(Shirley, on Pulp Fiction): “It’s cute. It’s a 30-minute film about a group of friends who like cheeseburgers, dancing and the Bible.”
(Jeff, on Abed) “He’d quote movies, pretend his life was a TV show, watch ‘Cougar Town.’ It’s as if he didn’t want people to like him.” (Hey!) … “(Abed) “Cougar Town!” (Jeff) “If you want me to take it seriously, stop saying its name.” (Hey! Hey!)
(Troy’s nickname for wine) “No-no juice! That’s good no-no juice.”
The Office (Grade: A)
“Seems to me we’re just making up rules because somebody forgot to staple the rulebook to the inside of the game like a normal human being.”
“”And THAT … is Dallas.”
Parks and Recreation (Grade: B-)
“KNOPE GROPE IS LAST HOPE!”
(Ron, on fishing) “”It’s like yoga, except I still get to kill something.”
(Chris) “I’d love to catch up.” (Ann) “Me too! Ketchup and mustard!” (Chris) “So delightful! I relish your wit.” (Ann) “I salsa… your… face.”
30 Rock (Grade: B, but A+ for the Aaron Sorkin scene below)
“You made a bad decision and bought something you didn’t understand. Like when I bought tickets to Black Swan. Remember when a movie was just a fella in a hat running away from a fella with no hair?”
“He’s on LinkedIn Lemon. He might as well be dead!”
“I was in a world of wet wipes and rectal thermometers. And then the babies came and everything changed.”
Each Time You Like, Share, Tweet or Stumble a Pajiba Post, An Angel Does the Paul Rudd Dance
Feel the Office's plot device for sending off Holly & Michael could've been better. Why couldn't one of them just get a great job offer, as occasionally happens in offices? Instead you get a 4th quarter Dad Has Dementia plotline & suddenly they're quitting their jobs & moving across the country. Isn't Michael Scott like, perpetually broke? Lazy writing, oh well.
Posted by: the new transported man at March 25, 2011 11:29 AM
Parks gets a B-? No. That episode was damn fine and played off the characters really well. I loved seeing Leslie frazzled. Her comeback at the end was almost as cathartic as the proposal in the Office.
Speaking of, The Office was a b- episode with an A+ ending. I hope the producers are planning to still show us Michael and Holly's wedding sometime next year because if Pam offhandedly talking-heads "the wedding was great!" during next year's premiere I'm going to be pissed.
Community was clever but not all that funny. Something that is becoming more common on that show.
I thought "Everybody poops their pants." was an excellent Community line as well.
Posted by: Paultera at March 25, 2011 11:33 AM
Phew I don't know. I am almost done with Community. I loved it for it's Arrested Development type quickness and that's just gone. It's like the Bluths sat down and started discussing their deep-seeded psychological issues.
On a different note...is it weird to have sex dreams about Abed? Cuz I have this friend....
Posted by: meh at March 25, 2011 11:40 AM
That wasn't the funniest Community episode, but for some reason I still enjoyed it.
Posted by: Todd at March 25, 2011 11:41 AM
Parks and Rec a B-? Crazy talk! Though that was probably the best Office in a long time.
Posted by: Julie at March 25, 2011 11:47 AM
Agreed that Holly's parent issues seemed a little '4th quarter,' but unfortunately that's how that situation happens sometimes. We had no idea my hubby's Mom was going downhill since his Dad didn't want to "bother us." And I thought the advice Phylis gave about your parents will never tell you they can't take care of themselves was spot on.
I just thought it was super-duper sweet, yet perfectly Michael Scott.
Posted by: fenchurch at March 25, 2011 11:58 AM
Transformers 5: Planet of the Earth.
Written by no one.
Posted by: jon29 at March 25, 2011 11:59 AM
A for the Office? Were you one of those people who watched the show after it started sucking?
This episode was par for the course of the new Office... suckitude.
HERPITY DERPITY DOO IT'S LIKE A BIG HAPPY FAMILY!
Posted by: maka at March 25, 2011 12:02 PM
Parks & Rec gets an A.
Community gets a B.
The Office gets an A for the Kevin, Darryl and Andy ”And THAT … is Dallas.” storyline and a C for everything else.
Posted by: An Atlantan at March 25, 2011 12:09 PM
I want Parks and Rec to be wonderful. I really, really do. We’ve watched from the beginning and it has so much promise with that great cast, but it is directionless:
Ben and Leslie don’t look right together, they have no chemistry and there is no "will they or won't they” tension.
Ann feels extraneous. Even her character’s former boyfriend makes more sense to have around.
They got rid of Mark and brought in Adam HILF Scott, but his continued presence makes no sense. And his super low key wry Party Down acting style doesn’t mesh with the tone of the show.
Leslie and Ron’s non-romantic relationship has barely been mined and has so much potential.
They have so many wonderful elements and can’t seem to find the right way to pull them together. The Office only took about 6 episodes to figure things out and after the basketball game against the warehouse guys there was no looking back. Parks and Rec has had a couple of years and it is still floundering and flailing. Flailing in an amusing and occasionally spectacular way, but floundering nonetheless.
Posted by: Mrs. Julien at March 25, 2011 12:12 PM
The Office made me all kinds of weepy at the end. Sometimes I forget that what's really wonderful about the show is that these bizarre, crazy people really do love and care for each other, and that ending was a perfect demonstration of that. Sometimes they still get it right.
Parks and Rec was fantastic. Maybe not the best episode of the season, but still outstanding. Specially with Tom's SkyMall obsession and the Bed and Breakfast and the 500 cats. Adam Scott's reaction and defeat in the tag were just freakin' hilarious. That guy's just damn funny.
I'm weirdly attached to last night's Community. It wasn't that funny, but it doesn't seem like that was the goal. It was one of their weird, experimental episodes, and I liked it. The wrap-up was a little too easy, though. Abed did really fuck over Jeff, and I thought Jeff's forgiveness of Abed was a little too quick.
The line at the end of the show was totally a metaphor for the episode, too:
"As parties go, it was quiet, dark, and a little lame. We'd had better parties and we'd had worse parties. But I doubt I'll ever forget my Dinner-With-Andre-Dinner-With-Abed."
So I like it, and I think I'm going to like it more on repeat viewings, same as I did the Valentine's episode, Troy's birthday, and any of the other less funny, more emotionally funky episodes. Sometimes we get the Bottle Episode that gets both sides just right, and sometimes we get this kind that doesn't make us laugh much, but for me, causes me to come away with a greater attachment to the characters.
Posted by: Lucas at March 25, 2011 12:39 PM
Community has more on its mind than just being a laugh machine. To paraphrase Chang from last week, "How are you not on board with that?!" But, I get why people might not like these kinds of episodes (usually centered around Abed) as much as the "funnier" episodes... especially when NBC was touting it as a Pulp Fiction parody. But, I'm always, always engaged when Dan Harmon and the writers do something like this; mainly because I'm so invested in whether or not they can pull it off. So far, I think they always have, and these episodes work so much better when you watch multiple episodes in a row. On a night with five other sitcoms competing for laughs, I see where it can get rough. I guess that's one of the few saving graces for it being the first show of the night. The risk taking gets out of the way, first, and then it's time to laugh. Well... after Perfect Couples, anyway.
I thought The Office was the best it's been in two seasons, if not more. That was one of the best episodes they've ever done, to my mind. Loved it. Like Alan Sepinwall said, Perfect. Parks and Rec didn't grab me this week, I think because I felt it was too meta for this show; especially when you know Leslie Knope (and Amy Poehler) is gonna succeed in the end. I kind of hope Ann leaves, though, and that her last talking head was TVs most subtle cast member exit ever. Alas...
Speaking of, I think I might be done with 30 Rock. There were some great jokes, as there always are, but my laugh-to-boredom/actively-not-laughing is getting too high. And as last week's episode, and the live episode, proved: they can't take the same risks as Community and have it work. The cast, honestly, just isn't good enough. I still heart you, Tina. I just don't care, anymore.
Oh, but I did love Aaron Sorkin's multiple metaphor gag, as well as Kevin's preposition humor from The Office. Writer jokes for the win!
I just started watching Parks and Rec on Netflix Instant, and my only problem is with Ann. Why is Rashida Jones even on the show? So extraneous. It's fitting that her name is Ann because thanks to Arrested Development, that name is now synomynous with bland. Sorry to any commenters named Ann! It's my middle name so I get to criticize ;)
Posted by: Mel Anne C. at March 25, 2011 1:08 PM
I'm on the Rob P and Lucas bandwagon.
Community is a character piece first and a sit-com second. I've been watching the acting on this show with interest this season. The writing, to my mind, has always been excellent, but the acting has taken a jump up lately.
Abed and Jeff are both really unhappy people, and not in the cute, funny way.
I feel like Jeff has been on the verge of either a breakthrough or a breakdown this season. I can't look away. Considering how little respect I had for the actor coming into the show, I'm amazed by that.
I found the Christmas episode genuinely upsetting rather than funny.
It's possible I am reading too much into the show here, but I think the fact I even can do that shows that it's evolved past original concept.
Dustin, I'm going to be that person, because you seem to do it at least once a post. I know we're not grammar police here, but you're a writer with a law degree, so master: it's is not possessive.
I just...I copyedit half the day...and...it...drives me nuts!
But it's ok if you don't listen to me.
I'm on LinkedIn.
(also, sadly, I never get a chance to watch the Thursday night block, but I look forward to them all in syndication. Except Outsourced.)
Posted by: Sara Tonin at March 25, 2011 2:16 PM
OH! And also, the costuming and props and whatnot for the surprise Pulp Fiction party were just outstanding.
Posted by: Anna von Beav at March 25, 2011 2:33 PM
I don't think Abed is unhappy at all. Abed seems perfectly happy and comfortable with who he is. Jeff, on the other hand, is a mess.
Posted by: TL at March 25, 2011 2:52 PM
I'm on Team Community here. I thought that was a pretty brilliant episode actually. I think it's great that they can swing from serious/experimental over to off the rails ridiculous (like the paintball war or the Zombie Party episodes) with as much aplomb as these folks do.
Posted by: JenVegas at March 25, 2011 3:14 PM
TL: I can see your point. At first I felt this way as well. This season has change my opinion a little.
To be clear, I don't think he's unhappy with who he is at all. I get a sense that the guy has some very serious home life issues that haunt him.
I think he is about as awesome as can be.
Jeff is a wreck. Agreed.
I'm just really amazed, as you said, with the total assurance the writers and actors have with any tonal switch. There are occasional episodes that are just okay, but usuallly they succeed and succeed with excess.
I'm gonna miss it when it goes down the "all media on network TV must suck" hole.
Agreed on the level of acting Community brings, which always shocks me. It shouldn't, but maybe it's just because none of these performers are well-known actors, including Chevy (who is a comedian not a thespian). The one who impresses me the most is Donald Glover, though. There doesn't seem to be anything he can't do (see also: Mystery Team).
I do think Abed has a lot of internal pain, but I don't think it makes him unhappy. He seems to be the best at being able to understand and compartmentalize his issues, work through them on his own, better than the rest of the study group. It's because he's an observer, and he when he's alone, the only person to observe is himself. So, he knows his "character" (re: himself) better than his friends do theirs, and he's basically okay with who he observes himself being. The problem is, he's okay with who he observes everyone being. He just accepts that people are who they are, which sounds like a noble sentiment, but is incredibly defeatist and cynical. He doesn't really think anyone needs to change, even if he understands why they might feel the opposite. But they all need to better themselves to some degree. I think it's those moments where Abed may realize that he, too, can stand to change, that he reveals the most of his pain. But, even then, it's vague and shrouded in pop culture.
I could just be reading into Danny Pudi's performance, though. I... relate very well to Abed.
Everybody not watching Archer needs to catch up. Last night's episode was perhaps the funniest episode of this tv year so far, and the episode last week may be its main competition.
Posted by: jmag at March 25, 2011 4:42 PM
I will agree about Archer. The show has really found its feet recently.
I thought Community was the weakest show this week. I love pulp fiction as much as the next guy, but the show started getting a little too self- referential for my tastes.
Posted by: camytaru at March 25, 2011 7:24 PM
On a different note...is it weird to have sex dreams about Abed? Cuz I have this friend....
Well my friend said to tell your friend that she's not the only one.
Posted by: Uda at March 25, 2011 8:08 PM
I really enjoyed all these insightful comments about Community. I've considered them carefully, and what I think is that Britta and Annie should have switched costumes.
Posted by: Three-nineteen at March 25, 2011 9:06 PM
Oh, Three-nineteen, I was just waiting for someone to come along and say that. And I would have to strongly disagree.
Also, RobP is my hero.
Posted by: Uda at March 25, 2011 9:18 PM
"Who wants some num nums?"
Posted by: bucketofstars at March 25, 2011 11:53 PM
This was by far my favorite Community they've ever done. It's either because I was really really stoned, or because I LOVE My Dinner With Andre. Or Both??
Posted by: John G. at March 26, 2011 1:00 AM
I loved the Pulp Fiction episode, it was just so desperately sad and really series changing to me. You think Abed is growing and developing, giving him the opportunity to have a life outside of this bizzaro community college world only to find that he is still stuck. Brita is living this shitty life with a shitty job that she is desperate about even though they consider her valueless. Jeff himself is the saddest of them all. With his issues about how he looks, his past, his loneliness. The more the series progresses the more it changes how I view previous episodes. It's amazing.
Posted by: brdkelli at March 26, 2011 1:34 AM
I'm blown away that anyone could NOT have enjoyed 30 Rock. Devin Banks blows me away with hilarity.
Posted by: annie711pm at March 26, 2011 2:17 AM
Actually Mel Anne C, the entire basis of the show is Rashida Jones. The original concept of the show was to follow Rashida Jones' character off The Office into her new life, but they scrapped it while still in development.
RobP, Is that Abed or me? It sounds like you could be talking about me. Stop looking in my brain.
Three-nineteen, you are so right. This episode needed a lot more Annie dancing and Britta being quiet in the corner.
Posted by: John G. at March 26, 2011 2:18 AM
I freaking loved Community. I'm curious, of the people who didn't like the episode, how many of you got the My Dinner with Andre reference before they mentioned My Dinner with Andre?
Posted by: LwoodPDowd at March 26, 2011 3:55 AM
Oh sweet Jesus jmag you were right! Last night's Archer was fucking genius!
btw, More H. Jon Benjamin can be had Sundays in Bob's Burgers.
Posted by: LwoodPDowd at March 26, 2011 5:08 AM
Ach. This may be tantamount to heresy round here, but I'm so, so bored of the Alison Brie/Annie Community love at the expense of Gillian Jacobs/Britta. I get that you're all melting for Brie, but at a character level, Britta is a mucked-up, interesting and believable character; Annie's just another perky, charismatic hot girl with pretty boobs. The costumes were the right way round. And that episode was blimmin' lovely.
Posted by: Kirstini at March 26, 2011 1:34 PM
Annie's just another perky, charismatic hot girl with pretty boobs
OR
Annie's just another pretty, charismatic hot girl with perky boobs
Posted by: maka at March 26, 2011 5:08 PM
archer wins!
Posted by: splinter at March 26, 2011 6:33 PM
maka Meh, I liked my way better.
Posted by: Kirstini at March 26, 2011 8:03 PM
How is Holly's sic dad "4th quarter?" I think it has the potential for a LOT more emotional impact and sweetness than a new job somewhere. New jobs are like you're phoning it in. That's the 4th quarter easy way out. With a sick parent, Holly won't be working, Michael is moving to be a shoulder for her and to carry the burden, and he'll get to meet her dad before her dad was gone. With 4 or 5 more episodes, nothing is "4th quarter" until it plays out, but I think this way has the potential for a much sweeter, believable exit.
Posted by: Clyde M at March 26, 2011 8:49 PM
Community may not always be laugh out loud funny but it is always interesting and original, as opposed to the Two and a Half Men type sitcoms. Alan will suggest something and Charlie will say something suggestive. I always know what he will say because he is a one-note character on a one joke show.
Community delivers....week after week.
How about doing the Wed night shows? The Middle, Modern Family, Cougartown? There is comedy gold in those hills.
Posted by: kirbyjay at March 27, 2011 11:23 AM
And Pajiba finally stops hating on The Office! YAY!!!
Kirstini, I see your point. I always get super pleased whenever I see people praising Gillian because the actress seems like a great, fun person, and she does a brilliant job with Britta.
And despite how happy this makes me, I still like Annie better. Alison Brie just makes me laugh more (than almost anyone else on that show), and I may or may not over-identify with the obsessively perfectionistic, tightly wound facets of her personality. Also, I'd like to note that I'm a straight girl, and I do not have a crush on Jeff/Joel, but...I have this friend who wouldn't say no to Abed/Pudi.
The Holly's father storyline hit very close to home as that is something that can suddenly hit you and throw your world in a spin. A new job is a decision, going home to be with your sick parent(s) is something you just do.
Parks and Rec is always awesome. I love Ben and think him and Leslie work well together. His character grew on me in the episode where we learned he just can't speak to the media. That was hilarious.
As for 30 Rock, le sigh.... All I ask is they stop making Liz such a loser.
Posted by: Persistent Cat at March 30, 2011 8:57 PM
Feel the Office's plot device for sending off Holly & Michael could've been better. Why couldn't one of them just get a great job offer, as occasionally happens in offices? Instead you get a 4th quarter Dad Has Dementia plotline & suddenly they're quitting their jobs & moving across the country. Isn't Michael Scott like, perpetually broke? Lazy writing, oh well.