Tag Archives: Season 2

November 10, 2010 · 8:30 am

The Construction of Race in Modern Family’s Second Season

November 10th, 2010

ABC’s Modern Family has always been concerned with questions of race: that Gloria and Manny are Colombian, and that Lily is Vietnamese, were prominent factors in the series’ pilot, so questions of race (and racism) have been evident throughout the series.

And yet, something seems different in the second season. While nothing has been fundamentally changed in terms of questions of race, the show is going to racial humor more often and in a few instances from a different perspective. I would never go so far as to say that the series is racist, but in its desire to increase the amount of racial humor it seems to have forced the issue without allowing it to flow naturally from its characters or even its storylines.

While it is not enough to condemn the series, I would argue that the way race has been presented so far this season shifts ownership of these dynamics to the people behind the scenes as opposed to the characters within the series, creating problematic questions of authorship that threaten both the series’ realism and its complexity.

Continue reading →

20 Comments

Filed under Modern Family

Tagged as ABC, Analysis, Cameron, Chirp, Commercial, Gloria, Manny, Mitchell, Native American, Race, Racism, Savezilla, Season 2, Sitcom, Television, TV, Unplugged

November 9, 2010 · 9:01 pm

Glee – “Never Been Kissed”

“Never Been Kissed”

November 9th, 2010

Hype is Glee’s currency of choice, for reasons that make a lot of sense: they want to sell downloads, they want to trend on Twitter, and so I understand why they released the full performances of both “Teenage Dream” and “Start Me Up/Livin’ on a Prayer” ahead of this week’s episode.

And yet, there is something very weird about the hype for “Never Been Kissed,” in that the musical numbers promote joyous musical explosion while the commercials for the episode promote the start of what Chris Colfer refers to as Glee’s “bullying saga” (which each writer will put their stamp on during a three-episode arc). While I talk a lot – probably too much – about the idea of the 3 Glees as it relates to the three writers, there are also ways in which the promotion and hype surrounding the series becomes highly contradictory. It is not that an episode can’t be both of these things, per se, but rather that the promotion works to the much-hyped extremes and fails to properly merge the two modes.

The result is that this episode inspires extreme trepidation: the word saga gives me great pause, and the musical numbers revealed concerns that had me pre-writing my criticism in my head late last week. And while there are parts of “Never Been Kissed” which had the potential to be something of value, the tonal mash-up is so extreme that all we’re left with is…well, nothing of value.

Continue reading →

17 Comments

Filed under Glee

Tagged as Analysis, Artie, Bieste, Blaine, Brad Falchuk, Bradley Buecker, Brittany, Bully, Bullying, Chris Colfer, Cold Shower, Darren Criss, Episode 6, Free Your Mind, Homosexuality, Jersey Shore, Kiss, Kurt Hummel, Livin' on a Prayer, Music, Never Been Kissed, Puck, Review, Santana, Season 2, Start Me Up, Stop in the Name of Love, Teenage Dream, Television, Tina, TV, Who's the Boss, Will

October 26, 2010 · 9:25 pm

Glee – “The Rocky Horror Glee Show”

“The Rocky Horror Glee Show”

October 26th, 2010

The test of an episode so heavily based around a specific musical property is how it is integrated into the series as a whole. While Rocky Horror superfans are likely to judge the episode based on its relationship to the musical, I’m more interested in the musical’s relationship to the characters. I watched the movie for the first time over the weekend, and while the music is obviously the main reasons for this crossover it’s also easy to see how various characters could fit into particular roles. Finn and Rachel are a logical Brad and Janet, Sam might as well be Rocky 2.0, and the other roles all have enough meaning and interest that whoever fits into them could gain a new level of interest as a result (especially if the show is interested in the musical’s more subversive qualities).

At a few points, I think “The Rocky Horror Glee Show” succeeds in this area, albeit with some missteps. By admitting that the musical is inappropriate for this setting (small town Ohio), both through the actual storyline and how a variety of characters respond to the material, the show doesn’t pretend that it is entirely natural for these two properties to come together. In those moments, the episode is fairly grounded, problematizing the staging of the musical in ways which have potential to speak to the show’s characters.

The problem is that the central reason this connection is being made is the part of the show that simply doesn’t work, something that was entirely absent two weeks ago where the show was at its best in a long while. By grounding the musical in Will and Emma’s relationship, and in Sue’s efforts to destroy the Glee club, the small character moments are ultimately complicated and often undermined by the sense that tying this into one of the series’ weakest ongoing storylines takes leaps in logic that limits the potential impact of the musical’s presence in the episode.

Continue reading →

27 Comments

Filed under Glee

Tagged as Adam Shankman, Analysis, Barry Bostwick, Body Image, Brittany, Dr. Carl, Episode 5, Finn, FOX, Frank-N-Furter, Gender, Halloween, Jayma Mays, John Stamos, Kurt, Matthew Morrison, Meat Loaf, Mercedes, Music, Musical, Peanut Allergy, Rachel, Review, Rocky Horror, Ryan Murphy, Sam, Santana, Science Fiction Double Feature, Season 2, Television, The Rocky Horror Glee Show, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, There's a Light, Touch Me Touch Me Touch Me, Transexual, Transvestite, TV, Will, Will Schuester

October 20, 2010 · 10:12 pm

Cougar Town – “Keeping Me Alive”

“Keeping Me Alive”

October 20th, 2010

At this point, Cougar Town is sort of like a history lesson.

This isn’t to say that I had forgotten that Jules and Bobby were once married, and that the former has been paying alimony to the latter, but it hasn’t played a role in the show’s storytelling since the Cul-de-Sac Crew came together. We’ve just sort of accepted Bobby as a fun guy who lives on a boat, and since finances have never been a major concern for the show it’s not as if there’s any real question of whether the alimony will make or break the show.

Rather, it becomes the latest in a series of investigations which return to a storyline that could disrupt the series’ dynamic and then prove that it is not going to actually disrupt the series’ dynamic. And while I do think that “Keeping Me Alive” is pushing the pattern a bit too heavily, and the show will have to introduce an actual storyline at some point, there’s enough to keep this episode grounded for me to continue to sing the show’s praises.

Continue reading →

4 Comments

Filed under Cougar Town

Tagged as 100% Cougar Free, ABC, Analysis, Bobby Cobb, Brian Van Holt, Busy Phillips, Competition Penny Can, Episode 5, Grayson, Jules, Keeping Me Alive, Laurie, Review, Season 2, Television, Truth or Penny Can, TV

October 20, 2010 · 2:51 am

The Good Wife – “Cleaning House”

“Cleaning House”

October 19th, 2010

The Good Wife was the best new network series of last season, without a doubt: the show was smart, sophisticated, and comfortable in its balance of both procedural and serialized elements.

This season, The Good Wife is a considerably worse show, objectively speaking: the weekly plots are over-written, the serial arc has swapped character drama for fairly rote political maneuvering, and tensions which might have remained subtexts last year become baseball bat attacks this time around.

Normally, I’d chalk this up to a network note about wanting to draw in younger viewers with a more exciting product; while I do think that this is likely part of it, I’m reticent to speak too critically because I’m finding this new version of the show a whole lot of fun. This is not to say that I don’t wish that the scripts could be a bit sharper, or that the show would avoid playing so heavily to the relationships between Will and Alicia as well as Cary and Alicia, but “Cleaning House” demonstrates that there are times when manipulative plotting can be delightful enough to quell most, if not all, of my critical concerns.

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under The Good Wife

Tagged as Alan Cummings, Alicia Florrick, Analysis, Anika Noni Rose, CBS, Cleaning House, Edward Herrmann, Election, Eli Gold, Elizabeth Reaser, Episode 4, Julianna Margulies, Mamie Gummer, Review, Season 2, Television, TV, Wendy Scott-Carr, Will

October 13, 2010 · 10:27 pm

Cougar Town – “The Damage You’ve Done”

“The Damage You’ve Done”

October 13th, 2010

When Cougar Town changed (for the better), it could have completely ignored its past: considering that Jules dating younger men was a failure, there was every ability for the show to just pack up and move on.

However, while the show did change its focus to the community developing amongst the characters, “The Damage You’ve Done” actively unearths the show’s past. Jules runs into one of her ex-boy toys, someone who I had completely forgotten existed, and the show returns to an event that I had no recollection of which it could have swept under the rug.

And yet, in some ways it’s Lawrence and Biegel showing off: they’re sticking their tongue out at the skeptics, proving that the community they’ve developed is strong enough to withstand explosive secrets. However, at the same time, the episode is not without its consequences, maintaining the sense of weight that the show has carried even as it has established its casual atmosphere.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under Cougar Town

Tagged as ABC, Analysis, Bobby, Breakup, Episode 4, Grayson, Josh Hopkins, Jules, Kylie, Laurie, Not What the Show Is Cougar Town, Review, Ryan Devlin, Season 2, Secret, Smith, Soul Patch, Swallow the Sword, Television, The Damage You've Done, Travis, TV

October 12, 2010 · 9:30 pm

Glee – “Duets”

“Duets”

October 12th, 2010

I’ve talked a lot about the “Three Glees” theory in the past (TM Todd VanDerWerff), where each of the three co-creators have a different perspective on the series. However, in most instances we focus on the whiplash between the various different episodes, a sort of multiple personality disorder, but what I don’t think we’ve theorized on as much is the way in which these Glees comment on one another. I think this was because, before “Duets,” I don’t think there had ever been an episode of the show which so clearly commented on the work of one of the other writers.

Since the show is basically serialized, there is always an element of connection between the episodes, but “Duets” offers direct commentary on both long-term characterizations and specific events from “Theatricality,” an episode which I had some serious problems with earlier in the year. Ian Brennan, scripting his first episode since the premiere, has created an episode which adds unseen depth to previous storylines, makes pretty substantial strides with characters both old and new, and in the process convinces me that in a scenario where one writer is to take over the series, Brennan is without question the show’s white knight.

“Duets” is not the most daring episode of the series, but it is unquestionably the most consistent, and that alone makes this one of the series’ finest hours.

Continue reading →

44 Comments

Filed under Glee

Tagged as Analysis, Artie, Barbra Streisand, Brittany, Burt Hummel, Chord Overstreet, Dianna Agron, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Duets, Episode 4, Eric Stoltz, Finn, FOX, Harry Shum Jr., Ian Brennan, Judy Garland, Kurt, Le Jazz Hot, Lucky, Mercedes, Mike Chang, Mike O'Malley, Quinn, Review, River Deep Mountain High, Ryan Murphy, Sam Evans, Santana, Season 2, Sexuality, Sing!, Sue Sylvester, Television, Theatricality, Tina, TV, Virginity, Will, With You I'm Born Again, Writing

October 6, 2010 · 10:04 pm

Cougar Town – “Makin’ Some Noise”

“Makin’ Some Noise”

October 6th, 2010

There’s an interesting duality to Cougar Town: the series is more consistently driven by change than any other television sitcom, and yet at the same time it feels the least vulnerable to the effects of those changes. “Makin’ Some Noise” is about how Jules and Travis each deal with a major change (Travis going to college), and yet it never seems as if those changes will be insurmountable or even that challenging.

Instead, the episode manages to create the sense of real change while also emphasizing that nothing is going to actually tear about this particular cul-de-sac. It’s the best of both worlds, delivering the sense of familiarity we expect from sitcoms without abandoning the real emotions of Travis’ move and its effects on his relationship with his mother (and her relationship with Grayson).

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under Cougar Town

Tagged as ABC, Badly Titled, Bill Lawrence, Bobby, College, Dan Byrd, Episode 3, Grayson, Jules, Makin' Some Noise, Modern Family, Scrubs, Season 2, Slow Ride, Story, Travis

October 5, 2010 · 9:05 pm

Glee – “Grilled Cheesus”

“Grilled Cheesus”

October 5th, 2010

If you ever needed proof of a higher power, take the fact that “Grilled Cheesus” more or less works.

While problematic in a number of areas, there is an emotional core to this spirituality-themed episode which manages to ground what seems like a really terrible idea in theory. While the show has handled some bigger issues quite effectively, like Kurt’s sexuality, it has also botched numerous issues, like (at times) Kurt’s sexuality. For every moment of emotional honesty, there are situations (like Burt’s big speech admonishing Finn) which seem to undermine those moments; while inconsistency is problematic in almost any series, here those inconsistencies often write over previous developments of character, theme, and universe.

“Grilled Cheesus” does nothing to solve the series’ problems of consistency as a whole, wildly different from everything else this season, but by grounding a difficult subject with the series’ most proven recurring storyline Brad Falchuk has created a stand-alone take on religion that only rarely offends my sensibilities.

And that, my friends, is some sort of miracle.

Continue reading →

13 Comments

Filed under Glee

Tagged as Brad Falchuk, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Burt Hummel, Character, Chris Colfer, Episode 3, Finn, Football, FOX, God, Grilled Cheesus, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Jane Lynch, Kurt, Lea Michele, Losing My Religion, Mark Salling, Mercedes, Mike O'Malley, One of Us, Only the Good Die Young, Papa Can You Hear Me, Prayer, Rachel, Religion, Season 2, Spirituality, Sue Sylvester

September 30, 2010 · 12:43 am

Season Premiere: The Good Wife – “Taking Control”

“Taking Control”

September 28th, 2010

I will admit to loving a good ironic title, and I’d argue that “Taking Control” somewhat misrepresents the state of The Good Wife heading into its second season.

I’ve seen a lot of divergent thoughts on the premiere: some seems to think the show is still in fine form, while others felt that it was “off” in some way. I’ll admit to being slightly in the second camp, albeit with a better sense of how, and more importantly why, the show feels this way. While I do think there are a few creative missteps here, I think the general function of the premiere was a good way to enter into the season (if not necessarily conducive to a particularly strong premiere).

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under The Good Wife

Tagged as Alicia Florick, Analysis, Archie Panjabi, CBS, Entertainment, Episode 1, Julianna Margulies, Kalinda, Oral Sex, Peter, Premiere, Review, Scott Porter, Season 2, Season Premiere, Taking Control, Television, TV, WikiLeaks, Will