Bryan Fuller Is My Idol

So, my love of Pushing Daisies is well documented on this blog. I think it was the most unique and wonderful show to come on TV in a while, and this is coming from someone who watches a lot of TV. In a heartbeat, I would put it on my top 10 shows of all time list. The only other shows I can think of that are similar and similarly fantastic are Wonderfalls, which also cracks that top 10, and Dead Like Me, which probably misses it by a scant amount. What do these three shows all have in common besides being fantastic and different and unfortunately cancelled? They have a genius in common: Bryan Fuller.

This post, however, is not about these three shows. It is about Bryan Fuller’s genius, which was most recently manifested in a recent episode of Heroes, “Cold Snap”. Heroes has been, at best, wildly uneven this season. There have been distinct improvements from last season, but all the Arthur Petrelli stuff earlier this year fell flat. The newest arc, Fugitives, has been getting better, but it was not until Bryan Fuller’s triumphant return to the show with that episode that Heroes finally got good again. From the opening moments, with Danko finding Eric Doyle strung up in his apartment, I was hooked. This episode had so much good going for it (which is not to say there wasn’t a little bad to it to, but it’s not worth focusing on) that I just wanted to come out and say it: Bryan Fuller is a genius.

What has been wrong with Heroes for the past two seasons was the huge focus on a few characters, under-utilizing tons of others. The two biggest problems have been Claire, who is not terrible but so overused at this point it’s not even funny, and Peter, who I have never liked. And the best part is Fuller seems to realize this. He crafted an episode around Tracy, the character who has been used the absolute worst this season, and also heavily featured Daphne, who they’ve never used to her potential, and gave Hiro and Ando something useful to do again. Basically, in one episode, Fuller dealt with all of my problems with Heroes and focused on the elements that I like and that we haven’t been given enough of. I haven’t watched the show since that episode, simply because I know Fuller hasn’t written these next ones, so there is no way they will be as good. So I just want to say: Thank you Bryan Fuller, for being the genius that you are. There is no writer I look up to more (as may or may not have been mentioned somewhere in this blog, writing for TV is what I want to do after school). If you are somehow reading this, please have idea babies with me Bryan Fuller. I promise, I’ll help raise them right.

State of VH1: Rock Of Love Bus Final Two= LAME

Note: This is the first post of a series that will run this upcoming week, the State of VH1. Kind of like the State of the Union, but dedicated to my favorite provider of Trash TV. Also, this post mentions some unsavory things. But I'm talking about VH1, so how could I not?

So, Rock of Love Bus is down to its final two classy and sophisticated women, Mindy(on the right) and Taya(on the left). And I think that I speak for all VH1 fans in saying LAME. This has to be the weakest final two in VH1’s history. For how much I love this show (roughly the same as how much the women on these shows love alcohol), its saying something that I really don’t care who wins. Because it’s going to be boring either way.

See, that’s been the problem with this season. Bret seems to be trying to make this show as boring as possible. Going back to the first episode, Bret eliminated two girls who would have certainly provided good television (read: trainwrecks). These are the two girls who participated in the hoo-ha shot hear round the world (one girl did a test tube shot out of the others nether-regions. Like I said, these women are classy and sophisticated). I mean, I understand getting rid of them from a personal health point of view, but from a good TV one? That’s just unacceptable.

And then, three weeks ago, the last straw broke. He got rid of Ashley. Ashley, along with friend Farrah, was the sole reason that the show was entertaining for a large portion of the season. She was, as VH1’s hilarious blog so accurately put it, a walking youtube comment. She was just this awesomely acid tongued critique of the other girls. And then Bret gets rid of her. Now, who will say things like “I didn’t know they made bikinis in size fat f*#k,” “Kami’s all like ‘I’ve been a stripper for 10 years.’ Bitch, you look like you’ve been a stripper for 30 years,” or scream “People who eat basil are LAME!” Certainly not Taya or Mindy. Because, they are, as Ashley would put it, LAME.

So yeah, this is a really weak final two. I guess I’m rooting for Mindy, because she’s occasionally entertaining (and because I’m scared of Taya’s gigantic vag. No, seriously, look up her penthouse spread. It’s terrifying. You can find it somewhere on Bourgy). But, yeah, basically LAME.

South Park Is Stepping It Up

So, can we talk about how on fire South Park has been this season? Of course we can, this is my blog, I can talk about whatever I want. So will you listen to me talk about how on fire South Park has been this season?

If you’re still, reading, then I’m guessing you’ve answered in the affirmative. I’m not sure what my favorite moment of the first four episodes has been. It might be Father Maxie, the town’s priest, suggesting they kill the young Jew who preaches heresy against the economy. It might be the Road Warrior queef from this past weeks episode (I know some people love the Martha Stewart moment, but it crossed that fine line into disgusting for me) Oh, no, wait, it was definitely Mickey Mouse beating Joe Jonas unmercifully for not wanting to sell sex to little girls while wearing purity rings anymore. That one definitely wins.

(Note: The clip has profanity, namely, the F word)


While, yes, “The Coon”, the episode about vigilante justice was kind of flat and there were moments in this weeks’ “Eat. Pray. Queef.” that were had to watch (Maybe I’m a guy though, and that was kind of the point? My female friends found it non-stop hilarious). The guys, though, have really come back super-duper strong after a weak half-season this past fall. So, yeah, lets hope they keep it up. Have your socks been knocked off as much as mine? I'm certainly looking forward to tonight's episode.

So, NBC Has Renewed SVU...

Sorry, NBC, but I have a question for you: What? I know SVU is your top-rated non-sports show. Obviously, from a business perspective, of course you are going to renew SVU. I'm actually a fan of the show, it's the only Law and Order I can stand (I'm a fan of the new Law and Order UK, too, but that's more because the lawyers have to wear silly wigs). But logistically, I have a question for you, NBC: What?

Sorry, but I just don't understand how SVU can fit into NBC's lineup with this new Leno thing. He is taking over the 10PM slot 5 nights a week. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but the 10PM timeslot allows for more ickiness (you know, things like rape and child molestation) than the 9PM timeslot. So how in the hell can a show like SVU, which is focused on really heinous (especially heinous, sorry) crimes, exist at 9? Is the show going to have to cut back on dealing with difficult issues like it does?

I understand that shows like CSI, Original Recipe exist in all their mostly gruesome glory at 9 PM. But CSI doesn't deal with topics like rape and child molestation in such a frank manner. The straightforwardness of it is part of the reason I watch SVU, it's a crime show that deals with the gruesome in a direct manner. But that sort of SVU can't exist at 9PM. So I don't get what NBC is doing. Maybe this is just me being angry at them for giving Jay Leno 5 nights a week to unleash his own little unfunny version of televisual misery. Maybe I'm just depressed because this is likely another nail in Chuck's coffin. But I'm just perplexed by this move creatively. On top of that, leads Meloni and Hargitay are some of the higher compensated actors on TV, and that this whole Leno thing was done to cut costs for NBC, SVU has gotta be kind of expensive to produce. Then again, neither lead has signed on to the new season yet, so maybe they are cutting it back. Can any of you think of a reason for its renewal, besides the ratings?

You Should Be Watching Chuck

You know those shows, those shows that keep getting better and better and yet get no love from critics AND not a big enough audience? Yes you do, don’t lie to me. What do you mean you can’t think of any shows like that? You’ve heard of Chuck, right? Yes? Well, then you have. And don’t tell me I’m putting words in your mouth.

Chuck, during its first season, was lots of fun, but fairly, and by fairly I mean heavily, formulaic. And yet, it still cracked my top 10. Twice. Now, nearing the end of its second and hopefully NOT final season, Chuck has been really, really hitting its stride. Don’t get me wrong, it IS still formulaic. But it’s also doing things that aren’t formulaic. I was hoping for more payoff on the Dark Intersect storyline (I haven’t given up hope, it’s gotta factor in somehow to the supposed season finale gamechanger, right?), but between that plotline, the whole Sarah and Chuck relationship, Chuck’s search for his dad AND his attempt to get the intersect out of his head (I’m guessing those last two are gonna dovetail), there’s a lot going on. Chuck, for being formulaic, is doing some really entertaining stuff outside its formula.

But besides that, Chuck has also turned into one of the best ensemble casts on all of TV. Zachary Levi has turned Chuck into more than just “Nerd who’s in way over his head”, into a full-blown hero. His chemistry with Yvonne Strahovski is starting to near going off the charts (not in the sizzle way, but in the sweet “can’t these crazy kids just get together way). I’m being fully honest when I say that they are quickly approaching Jim and Pam, my favorite TV couple. Adam Baldwin is awesome as always. Ryan McPartlin has turned what should have been a one-note character in Captain Awesome (aka Devon, Chucks brother-in-law to be) into possibly my favorite character on the show. Even Morgan, who I hated in the pilot and first season, has become mildly likeable.

So yeah, you should be watching Chuck. The plot is good, the cast is fantastic, its well written, and most importantly, its FUN. Fun is something that is missing from TV far too much nowadays. With NBC cutting 5 hours of programming next season to make room for Jay Crappo (look for a post on my feelings on that down the line, but can you guess what they are?), Chuck is in serious danger. Lets hope an upcoming episode is “Chuck vs. The Giant Chin” I’m rooting for Chuck.