Tag Archives: NBC

September 22, 2008 · 10:49 pm

Season Premiere: Heroes – “The Second Coming”

“The Second Coming”

Season Premiere, Part One

[For my review of the second part of the premiere, “The Butterfly Effect,” click here]

I don’t hate Heroes – I just find it really difficult to like Heroes.

There is a difference: there are elements of the show that I really want to like, and parts which remind me at every turn that there is something unique about what the show offers. But after a while, these can only go so far – I’m to the point where I’m the epitome of a cliche when I start prattling on about how nothing on the show will ever live up to “Company Man.”

So I don’t want to open this review with the new cliche, the understandable if overused complaining about the show’s second season. When it comes to coverage here at Cultural Learnings, the kiss of death is not outright negativity but rather sheer disinterest: I stopped recapping Heroes at a certain point primarily because I stopped caring about its characters. That was the second season’s biggest problem: not that its new characters were amongst the worst I could possibly imagine, but rather that they went so far as to render previously acceptable characters worthless. When even Hiro ends up feeling like we’re wasting time, the show is in trouble.

But as a television critic of sorts, I’ve got to keep an open mind – the end result of this is that the first hour of the evening’s premiere represents an important step forward in that the storylines we are seeing develop as part of “Villains,” in particular within “The Second Coming,” are about discovering what makes these characters tick as opposed to them saving the world. Yes, the show has every opportunity to fall off the rails, but I can understand why the Comic-Con crowd was satiated by this hour: it offers more hope for the future than the show has offered since…well, probably since “Company Man.”

…but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some issues.

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June 25, 2008 · 9:58 am

60th Primetime Emmy Awards Preview: Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Achieving success in the Supporting Actress in a  Comedy Series takes one of three things: having a recognizable name, being on a popular show, or being on a show that has won Emmys in the past.

Now, you’re probably asking yourself why I would take the time to isolate these three categories since they should (by and large) encapsulate 90% of nominees. The reason is that this is a category where there are some great contenders that won’t be recognized in favour of those who are part of the Emmy elite, or part of shows that give them more exposure. I’m not saying that these are not worthy contenders, but rather that there’s a few others who did fantastic work this season who won’t be recognized for it.

Instead, this is a race designed for last year’s contenders: from the surprise winner to the resurgent veteran, all sides are staging a battle that could prove one of the toughest predictions of the night – if only predicting the Top 10 was just as challenging.

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June 11, 2008 · 8:35 am

Emmy Awards Preview – Nominee Analysis: 30 Rock

While it certainly didn’t come out of nowhere, considering that it had nominations in both lead acting categories, 30 Rock’s Emmy win last year was still a bit of a surprise. However, it was a pleasant one, and signaled and onslaught of critical praise and accolades for a series that (at that point) seemed to be on shaky ground where it matters most these days: ratings.

But with a third season guaranteed and more hardware in the closet, 30 Rock has gone from the upset victor to the perennial frontrunner for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. And with great power comes, well, great responsibility; in this instance, responsibility to pick the right submissions to reflect the season’s quality.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Submission: Unknown

My Suggestion: “Secrets and Lies”

It’s hard to pick a single episode to encapsulate an entire season: I think the show’s smartest segment has to be “Rosemary’s Baby,” for a lot of reasons I’ll discuss further below, while part of me gravitates towards “Greenzo,” featuring a fantastic David Schwimmer in the title role. However, I like “Secrets and Lies”: it has a great storyline featuring Baldwin and perennial Emmy favourite Edie Falco, a couple of great moments for Tracy Jordan, and the fantastic ending sequences as corporate republicans reveal their inner demons. Regardless of which they actually choose, however, the deal is sealed either way.

Chances: Definite Nomination.

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Tina Fey

Submission: “Episode 210”

My Suggestion: “Sandwich Day”

In this instance, my suggestion isn’t hostile: the last pre-strike episode may have been rushed, but Fey knocked both her initial interaction with and her late-night phone call sessions to the co-op board of her new apartment out of the park. In particular, the image of Fey on the phone while walking on her treadmill and drinking a glass of red wine while proclaiming that she bought a black apartment stuck with me for a long time. However, “Sandwich Day” had Fey doing what she does best: being neurotic and eating on camera (plus looking really attractive in the dress on the left. An argument could also be made for “Succession,” as Liz goes corporate, but something about that episode didn’t sit right for me.

Chances: Definite Nomination.

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May 16, 2008 · 2:18 pm

Season Finale – The Office – “Goodbye, Toby”

“Goodbye, Toby”

May 15th, 2008

So, you may be wondering: “Myles, it’s the biggest comedy finale of the year, where’s the blog post?” Now, there are two reasons for my delay in getting this post out the door: one is known as “Rock Band” and the other is the episode itself. There is something about this particular episode that had me extremely perplexed – I knew I laughed a lot, I knew I really enjoyed guest star Amy Ryan, but I also knew that the end was certainly a note of tragedy for the series. Everything we wanted to happen didn’t, and everyone fell into a depressive downward spiral.

So it wasn’t a question of whether I liked it, or whether it was good, or whether it was anything – it was just that I didn’t really know how to react to this episode. I would like to think that it’s not just that I don’t know how to talk about something I almost uniformly enjoyed, but part of me can’t help but wonder. Regardless, it’s a sign that hour-long Office episodes aren’t so bad when they’re actually, you know, good.

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May 12, 2008 · 2:53 pm

Cultural Learnings’ 2008-2009 Network Upfronts Analysis

Last year, Cultural Learnings produced a lot of hits (And perhaps a few new readers) during its coverage of the Network Upfronts, a process wherein each network reveals the shows that will make it onto their Fall or Winter schedules the following year. There were a lot of surprises last year: Jericho’s cancellation and subsequent campaign couldn’t have been predicted, and as a whole there were a lot of shows on the bubble that squeaked through.

This year, we can’t say the same thing: a network like ABC announced most of its pickups a while ago, and is leaving little room for new shows, while NBC announced a version of its schedule a month ago so we already know its lineup (Or what it looked like in April). For anyone following the trades, there’s few surprises to be found in these announcements, so now the real drama will be how your Fall viewing schedule will emerge. And whether Moonlight, the show that has been dominating at sites like Hey! Nielsen, will be able to avoid becoming another Jericho (And if it does, in all seriousness, has CBS not learned their lesson?).

So, at Cultural Learnings I plan to focus on analysis of how the schedules align, and how each network has adapted or not adapted post-strike to accommodate last year’s freshman offerings and this year’s foreign imports (A certain trend). Below, you’ll find a nice combination of helpful links and, eventually, links to our Upfronts coverage.

Cultural Learnings’ 2008-2009 Upfronts Analysis

NBC – Analysis from April (Open Letter, Office Spinoff, Timed-Friday Night Lights)

  • We can expect Jimmy Fallon to be confirmed to be taking over for Conan (Already confirmed, in fact), along with potentially more information on the elusive Office spinoff and on some of the neetwork’s new series.

ABC – Full Fall Schedule Analysis

  • New Shows: Life on Mars, various reality shows, Scrubs, The Goode Family
  • Returning Shows: Eli Stone, Boston Legal, Private Practice, Dirty Sexy Money, Pushing Daisies, etc.
  • Canceled Shows: October Road, Men in Trees, Miss/Guided, Cavemen, Carpoolers

The CW – Full Fall Schedule Analysis

  • New Shows: 90210, Surviving the Filthy Rich, Stylista
  • Returning Shows: Reaper, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Supernatural, etc.
  • Canceled Shows: Girlfriends, Aliens in America, Life is Wild, WWE Smackdown, Beauty & the Geek

CBS – Coming Wednesday May 14th

  • Moonlight has officially been canceled (Read Full Story)
  • Moonlight is a huge cult favourite, but could be gone in favour of Les Moonves’ personal choices. This would result in another campaign, this time with more than peanuts to deal with.

FOX – Coming Thursday May 15th

  • FOX’s pickups are pretty clear, with most returning shows confirmed and big budget shows from Abrams and Whedon already announced. Scheduling is the only real drama.

Links to Other Coverage

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May 8, 2008 · 10:31 pm

Season Finale – 30 Rock – “Cooter”

“Cooter”

May 8th, 2008

Last year, the season finale of 30 Rock was a disappointment: it was a slow half hour that dealt more with two outlandish storylines (Jack’s fiance Pheobe and Kenneth’s crazy cousin kidnapping Tracy) which never clicked outside of moments between Jack and Liz, and the fabulous appearance by Elaine Stritch as Jack’s mother. Storyline-wise, the first season just didn’t end on a creative high note.

And, to an extent, the same could be said for the second season if you ignore the circumstances. However, considering that there was so little time post-strike to get things moving, this episode did a great job at tying up some loose ends, providing something for almost every single members of the cast to do, using its characters right, and still centering the episode around the relationship between boss and employee.

It might have paled in comparison to the episode of The Office that preceded it, but I definitely think that “Cooter” trumps “Hiatus” as the superior finale for one of television’s best comedies.

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May 8, 2008 · 10:03 pm

The Office – “Job Fair”

“Job Fair”

May 8th, 2008

Earlier today, a feature I worked on with David Chen at Always Watching went live about how Michael Scott can often be a schizophrenic character, but that in many ways these many facets develop into an integral part of the series. When Michael is able to be a little bit of everything, who doesn’t fall into a single stereotype that overwhelms the episode.

Theere was no overwhelming The Office on this night, however – the show has been firing on all cylinders since returning from the strike, and it all came together for the second fantastic episode in a row. The show shows great touch in balancing three storylines, each with connections to recurring storylines but also with some solid forward momentum.

When you combine Ed Helms’ physical comedy, Rainn Wilson’s tattletale psychology, and Michael Scott in an environment where there are impressionable youths, the inevitable result is a great half hour of television, and perhaps the best of the show’s season.

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May 8, 2008 · 9:08 pm

“Season Finale” – Scrubs – “My Princess”

“My Princess”

May 8th, 2008

It is, perhaps, the most confusing finale in recent years: Scrubs is ending its seventh season tonight, and NBC has no plans on bringing it back. So, there is the thought of series finale in the air, but this is not true: although it won’t be confirmed until after the show concludes its run on the peacock, ABC has already ordered 18 episodes of the series that are filming now, and that will air next season. The result is an episode that exists purely in limbo, a false goodbye for a series we’ll be seeing more of.

As I’ve noted, I really am not that enamoured with the series as of late, but the last few episodes have showed potential – if anything, their only major flaw is their decision to continue the forced march towards J.D. and Elliot reconnecting romantically. I like the sendoff given to Ken Jenkins’ Dr. Kelso, I’ve enjoyed our time spent with the Janitor, but with a certain lack of faith in the show’s central romantic storyline I certainly need to be convinced that those 18 episodes next season will be worth my time.

If there is any way to do it, though, perhaps this is it: Zach Braff’s second epic take-off of a classic fairy tale, this time cult classic The Princess Bride, and if his work on the charming Wizard of Oz episode that signaled the show’s 100th episode was any indication this kind of thing is right up his alley. Scrubs is a show that often works well within event formats (The Musical episode was a highlight dramatically, if not perhaps musically, for the sixth season), but has Braff managed to do the inconceivable?

Has he actually created an episode of Scrubs that cuts through my jaded cynicism for the future?

Not so much.

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May 8, 2008 · 3:11 pm

Introducing “Cultural Conundrums” @ AlwaysWatching.org!

Greetings, Cultural Learnings readers! Things have been a lot busier on this front lately, with a lot of episodes to analyze/review for a lot of my favourite series, and perhaps you’ve noticed a recurrent stream through many of them: a lot of retrospective thoughts on the ways shows are shaping up in this strike-shortened season. While Cultural Learnings has been definitely relying mostly on episodic analysis, there’s a lot of broad ideas that I’ve wanted to investigate, and with the school year over I had a chance to do so.

I also had a chance, however, to work with some great folks over at Always Watching, a fantastic film/TV site which features some great, well, features on a regular basis. I’ve spent some time on their podcast in the past, and was honoured to be asked to contribute a series of articles to cover the television side of things. I certainly view these as complimentary to this blog experience, so don’t think that it will keep me from pontificating on television here at Cultural Learnings.

Cultural Conundrums is a good chance to have video retrospectives and definitive analysis of the season that was, or the shows that I watch. The first edition is The Many Faces of Michael Scott, an analysis of the ways in which Michael Scott’s character on “The Office” seems downright schizophrenic at points. The end result, of course, is a character that is all sorts of different things, and that diversity allows for the humour and genuine character development to be heightened at a moment’s notice.

The Many Faces of Michael Scott @ AlwaysWatching.org

Special thanks have to go out to Dave Chen, who went through the ludicrously exhaustive trouble of retrieving the Hulu videos – we Canadians can’t access them, so he really deserves a co-author credit on this one. (On a related note: sorry to my Canadian/International readers who won’t be able to view the videos – hilariously, I’m in the same boat, so know that even the author feels your pain!)

You can also Digg the article, to help get the word out about Dave, Devindra and Adam’s great site (And, perhaps this one too, if you want) by clicking the Digg Button conveniently located to my right. But, please, make sure you head over to Always Watching too, it’s a great read.

Will be back tonight with thoughts on tonight’s episode of The Office, the Season Finale of 30 Rock, AND the NBC Finale of Scrubs. I will probably hold off on Lost until tomorrow, just to give the requisite time to the finales.

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May 2, 2008 · 12:42 pm

The Office – “Did I Stutter?”

“Did I Stutter?”

May 1st, 2008

I’m in the process of preparing an article for Always Watching on what I consider to be one of the Office’s most definitive qualities, and I am always glad to see when something pops up to prove my point for me. In this instance, “Did I Stutter?” manages to portray a version of the Office where no one is an abject idiot, and things which were funny without being sensationalist or over-the-top. It was the best possible argument for a version of this series, and its characters, which resists caricature in favour of subtle, yet brilliant, development.

A lot of this is dependent on the version of Michael Scott that we see, and here he is at his most naive, desperate and yet also honest – this is a Michael Scott who of course doesn’t know how to handle an employee being insubordinate, but when tasked with addressing the problem searches for advice and inevitably comes across a decent, if eventually overused solution.

And if The Office can be both funny and logical while maintaining this characterization, I’m on board.

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