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‘What I’m Watching’ Category

  1. Grey’s Anatomy

    April 16, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    As we near the end of our time together, CAS 138T, I’ve decided it’s time I write about a TV show I would like to say I consider a guilty pleasure, but honestly I just really, unashamedly love Grey’s Anatomy. This may not be the most high-brow television (I say like I was talking about documentaries before and not sitcoms), but I believe this is quality television. Grey’s is just plain good; it is exciting and emotional, and even funny sometimes. It doesn’t have 11 seasons (and it’s still going) because it’s a boring show. It is cheesy and over-the-top dramatic sometimes, but that’s what makes it so good. In order to give you a taste of how borderline ridiculous Grey’s is, I have chosen some cheesy quotes for you all to enjoy.

    Grey’s Anatomy a medical drama, which I have a soft spot for. House is another one of my favorite shows, and it was in looking for a replacement for House that I came across Grey’s. The show, typically, centers around patient per episode, or every few episodes. As the doctors work to save the patient at hand, they also have to deal with the drama that is present at that moment. This can include cheating spouses, mystery half siblings, best friend fights, and much more. Just a warning, this blog contains some spoilers; I usually try to avoid them, but it’s hard to talk about Grey’s without giving something away.

    The show focuses on a group of medical interns, who then go on to become attending doctors. Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, Alex, and George all come into Seattle Grace Hospital together and work together to achieve their dreams. Meredith Grey is the main character of the show, who also narrates a majority of the episodes. Meredith and Cristina become best friends, the “twisted sisters”; they’re both a little sad and dark, and they rely on each to get through all the drama of the hospital. The interns all become friends though, with all of them living in Meredith’s house at some point, often a few at a time. The interns also work with the attending doctors, such as Derek Shepherd, called “McDreamy” by the interns. Meredith and Derek end up married eventually, but are now facing marital troubles. Honestly, I want to tell them to just work it out and get over it; I’m kind of over their relationship drama. I may have been watching this show for too long.

    Characters on the show come and go as they are either killed off or leave the hospital for various reasons. Only five cast members have been with the show since season one and are still on air today. Actors have left for various reasons, and they always do so with a dramatic exit. Some may argue the departures are too dramatic; the character will often die tragically or discover a terrible secret that drives them away from the hospital. I argue that this is Grey’s Anatomy, I’m watching for ridiculous, over the top drama. The season finale is always the climax of ridiculous happenings, with some sort of disaster occurring each time. Seattle, where the show is set, just has no luck where Grey’s Anatomy is concerned. So far, there has been a horrible storm, an active shooter in the hospital, a failed wedding, a boy trapped in cement, a main character getting cancer, a miscarriage and a plane crash which killed several main characters.

    Characters depart the show for many reasons, some exciting, some not. Katherine Heigl left to pursue her movie career, however there are rumors she was not well-liked on set, and the cast and crew were not sad to see her go. Another incident occurred when the actor Isaiah Washington, who played Preston Burke, allegedly used a gay slur towards T.R. Knight, who played George O’Malley. Knight later came out publicly as gay and Washington made some further unfortunate remarks about gay people. Washington’s contract was not renewed after the third season, in an apparent reaction to his comments. Washington did return at the end of the tenth season in order to give closure to Cristina Yang’s storyline, but only for a single episode.

    Grey’s Anatomy is a seriously entertaining show. I love the ridiculous drama and over-the-top relationships. You think the show has reached peak craziness, and then it keeps on going. The medical storylines are also awesome, and the main reason I started watching the show in the first place. The illnesses are not as “mysterious” as those on House, but the doctors are always faced new moral dilemmas or difficult patients that keep things interesting. Grey’s is currently in it’s eleventh season, and is scheduled for a twelfth, so if you’re looking for a great drama to binge-watch, Grey’s is just for you. It’s all on Netflix and will definitely keep you busy for a while. Just a warning, you will probably become weirdly jealous of Cristina and Meredith’s twisted friendship and tequila-fueled dance parties. Thanks for reading, CAS 138T!

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  2. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

    April 9, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a great TV show, that honestly surprised me with how good it is. Kimmy Schmidt, played by Ellie Kemper of The Office, is a girl who was kidnapped into a Doomsday cult when she was in eighth grade. Kimmy and three other women were held hostage in a bunker underground by the insane Revered Richard Wayne Gary Wayne, who told them the world had ended. They are finally rescued fifteen years later and have to now rejoin society, which is where the show picks up. The women become known as the “Indiana Mole Women” and gain popularity in the news. Kimmy decides to move to New York City, where she finds an apartment and a job as a nanny/all around assistant to a rich woman, played by Jane Krakowski of 30 Rock. Kimmy tries to live successfully in New York City, despite that fact that she is somewhat stuck in 8th grade, as she was removed from society at that time. She wears a lot of hot pink and carries a backpack, which nicely accents her bedazzled sneakers.

    The cast of this show is amazing; every character is perfectly cast and the actor fits the character extremely well. I loved Ellie Kemper on The Office and I’m glad she has found success playing a similar, though not identical, character in Kimmy Schmidt. She plays a naive, innocent, and weirdly out of touch young person trying to adjust to the adult world, as Erin in The Office was also trying to do. Jane Krakowski as the wildly rich and incredibly out of touch Jacqueline Vorhees is perfect, as she really sells that she would just throw away water and be unable to cook anything. Kimmy’s eccentric roommate and sketchy landlady are also perfectly cast. The trope of the sweet old lady who turns out to be a hardened criminal is something I will never get tired of.

    Kimmy Schmidt can at first seem like any other sitcom you could see on TV. There’s some weird, but not too weird, characters, a silly situation, an out of touch rich woman, a rebellious teenager, yawn. However, this show goes beyond that into the realm of kind-of-weird comedy that I really like. Every seemingly tired and worn out sitcom situation takes a weird turn, making it new and unique. I had high hopes for the show, as it is created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, who was the showrunner for 30 Rock. The show lived up to and surpassed my expectations, as I thoroughly enjoyed every episode I watched. I actually watched the whole show in one weekend, which is slightly concerning, but I digress.

    The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was scheduled to air on NBC this spring, but was instead sold to Netflix, which put the show up for streaming in March. The whole first (and only) season can be watched on Netflix right now, with another season scheduled to air at some point. I don’t know when, my encyclopedic knowledge of television shows sadly does not extend to future TV shows, but Netflix did schedule the show for two seasons.

    When watching the show I heard a few jokes I thought sounded a little  dated. They sounded like they would have made more sense a few years ago. The theme song, for instance. It is incredibly catchy, I had it stuck in my head every time I watched an episode. It’s an autotuned version of someone talking, like those “Autotune the News” videos that were really popular a few years ago. Then, I realized, Kimmy has been trapped in a bunker for years. These are the references she understands. The “dated” jokes are something that really stood out to me, and almost bothered me, until I realized why these seemingly dated jokes made it into the final script.

    This show is very similar to 30 Rock, in my opinion. The characters are all crazy, but not crazy enough to be unbelievable. The jokes keep coming and can be very subtle, which I’m a big fan of. I really enjoy the unique premise of the show and the characters, who are unlike any you typically see on TV. It feels like everything on screen is a reference and a joke, and I’m sure I missed a lot of them. There’s also a lot of strong female characters (they’re unbreakable) and we all know how much I like strong female characters. Everyone go watch Kimmy Schmidt, it’s witty and really funny, and I don’t have anyone to talk about it with.  I’m all alone, like an Indiana Mole Woman in an underground doomsday bunker.

    Category What I'm Watching | Tags: ,,,,, | 5 Comments

  3. Stand-Up Comedy

    March 26, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    Welcome to the world of “Weird Stand-Up Comedy Hannah Likes”. It’s a magical place to be. These technically aren’t TV shows, but they are “What I’m Watching” and it’s my blog, so it’s probably okay, right? (Please don’t yell at me.)

    First up, we have New in Town, a stand up comedy special by John Mulaney. This is a great hour, every single story is absolutely hilarious. I always forget that the funny story I’m thinking of is also from New in Town, it just keeps going and keeps being hilarious. The way Mulaney tells the stories draws you in, and his inflection and phrasing are absolutely perfect. When I read quotes from New in Town I hear Mulaney’s voice in my head, and the very distinct way in which he delivers all the jokes. His humor is self-deprecating, which I love, and all the stories are somewhat believable. I hate when comedians tell stories so outrageous that even my advanced suspension of disbelief can’t take it. Mulaney’s stories about his life, growing up and today, are great and hilarious to listen to. His stories are not too vulgar either, which means I have made every member of my family watch this. Even the little brother I was technically not supposed to show it to (sorry Dad!). The stories are funny and realistic without being gross.

    John Mulaney has been a writer for multiple TV shows, however I think he is best known for writing for Saturday Night Live. Mulaney is the mind behind “Stefon”, a “Weekend Update” character he developed with Bill Hader. At the last minute, Mulaney would change the jokes on the cue cards and tell Hader just before he went on stage, leading to Stefon’s signature move to hide his laugh. Mulaney also has his own show on FOX right now called Mulaney. I love John Mulaney, and I love his humor, but this show is straight awful. If any of you like this show please enlighten me because I want to like it so bad and I just can’t.

    what. by Bo Burnham is another of my favorite stand up comedies. what. is admittedly super weird and I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to those unfamiliar with Bo Burnham. Burnham’s earlier stand up hour, Words, Words, Words is also really funny, and I think a more approachable and easy introduction to his humor.  In the past, both have been on Netflix, so I would force my unsuspecting friends to sit through one after the other. Sadly, now only what. is on Netflix, and I feel kind of bad just throwing people into that. The humor in what. is much darker and self-deprecating than in Words, Words, Words, and is a lot less traditional. what. is honestly really, really weird, and kind of hard to understand without knowing about Burnham before hand.

    Bo Burnham’s humor is mostly song-based, meaning he sits at a piano and sings funny songs. My favorites include “My Whole Family Thinks I’m Gay” and “Sad”. I really enjoy that after watching something by Bo Burnham, I walk around with a song stuck in my head all day, usually “Love Is”. Just a warning, these including cursing and some very dark humor. Burnham makes fun of himself, life, and things that many people think should not be joked about. There is a lot of cursing and jokes about religion, abortion, and God in both Words, Words, Words and what. Burnham is not for kids; please don’t show this any children, you will scare them. Burnham also often sings about how he doesn’t deserve to be famous and he may have wasted his life doing comedy, such as in the song “Art is Dead”. Just really uplifting stuff. More of this dark humor is present in what. than in Words, Words, Words. “Left Brain, Right Brain”, a bit in what., is a more artistic song about people in Burnham’s life and how they treat him because of his fame. Burnham became famous very young, at 16, when his videos went viral on Youtube.  He has been doing stand-up comedy ever since; he put off college to tour, and discusses that decision often in his humor.

    I highly recommend you watch New in Town on Netflix, I personally cannot stop watching it. I’m like someone with a problem, like when somebody eats too much chocolate cake. Ice-T gets it. If you have seen Words, Words, Words but not what. then you really should watch it. It is weird at times, but also very funny, and still very representative of Bo Burnham’s humor. Burnham also has a poetry book called Egghead that I hear is very good. He reads some of his poems in his standup and I have enjoyed those that I have heard. Do you have a favorite stand up comedy or comic? Have you seen Mulaney or Burnham’s comedy before? Does this count as “What I’m Watching”?

     

     

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  4. Community

    March 19, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    Hello Human Beings! Welcome to a blog about a show I think is streets ahead, Community. Community is a comedy which follows the adventures of a study group at Greendale Community College. The show revolves around seven main characters, who are members of a Spanish study group. The study group, Jeff, Britta, Abed, Troy, Pierce, Shirley, and Annie, all become friends over the course of the show as they deal with the issues presented by Greendale and their relationships with each other.

    Jeff, the “leader” of the group, is a former lawyer who was kicked out of his firm once it was revealed he did have a real college degree. Britta is an activist who has come to Greendale to finally earn a degree. Britta can has been described as “the worst”, “the AT&T of people” and “the opposite of Batman”. Abed is obsessed with TV shows and pop culture; he is constantly referencing pop culture and discussing the things the study group does as if they were on a TV show. Troy is Abed’s best friend and a former high school football star. He injured himself doing a “keg flip” and is now at Greendale having adventures and doing ridiculous things with Abed. Pierce is an aging millionaire who hangs around Greendale taking various classes and saying politically incorrect things. Shirley is a Christian mother of two and wants to earn a degree to open her own sandwich shop. Annie, the final member of the study group, is a hardworking young woman who has high hopes and does not react well to things not going her way. Despite all of their differences in age and personality, the study group are all great friends and stand by each other through fights and other hard times. The Dean of Greendale, Craig Pelton, also makes appearances, along with the eccentric former teacher Ben Chang.

    Community has received positive reviews and praise from critics throughout it’s time on air. The show has never had very wide viewership, however, leading to the near cancellation of the show several times. The first real threat of cancellation happened during season three, when Community was suddenly taken off the NBC schedule and fans were given no set date of when it would return. The fans reacted strongly to this, taking to the internet to express their displeasure using hashtags, and in real life by protesting outside NBC. NBC responded to the fan’s distress, saying the show would air eventually, just not at the intended time. The season did air, just much later than had been anticipated, leading to things like a Halloween episode airing in the spring.

    The fourth season also brought drama for Community, as showrunner and creator Dan Harmon was removed from the show. The fans responded negatively to this move as well, as Harmon’s vision always guided the show. I thought the fourth season was not as good as the others with Harmon, and lacked the same spirit the others did. Harmon returned for the fifth season however, and the fourth season is now referred to as the “gas leak season” after the show’s characters mentioned a gas leak leading to weird events the year before.

    Community was sadly cancelled after the fifth season, once again leading to anger among fans. In a somewhat miraculous turn of events, Yahoo! Screen picked up Community and announced the show would now air on their platform. Community came back for a sixth season, which premiered on Tuesday, fulfilling half of the dream of “six seasons and a movie”. It was ridiculously exciting to hear that one of my favorite shows would not be cancelled and watching the episode on Tuesday made me incredibly happy. It will be interesting to see how the show develops on Yahoo!, however if the two episodes released this week are any indication, it will be very good, as the episodes managed to capture the spirit of the show I love so much.

    There has also been a few problems regarding the cast of Community. The sixth season now only has four of the original seven cast members. Chevy Chase, who played Pierce, left the show after a mutual agreement between himself and showrunners decided his departure would be for the best. There are rumors he was not the most pleasant to work with. Donald Glover, who played Troy, left the show due to personal problems and other obligations. Glover also performs as the rapper Childish Gambino when he is not acting on Community, however he has said he left due to personal issues, not to pursue rapping full time. Yvette Nicole Brown, who played Shirley, also sadly left the show to care for her ill father. Despite the losses from the cast, the show continues to be very good and has not lost it’s core dynamic, plus the new additions to the cast seem promising. As you can see, Community has had it’s fair share of drama, but the fans are always fighting for the show and supporting it in any way they can.

    The fans support for the show throughout its many ups and downs stems from, I think, the uniqueness of Community. The show really cares for the fans, often thanking them on social media such as Twitter and Reddit. The actors are involved with the fans on Twitter, as Dan Harmon and other writers are. Community feels like a world you could be a part of, and the fans want to be a part of it. The show incites passion because there really is nothing else like it. The show itself is great, the jokes are always funny and the plotlines entertaining. However, Community is also unique and engaging, and in touch with the fans. The show’s writers know their audience and give them what they want. There is a Dungeons and Dragons episode, an episode about a Doctor Who-like show (“Inspector Spacetime”) and an episode about “MeowMeowBeenz” (I give it 5 MeowMeowBeenz). The plotlines can be ridiculous and unbelievable, but they are always authentically Community.

    I absolutely love Community and I highly recommend that everyone watch this amazing show. It is unique in it’s meta, self-aware humor and referential jokes that refer to not only other shows and but also previous events from Community. For example, the third time Beetlejuice was referred to on the show, Beetlejuice himself can be seen walking through the background. The attention to detail and commitment to making Greendale seem real is part of what makes Community so great.  It is also highly character driven, by characters that are all unique and ridiculous and awesome. The show is highly quotable and could be watched over and over again and never get boring (not that I know from personal experience or anything). It’s ability to come back from the edge of cancellation is borderline miraculous, and is a testament to the dedication people have to the show.

    My favorite episodes include “Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design” and “Remedial Chaos Theory”. “Remedial Chaos Theory” is admittedly a little weird, but it’s the first episode of Community I ever saw, so it holds a special place in my heart. However, you also can never go wrong with watching the paintball episodes. The new episodes are available on Yahoo! Screen and the previous seasons are available for rent and on Netflix Canada. Go forth and watch, for Jesus wept when he saw how good Community is.

     

     

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  5. Psych

    March 5, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    Psych is a show about a psychic detective, Shawn Spencer, and his best friend, Burton “Gus” Guster. They help the Santa Barbara Police Department solve crimes, usually murders, as consultants. Detectives Carlton Lassiter and Juliet O’Hara primarily work with Shawn and Gus on cases they have trouble solving. Shawn claims his psychic powers help him solve the crimes, as he receives psychic visions of suspects and clues. But, surprise, Shawn is not actually psychic. He is simply incredibly observational. He was trained to have an eye for details from a very young age by his father, a police detective who hoped his son would one day join him in the profession. As you can imagine, Shawn goes to great lengths to keep up his ruse of being a psychic, leading to some crazy situations, such as Shawn pretending to be an astronomy expert at a museum.

    Psych is primarily a comedy, but the mystery storylines are good within their own right, as is the drama created by the crimes and Shawn’s lies. Shawn and Gus are best friends on the show, played by James Roday (Shawn) and Dulè Hill (Gus). Their friendship is a great part of the show, their interactions are comedic and they often do not see eye to eye, but they are great friends. Gus acts as the rational mind and “straight man” to Shawn’s expansive imagination and borderline immaturity. Gus often tries to talk Shawn out of his somewhat convoluted schemes and lies about being psychic, but almost always fails. Shawn always introduces Gus to people they meet as someone with a ridiculous name. The highlights include: Gus T.T. Showbiz (the extra T is for extra talent), Ghee Buttersnaps AKA the Heater, Jonathan Jacob “Jingly” Schmidt, MC Clap Yo Hands, Imhotep or He Cometh in Peace, Blue Ivy Carter, and Bill Ofrights. Shawn also has a tendency to tell Gus to “not be” incredibly specific things, which never fail to be hilarious.

    I really like Psych  because it combines a murder mystery with comedy very well. You get to watch detectives solve the interesting, and sometimes over-the-top, murders we all love from crime shows, while Shawn and Gus go about it in their own way, providing great laughs. I also like Psych because it is a more family-friendly comedy. As you may have noticed, I like to watch comedies, and I like to talk about them and show them to people. To my despair though, I’m not allowed to show my little brother 90% of what I watch. Apparently It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is “inappropriate” and “vulgar” and “he’s 13, Hannah”. I am allowed to show him Psych, though, and it’s great to have a show everyone can enjoy together; it’s funny no matter what age you are. Despite being aimed at an older demographic, it’s a show everyone can enjoy. The show is also incredibly quotable, if you ever hear a conversation between my sister and I, it will most likely be 99% television quotes, with half of those coming from Psych.

    Psych is no longer on the air, it came to end last year after eight seasons. It did not win many awards during its airing, and definitely no major ones, but it was always reviewed well. The chemistry between the cast is often cited as a reason for the show’s success, and something I would definitely have to agree with. Shawn and Gus are a great friendship, one that is realistic while at the same time being absolutely ridiculous. They both put up with a lot, maybe Gus more so than Shawn, but they are always by each others side. The actor who plays Shawn is the longtime boyfriend of another actress on the show, Maggie Lawson, who plays Detective Juliet O’Hara, which surely added to the chemistry on set.

    I really like Psych, it’s just enjoyable to watch and has all the elements of a great show. It has a cast that works well together, smart writing, great crime storylines, and really funny jokes. Psych also does not take itself too seriously, for example, there is a pineapple hidden in every episode of the show, see if you can spot them. All of the episodes are on Netflix; if you are looking for something to binge watch over break I highly recommend it. I personally love the Yin Yang episodes and an episode from the first season called “The Spellingg Bee”.

     

     

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  6. House of Cards

    February 26, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    This week, I’m changing it up. Instead of a comedy, I’m talking about a political drama; so get ready, because things are about to get serious (not really). House of Cards is a Netflix original series; it is the first one I watched and the first one I can think of to gain mainstream popularity. The show revolves around Frank Underwood and his wife, Claire. The viewer watches as Frank and Claire both attempt to further their careers in Washington. At the beginning of the show Frank is the majority whip of the Democratic party in the House of Representatives. He is passed over to become Secretary of State and that is where things get dicey. Frank and Claire are cutthroat and will do anything to get to the top. Nothing, not even murder, is off the table if it would help them climb higher. Frank does not like being denied things he wants, and he and Claire are determined to get revenge. Frank climbs the political ladder and steps on whoever stands in his way. His equally ruthless chief of staff, Doug Stamper, is always by his side to assist him in whatever needs to be done. Other characters get caught up in Frank’s schemes, such as the reporter Zoe Barnes, but Frank has no regard for anyone other than himself. He manipulates whoever necessary to gain what he wants.

    Claire Underwood is ruthless and successful as well; she runs a charity called the “Clean Water Initiative”. She is cutthroat in her world too, as she fires almost all of her staff in order to advance her charitable work. She fires long time friends and threatens the health of other employees, all in the name of success. She even goes against her husband’s wishes and makes a deal with lobbyist Remy Danton in order to further her charitable work. “Ruthless pragmatism” is thrown around a lot when House of Cards is discussed, and I think that really is the best way to describe the behavior of the characters.

    House of Cards is based off the British miniseries of the same name. I have not seen it, but I hear it is quite good. Kevin Spacey, who plays Frank, and Robin Wright, who plays Claire, have both won Golden Globes for their performances. I believe these awards are entirely well deserved, as both are spectacular in their roles. Kevin Spacey embodies Frank Underwood perfectly, he absolutely commits and sells the character. Robin Wright does the same; Claire seems real and believable. They have both completely become their characters in my eyes, I would be terrified of Kevin Spacey if I ever saw him in public.

    I love politics, and House of Cards incorporates the politics so well into the captivating drama of the plot. It may not be realistic, but it’s really good TV. The fact that all of these dramatic events are occurring the seemingly civilized world of Washington politics makes the show even better, at least for me. House of Cards really feels like it is occurring in the real world, like you could step into the action at any minute. A unique part of House of Cards is Frank’s breaking of the fourth wall, he speaks directly to the viewer. Frank’s asides to the cameras make you feel like you are more involved than just a viewer, you feel like a part of the show.

    House of Cards also never fails to be astonishing with it’s twists and turns. You think you understand the Underwoods and then all of a sudden they do something you never thought possible. More than once I have had to pause the show and stare at it, mouth agape, in order to process what had just happened. I have also yelled at the screen multiple times, because the Underwoods tend to do things I do not particularly agree with. However, I don’t hate the Underwoods, in a twisted way I’m incredibly intrigued by them. They do awful things to other people and have no regard for others, but I always want to see what they’ll do next, I want them to keep climbing. It’s kind of messed up. The new season of House of Cards came out on Netflix at midnight today, so get watching. All of the episodes come out at once, as is Netflix’s signature move, which is pretty awesome. Go bingewatch, sleep is for the weak. Frank Underwood agrees.

     

    P.S. Sesame Street did a House of Cards parody. It’s actually really accurate, and I love it solely because it’s exists and that’s awesome.

     

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  7. Parks and Recreation

    February 19, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    If you love small-town government, breakfast foods, friendship, treatin’ yo self, or “Cones of Dunshire” then you will love Parks and Recreation. The comedy starring Amy Poehler is absolutely hilarious and unique. It centers around a small town, Pawnee, Indiana, and the Department of Parks and Recreation that is staffed by Leslie Knope, Tom Haverford, April Ludgate, Ron Swanson, and several others. The department must deal with the problems that arise in the parks system, such as the raccoon invasion and the development of Lot 48.

    Each character has their own approach to the job and the challenges it presents. The characters are all unique in their motivations for working at the Parks Department and their views on government’s role in society. Ron, the department head, is a dedicated libertarian who would prefer if the Parks Department were shut down altogether. Leslie is full of boundless energy and incredible optimism. Government work is her passion and she will literally fight for her projects. Tom is a self-centered entrepreneur who always has a new plan to get rich. They are all friends and all work in their own ways to keep the department running.

    Parks and Recreation was originally supposed to be a spin-off of The Office, however the writers decided that it worked better as a stand-alone show. It does bear resemblance The Office however, as it utilizes the “mockumentary” style popularized by The Office and revolves around everyday life in a business setting. Parks and Rec has certainly made a name for itself without being in the shadow of The Office, though. Poehler has been nominated for two Emmys for her work as Leslie Knope and has won a Golden Globe.  All seven seasons of the show are great, with the seventh and final season currently airing. However, I think the show improves drastically in season two with the departure of Mark Brendanawicz and the addition of Ben and Chris to the cast. They are literally the best possible addition to the show. Also, Mark Brendana-Quitz was kind of annoying.

    The characters of Parks and Recreation make the show what it is.  Leslie is, in my opinion, the backbone of the show, though. The friendship between Leslie and another character, Ann, is awesome, and a great example of realistic female friendship. There is no cattiness or backstabbing, just true and kind friendship. Leslie is a huge proponent of women in government and equal opportunities for the girls in Pawnee; her enthusiasm for women in government is contagious. Leslie is enthusiastic and caring to a fault. She would go the end of the Earth for her friends and for her town. Parks and Rec centers around her and her kind of crazy passion for all things Pawnee.

    However, my favorite character on the show has to be Andy, his enthusiasm for everything in his life is amazing, and way of thinking is hilarious. He may not be the brightest, but that is what makes him so great. All the characters of Parks and Recreation are so different, but all so amazing. The show is funny without being crude and is full of friendship and happiness. It is just an optimistic, funny show that is really enjoyable. My favorite episode of the show is “Flu Season”. Every season except the current one is on Netflix, so cook all the eggs and bacon you have, put on your Mouserat t-shirt and start watching.

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  8. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

    February 12, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a great show about horrible people. It is a comedy about four friends that run a bar, Paddy’s Pub, in Philadelphia. The “gang”, Charlie, Mac, Dee, and Dennis, and later Frank, are all genuinely awful people. They are rude, selfish, greedy and aren’t really nice to each other, much less anyone else. They are all hilarious though. The gang often comes up with schemes or plans which they throw themselves into and then quickly become bored with. The schemes tend to have awful consequences for other people, and very rarely for the gang themselves. Throughout the years the gang has: attempted to “solve the mortgage crisis”, run for office, put on a musical, buy a boat (because of the implication), gain access to a country club, run a beauty pageant, deliberate gun rights, and much more. Rarely have any of these schemes been successful, and they often end horribly for someone involved. For example, one character, Cricket, is always left worse off at the end of every episode he is in. The writers actually have a running joke where the gang only further ruins his life every time he is on the show. Cricket was a priest during the first season and is now a homeless burn victim. The show tackles controversial issues often, such as guns and gay marriage, and make jokes about things that many people would consider improper, such as abortion and cancer. The humor can offensive and kind of gross, but the situations the gang gets themselves into never fail to be absolutely hilarious.

     

    It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a show created, written, and produced by the main characters, played by Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, and Glenn Howerton. Rob, who plays Mac, originally created the show, and then developed it with Glenn, who plays Dennis. Charlie then joined them to shoot the pilot, and they are all executive producers and writers of the show. They shot the pilot on a handheld camera, in their apartment, with no professional lighting or sound equipment. They then brought their pilot around to various studios and it was picked up by FX for one season in 2005. After the first season, Danny Devito was brought onto the show as Frank in order to help the show gain mainstream exposure and remain on the air. This year, the tenth season of the show is airing. I think it is amazing how much work the producers put into the show, and how adamant they are that it remain their show. They wanted to have control over the show and humor and plot, so they fought for it. They play crazy people on television, but they really are hard working and dedicated people. Another fun behind-the-scenes fact is Dee and Man are married in real life, as are Charlie and the Waitress. Also, the Waitress apparently has a name. I don’t want to know it, but that information is out on the internet somewhere if you want it.

    I love this show because it makes me laugh out loud. The jokes can be irreverent and weird, but that’s honestly why I enjoy it so much. The show tackles sensitive topics in a way that somehow shows both sides to the issue, while still being comedic. The characters are all awful, self-centered people who you find yourself rooting for anyway. Any show that can make me hope Charlie successfully sells “Kitten Mittons” (he’s illiterate) is an incredibly well-written show. You should hate the characters, but for some reason you don’t; and I honestly couldn’t tell you why. The ridiculous premises of the show are another part of what makes it so great; getting to see the way theses awful, hilarious people deal with real world problems is incredibly entertaining. When doing this blog, I try to find funny quotes or pictures to include to prove that I’m not insane and these shows are kinda funny. However, when looking for photos to include in this one I ran into some trouble, because these quotes are not as funny out of context as they are in the show. Part of what makes It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia so great is the way the actors commit to their characters. Each character is a fully-developed person who has their own mannerisms and insane view of the world, and that makes each interaction and joke so much better. The actors commit wholly to the gang and their acting really makes the show what it is. The whole show is on Netflix and it’s really, really good. My personal favorite episode is either “Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens” or “The Nightman Cometh” (it’s a musical!).

     

    Category What I'm Watching | Tags: ,,, | 5 Comments

  9. Arrested Development

    February 5, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    “Now the story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together. It’s Arrested Development”. Arrested Development is a comedy that is often ranked among the best comedies of the past few years and is one my favorite shows as well. Arrested Development chronicles the life of the Bluth family, following the arrest of their father for crimes ranging from tax evasion to “light treason”. Michael, the eldest son of the family, must take over the family business while keeping his newly poor, out of touch, and kind of insane extended family under control. His family consists of his twin sister Lindsay, her husband Tobias and their daughter Maeby, his brothers Gob and Buster, their mother Lucille, and Michael’s son George Michael. This show revolves primarily around the family, their father’s arrest, and the family business, but it expands beyond those boundaries quite often. For example, Lucille adopts a child to spite her neighbor. Gob is blackballed from the Magician’s Alliance that he created. Tobias is a “never-nude” (there are dozens of them!). Buster, who is 30 and still lives at home, joins the army. The characters are all flawed and make some very poor decisions, but the family antics are the core of the show and an important part of what makes it so great.

    Arrested Development also has what may be the most dramatic background of any television show. The show first aired on FOX for three seasons, where it suffered from low ratings. This could be due to the time-slot of the show moving many times, the lack of real advertising, or, some argue, the way the jokes build off previous episodes, making the show hard to pick up in the middle.  Arrested Development was canceled in 2006 after suffering from low viewership. When Arrested Development was on, and after it was canceled, it was praised by critics. It is frequently ranked as one of the best comedies on television and is said to have inspired some of the humor in shows like 30 Rock and Community.  After the cancellation, the show soon gained a cult following. Arrested Development became a hit on Netflix and online, leading to fans calling for another season of the show to be made. In what can only be described as an insane stroke of luck, the fan’s wishes came true. Netflix bought the show and ordered a new season, and all the original characters came back. The fourth season aired in 2013, seven years after the show was canceled. Honestly, I didn’t like the new season as much as the old ones, but how cool is that? They brought a show back! I’m the only one irrationally excited about this? Understandable.

    I really like Arrested Development, the humor is different from most other comedies, and the characters are incredibly entertaining. Clever is really the best word to describe the show; the jokes are witty and almost hidden sometimes. You can find yourself making shocked faces at the screen when you realize the punchline of the joke, amazed that the writers were building up to it for so long. You can also get a weird sense of  satisfaction with yourself that you got the joke. The jokes build off one another, referencing plot points from earlier episodes. Arrested Development is one of those shows you can re-watch endlessly because every time you watch it you pick up on something new, something you didn’t notice before. I also love the insanity of the characters and the situations they find themselves in. They are all crazy and funny and awful in their own ways. Plus, this show is so quotable it’s wonderful; you never have to have an original thought again, just quote Arrested Development! Every episode is on Netflix, so go watch it, and come talk to me about it (my personal favorite episode is “Pier Pressure”). And remember, there’s always money in the banana stand.

    Category What I'm Watching | Tags: ,,,,, | 2 Comments

  10. The Office

    January 29, 2015 by Hannah Conroy

    I like to watch television, maybe a little too much, but that works out well if you like TV too because this blog will be right up your alley. On this blog, I’ll talk about shows I like, give you some fun background information, and give some information on the plot. To begin with, my first blog will be on The Office. The Office is arguably my favorite television show ever; I have lost track of how many times I have seen it, and I still love it every time. The Office is “a mockumentary on a group of typical office workers, where the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behavior, and tedium” (IMDB). The show takes place in the office of a paper company called Dunder Mifflin. The Office follows the lives of the workers in the office; it chronicles their relationships, their workday, and their everyday events. Through interviews given to the camera, as part of the mockumentary style, the audience learns a lot about the characters. By the end of the nine seasons, you feel like you know Jim, Dwight, Michael, Pam, and all the other employees. The characters of The Office are what really makes this show so great. They are all hilarious, with their own brand of comedy, and they are all also very relatable. The show develops relationships between all the characters that evolve throughout the show, while remaining funny. Another great aspect of the show is, of course, the plot. The plotlines are full of awkward, cringey humor (which I inexplicably love). The show manages to come up with entertaining, original plotlines through all nine seasons, and manages to make them all (somewhat) realistic. All of the humor and events and personal stories in the show come together to create a great television show.

    The Office also has an interesting history to go alongside the great show. It is based on the UK version of the show, also called The Office, starring Ricky Gervais. Personally, I like the US version better, but I might be biased. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are the creators of the original British version, which is no longer on the air, and are executive producers of the American one. The casting of the American version involved asking potential actors to answer questions in character, which I find interesting, but it makes sense given how in-depth the characters on the show are. A fact I find particularly adorable involves the casting of Jim and Pam; they play a pair of best friends who become a couple. Jenna Fischer plays Pam and John Krasinski plays Jim. After Jenna auditioned for the role of Pam she told John she hoped he played Jim, and John said he hoped she played Pam, as each thought the other was perfect for the role. The Office went through many changes in actors over the years, including the very controversial departure of Steve Carell, who played the main character, Michael Scott. Many viewers worried the series would decline in quality without Carell, and wondered why the series would even continue without him. Personally, I think the show did experience a decline in quality, but not enough to make me stop watching. There definitely was a different dynamic on the show, but at it’s core it remained the same show.

    The Office has been nominated for numerous awards, and won one Golden Globe, awarded to Steve Carell for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series”. I think The Office is an outstanding show, which provides comedy that anyone could like (provided you can stand some awkward humor). The whole show is streaming on Netflix right now, so go watch it. Then come talk to me about it, because I could talk about The Office forever. As a reward for making it through this blog, I leave you with one of my favorite scenes from the show. And also a picture, because watching videos is a lot of work sometimes.

    Category What I'm Watching | Tags: ,,, | 4 Comments

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