11/11/10
In respect to next week’s big new film, the highly anticipated seventh Harry Potter movie, we figured we’d take a week off from telling you how well that Johnny Knoxville movie is doing. We just can’t bring ourselves to hail another overly animated flick voiced by already overpaid A-listers or babble on about how well that new version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles is doing. This week, we focus on the other screen - the small screen. The lesser of the screens: the tele. And not just the tele, this week we go as close to the low brow art of soap operas and reality TV as we can without losing all credibility - that’s right, sitcoms. Why, you wonder, would we stoop so low in the name of the Potter? Well, as far as we’re concerned, right now, in 2010, we’re experiencing the Golden Era of the Sitcom. Not even kidding. Below the disclaimer you’ll find a list of our current favorites, in order, of course.
(Disclaimer: our favorite sitcom currently in production - and ever - is “Peep Show,” but there haven’t been new episodes this year, so we won’t count it. Also, I’ve never seen “United States of Tara,” “Psych,” “Chuck,” “Parks and Recreation” or “Nurse Jackie” and haven’t seen “Curb Your Enthusiasm” in years. Also, for unknown reasons, we’ve decided to not include animated programs.)
10. “How I Met Your Mother” - Something of a new era version of “Friends,” I started watching “Mother” for two reasons: 1) I dearly loved “Freaks and Geeks” and thus Jason Segel; and 2) Cobie Smulders’ appeal - an odd mix of classic Hollywood beauty and junk food humor - was instantly appealing. The show is about as low concept and simple as they come, but for those same reasons its also a reliable, easy laugh.
9. “30 Rock” - In my opinion, this show gets worse every year, which is often the pattern for any sitcom. Two or three years ago I may have ranked it at No. 1; for now, because of all the great characters, it continues to be watchable and - from time to time - pretty damn funny.
8. “Community” - This show is massively overrated but, like “Rock” and “Mother,” always perfectly enjoyable. If “The Office” and “30 Rock” changed the face of sitcoms, then “Community” is maybe the clearest example of that fact. As the characters continue to grow their relationships get more complex; if only that meant that the show continued to get better. Like “Weeds,” I could easily see this network show go from future classic to total trash. Or, ya know, it could very well be the next “Mother.” For now, it’s easy laffs.
7. “Bored to Death” - After a slow start this HBO comedy is hitting it’s stride. The concept is simple and the production value super high, with a new guest star in almost every episode (including Jenny Slate, who, despite stinking on “SNL,” was great on “Bored”). As long as Zach Galifianakis sticks around and the producers keep a close eye on creator Jonathan Ames (who has batted about .500 through his career), this noir/detective/comedy/stoner hybrid saga of pointlessness should keep getting better and better.
6. “Eastbound and Down” - Kenny Powers. ‘Nuff said. If you like Danny McBride’s version of funny (think The Foot Fist Way and Pineapple Express), then you’ll probably love this show about a down and out baseball player who champions all the stereotypes about 80s-era baseball players ranging from John Kruk to Rod Beck and Goose Gossage. Hilarious, we say, and often directed by ScreenTime favorite David Gordon Green (George Washington).
5. “Modern Family” - No need to say too much about this show, which pretty much everyone is falling in love with right now. It wins awards, sets new standards, pushes boundaries, etc. Like “Community,” this show is a direct result of “The Office” and “30 Rock” model.
4. “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” - Like a dirty, nasty version of “Seinfeld,” this buddy comedy is often an absolute riot. Featuring one of the best characters on the tele right know, Charlie Kelly, “Sunny” keeps finding new ways to make its neurotic cast members dirtier and funnier.
3. “The Office” - One of my personal all-time favorite series, the U.S. version of “The Office” hasn’t been so great over the last few years, otherwise it’d top this list with a bullet. Thus far the new season is strong, even featuring a couple of episodes I’d call “classics.” With lead actor Steve Carell set to leave at the end of the season, the writers are finding fun ways to tease us about how they’re going to end the Michael Scott era, meanwhile introducing to their already amazing cast some great new characters played by Timothy Olyphant, Zach Woods, Kathy Bates and Ellie Kemper.
2. “The Big Bang Theory” - Not just the best conventional sitcom on television right now but maybe one of the best conventional sitcoms ever, “Big Bang” is one of the most consistent shows on TV, finding endless humor in the fine art of modern geekery. Popular enough that we don’t feel the need to say another word about its greatness.
1. “The League” - Yeah, sure, I read pretentious crap all morning, try to write interesting crap all afternoon and watch/study film all evening and night. But on Sunday, believe it or not, I ignore the world and watch football from noon until 9 p.m. or so. And while watching all those glorious NFL games I also play in a couple of Fantasy Football leagues. All that said, you don’t have to play Fantasy Football - or even like sports - to get a kick out of this still-new comedy masterpiece. I started watching because I love two of the actors, Mark Duplass and his wife, Kate Asleton, but ended up falling in love with each of the characters. Like “Sunny,” “The League” is a hangout show that wouldn’t exist without “Seinfeld;” it’s better than “Sunny,” though, because it’s less outrageous and extreme - less annoying and cynical. The writing and acting is thus far so top notch, almost every second a new, unpredictable joke, only sometimes having to do with Fantasy Football.
