my Thursdays - Fall 2007

Thursday nights are in disarray for the first few weeks of the season - what with my half-hour comedy shows all having hour-long special episodes, my favorite show of the summer still finishing up its season, and another favorite comedy of mine just starting their oddly-paced season - so i honestly have no idea what my Thursdays will end up being.

however, these are shows that i watch that are on Thursdays... right now.

Mad Men
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
The Office
My Name is Earl
30 Rock
Scrubs

- Mad Men -

my favorite show of the summer is wrapping up the latter third of its season and it's still one helluva show. ad men in the 60s, bringing to light issues today by showing them in the past? come on, you remember it. i'll do a longer post when it's all done.

- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia -

the first season of this show was comic genius. it was made up of the kind of stuff that comedians write and rewrite for years and years and finally someone with enough gumption comes along to finance it. it was their baby, the best of them.

season 2 suffered from the sophomore slump. the laughs were cut almost in half, the episodes weren't all as tightly written, and the shock jokes that worked in season 1 were just there for the shock in season 2. that said, it was still funnier than a lot of "comedies" out there.

needless to say, i had hoped the crew would be able to get over their sophomore jinx and go back to the drawing board with season 3.

SO FAR... it's been more of season 2. it's like season 2 part 2.

the show is funny, but i'm starting to wonder if it'll ever reach that level of comedic genius that it started on way back in season 1.

verdict? watching these idiotic friends do idiotic things with/to each other is still FUNNY, so i'll stick around. it just hurts knowing it could be so much better.

- The Office -

now entering its fourth season, the American version of The Office has managed to squeeze somewhere around 50 episodes out of a series that only lasted 14... well, that's not completely fair. our The Office found its own footing somewhere in the second season and became it's own beast. now, however, the series is starting to feel tired again - not from rehashing the British series, but from rehashing itself.

tonight's hour-long premiere was good, but not great. i still laughed out loud heartily at many of the jokes, but looking beyond that... i could feel that it's a little played, that the formula is wearing thin.

so, i'll just try to appreciate it "in the now" as i watch and laugh my ass off, not worrying about its shelf life - not for America (they love it), but for me - and hope that they can keep it rolling another season or two (again, for me, not America).

verdict? i've loved this series since it found its own, and i'll be around until they decide to call it quits (which i believe, and hope, will be at the end of season 5).

- My Name is Earl, 30 Rock, Scrubs -

nothing much to say about these shows because i really only watch them when i've got the time and/or when i'm waiting for The Office to start... though i did see Seinfeld is going to be on 30 Rock's premiere next week. might have to check that out.

- kawitchate