The Weekly Power Rankings: Jean-Ralphio! Dance Up on Me! Edition
By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under TV Reviews | Comments (19)
10. The Daily Show: I very much liked “How I Met Your Mother,” “Chicago Code,” “The Borgias,” “Modern Family,” and “The Good Wife,” this week but I couldn’t bring myself to choose among them for the 10th slot. So, while I don’t typically include episodes from talk shows, last Tuesday’s “The Daily Show” featured the second best 10 minute segment of the week:
9. The Killing: I asked my friend Glacier the other day what he thought about “The Killing,” and he was like, “Can’t stand it. It moves too slow.” What revelations were made this week? Bennett may really have terrorist connections, Detective Linden’s son is a jackass, Rosie’s Mom is unstable, and Darren Richmond may have a backbone. At the end of the season, I’m just going to string together all the “previously on” scenes and see if it delivers the same amount of information in 1/100th of the time.
8. The Office: Maybe it was because it was sandwiched between “Community” and “Parks and Recreation,” and it got the benefit of sitcom glow, but I thought “The Office” — with Dwight taking over temporarily — was unexpectedly amusing this week.
7. Survivor: [*SPOILERS*] It was a fitting end to the season, and if you don’t like Boston Rob, you probably hated the entire season. I like him, and it was satisfying to see all of the guy’s schemes work out in the end. After all of that, it would’ve been crushing to see Rob lose. It’s a relief that the jury finally rewarded the guy who played the best instead of the guy who was the nicest. One thing I cannot figure out, however, is how Ashley couldn’t manage to put that puzzle together in the final immunity challenge. She had all the words. She had placed them in the correct order. She just didn’t have them all placed at the same time. What was going on there? That would’ve changed the entire outcome of the season, and she apparently had one giant $1 million brain fart.
6. Cougar Town: Who has two thumbs and made another glorious return to “Cougar Town” this week? Ken Jenkins.
5. Happy Endings: The reason I began the Power Rankings a little over a year ago now is because I wanted to be able to highlight and talk about a few shows that we typically would not have have a reason to devote time to otherwise. The hope was that the weekly exposure to some of the better shows — especially those with lower ratings — would help bring new eyes. We couldn’t do anything for “Terriers,” or “Chicago Code,” but one of those bubble shows that I’ve been trying to champion actually managed to get a renewal for next season. Congrats, “Happy Endings.” Please don’t suck in your second season.
4. Game of Thrones: I’m not a reader of the novels, but this was easily my favorite episode since the pilot. See also TK’s recap.
3. Doctor Who: C. Rob called it the best episode of the Matt Smith era. I still think last season’s finale narrowly owns that title, but I’m an inexplicable fan of Rory. I think Moffat is building toward a real death with all of Rory’s near-death experiences, and it’s going to be stunning and absolute. Either that, or we’ll find out that River Song is actually Rory. See C. Rob’s recap.
2. Community: The second half of this year’s season finale reminded us of everything we love about “Community,” and maybe salvaged an otherwise disappointing second half of the season. Next season, Dan Harmon really needs to move these characters. Keep Pierce out of the study group; make him a permanent villain. And put a couple together among the possibilities. Don’t be a chickenshit, Harmon. It’s the only way to advance your show.
1. Parks and Recreation: I’m fairly certain that I’m not alone in thinking that the back-to-back episodes last week created what was perhaps the best hour of television this entire season, at least on the comedy side. From the drunken dancing to the big kiss, it was hilarious and mushy and sweet and wonderful.
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Comments
Posted by: An Atlantan at May 16, 2011 3:01 PM
Re: Survivor
It's not that I didn't like Boston Rob, it was just.. too damned easy for him. I kept waiting for people to WAKE UP and vote him out.
As for Ashley, I seriously wondered the same thing. Someone should have asked her that at the reunion.