Category — Comedy

In the summer, many channels schedule marathons and reruns to fill up those empty blocks. Holidays and warmer weather create significant drops in viewership, which leads to less advertising dollars. Thus, networks can be more creative with the schedule.

There is the new trend of showing smaller budgeted shows during the summer as mid-season or summer only programs. I’ve discovered quite a few gems during this so-called down period like “Burn Notice”, “Mad Men”, “Eureka”, “Weeds” and “In Plain Sight”. As you may have noticed, mostly cable network or premium channels can so freely funnel money into summer shows, since you have to pay to see those channels anyway.

Here’s a list of reruns, premieres and marathons for July:
“Burn Notice” - Season 2 premiere on July 10th, 10pm (mini marathon on July 3rd)
“Weeds” - Season 4 already up and running, Mondays on Showtime at 10pm
“Mad Men” - Season 1 marathon on July 20th at noon, Season 2 premiere on July 27th (Thanks Whitney for the heads up!)

“Eureka” - Season Premiere on July 29th, 9pm (watch reruns online here)
“Supernatural” - Season 3 encore, Thursdays at 9pm
“Rescue Me” minisodes started on Tuesdays on F/X, but you can catch them online as well at Crackle.com

Don’t waste the day away in your sofa hammock, stay cool and catch up on all that great tv you missed earlier in the year.

After learning the title of the new dvd movie for “Futurama”, The Beast with a Billion Backs, I thought to myself that those crazy kids must really love alliteration!

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“Undeclared” was Judd Apatow’s next foray into television after the demise of “Freaks and Geeks”. He even cast a few familiar faces in the pilot. The show follows the hilarious adventures of a group of college freshmen. Much of the dialogue was improvised, so I think that really heightened the humor.

Some people say it wasn’t as good as its predecessor, but I love both shows. It was the American debut of Charlie Hunnam, star of the British version of “Queer as Folk”, so I watched “Undeclared” first (and thus without predjudice for F&G). Not that it mattered much, since in typical Fox fashion, the show was short lived.

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The cast of the “Golden Girls” were honored at the TVLand Awards. Presenter Steve Carell introduced a touching montage of celebrities praising the show as a pop culture icon.

I never thought of it as a ground breaking show, but I suppose it did paint elderly people as fun and interesting subjects. Over the years, I became quite familiar with the adventures of Blanche, Sophia, Rose, and Dorothy. My favorite character is Blanche. She’ll do and has done just about anything. However when I think back, all the characters had their fair share of outrageous moments.

All seven hilarious seasons are available on dvd today.

Last summer, I stumbled across USA’s dramedy “Burn Notice” and ended up loving it. It stars Jeffrey Donovan as the burned CIA operative, Michael Weston.

A job went bad and in the blink of an eye, he was disavowed and shut out. The government marooned him in Miami, Michael’s hometown that he left in the wind many years ago. Since he basically doesn’t exist, a consequence of working black ops, Michael has no work history, money or home. Thus, he’s forced to depend on his ex-girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), his mom (Sharon Gless), and his friend, Sam (Bruce Campbell) for help.

Spies really hate asking for favors, so most of the humor of the show is him learning to interact with his family and the real world again. All the while, he takes odd PI jobs to make ends meet while desperately working to reclaim his CIA status.

The season 1 dvd is in stores tomorrow (source: TV Squad).

Catch the season 2 premiere on USA on July 10th (10/9 central).

“30 Rock” follows the exploits of Liz Lemon, comedy writer and producer of the fictional sketch show “The Girly Show with Tracy Jordan”. It’s an imaginative black comedy that parodies the behind the scenes antics that occur when trying to bring together coporate interest (GE) and creative expression.

The MILF Island episode:

I must own that episode on dvd ASAP! My other favorite from this season is “Subway Hero”. It features the return of Liz’s politically incorrect beeper salesman ex boyfriend, Dennis (Dean Winters) .

According to TVshowsonDVD.com, “30 Rock” season two could be out as early as September!

Hulu acquired the rights this week to stream full episodes of “The Colbert Report” and “The Daily Show”.

The Colbert Report on the Obama fist bump:

Hulu just gets better and better. Now if they could stream content worldwide and add BBCAmerica shows to their roster, I’ll be theirs forever.

Source: Pop Candy

I’ve finally caught up on a few of the television finales and decided the worst one (that I watched) came from “Grey’s Anatomy”. It was the same ol’ crap just re-packaged to make some of the doctors have a happy ending while others went deeper into their self-destructive hole. McDreamy and Meredith finally, after years of break-ups/make-ups and working together and fighting together have decided to give a final shot. But only after she made a breakthru in therapy that is….

If this was season two or three, perhaps I would care. But seriously, four seasons of dating, adultery, and false relationship starts really wears on a viewer! I simply just don’t care.

Who do I care about? Bailey, but it took an entire season of her running around being a Doctor/Head Resident to realize that doing all that and taking care of a baby just don’t mix. She gives the clinic to Izzie. End of Story, everyone wins.

The Chief got back with his wife…ewww old people kissing…I guess it works.

Alex and Izzie fight and kiss again, but now with more sadness and pathetic words.

Callie and Erika are kissing…boring…way to try and get the male demographic back.

George gets to redeem himself and retake his Intern test. Here’s hoping he doesn’t flug it up twice.

Will I watch next season? I really don’t think so. I’d almost rather watch “ER”, which I hate. So that’s saying something.

I was stuck on a plane this weekend, so I was subjected an endless onslaught of rom-coms on that tiny lcd television. Thus, I was absolutely delighted by The Dinner Party episode of “Seinfeld”.

“Seinfeld” always makes you smile no matter how annoyed you are. Why? Because no one can complain as much as those four people. They can’t even pick out a dessert for party without complaining!

Transcript below (for the full effect):

ELAINE: Well how about a carrot cake?

JERRY: Carrot cake? Now why is that a cake? You don’t make carrots into a cake. I’m sorry.

ELAINE: Black Forrest?

JERRY: Black Forrest? Too scary. You’re in the Forrest, oohh.

JERRY: How about a Napoleon?

ELAINE: Napoleon? Who’s he to have a cake? He was a ruthless war monger. Might as well get Mengle.

JERRY: That wa sour Bobka. We had that Bobka!

ELAINE: What’s this one?

CLERK: That’s cinnamon Bobka.

JERRY: Another Bobka?

CLERK: There’s chocolate and there’s cinnamon.

JERRY: Well, we’ve got to get the cinnamon.

ELAINE: No, but they got the chocolate. We’ll be going in with a lesser Bobka.

JERRY: I beg your pardon? Cinnamon takes a back seat to no Bobka. People love cinnamon. It should be on tables at restaurants along with salt and pepper. Anytime anyone says, “Oh This is so good. What’s in it?” The answer invariably comes back, Cinnamon. Cinnamon. Again and again. Lesser Bobka - I think not.

“Seinfeld” - Episode 77 from Season 5

This sunday is Mother’s Day, so I feel I should spotlight some of my mom’s favorite tv shows.

Mystery/Suspense:
“In the Heat of the Night”
“Murder, She Wrote”
“Remington Steele” - got her seasons one and two for her birthday…
“Matlock” - no one can hate on the Griffith

Cop Shows:
“Walker, Texas Ranger” - Mom loved it before Conan made it “cool”
“Nash Bridges”
“JAG”
“Silk Stalkings”

The Soaps (every mom has “her show”):
“Knots Landing” - with Alec Baldwin! and William Devane!!

“Young and the Restless” - doesn’t everyone love this show, though?
“Days of Our Lives” - My mom finally learned how to dvr new episodes
“Another World”
“Falcon Crest”

Comedy:
“Martin”

“Living Single”
“The Cosby Show”
“Monk”
“A Different World”
“Empty Nest”
“Golden Girls”

But really, she’ll watch whatevers on USA and just leave it there. This sunday, I hope she gets the remote all to herself.

Happy Mother’s Day!