Wednesday, April 08, 2009
some solid television
1. Better Off Ted: airs Wednesdays on ABC at 8:30 PM. This is the new show from the creator of Andy Richter Controls the Universe, a fantastic show that just came out on DVD. I've only seen two episodes of Ted, and though they were both a bit inconsistent, the good parts were thoroughly awesome. It stars a couple of dudes from ARCTU and Portia di Rossi of Arrested Development and Ellen's marital chamber fame. Give it a shot tonight, if you've got the time.
2. Party Down: airs Fridays on Starz, or whenever you want On Demand. Yeah something on Starz worth watching. This is another semi-improvised, extremely awkward sit-com in the vein of The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm about a catering company in Los Angeles. The cast is great - Ken Marino from The State, Adam Scott from Step-Brothers, Jane Lynch from a billion different things, Martin Haverchuck Starr, Dick Casablancas, Lizzy Caplan from The Pitts and Freaks and Geeks, etc - and reliable dudes like Rob Thomas and Paul Rudd are active behind the scenes. It's not quite yet as amazing as I'd kind of expected, maybe a little too broad and high-concept at times, but still good enough to earn your half-hour. Lynch is the MVP, but hasn't had much to do thus far. Also Jason "Logan Ecchols" Dohring was great in his cameo.
3. Eastbound & Down: already over with, probably still On Demand through HBO, will be on DVD in the summer. Okay, truly classic shit here from The Foot Fist Way team of Danny McBride, Jody Hill, and Ben Best, with help from David Gordon Green, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay. Best case yet of America embracing the BBC model of short but consistently high quality television seasons. Less a series than a movie split into six parts, Eastbound & Down is hilarious, depressing, brutally honest, ecstatically vulgar, and, at the end, surprisingly poignant. It's the best TV show I've seen in years, and I don't think more episodes could do anything but hurt its overall impact.
1. Better Off Ted: airs Wednesdays on ABC at 8:30 PM. This is the new show from the creator of Andy Richter Controls the Universe, a fantastic show that just came out on DVD. I've only seen two episodes of Ted, and though they were both a bit inconsistent, the good parts were thoroughly awesome. It stars a couple of dudes from ARCTU and Portia di Rossi of Arrested Development and Ellen's marital chamber fame. Give it a shot tonight, if you've got the time.
2. Party Down: airs Fridays on Starz, or whenever you want On Demand. Yeah something on Starz worth watching. This is another semi-improvised, extremely awkward sit-com in the vein of The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm about a catering company in Los Angeles. The cast is great - Ken Marino from The State, Adam Scott from Step-Brothers, Jane Lynch from a billion different things, Martin Haverchuck Starr, Dick Casablancas, Lizzy Caplan from The Pitts and Freaks and Geeks, etc - and reliable dudes like Rob Thomas and Paul Rudd are active behind the scenes. It's not quite yet as amazing as I'd kind of expected, maybe a little too broad and high-concept at times, but still good enough to earn your half-hour. Lynch is the MVP, but hasn't had much to do thus far. Also Jason "Logan Ecchols" Dohring was great in his cameo.
3. Eastbound & Down: already over with, probably still On Demand through HBO, will be on DVD in the summer. Okay, truly classic shit here from The Foot Fist Way team of Danny McBride, Jody Hill, and Ben Best, with help from David Gordon Green, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay. Best case yet of America embracing the BBC model of short but consistently high quality television seasons. Less a series than a movie split into six parts, Eastbound & Down is hilarious, depressing, brutally honest, ecstatically vulgar, and, at the end, surprisingly poignant. It's the best TV show I've seen in years, and I don't think more episodes could do anything but hurt its overall impact.
