Retrospective: Episodes (Season 1)

After a bumpy pilot, Showtime's Episodes, which just finished airing its 7-episode first season, proved itself to be a light and fun look behind the scenes of the entertainment industry. The show centers on Sean and Beverly Lincoln (Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig), two British writers who created an award winning sitcom in England, who are invited to come to Hollywood to produce a new version of their show for the US (like NBC's development of The Office). However, the basic punchline premise of the show is that the American network executives completely butcher the show, changing it from Liman's Boys, a dry headmaster's relationship with the students of a boys' boarding school, to Pucks!, an arrogant hockey coach's relationship with the school's team, starring Matt Le Blanc.

The first episode is a little rough, as the two leads come off as a little dull. Sean is ever the optimist, finding all the benefits in their new surroundings, while Beverly has a more difficult time adjusting to the L.A. lifestyle. Le Blanc doesn't really enter the show until the second episode when the executives insist on casting him, even though practically everyone agrees he is completely wrong for the part, including Le Blanc himself. His exaggerated cockiness is skillfully played with just the right amount of subtlety, hilariously mocking his own shortcomings (like cheating on his wife) and serving as the show's archetype for the lavish life of a Hollywood actor (which quickly charms Sean and alienates Beverly).

Although much of the Hollywood and entertainment industry critiques are predictable and unoriginal, the show excels by portraying them either effectively understated or absurdly exaggerated, like the ridiculously despicable network executive Merc Lapidus, who cheats on his blind wife and is constantly insincere. The shows other supporting characters, such as the seemingly age-defying and spunky actress Morning Randolph, also help maintain the show's comedy. Particularly hysterical are the absurd facial expressions of Myra Licht, the head of comedy for the network (pictured at right).

Bottom Line: Largely thanks to Matt Le Blanc, Episodes has proven to be a fun and ridiculous trip through Hollywood in its first season, and hopefully Showtime will pick it up for a second.

Why Aren't You Watching: Archer

Archer (Thursdays at 10), an animated spy comedy on FX, has such a basic premise that its actually surprising how original and hilarious the show manages to be. Instead of relying on humor from incompetent spies and villains (like Get Smart), the majority of Archer's laughs come from the characters' focus on the more mundane issues that arise in any line of work. A running gag in the show is characters rebuking others for spilling on the carpets "because thats how you get ants," and the lead character's priority of the maintenance of his clothes or the quality of his drink, even in life-threatening situations.

As voiced by H. Jon Benjamin, Sterling Archer is like James Bond if James Bond was an arrogant ass. Although he's not always aware of the villains' plans, he is always able to complete his missions with expert skill and a wisecrack or ten. Adding to his issues is his mother, Malory (Jessica Walter from Arrested Development), who just happens to be his boss as the head of ISIS (International Secret Intelligence Service), though she often uses the agents to  advance her own agendas, including money, luxury items, and a prominent element in Archer, sex. Lana Kane (Aisha Tyler) is another of the service's top agents, often partnered up with Sterling though they used to be in a relationship.

The ridiculous characters that make up the office include Carol/Cheryl (Judy Greer), whose name no one quite knows and is slightly masochistic, Cyril Figgis (Chris Parnell), the unhinged comptroller, and Pam, the disgusting, obnoxious, and intrusive director of human resources. Each character is constantly throwing out clever insults towards the others, along with hilarious catchphrases and other running jokes (such as Sterling's love for Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone"). In fact a great example of how regularly these characters spout witty remarks is Sterling's own recurring line, "wait, I had something for this...," often delivered in the middle of a comeback. With the amount and frequency of these quips, its understandable that one might forget a few.

Bottom Line: Archer is an original and hilariously inappropriate take on the spy genre, and its phenomenal voice cast and writing make it truly worth checking out.

Fresh Meat: Bob's Burgers

H. Jon Benjamin is everywhere. We cannot get rid of him. Luckily that's a good thing. Benjamin is the voice of yet another lovable character (he also voices the lead on Archer) in this show about a family of five and their quest to dominate the burger world.

You might be wondering why you should watch yet another cartoon family, with an eccentric father and crazy kids. I grew up with the Simpsons and Family Guy, and this show rivals those at their peaks (even though Family Guy had a very short one). What initially sets this show apart from the aforementioned sitcoms is its impressive refusal to follow the same predictable plots that these and other shows have done to death. Bob's Burgers is original, witty, humorous, and most of the time laugh-out-loud funny. There are episodes where not even ten seconds in I am already bursting at the seems.

Benjamin is the voice of Bob, father and owner of Bob's Burgers, who believes without a shadow of a doubt that his burgers are the best in town. His supportive wife, Linda, plays along with his delusions. Her nasal voice (an exaggerated impression by John Roberts) and particularly her laugh make me want to watch this show, like an nonirritating version of Fran Drescher. Bob and Linda have three kids who are each such unique characters. The eldest daughter Tina, is an insecure teenager struggling with changes and her probably numerous disorders. However, since her voice, like Linda's, is clearly a man's, you don't feel guilty about laughing at her. To the other children, she is the butt of most of the jokes, if they aren't directed at Bob.

The middle child, Gene, is an instigator. He likes being loud and heard. When Bob asks the kids a question he is always the first to respond with a smart-ass remark. Best of all is youngest daughter Louise (Kristen Schaal, Flight of the Conchords). Louise is tiny and adorable, but has the thinking of a sarcastic teenage boy. Instantly recognizable by the ridiculous pink bunny-eared hat she wears, Louise loves to mock and encourage those she feels are foolish. Along with Gene, they team-up against Linda and Bob, agitating them during family arguments.

Bottom Line: Fox did a great job filling in the spot left by King of the Hill, though this show is no filler. With its originality, Bob's Burgers should quickly become a cornerstone in the Sunday line up. Even for those of you who aren't fans of animated TV shows, I suggest you give it one more shot.

Lavish Line-Ups: Sitcom Bosses

Welcome to our first Lavish Line-Ups post, where we will provide you with an ordered list of shows, characters, or plots all relating to one central theme. In honor of Mr. Sunshine (premiering this Wednesday at 9:30 on ABC, review to come afterwards), today's theme is ridiculous sitcom bosses like Sunshine Center Manager Ben Donovan's (Matthew Perry) pill-popping boss Crystal Cohen, played by Allison Janney.

8. Malory Archer (Jessica Walter) - Archer
- As the director of ISIS, Mrs. Archer uses her power to torment her agent and son Sterling Archer, giving him the codename Duchess, after her dead dog. She also forms a number of ISIS' missions around trying to get herself laid, a fancy vacation, or both (when aboard a rigid airship).

7. J. Peterman (John O'Hurley) - Seinfeld

- The owner and runner of a J. Crew meets L.L. Bean clothing company and catalog, Elaine comes to work for him after bumping in to him. Since then, her assignments have included writing asinine descriptions of merchandise such as Himalayan Walking Shoes, buying stories for and writing his biography, and listening to his oddly poetic stories of his travels.

6. Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) - 30 Rock

- Despite his extremely Conservative leanings, Jack is still able to have a liberal-minded mentee/apprentice like Liz Lemon, as long as she has the right amount of DHIC for him (that is drive, humility, intelligence, and chaos). Although he may have a shady past as a collector of cookie jars, Jack is exceptionally skilled in managing his NBC employees and acting out their family therapy sessions.

5. Veronica Palmer (Portia de Rossi) - Better Off Ted

- A great part of the mistreated former ABC office sitcom, Veronica reached her upper position at the ethically challenged Veridian Dynamics by cultivating an emotionless persona, even offsetting guilt with other emotions like sugar and drunk. And though she feeds her sister while she sleeps in order to remain the thinner one, she does reveal her gentler side with Ted.

4. Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) - Parks and Recreation

- Although his libertarian beliefs often clash with her faith in government, Ron Swanson always supports  his deputy Leslie Knope. He's a simple man with a love for dark haired women and breakfast foods (and bacon wrapped turkey legs), also enjoying modest celebrity among elderly women as Duke Silver. Ron will always have your back, as long as you can guarantee fridge space.

3. C. Montgomery Burns (Harry Shearer) - The Simpsons

- In addition to serving as Homer's boss at the nuclear power plant, Mr. Burns also serves as the primary villain of the series, kidnapping puppies for suits and even blocking out the sun. Although he occasionally earns redemption, helping Lisa create a recycling plant for example, he always seems to fall back into his greedy and evil ways... excellent.

2. Michael Scott (Steve Carell) - The Office

- An American recreation of David Brent (Ricky Gervais), Michael Scott is the definitive sitcom boss of this generation and others as well. More concerned with comedy than management, his goals can be summed up by this: "Would I rather be loved or feared? Both." Although he can be offensive with his cluelessness, he's always there for his employees, or as he calls them, his family.

1. George Steinbrenner (Larry David) - Seinfeld

- Exaggeratively impersonated by Larry David, Steinbrenner was George's boss while he worked for the Yankees, infamously hired for doing the opposite and telling Steinbrenner that he was a fool in his control of the team. Steinbrenner was also memorable for his hilarious tangents and rants on mundane topics such as how to ear a cupcake, while he was supposed to be rebuking George. His status as George's boss came to a sudden end when he was traded for a bunch of Tyler Chicken.

Don't see your favorite sitcom boss in the list? Let us know in the comments!

Gone Too Soon: Terriers

Crime dramas have been overdone. They all follow the same format and can be rather predictable. The late Terriers, which aired on FX,, carried none of these pitfalls. Let me just start out by saying that it is harder than it looks to name a show. Terriers really has nothing to do with dogs per say, the title refers to two private investigators who are the scrappy underdogs. It was a well written mystery driven show about an ex-cop and his ex-criminal partner working as unlicensed private investigators in San Diego.

Led by Hank Dolworth (Donal Logue of Grounded for Life), the show maintained a much more personal feel to it than most crime shows. Hank and his partner Britt Pollack (Michael Raymond-James of True Blood) have a one of a kind relationship. Hank the ex-cop is hotheaded, stubborn and a recovering alcoholic, while Britt is an ex-con gone good. The odd couple butts heads, makes fun of each other, and make little inside jokes, all while investigating various cases and even a larger conspiracy.

Hank rarely lets anything go, which leads to people hating him, including his ex-wife, but a great quality as a private investigator where he wont stop till he digs up the truth. Hank and Britt stumble across a large business conspiracy and with Hank's connection to his old partner in the police try and take down the upper class that believes itself to be above the law, especially when their actions only affect the lowers.

The show spends most of its time following Hank and Britt in their day to day rounds, taking jobs, dealing with their lives, and perpetually being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you have no new shows to watch at the moment, I suggest you watch Terriers. Its only one short season, but it was able to wrap up its season-long story conclusively and its definitely worth watching.

Bottom Line: A tricky show to promote and FX wasn't quite up to the task. However, it was a fresh take on an old format, with twisty plots and winning characters. A perfect combination of sarcastic humor and serious drama, this show had it all and is severely missed.

Guilty Pleasures: Greek

Welcome to our first Guilty Pleasures column, where we will write about a show we enjoy, although it may be slightly embarrassing to admit it. Today's guilty pleasure is Greek on ABCfamily (Mondays at 9) (the network can be a big hint as to what might be considered a guilty pleasure...)

      Greek, which premiered in July of 2007, will air its series finale in just five episodes. Although it has been generally been a critical favorite, it hasn't been the biggest ratings-earner for ABCfamily, though it was one of their first original programs. Now I know what your thinking, why would I want to watch a show about college kids on ABCfamily of all places, where it is likely watered down and overly tame. Well before watching even the first episode of Greek, I would have agreed with you. Underneath its generic packaging, Greek is actually one of the most entertaining comedies, portraying real characters with fully developed backgrounds and stories.
      One of the things that makes Greek so enjoyable is the fact that it is a comedy. While shows like Gossip Girl and Secret Life of the Pregnant Christians are extremely melodramatic (actually, Secret Life is almost a comedy because of the sheer ridiculousness of its drama), Greek is a comedy at heart, never going too long without a joke to lighten the mood, no matter how dramatic a storyline gets (which actually isn't very much anyway). The humor of the show is what draws you in, referencing pop culture from various eras, and catches you off guard as you begin to appreciate the characters delivering the witty retorts.
      One of these characters is the laid back president of party-frat Kappa Tau, Cappie. Always ready with a snappy comeback or abstract-in-its-reference nickname, Cappie could be considered the comic heart of the show. However, his romantic interest Casey Cartwright (Spencer Grammer, Kelsey's daughter) and her pal Ashley of sorority Zeta Beta Zeta offer substantial laughs as well. The only character that lags initially is Casey's nerdy engineer brother, Rusty, who is pledging Kappa Tau and is are introduction into this world. His character often falls prey to being stereotyped and unoriginal, but once the show begins to fully focus on each character equally, he is able to break out of his initial mold.
      Although some of the early storylines can seem overly conventional and predictable (rivaling fraternities, cheating boyfriend, etc.) they quickly progress into some fresher plots. However, what really makes these plots improve is the richly developed characters, including even the expansive supporting cast of equally (and in many cases more) hilarious characters. After a few episodes of Greek, you will be eager to add it to your guilty pleasures, and after a chapter (half-season) or two, you may even grow to consider it an innocent pleasure after all.

Why Aren't You Watching: White Collar

USA Network has a reliable track record when it comes to light-hearted procedurals. Since they are also the most watched cable network (for original scripted programming especially), one might think of it as the cable version of CBS. However, by combining reliable formats with original stories, solid acting, and clever humor in shows such as White Collar, USA truly sets itself apart.

White Collar follows convicted con artist Neal Caffrey (Matthew Bomer) as he works white collar cases with the FBI investigator who caught him, Peter Burke (Tim DeKay, formerly Bizarro Jerry on Seinfeld), in order to make up for breaking out of prison. In addition to the increasingly interesting and well-written weekly cases the two pursue, the series also tracks a serialized storyline, a little but each episode, similar to other USA shows. This storyline begins simply (a search for Neal's former flame Kate) and slowly reveals itself to be a deeper conspiracy, perhaps involving the government agencies Neal now works for. What helps make all these stories so gripping is the excellent writing, particularly for the finales preceding the show's hiatuses. The writers really do have a talent for conning the viewers themselves so they can't figure out exactly where the plots are heading, right up until their shocking conclusions (or in the case of the serialized story, cliffhangers).

Of course what really pulls you in (especially for the earlier episodes of season 1, where the cases were lackluster) is the acting and characters. Central is the relationship of Neal and Peter, who, despite being on opposing sides for so many years, still respect one another enough to allow their partnership to become a friendship (and eventually begin to trust each other). The two share a classic opposing comedy dynamic as Neal appreciates the finer things, like wine and fancy suits, while Peter prefers to watch the game and relax with a beer. Additionally, Neal's former partner as a con artist, Mozzie (played to neurotic perfection by Willie Garson), is a delight to watch as he plays off his costars with an exceptional comic flair. Tiffani (Amber) Thiessen (Kelly Kapowski on Saved by the Bell) rounds out the cast as Peter's supportive wife, though she's not always as interesting as the various women that enter and exit Neal's life as if through a revolving door.

Bottom Line: Great casting and phenomenal writing help White Collar stand out as quality entertainment, despite its old fashioned premise and tropes..

White Collar is currently airing the second half of its second season Tuesdays at 10 on USA.

Retrospective: The Tudors

Now I know most people get thrown off by the thought of a show about history, but I urge you to reconsider. Yes the show is educational and factual (some things are added for show continuity etc…) but most importantly, Tudors is entertaining. This is an understatement I just do not know how else to say it.

The series follows the Tudor family, and for people who do not recognize that name, it is the surname of one of the most controversial, ruthless and intriguing leaders of England, King Henry VIII. Played spectacularly by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry VIII has prolonged battles as he breaks off from the Pope and Catholic Church as well as attempting to birth an heir.

The show stays situated in the court of Henry VIII, where lavish parties are thrown, deals are struck with foreign dignitaries, and plots of sabotage and revenge are shaped. Over four seasons, Henry transforms into a paranoid, fickle and heavyset king. Only seeking an heir, he distrusts anyone who stands in his path, divorcing, killing and hanging his wives. His third wife, Jane Seymour gives him the long awaited son, Edward VI. He also had two daughters, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary (aka Bloody Mary). Henry surrounded himself with brilliant men in his court, the likes of Thomas Cromwell (James Frain, now in The Cape) and Charles Brandon (Henry Cavill, set to play Superman in a new movie for 2012). Cromwell was sentenced to death for arranging the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleaves.

An epic undertaking, producer Michael Hirst, does a fantastic job showcasing the day to day emotions of Henry VIII's court, his attempts at complete dominance and his fight against the French and the Pope. Hirst turns a historical event into a modern day drama.

Bottom Line: While each episode is an hour, the show moves fast but keeps you on the edge of your seat. You will find yourself watching multiple episodes at a time, and wishing more seasons were made.