So, let's get started. Here's my recap of Thursday night, in order of appearance:
1.) Community - "Basic Genealogy"
It was family day at Greendale Community College, and it started off a strong night of comedy. In short, having the families of the Greendale community descend on the campus and interact did not disappoint. Here are some highlights:
- The opening, blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of the Greendale Human Being and the mini-Human Being family member. The characters mentioned it if you missed it, but it was still a rewarding opener if you saw it.
- Best line - Shirley's pleasant-sounding revenge plan when Jeff tells the group that Michelle dumped him: "I'll give Jeff a shoulder to cry on and you boys put a dead bird in that bitch's glove compartment."
- Pictionary and the problems Pictionary causes from Pierce's guesses, "Smiling sideways vagina, happy sideways vagina," to the aftermath of the Senor Chang/Pierce/windmill misunderstanding/police involvement incident.
2.) Parks and Recreation - "The Possum"
Again, I will never be able to fully express how glad I am that this show finally hit the right pace and tone and is now one of the funniest shows on television. Leslie Knope's struggle to find the right criminal possum and the truth in Pawnee captured the absurdity of town politics in the pitch-perfect fashion that Parks and Recreation has managed all season. Highlights and observations:
- I love that Leslie isn't silly anymore (like she was in season 1), and that the things that make her appear silly to others in Pawnee are simple refusals to compromise her principles that endear her to the audience. In this case, I couldn't help but like her for giving the possibly-innocent possum to the zoo rather than to Mayor Gunderson so that he could stuff it and then indirectly pee on it.
- I'm still enjoying the April/Andy plot and the way that April's feelings and insecurities are being portrayed on the show. Also, now that Leslie's figured out what's going on, I'm excited to see what might happen.
- I really liked that Mark had something to do. And that that something to do happened while bringing Ron's super violation of a workshop up to code was a bonus. And there was a canoe.
- I worried about Rashida Jones's absence this week**. I like her as an actress. But her character, Ann, was out of town for most of this episode. And she wasn't really missed.
3.) The Office - "St. Patrick's Day"
I still haven't healed from the recent clip show, but after last week's non-sappy baby episode and this week's office-focused episode, I cautiously want to think things might be back on track. But we'll see. One quibble, though. It might have been wise to air the St. Patrick's Day episode next week, on the day after St. Patrick's Day. But maybe Scranton exists in the future. Thoughts:
- I'm sort of glad that Kathy Bates's Jo is leaving Scranton. The Sabre merger has been awkward (and not the good awkward that works for The Office) and having an actress like Kathy Bates in this particular role feels more like stunt casting than an actual contribution to the story. That said, I liked the tension between Jo and Michael throughout the episode and the working-late standoff. Also, I felt as though Michael actually ended up being semi-professional and semi-boss-like when he finally dismissed the staff. It was also nice to see the staff of Dunder Mifflin on Michael's side.
- I liked the Dwight/Jim desk gags and the way that Dwight used Jim's desire to be home with Pam and the baby to get (successfully) under Jim's skin. It was a nice way to bring back the tension between Jim and Dwight back, since that's always worked for the show.
- Andy and Erin's first date at her house was excellent, and the presence of her foster brother (and the Flowers in the Attic vibe) has definitely raised the comedic stakes in an unexpected way.
- Darryl's move upstairs seems potentially interesting.
- Speaking of absent characters, I didn't miss Pam and the smug JimPam that's been in the office this season. I hope they bring her back to work in a way that helps the show and gives Jenna Fischer something good to work with.
4.) 30 Rock - "Future Husband"
It's probably just me, but I really needed this week's "everything works out in the end" message. So, thank you, 30 Rock. A little more:
- I loved the aftermath of Liz Lemon's root canal anesthesia, especially the Future Husband/Future Wife mystery phone numbers plot with Wesley (Michael Sheen). And I really, really liked that they don't get along, agree, or like each other at at all: "Do you like Tex-Mex?" "No. See you there."
- Back when Comcast did its deal with NBC, someone somewhere who I don't remember wondered how this would impact the fictional NBC of 30 Rock. Well, with the sale of the company to KableTown from Philadelphia, I guess we know now.
- The corporate wrangling, Jack's paranoia, the Jack Welch cameo, and the Don Geiss is secretly dead plot was an excellent showcase for Alec Baldwin this week. And a very convenient way to create an exit for Rip Torn.
- I want to see Tracy's one-man show, "Claps-Giving Yay Har-ade" (the version where he doesn't read the phone book).
- I like that we're making fun of CNBC and its anchors. And I love when Brian Williams shows up. And Elizabeth Banks is nice. But I've seen her everywhere recently and I think she needs to cool it with the guest starring on popular comedies on major networks for a bit because her line deliveries are the same regardless of the show and it's all running together in an unpleasant way.
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* In addition to my 5-7 Sentence Reviews of 16 and Pregnant and other programming of a similar nature.
** In my imagination, she wasn't in this episode because Karen Filippelli and Pam Beesly-Halpert had a playdate off -camera on The Office.
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