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.

Thanks and No Thanks

Well, I’m a day late and more than a few dollars short, but I’ve compiled a list of things to be thankful for and things to lament this TV year:

I’m Thankful For:

Slap Bets: Not only was the original episode my favorite episode of television of the past year, but every subsequent payoff has been pitch perfect, including this most recent Slapsgiving episode.

The Writer’s Strike: I know this is surprising to see here, but as a writer who is hoping to break into TV, this strike will be key in getting fair wages for any future work I do.

Pushing Daisies: For bringing fairy tale and whimsy and quality back to primetime television. Also, for finally bringing Bryan Fuller the success he so deserves.

Alec Baldwin and “30 Rock”: For making “The Office” more than a fluke for NBC.

Rock of Love: If only for teaching me that it’s never a good idea to threaten a person with a good time. Especially if they’re a drunken stripper.

Imaginationland: For violating everything my childhood held dear, and making me love that violation.

My Readers: It makes me feel really good about myself when people read my blog. So, sentimental “aw” moment: Thanks for reading guys. “Awwwwwww”


I’m NOT Thankful For:

The Writer’s Strike: While I support what they’re doing, there’s a good chance that it’ll seriously hurt a bunch of good freshman shows.

Meredith Not Dying on Grey's Anatomy: I hate her. I hate her so much. I want to punch her anytime I’m reminded of her “Choose Me. Pick Me. Love Me” speech.

I Love New York Season 2: Because it’s nowhere near as good as season one.

The Cancellation of Studio 60: Because it had such good potential, but still couldn’t find viewers.

The Way Veronica Mars Ended: I seriously wanted to punch my TV. That’s the way they ended my favorite show?

Lorena on The Amazing Race: It takes a special something to become one of my most hated reality competitors three episodes into a season. Kudos, Lorena. Kudos.

Most Reality Shows on the CW: Beauty and the Geek and America’s Next Top Model, those I can live with. But, seriously, “The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll”? The Upcoming “Crowned: The Ultimate Mother Daughter Beauty Pageant”? The Upcoming “Farmer Wants A Wife”? Someone sold their soul to the devil for development deals…


Overall though, I’m a lot more thankful for this past year than I am sad about it. While we lost some great shows, we gained some other great ones. Good times, people. Good times.