MSN TV Blog: Comedy

Are You Ready For a 'My Boys' Bachelor Party?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:51:02 GMT

PJ sure has had a rough time lately. Bobby is about to marry Swedish nanny Elsa, and PJ's the one who got stuck dealing with most of the wedding details. To add insult to injury, Bobby's best man wants to exclude her from the bachelor party because she's, well, a girl.

Fair? Well, I don't know. The episode is called "Dudes Being Dudes." It seems like we've seen a lot of that this season what with Andy's "work wife" Jo, Brando's refusal to go to the doctor and Mike...being Mike. Maybe Bobby's cute older brother Jack can bring a little bit of sunshine to Crowley's. If that connection fizzles out we could always bring back one of those dangling ~~guys~~ threads from last season, right? I don't want to see Thorn, Evan the Botanist and Matt the Cute Cub doomed to the graveyard of forgotten TV characters just yet.

- Posted by Kate

Kelly and Kevin, Er, Mindy and Brian Spill About 'The Office'

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:56:57 GMT

Kristin Dos Santos over at E! has got some great dirt on what we can expect from the upcoming "Office" webisodes and even a few mild spoilers about season five!

On Toby and Ryan:

"When asked about the prevalence of the Toby and Ryan characters in season five, Mindy said, 'I think that we'll be satisfied with how much we see Toby and Ryan. Toby disappeared in the finale of last season, and Ryan was seemingly arrested, so tying up those stories will be interesting. We haven't seen the last of Toby is what I can tell fans. Personally, I don't mind seeing less of him. Just kidding, they're my friends.'"

And those webisodes?

"As you probably know, the webisodes focus on Kevin's efforts to pay off his gambling debts. So, does he succeed in clearing the ledger and moving on with this life, or will the money-trouble drama continue into season five of The Office? Says Brian B.,'I think the irony of how terrible he is with money—yet he is an accountant at Dunder Mifflin—has played out a few times, or maybe his ineptitude has played out…I sort of assume this is a summer excursion for him.'"

I love Kevin's character so much! Remember in "Casino Night" when he bragged about winning some Texas Hold 'Em tournament and then he lost a handy to Phyllis because she had a straight flush and didn't even know it? Awesome!

- Posted by Kate

The 'Arrested Development' Movie Is Really Happening!

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:23:55 GMT

Last week on "Countdown," Jason Bateman told Keith Olbermann that an "Arrested Development" movie is "in the works." I say, Woo hoo! You can check out a video of the interview here.

I'll be really curious to see where we pick back up with the Bluths. Do you think Michael and George Michael just kept going in that little boat? Will we see Lucille in prison?

Just in case you didn't know, you can watch every single episode of "Arrested Development" ever made over on the main site.

- Posted by Kate

Steve Carell Says Three More Years

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:20:27 GMT

Okay, I've got two interesting things to tell you this morning. First, "Extras" alum Ricky Gervais has a very funny blog. Second? On this blog he's saying that Steve Carell just signed a contract with NBC:

"Had some great news today about the American version of The Office.

"Steve Carell (now one of the most bankable film stars in the world) has just signed up for another three years with us. He is the hardest working man in Hollywood and the harder he works the better it is for me. I mean... well done Steve you are wonderful.

"I had to wear a beard for one day on This Side of The Truth and I hated every minute of it. Steve had to do months of that in Evan Almighty and I heard he didn't complain once. He is a very nice man and deserves all his success. I am just as dedicated to my art without compromise but only between the hours of 9 and 3pm."

This is excellent news. More Michael Scott! (That's what she said.)

- Posted by Kate

Open Letter to the Writers of 'My Boys'

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:15:35 GMT

"My Boys" is one of my favorite shows. I look forward to it all week. That said, this season has disappointed me so far. The whole PJ and Bobby thing was totally random. Were you not able to get any of the actors who played Thorn, Matt the Cute Cub or Evan to come back? Did they cut the budget on you? (If you had to go with one of the regular guys Mike would have been a better choice. PJ and Bobby have no chemistry whatsoever.)

PJ is being whiny, Andy is being a jerk, and Brendan and Bobby basically don't exist this season. Apparently Bobby is going to Sweden because he has a thing for the hot nanny. Well, better her than PJ.

So here's what I'd like to see:

1. More Steph! What's her book about anyway? And are things really completely over between her and Lance?

2. PJ needs to call up at least one of the three guys from last season's cliffhanger. Come on!

3. Kenny needs another girlfriend. His last one was great!

4. More Meredith!

5. The return of PJ's wild and crazy aunt.

- Posted by Kate

Tonight: 'My Boys' and 'D-List'

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:19:06 GMT

Summer is here, and many of our favorite shows...aren't. I figured I'd take the time to remind you guys about two of my summer favorites, both on tonight.

"My Boys" has an all-new episode. Andy and Meredith have hired a Swedish nanny. A hot Swedish nanny! Predictably, the boys are all trying to impress her. It'll be interesting to see if Bobby makes a play for her and P.J. gets jealous. I hope we'll also hear some more about Steph's book. In case you don't know, "My Boys" airs at 9:30 pm on TBS.

There's also a new episode of "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" coming our way tonight. Kathy is visiting the hometowns of "Team Griffin" members Tom and Tiffany. She'll do stand-up of course, and embarrass each of them in front of their friends and family. You can catch Kathy at 10:00 on Bravo.

- Posted by Kate

'My Boys:' Evan, Matt or Thorn?

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:21:01 GMT

At long last, my favorite summer show is back! "My Boys" returns tonight, and we'll finally get to find out who P.J. is bringing to Italy. To recap, there are three bachelors in the running. First we have Evan, the botanist that P.J. thought she alienated by inviting him to poker night with the guys. It turns out he really was swamped. Heh. Bachelor number two is Matt, the Cute Cub. He's just been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, so it's now completely kosher for him to date a Chicago sportswriter. The last possibility is Thorn, P.J.'s college crush: his wedding is off, so maybe he and P.J. will be on.

I have tried very hard to stay spoiler-free about tonight's episode. (It's not always easy in this job.) That said, I do have a guess. I think it's Thorn! What do you guys think?

"My Boys" airs tonight at 9:30 on TBS.

- Posted by Kate

How I Met Alyson, Neil, Cobie and Josh

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:13:00 GMT

Last night I went to a screening of "How I Met Your Mother" and got a chance to ask the cast all kinds of questions. First let me say that it's clear how much these guys love each other and love the show. It was downright...heartwarming. Yes, my heart was warmed, and that was even before I hit up the open bar.

Now, I asked about who the mother is. I might have even been persistent. No one's telling. (I don't think they know either.) I told Josh Radnor I'm still hoping she's The Slutty Pumpkin, the mystery girl Ted met at a rooftop Halloween party his first year in New York.

Josh says he's less obsessive about the future than his character Ted Mosby. He also drinks less! This was a common theme: Alyson Hannigan won't try to keep up with her beer-loving kindergarten teacher alter ego either. You'll be glad to hear that Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders are both Scotch fans in real life.

Alyson absolutely loved Lily's dog paintings storyline from the end of the season. A dog lover, she gushed about how much fun it was having the animals on the set. She also commented on how Lily is such a "wonderful, terrible teacher:" she loves her students and loves teaching but boy does she say the wrong things to those kids sometimes.

Cobie told me that the first Robin Sparkles episode was her favorite. (Here's a clip if you've never seen it.) She did all of her own singing in both Robin Sparkles videos. Such a talent! When I asked her whether she'd like to see Robin and Barney get together permanently she said yes - but that if it happens again, it should last. (That doesn't seem like a huge stretch to me.)

Neil was also a fan of Robin and Barney as a couple, and called Cobie "Canadian, hot, talented, funny and dead sexy." He loved Ted and Barney's "break up" earlier this season because he got to do some emotional scenes with Josh, who he called "a remarkable dramatic actor." (It's hard not to love someone who talks up his castmates so much.) When I asked him about Barney's best line - and no fair counting "Awesome" or "Legen...wait for it...dary" - he said "That's so not Raven!"

The entire cast seems to love guest star (future mother of Ted's children?) Sarah Chalke. Neil Patrick Harris called her "so money," and Josh suggested The Second Becky as the perfect band name. Let's all hope she'll be back next season.

- Posted by Kate

Everything's Coming Up Buster

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:08:57 GMT

Tony Hale, best known for his stint as Buster Bluth on "Arrested Development," has landed two recurring roles on hit comedies.

Hale will play Emmett, the new assistant manager of the Buy More, on "Chuck." Heh. I like the sound of it already. Hale will also appear on "Samantha Who?" as Samantha's new doctor Andy Adams. Hmm, think he'll try to bring her memory back?

- Posted by Kate

Tonight: 'Reno 911!'

Thu, 29 May 2008 20:53:21 GMT

TV's weirdest cops are back tonight with a new episode. The Reno PD has to train a squad of policemen...from Baghdad. Obviously, hilarity will ensue. We've got a video clip here. The episode airs at 10:30. Those of us who want to watch "Lost" can also catch it at 12:30 am.

- Posted by Kate

'How I Met Your Mother' Wraps Up

Wed, 21 May 2008 01:21:50 GMT

There were the usual good gags in the season finale of "How I Met Your Mother," of course. The thing with Marshall's head lice and Sir Skatchewan were both funny.

But two big developments bear repeating.

First, Ted proposes to Stella. Will she say yes? And if so, is she the mother we've been waiting for?

Second, it seems Barney really has developed feelings for Robin. Will he give up his bachelor ways and make his loves known? And if he does, will he risk his rekindled bro-hood with Ted?

Any thoughts on what will happen?

- posted by Raoul

'The Office:' At Least We Got to See Ryan Go Down in Flames

Fri, 16 May 2008 13:39:35 GMT

I don't know about you guys, but I really didn't love last night's "Office" finale. There were so many painful moments. The rock with a note that said "Suck on this." Really, Michael? Jan's impregnation at a sperm bank? Was that honestly supposed to be funny? It didn't make sense, either: if Jan was so concerned about having a perfect baby, why was she drinking so much at that ill-fated dinner party? I know, I know, it's a comedy, not "Lost," but I'm having a hard time understanding why our season had to end this way. Dwight and Angela getting it on in the office - I like it, but come on, that's so out of character for both of them.

Since it's a long summer, I'll tell you about the parts I did like:

- Ryan's YouTube perp walk. Classic!

- Duelling Yoda impressions.

- Creed's job title. "Q-something. Qua..."

- Phyllis's parking lot party. Take that, Angela!

- Kelly's monologue about going to visit Ryan in prison.

- Posted by Kate

'30 Rock' Goes to Washington

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:03:26 GMT

Tonight's episode of "30 Rock" sounds pretty action-packed, and no wonder: it's the season finale. Jack heads to Washington, D.C. to take up his new position in the Bush administration. Edie Falco is guest-starring, so we know he'll be seeing lady love C.C. as well. Matthew Broderick plays a fellow Bush appointee. It seems the two of them are going to hatch a plot to get fired. Hmm...

Meanwhile, Liz has a pregnancy scare, Kenneth tries out to be a page at the Olympics and...Tracy continues to work on his porn video game!

I'm sure going to miss "30 Rock" this summer.

- Posted by Kate

'Scrubs' Pays Homage to The Princess Bride

Thu, 08 May 2008 16:05:48 GMT

Tonight is the season finale of "Scrubs." It's also the last time "Scrubs" will air on NBC, but it's widely, widely rumored that the show will make the move to ABC starting next fall.

Tonight's episode is a fairy tale along the lines of The Princess Bride. Zach Braff directed it himself, and wants you to watch it so much that he did this little shout out (to himself?). Some people find Zach Braff charming and delightful and some people find him...not charming and delightful. Want to guess which camp I'm in? I like "Scrubs," though.

- Posted by Kate

'Reaper' Fans, The Time Is Now

Tue, 06 May 2008 13:54:55 GMT

"Reaper" is one of the few new shows that's "on the bubble" this season. Is it worth saving? Are you kidding? It's funny, it's weird...what's not to like? Tonight's numbers could very well determine the fate of the show, so if you love it (or even like it) you'd better watch.

We've got some video clips from tonight's episode, and it looks like it's going to be a good one. So watch!

Really passionate fans might want to consider sending a pair of socks - yes, socks, as in Sock - to The CW. Here's how to do it. Pack up your (clean, I hope) socks and send 'em off to:

Dawn Ostroff

3300 W. Olive Avenue

Burbank, CA 91505

- Posted by Kate

Two and a Half...Murders?

Mon, 05 May 2008 20:46:30 GMT

Awhile back somebody had the bright idea that the writers of "Two and a Half Men" and "CSI" should do a little job swap. Tonight we get to see the results! Crime scene investigators will be making an appearance on "Two and a Half Men" when a dead body turns up in Charlie's apartment. Wacky! Thursday we'll get to see Charlie and the gang over at police headquarters.

I'm really curious to see how this experiment turns out!

- Posted by Kate

Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindsay

Mon, 05 May 2008 13:33:12 GMT

Happy Monday, everyone. It looks like I've got some more "stunt casting" news to report: Lindsay Lohan will guest star on "Ugly Betty" for six episodes.

"It's understood that Lohan plays an old schoolmate of America Ferrera's Betty Suarez character. Lohan's character was not particularly nice to Betty back then, but when the two bump into each other in the finale, Lohan's character is down on her luck, in sharp contrast to Betty's glamorous and promising career at Gotham fashion mag Mode."

LiLo has already started shooting this season's finale, and her other five appearances will take place next season. Is this good news? Sure. Lindsay may have her problems, but at least she can act.

- Posted by Kate

'30 Rock:' Your Sandwich Or Your Man?

Fri, 02 May 2008 15:58:12 GMT

Last night's episode of "30 Rock" was something different. It was more "funny because it's true" than "funny ha-ha." And you know what? I liked it. Who hasn't had an incredibly awkward break-up that never really got resolved? Remember, Floyd thinks Liz broke up with him: they were chatting on web cams and the picture was going in and out and Liz said "You're breaking up," while Floyd heard "We're breaking up." Liz thinks Floyd broke up with her because she called him a few days after the infamous web chat and a woman answered.

Does any of that excuse Floyd's crazy cell phone stunt? Ummmm, not so much. But it was classic! He faked a flight to get out of talking about their relationship! Other classic moments:

- Jack going to work on the 12th floor, which looked exactly like the office from Joe vs. the Volcano.

- Tracy: "I told you not to quote me without my permission!"

- Jenna agreeing to drink the teamsters under the table "for the attention."

- Kenneth and his "hill people milk."

- Posted by Kate

Do You Want To Be Really and Truly Fierce?

Fri, 02 May 2008 12:51:37 GMT

Christian Siriano,"Ugly Betty's" fiercest guest star ever, has a heart of gold: he's donating the blouse he custom made for last night's episode to Clothes Off Our Back, a celebrity garment charity. You can bid on it starting today. The auction ends May 20. The only bad news? The bidding starts at $500.

- Posted by Kate

Think You're Funny?

Fri, 02 May 2008 02:45:47 GMT

FOX is offering aspiring writers the chance to win $25,000 and a development deal.

All you have to do is send in an original sitcom script of 25-35 pages and follow the rules at http://nytvf.com/2008_fox_info.htm.

Best of luck to all potential contestants. Remember, all you have to do is be as hilarious as "Til' Death." That can't be that hard, right?

- posted by Raoul

Sky Mall. When I'm Upset I Buy Things From Sky Mall.

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:36:23 GMT

Last night's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" was seriously awesome. (If you missed it, we've got it streaming over on the main site.) I loved all the references to Barney, er, Barnabas Stinson's "bro code," but you know what I loved even more? Finding most of the code this morning on Barney's blog. I think Article 67 was actually my favorite:

"Should a Bro pick up a guitar at a party and commence playing, another Bro shall point out that he is a tool."

Ha! So true.

- Posted by Kate

Everything You Need to Know About Betty

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:00:58 GMT

"Ugly Betty" is back tomorrow night after a hiatus that felt waaay too long. If you're not familiar with Betty, Wilhelmina, and the world of Mode Magazine, you should check out this four minute video to get up to speed. Oh, and the guy talking? He's Suzuki St. Pierre, fashion reporter extraordinaire.

- Posted by Kate

'How I Met Your Mother:' Did That Really Just Happen?!?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:10:49 GMT

"Gossip Girl" made its triumphant return last night, so I only got around to watching "How I Met Your Mother" this morning. If you haven't seen it yet, quit reading this post and go watch last night's episode. For the rest of us: Robin and Barney!

I always wondered if it would happen, and now it has! They're both capable of pretending that nothing happened, but I wonder if Miss Robin Sparkles is going to be Barney's first two or three night stand. They actually have a lot in common: cigars, whiskey, moral flexibility...and fear of commitment. I think "How I Met Your Mother" just got a lot more interesting, and it had nothing to do with Britney Spears.

- Posted by Kate

Chicken Soup For the Middle Management Soul

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:01:41 GMT

Last night's episode of "The Office" brought us what was possibly my favorite Michael Scott aside to the camera ever. He waxed philosophical on his break-up with Jan and said:

"What is it like being single? I like it. I like starting each day with a sense of possibility. I'm optimistic because every day I get a little more desperate, and desperate situations yield the quickest results."

Ha! We've got the episode streaming on the main site in case you missed it.

- Posted by Kate

Is This Taking a Joke Too Far? Of Course Not.

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:12:44 GMT

Remember DeBorah from last week's episode of ~~"MILF Island"~~ "30 Rock?" Well, EW.com's got an exclusive interview! Did someone eat a cockroach at the shoot? You betcha:

"Well, they used chocolate cockroaches. But during a close-up, they made her hold a real one up to her lips. And then they didn't even show that part! Poor thing. For me — you probably saw glimpses of this — there was a ''stick dance.'' On set they'd told us my adversary was a very sweet girl, and I was [directed to be] raunchy, slapping my ass and everything. Then they had me shoot it again by myself. And you know that video by Whitesnake? I did that."

Yikes! That "MILF Island" T-shirt? You can get it from the NBC store. Tonight's episode of "30 Rock" promises to be just as hilarious as last week's. Dennis "The Beeper King" wants Liz Lemon back!

- Posted by Kate

Together We Were Gonna Travel the Globe, From Alberta to Ontario

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:32:12 GMT

Variety.com is streaming "Sandcastles In the Sand" from next week's Robin Sparkles episode of "How I Met Your Mother." It's kind of a cross between Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, so, in a word...awesome. Apparently the song is about Robin's first boyfriend...who will be played by no other than James "Dawson Leery" Van Der Beek. Yikes!

- Posted by Kate

Neil Patrick Harris Says No More Stunt Casting

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:51:54 GMT

"How I Met Your Mother" has had an awful lot of guest stars lately (cough: Britney) and they're not stopping anytime soon. The delightfully outspoken Neil Patrick Harris is not a fan of the stunt casting:

"'I'm in the minority that our show does not need stunt casting in order to succeed,' Harris declared during a break from taping the Monday night CBS sitcom, which has grown a cult following since its 2005 debut.

"'I worry that if they start 'Will and Grace'-ing us too much, that the show will suffer. And we're all really proud of the content of the show. I mean, viewership is not our game. It's the network and the studio's game, you know. It's the promotion department's game'.'"

Cranky or not, I think he has a point.

- Posted by Kate

'30 Rock' Has a Naughty Word

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:51:09 GMT

So I'm digging tonight's "30 Rock," which featured a broadside at reality shows and specifically "Survivor" with a fake show "MILF Island."

Frank asks Jonathan if someone turned the heat up.

Jonathan says to Frank that where he's from they don't notice the heat.

Frank replies, "That's interesting. I didn't know it was hot in A-holevania."

I watch a lot of TV, but that's the first time I've seen the "a-hole" word in a scripted show on a broadcast channel. So I was a little taken aback.

I'm particularly baffled because the joke would have worked just as well if it were "Jerkvania" or whatever. Not that I'm calling for censorship. It just strikes me as strange.

I hope NBC thinks the joke is worth the fines, protests and the headaches it'll probably get because of it.

- posted by Raoul

"30 Rock:" MILFs and Kookiness

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:31:05 GMT

"30 Rock" is back tonight! Jack's reality hit "MILF Island" is airing its finale - will it be Debra or Deborah? - but someone has gone tattling to Page Six about Jack. The person in question said he was a "Class A Moron" and that he should "eat my poo." Hee. Kind of sounds like Frank, but that would be too obvious, right?

Anyway, Jack suspects the writers from TGS and has his assistant Jonathan do whatever it takes to get to the truth. How could that not be funny?

- Posted by Kate

'How I Met Your Mother' Is Going Totally 80s

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:37:56 GMT

Tiffany, Alan Thicke, and James Van Der Beek walk into a bar, and...yeah, there's no joke here. All three of them are guest starring in an April 21 episode all about - wait for it - Robin Sparkles. Robin's video "Sandcastles in the Sand" (the B-side to "Let's Go to the Mall") is going to cause her a world of regret.

- Posted by Kate

John Krasinski Does Not Want to Be Confused With Any Other Goofy, Sorta Emo Sitcom Star

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:14:21 GMT

Hey, guess what! "The Office" is back tomorrow. And you can read an interview with John Krasinski - who doesn't seem all that different from one Jim Halpert - today. ''This isn't me declaring to the world that I'm George [Clooney?] or Zach Braff,'' John Krasinski told Entertainment Weekly. He was talking about one of his many non-"Office" related projects,. in this case a film adaptation of some David Foster Wallace short stories. Hmm. Pretty indie. Could be confused with Garden State. Better watch out, Krasinski.

Did I mention that "The Office" is back tomorrow? So is "30 Rock." We are officially at the end of the tunnel.

- Posted by Kate

What About Barry?

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:59:47 GMT

"Samantha Who?" was pretty funny last night. Let's face it, even if you didn't find it funny, at least it wasn't a rerun or a reality show. Buzz Sugar has posted an interview with Barry Watson, who plays Sam's ex-boyfriend Todd on the show (you might also remember him from "What About Brian?" and "7th Heaven"). It turns out that Todd was supposed to be a very minor character in the Samanthaverse. What happened?

"I was so brilliant! [Laughs.] No, I don't know how that happened — I guess there was always talk that he would become more of a recurring [character] or a regular, but he was only kind of cast in the pilot. They could have kept it going, or they probably could have taken the character out after the pilot, if they wanted to, but the chemistry between Christina and me just worked and they wanted to keep me around for a little bit, which was nice."

- Posted by Kate

'How I Met Your Mother:' TedMosbyIsAJerk.com

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:06:13 GMT

I always love a Barney-centric episode of "How I Met Your Mother," and last night's was no exception. Barney set out to find a saboteur, and most emphatically did not learn a heartwarming lesson along the way. Remember the girl he seduced as "Ted Mosby, Architect"? Well, we saw her again. And she has a web site. There's a song, and some cartoon drawings, but my favorite part has to be the letter that Barney left her:

"Dear Resident,

"The time we spent together, however long it was, meant the world to me. I would love to see you again, but unfortunately, I cannot. You see, I am a ghost. I can only materialize once every decade, on the anniversary of my death. I chose to spend my one day among the living with you, sweet Resident. Perhaps we will meet again in another decade, provided you keep your figure. Until then, all my love, Barney."

- Posted by Kate

'State of the Union' Should Be Dissolved

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 03:50:32 GMT

Sunday saw the premiere of "Tracey Ullman's State of the Union," and I had high hopes, considering that the funnywoman has a fairly good pedigree.

So I was pretty disappointed to actually watch and find the entire half-hour of sketches almost completely laugh-free.

Tracey took on a bunch of characters. Some were original, like a Indian pharmacist who break into a Bollywood number when someone tries to hold her up or a white woman who was a serial wife to black men on Death Row. Others were celebrities, like Arianna Huffington, David Beckham, Dina Lohan, Rita Cosby and the guy who played Paulie Walnuts on "The Sopranos" trying to show how great his range was by playing a Paulie Walnuts-like character in an Eskimo movie.

Her approach struck me as too scattersohot and desperate. It was trying to cram in as many gags into the half-hour as possible in the hopes that one might resonate.

But the problem was that none of them really said anything about America. It was more about showcasing Tracey's abilities to morph into these different personas than having something insightful or funny to say when she got there.

- posted by Raoul

It's Official: I Really Like 'Miss Guided'

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:03:01 GMT

Have you guys been watching "Miss Guided"? I've seen four episodes now, and I'm a convert. Judy Greer is hilarious. Chris Parnell is hilarious. Brooke Burns is hot, if that's your thing. What more do you need in a half hour comedy?

Last week's ~~Perez Hilton~~ Lindsay Lopez blog episode was a riot. The school was in a frenzy over an anonymous gossip blog that bore an uncanny resemblace to a certain famous, much reviled celeb gossip blog. Lots of drama, all of it funny. Becky went from the bottom of the TILF list to the top after a very, very dirty photo of her at the school car wash surfaced on the site.

You can catch two new episodes starting tonight at 8:00 on ABC.

- Posted by Kate

'How I Met Your Mother:' The Shark Metaphor Just Doesn't Apply

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:52:11 GMT

I've been watching "How I Met Your Mother" since the beginning. It's easy to say oh, this or that show has jumped the shark. It's tempting to say that my once-beloved "How I Met Your Mother" has indeed gone waterskiing in a leather jacket, but it isn't so.

At its best, the show is freaking hilarious. At its worst, it's..."Sabrina the Teenage Witch"? "I Married Dora"? Something schlocky, anyway. I almost stopped watching at the beginning of last season when Robin and Ted started dating. The Marshall and Lily buy an apartment plotlines have been pretty terrible, too. But just when I say "OK, that's it" for this show, they come back with a daffy, quick-moving (and usually Barney-centric) episode: Barney runs the New York Marathon, or Robin turns out to be a Canadian teen pop star, or...Britney Spears and Sarah Chalke inject some much needed life into the show. Yup. Britney especially was good and funny in last night's episode. Check it out for yourself, if you don't believe me. In the meantime, I'll be sitting here hoping that "How I Met Your Mother" never takes us to DoWiSeTrePla again and maybe cuts to the chase with the babymama stuff so we can focus on Barney and his mom and his brother and...how your Uncle Barney came to rule the world.

- Posted by Kate

The Farewell of 'Jezebel James'

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:03:15 GMT

TV Guide reports that "The Return of Jezebel James" has already been canned.

Is this an example of FOX being too quick to pull the trigger on a concept that didn't get enough time to find an audience?

Was it doomed because it was on Friday nights? (Speaking of "doomed," Friday night's where "Canterbury's Law" is moving.)

Has Amy Sherman-Palladino lost the magic she had with "Gilmore Girls"? I never watched "GG," but I wish ASP best of luck with whatever her next deal is.

Was the concept inherently flawed? After all, two estranged sisters who get into a surrogacy agreement doesn't seem like inherently a laugh riot.

My take based on watching about 30 minutes of the original hour was "Jezebel" just wasn't that funny. The best part of it was playing the "Hello Kitty" theme song.

And the laugh track didn't help. Why studios haven't realized a laugh track is a sign of desperation by 2008, I'll never know.

- posted by Raoul

Will We Be Meeting the Dunder-Mifflin Six?

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:20:21 GMT

Televisionary has posted a cool interview with Greg Daniels and Rainn Wilson from "The Office." What can we expect when the show returns in a couple weeks?

"'We're going to play with time a lot, I think,' said Daniels. 'Like Lost. It’s going to get suddenly weirdly sci-fi.' (So does that make Dwight the constant?) Wilson agrees: 'There’ll be a hatch under Dwight’s desk.'

In all seriousness, if you want a couple of laughs and some mild Dwangela spoilers, go read the interview.

- Posted by Kate

Want To Learn a New Language? How About Schrutanese?

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:13:57 GMT

Have you checked out Schrute Space lately? Our very favorite beet farmer/paper salesman has made up his own language:

"We, as a society, have gone backwards when it comes to interpersonal communication. Neanderthals communicated using only grunts and gestures. As time passed on, humans began to overcomplicate language to the point where it is now difficult to accomplish anything because there are too many stupid people and they use too many stupid words. This is why I am proposing the use of a basic universal language for all human beings regardless of race, culture, or physical location...

"Three claps: 'Stop.'

Three short firm grunts: 'Have an enjoyable day' and 'This weather is lovely.'

One clap + quick low-pitch grunt: 'I’m sorry.' [Only used rarely in Schrutenese]

Short nasal grunt: 'Thank you for your help' and 'go away.'

Long groaning robotic grunt: 'Out of my way' and 'take cover.'

Short slide-whistle grunt: 'More,' 'please,' and 'really?'

Succession of rapid claps: 'Good job,' 'Bravo,' or 'Congratulations.' [This is currently in use by most people.]

Two claps + howl-like grunt + four slow claps: 'Ow.'"

Slide-whistle grunt? Anyway, I challenge you guys to sit at your desk and say a couple of "words" in Schrutanese and not crack up. I bet you can't do it.

- Posted by Kate

Top 10 Reasons to Watch 'Battlestar Galactica'

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:06:54 GMT

Last night's "Late Night with David Letterman" featured a plug for "Battlestar Galactica," with 10 of the actual cast members reading it in their personas.

It was a good list, although I got the feeling that the "BSG" actors didn't feel like doing everything in their power to sell it.

In fact, I would say Katee Sackoff was the only one who put some extra oomph in it.

But here's the segment for your viewing pleasure.

- posted by Raoul

Wait, Did We Just Meet the Kids' Mother?

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:41:03 GMT

Last night on "How I Met Your Mother," Ted and Barney walked into a bar and...Ted's future babymama was there! Sadly, she wasn't Vanessa Minnillo. Future Ted says he never even talked to her. ("Kids, I found out years later that your mother was at that party." Never mind that it was a bar, not a party.)

I'm left wondering if this women in the blurry picture to my left is The Future Mrs. Ted Mosby. (Sorry for the poor quality. I did the screen cap myself.) Why else have Ted bump into her and apologize in last night's episode? That scene served no other purpose. If the show is playing fair - and it might not be - then Bumpee fits the bill. She has dark hair and fair skin, like Ted, and Ted's kids. Besides, they did some tricky double perspective stuff with last night's show, and Bumpee appeared in Ted's idealized memories of the night.

If you missed last night's episode, you can catch it here.

- Posted by Kate

Kissing the Barney Stone?

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:48:35 GMT

Happy St. Patrick's day...and Happy Monday. It's not so great when St. Pat's day falls on a Monday. CBS understands. They're bringing "How I Met Your Mother" back tonight with a special St. Pat's day episode: Ted decides to spend a whole night acting like Barney. Vanessa Minnillo guest stars. It should be legen - yeah, yeah, yeah - dary. We've got some video from tonight's episode, if you're interested.

- Posted by Kate

Parker Posey On 'The Return of Jezebel James'

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:35:53 GMT

BuzzSugar has posted a great interview with Parker Posey about her new show "The Return of Jezebel James":

""I read [the script] and I liked it. It makes sense to me. . . . It mostly was the writing and the ease of the writing and how much I could hear the voice. It was so inhabited, it flew off the page and just soared. I loved how classy it was. It was classy and clean and sweet and smart. . . . It reminded me of 'Family Ties,' family sitcoms. I think that's the demographic right there.'"

Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose star in "The Return of Jezebel James" as two sisters who couldn't be more different. Posey's character asks Ambrose's character to carry her baby, and hilarity ensues. We assume. The show premieres tonight at 8:00 on Fox. If you like it, well, there's another episode at 8:30.

- Posted by Kate

Win A Trip To Meet the Cast of 'My Boys'

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:50:17 GMT

Sony Rewards is running an awesome "My Boys" contest all this week. They're giving away a trip for two to L.A. to meet the cast of "My Boys" and check out a Dodgers game. The winner also gets a new flat screen T, Blu-Ray DVD player, digital camera, and camcorder. The only catch is that you have to join Sony Rewards. You can enter here. Good luck!

"My Boys" is coming back in June. Who do you guys think P.J. took to Italy?

- Posted by Kate

Introducing The Creedos

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:27:41 GMT

There's a new(ish) post over on Creed Thoughts wherein "The Office's" Creed Bratton gives out his own awards:

"The Fatso Award goes to…

Fatso. In accounting. This one was a no-brainer. That dude is heavy. I don’t want to make him mad though, because I eat a lot his M&Ms when he leaves for the day. If you’re reading this, Fatso, I’m talking about the other Fatso in accounting. The one with all the hair. Not you.

"The Katharine Ross Award goes to…

The Receptionist girl – Penny! She’s everything that Katharine Ross was in The Graduate. I don’t really remember much about the movie, but I do know that she was a foxy lady and so is the receptionist girl. Plus, she has a hot mom.

"The Black Guy Award goes to…

Nobody. I wanted to give it to Stan, but he really cheesed me off today when we were both in the kitchen and he took the last Sleepytime tea bag without even asking me if I wanted it, so I disqualified him. I guess I could give it to the security guard downstairs, but that guy’s kind of a jerk, too. There’s always next year, black guys.

"The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to…

My shoes. I’ve had them since 1987. That’s a lifetime for a pair of shoes. The soles wore through in the mid-nineties, but I just duct-taped the hell out of them and they’ve been fine ever since. Thanks a lot, shoes!"

I think "Andrea" got robbed. Well, there's always next year.

- Posted by Kate

'Unhitched:' Maybe It Will Be Really Good

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:21:46 GMT

Fox's new comedy "Unhitched" premieres Sunday night at 9:30. The show follows four newly single friends as they get back to dating. It's a Farrelly brothers (There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber) joint. That's a con for me, but it might be a pro for you. Rashida Jones (Karen from "The Office") is part of the cast, so at least there's that.

"Unhitched" has gotten pretty bad reviews so far, like this one, but I'm still going to give it a chance. (Because it's my job? Because there's not much else on? I dunno.) We've got some video if you want to try before you buy.

- Posted by Kate

'Family Ties' Cast Reunites

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:00:02 GMT

"Today" today featured the first get-together of the cast from "Family Ties" in 18 years.

It seems like as long as people are reviving shows from the 80s, it would make sense to try come up with a "Family Ties" reunion show.

Granted, Michael J. Fox's illness would make things tough.

But I think that he might still be able and willing to make it happen. If he could act for "Boston Legal," he could come back for "Family Ties."

I'd love to see the redemption of Alex P. Keaton, wouldn't you?

- posted by Raoul