Repost Tuesdays: TV + DC = DERRICK COMEDY

I was going to re-post snippets from NBC’s “Community” and ABC’s “Modern Family,” encouraging you to watch them before you fall too far behind. Unfortunately, I can’t post video to the site currently, which actually may be fortunate because these shows merit watching from start to finish. So I’ll tell you what I had planned on showing you: Watch them before you fall too far behind. Go do that voodoo that Hulu does well. Those links are there for a reason, and it isn’t to add a splash of color. THIS SITE SEES NO COLOR! NOW CLICK ‘EM! Cause they can’t click theyselves.

Both of these shows nail the 3 S’es of great comedy: They’re Smart, Sweet, and Laugh-Out-Loud Funny. The 3 S’es. My peeps whose already down with “Community,” know what I’m talking about. Watching Abed’s student film from episode 3 was the fastest I’ve ever gone from laughing to crying without taking a SuperBall to the nutsack. Man, those round pieces of rubber take some fast, unexpected turns. Ouchie! I can’t think of a perfect example from “Modern Family,” (the Lion King part from the pilot maybe?) but those down-ass peeps is feelin’ me, too!

But it’s still re-post Tuesday, so I need to throw together something more than just words of encouragement regarding your television viewing habits. Luckily, our interview buddy DC Pierson’s blog today featured prose worthy of reprise. This passage is my favorite, however YOU WILL do yourself the service of reading the whole thing.

That last line is some straight-up Mark Twain shit. I haven’t taken the time to decide if I agree with it; I accept it on turn-of-phrase alone. It’s the sentence equivalent to a swimsuit model’s body or an Alan Dershowitz defense: Too well put-together to argue with. Btw, I highlighted it. DC doesn’t highlight sections of his own text.

Also, while doing my due diligence for the diligent dudes (and dudette…do people still say dudette?) in DERRICK, you can check out the all new Mystery Team site here, DEMAND IT the movie in your town here, and pre-order DC’s novel here.  Plus, DERRICK’s own Donald Glover is one of the stars of “Community,” so watching that supports them, too. You really can’t throw a rock at something entertaining in this town without hitting someone from DERRICK COMEDY. And while we’re on the subject, stop throwing rocks, especially at things that are entertaining you. It’s just a thought.

My name is Ben and I blogged this.

Give the TVs an Award

Every year (never before) around this time (because this is the first time ever) I like to take a break from my busy schedule (around-the-clock poetry slams) to honor the TVs that make it possible for me to watch TV. This year is no different (entirely different) (I’m serious) (never done this before) (probably never will again) (parentheses). Welcome one and all to the Teevees, given by me to the best televisions and television accessories in my life. Most of the awards were handed out in a ceremony held never, but we’ve saved the most coveted prizes for announcement right…NOW.

The Award for Best Television for Watching a Series Goes to…My roommate Joe’s flat-screen in the living room. Like most “Best…Series” winners it offers stunning performance, was acquired for cheap, and almost never gets watched. You know the story: A critical favorite, unappreciated until award season. After this award I’ll probably look the TV up online, marvel at how great it looks, then forget it exists again.

The People’s Choice Award for Best Television Goes to…My laptop. It’s far more expensive, provides worse performance, and gets watched constantly. It’s like Two and a Half Men only easier to masturbate to. My God, Two and a Half Men, masturbating to you is such a chore!

The Award for Best Drama Involving a Television Goes to…The giant TV that was in the living room prior to getting the flat-screen. It was really heavy, so it stayed there next to the new TV through diversionary plotlines involving its possible sale or giveaway, all leading up to the season finale when Joe moved it to his bedroom. With suspense like that I can hardly wait to see what happens this season!

The Award for Best Supporting Player in the Watching of a Television Series Goes to…My surround-sound 5-disc DVD player. Everyone knew it would win this year because it died.

The Lifetime Achievement Award Goes to…My eyeballs. They have changed the way I view television. They were there the first time I was introduced and are still with me today, popping up every time I try to watch anything. They’re like Lorne Michaels, only bluer, prettier, and lodged in my eye sockets.

That’s it, folks! There were more trophies to hand out but I left them in the trunk of my Buick. I would retrieve them, but I don’t own a Buick. If you own a Buick, check the trunk, you might find out you’re a really great TV. Who knows, maybe you are.

Hey, here’s a coincidence: The Emmy’s were tonight. How apropos. So tell me, did Growing Pains win anything or were they robbed again? I knew it! What won, 30 Rock? Never heard of it.

My name is Ben and I blogged this.

Our Friend Is Back!

If this next statement makes me sound like a lame-butt or a dumb-face or a super-stooge, c’est la vie, as they say in gibberish:  It’s nice having new TV back.

‘C’est la vie’ is from France? Really? Fine, they speak gibberish in froggy old France. I always thought they spoke French. Or Froggy. We’re getting off-subject.

Did THAT statement make me sound like a lame-butt or a dumb-face or a super-stooge? I SAID OFF-SUBJECT!

Apparently a lot of shows came back last night:  Several seasons of Survivor; Survivorman; a couple Big Brothers; a Little Sister or two; Fringe. Lots of stuff. My evening was dominated by NBC’s now-legendary Thursday night lineup. Parks & Recreation’s second season started auspiciously, after a pretty underwhelming short first season. The Office got off to a great start. And Community had about as smooth a series premiere as I can remember. So smooth that at one point I questioned whether I had missed the first episode or five minutes of this one. I was impressed, and that’s hard to do without having me pull your finger.

The low point of the night (still pretty high (which is not a weed reference, but if you read it as such you wouldn’t be wrong exactly)) came from an unsuspected source. Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday is a show I should love. I love SNL. I love SNA (Seth N’ Amy). I love Weekend Update. But I don’t love this show. I don’t really understand it.

Problem 1: The name, Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday, makes about as much sense as vegetarian meatballs.You can’t have a weekend update on a Thursday. At best you can have a weekend preview. Or a Wednesday update. But no one would watch Saturday Night Live Wednesday Update Thursday. Unless it was on a Tuesday. Because that would be a live sooth-saying show. And the confusion would merit further investigation.

Problem 2: They’re going to run out of updates. Last year, during the climax of the most important presidential election in ages, it made sense affording additional time to the fake news. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was making a killing off their Indecision 2008 programming and NBC wanted a piece of that parody pie. But now, there’s no more pie. NBC, stop coming back for pie. Parody or otherwise. I like peach.

Problem 3: The length. SNL has been doing Weekend Updates for 35 years now. We’re starting to get used to the formula. If I wanted a whole broadcast of the news, I’d watch…the news. Weekend Update works for about ten minutes and I love it the same way I love Hot Pockets: For it’s size, expedience, and hilariousness. We’ve been conditioned to believe ten minutes is the maximum amount of update we can handle on a weekend. You can’t ask us to stick around for an additional twenty minutes anymore than you can tell us, “You can’t rush a Hot Pocket.”

This being said, I’ll still tune in to the Update Desk next Thursday. And then again two days later for another update on the premiere of SATURDAY Night Live. I LOVE SNL, it is probably the only thing I am sentimental or nostalgic about, but I worry for it. SNL fell out of favor once by drudging every bit of humor from ideas best left to brevity while over-saturating the market with themselves.

I guess I should just be happy for the continued success of this thing I love. Still, I worry. C’est la vie, I suppose. Which apparently is French for ‘gibberish.’

My name is Ben and I blogged this.