Shut Up And Listen 200

Television Mid-Season

I always write a column about TV around the beginning of the new season, but never seem to do a follow-up around mid-season or so to tell you how things are shaping up otherwise. So, I figured I'd try it this week as some new stuff has popped up.

Alright, I'll start with a show that may be older for American readers (as I really don't know): Huff. It's a Showtime drama starring Hank Azaria, Paget Brewster, Blythe Danner and Oliver Platt, and it's about a psychiatrist and his life. In a way, it's kind of typical in that hour-long-semi-absurd-drama that has been popping up a lot on HBO and other places. The series started with the suicide of one of Huff's patients right in his office and then proceeded out of there, initially focussing on the fall-out of that, and then expanding on the various sub-plots and character traits introduced. The show has an interesting structure in that very episode ends with Huff's brother, who is a schizophrenic and in an institution, usually with a visit by Huff. So far, I've only seen eight episodes, but I anxiously await every Tuesday when a new one becomes available on The Movie Network On Demand (a channel we get where there's a list of shows and movies on The Movie Network that you can watch at any time like you had it on DVD or something).

Then there's Committed, a new sitcom on NBC that is getting better with each episode. It's about these two people, Nate and Marnie, who are total weirdoes and yet manage to date. The first episode was all about how they accidentally have a blind date because they mistook one another, have a great time, get halfway through, realise what's up and then part ways, only to have shitty dates with the other people. Then they try to get back together. The first episode was kind of weak as it seemed like they were trying too hard to be clever and strange, but the show has gotten better, as I mentioned. The main problem with the show is that each one has revolved around some sort of new couple experience: the first date, the friend who doesn't get along with the new boyfriend, the first time she sees his apartment, and the first pop-in at her work. I'm afraid that they'll soon begin running out of ideas. The strangest part of the show is the fact that Darius McCray, the guy who played Eddie Winslow on Family Matters plays Nate's buddy, who is all tough and shit. It's just amusing that this guy who played such a wholesome character is now unconvincingly playing a somewhat tough character. It's painful at times. This is definitely the kind of show that will probably be good for a season, but anything beyond that will suck.

Last night, The Bernie Mac Show started a new season with two new episodes and that show is still going strong. I rather like Bernie Mac himself and his character. I mean, how can you not love a character who openly threatens children with grievous bodily harm when they act like idiots? He doesn't do anything, but threats are great. I'm honestly surprised this show is still around, because it seems like Fox has taken every opportunity to kill this show. It appears, does a few episodes, is off, is moved, is on, is off, is on, is off, is moved, is off for six months, is on for three episodes, is moved, and so on. It's an example of pure quality keeping a show afloat.

Thankfully, this is the last season of That 70s Show. It's still good at times, but really, it should have ended when the kids graduated high school. Everything since then was rather stupid. It has good jokes, but insanely stupid plots. What is it about shows that the longer they're on, the wackier and goofier they become? Why can't they ever become more grounded and realistic?

And finally, on CBC there is a great six-part mini series called The Tournament which is a faux documentary about a small town children's hockey team and their quest to get into and win some tournament. It mainly focuses on a few families and the sponsors of the team. It is insanely funny and insanely depressing at the same time. The father of one of the kids is living vicariously through his son and is the most pathetic character on TV with the way he begs and schemes and openly weeps over a fucking kids' game. It's the kind of show that is so openly satiric that it kind of loses its effectiveness, but is still something I wish every parent of a kid who plays hockey would watch.

That's some of what's new with me and TV. If you can, definitely check out Huff, The Bernie Mac Show (Friday 8 pm on Fox, I believe) and The Tournament (Monday 8:30 pm on CBC). If you're bored on Tuesday at 9:30 or Thursday at 8:30, kill half an hour with Committed. And don't bother watching That 70s Show unless you've already put in the work and watched all of the previous seasons.