherine Zeta Jones in no time!

Why Aren't You Watching: Cougar Town

Now I know what you're thinking, but before you laugh and decide to ignore this show because of its admittedly horrible title, try to keep an open mind and trust the creative talent here (who claim "titles are hard!" in one of the second season's many opening title cards mocking the show's name). Although the show did initially begin with the premise of a divorced 40-something who sleeps with 20-something guys, it was hastily abandoned about 8 or 10 episodes in, as the phenomenal cast of characters began to settle in. After being on an unfortunate hiatus since February to make room for the disappointing Mr. Sunshine and the surprisingly decent  Happy Endings (now airing at 10 after its premiere last Wednesday), Cougar Town is finally returning to ABC Wednesdays at 9:30 (with a special episode airing this Monday at 9:30 as well) with red wine and penny cans intact.

Free from the groan-inducing initial premise, Cougar Town has quickly become one of the most hilarious and original comedies currently on television, now simply following the lives of this small Florida culdesac of wine-sipping friends. Of course the show's primary character is Courtney Cox's Jules Cobb, a real estate agent that has difficulty being mean and un-obsessive. Since raising him as a single mother, she harbors a particularly creepy fixation with her son Travis, played with appropriate awkwardness and smugness by Dan Byrd. And with Travis off to college (though of course he still finds time to hang out with his mom's friends...) Jules has been free to focus her attention on her neighbor and boyfriend Grayson (Josh Hopkins), commonly referred to on the show as Tiny Eyes.

That nickname is a perfect example of the light-hearted, but slightly acerbic way the characters in this show interact with one another.  Constantly drinking red wine (Jules often drinks out of Big Carl/Joe, a gigantic novelty wine glass), the group often invent and play ridiculous games such as Penny Can, a game Jules' hillbilly-esque  ex-husband Bobby (Brian Van Holt) coined while living on his parking-lot-docked boat along with his best friend and biggest fan Andy (a hilarious Ian Gomez) which involves, shockingly enough, throwing pennies into a can. The cast is rounded out by Jules' two best friends, Andy's delightfully mean-spirited wife Ellie (creator Bill Lawrence's actual wife, Christa Miller) and the youthfully trashy  Laurie (an outrageous Busy Phillips), who just happen to officially hate each other and deliver most of the show's nicknames and insults toward each other.

As you can see, this is the rare show where each character is equally worth mentioning, where they all pull together as an exceptionally entertaining and amusing ensemble. Since the characters are relied on for the show's comedy and personality instead of a wacky premise or situation, they are what make this such a great show. Though its lead-in Modern Family is just about setting the current standard for reliable sitcoms right now, Cougar Town comes off as edgier and more unique, taking risks with new character types and writing styles that more often than not hit their comedic marks.

Bottom Line: If you can get past the horrible title and just give this show a chance, you'll see that Cougar Town will quickly become a show you look forward to every week, as it keeps you laughing out loud with its original brand of comedy and vivacious characters.

Fresh Meat: The Killing

AMC continues its onslaught of great television with the premiere of its new drama series, The Killing (Sundays at 10:00). Unlike the prevalent crime procedurals found on CBS, The Killing revolves around the investigation of a single murder (though it is from the creator of Cold Case), with each episode consisting of one day. Similar to other AMC series like The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad, The Killing is filmed with a classic style, helping to set the very realistic tone of a damp and dreary Seattle. Of course adding to the excellent production is the phenomenal acting, led by Mireille Enos (Big Love) as Detective Sarah Linden.


On her last day working the beat in Seattle before moving to California to marry and live with her fiancée, Linden is drawn into the search for a missing teenage girl. Instead of taking it easy and passing the case off, she is compelled to follow through on the investigation as its circumstances progress into even more nefarious territory. Her partner on the case is her intended replacement as homicide detective, former undercover officer Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman). Understandably, Holder's conduct and strategies vastly differ from Linden's due to his extended duty on the streets. Refreshingly, he almost comes off as how a two-bit criminal might serve as a detective, offering up insensitive wisecracks and even smoking weed with high schoolers to gain insight into their own "underground."


In addition to following the investigation surrounding the girl, The Killing also devotes equal time to the struggles of her family as they try to cope with their devastating loss. Michelle Forbes (True Blood) and Brent Sexton (Life) play her middle-class parents with such realism that you can't help but be drawn into their mourning and sorrow. Finally, the story also follows the campaign of a city councilman played by Billy Campbell whose connection to the murder seems to be merely circumstantial, though of course there is always some suspicion necessary when dealing with politics. As the show progresses (the first two episodes aired together April 3rd), the mystery develops further as more details are uncovered, revealing surprising connections and information about this young girl's life.


Bottom Line: The Killing is a well-crafted series that, despite its pacing, should hook you with its realistic depictions and increasingly captivating mystery.