Love My TV

If, for some reason, you find the urge to go sleep or immediately change the channel following It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s Thursday broadcast, FX is giving viewers a 3^rd chance to right their wrongs and stay tuned for arguably the most entertaining newcomer over the past 2 football seasons. No, football season and TV seasons are not one in the same, but for the FX-original series The League, the two walk hand in hand. Recently renewed for a 3^rd season, much to the delight of yours truly, The League is to legions of cleverer-than-thou Fantasy Football nerds what Sex and the City was to desperate middle-aged women. In fact, the two shows draw further parallels in that The League is only partially about fantasy football just as SITC centered around men on only a primarily superficial level. Instead, what The League represents is a realistic (assuming every fantasy football league could score NFL cameos and finance/execute quality music videos) depiction of male friendship, treating each other and talking to one another like guys really do and addressing topics guys actually talk about. Read more »

• Entourage (HBO) Just when we thought the show was about lose some of its luster, a lot like Vinny Chase post Medellin, writers amped it up a notch and returned the show to glory. Delving into more substance, even substance abuse, the show once again managed to capture waning viewer interested even among longtime followers. After all, you can only spend so much money and sleep with so many babes, right?
• Californication (Showtime) From the first scene of the first episode we were hooked, though truth be told it may have been the most sacrilegiously irreverent 5 minutes in TV history. Now in its 4^th season Californication has done little to disappoint. Follow Hank Moody on his life as a writer, not the pent up English teacher with arthritis in his typing fingers you might expect from unmistakably drab connotations regarding the writing discipline, but a womanizing wannabe family man, caught between his writer’s block, misguided self-identity and his own commercial success. Read more »

1. Modern Family (ABC) If season 2 comes anywhere close to season 1, there is no disputing the newly crowned kings of comedy. Starring Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family introduces us to the new look of suburbia. Comprised of a grandfather who remarried younger and latina, his brother and sister children, both of whom married men, and an onslaught of hilariously quirky grandkids, top notch writing and great performance make the show something the entire family will appreciate.
2. Community (NBC) With Chevy Chase now doing a steady diet of even non-Super Bowl commercials it’s not as surprising he got roped into a sitcom, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get to reap the benefit of comedic genius. Whether or not you think Joel McHale is the coolest dude around or painfully whiny, the supporting cast of characters makes Community a must see. The plot centers around a unlikely group of friends stemming from a ragtag Spanish study group, formed in order to pass a surprisingly difficult community college class. Ken Jeong plays a recurring role as Spanish teacher Senor Chang, like Chase proving equally competent on the small screen after stints in big hit comedies like The Hangover and Role Models. At least tune in for the final few minutes to watch Danny Pudi and Donald Glover show off truly remarkable improvisational skills. Read more »

Flash Forward Billed as the next big thing for the whole Lost demographic, viewers who felt they missed out island stranded air-travelers vowed not to wait too late to see the future flash before our eyes. After a full 22 episode season of intrigue as FBI Special Agent Mark Benford tries to figure out the root of this terrorist mind attack as he and the world around them try to balance their daily lives with their inevitable futures (both good and bad), ABC decided not to renew the science fiction drama. For those who got hooked early, the premise was based off of a 1999 novel of the same name by Robert J. Sawyer, which may provide some insight into where the show would’ve gone, though it will take longer than 2 minutes and 17 seconds to know what’s in store.Spartacus: Blood And Sand If you can make it past the unnecessary overuse of reference to the Roman Gods’ genitalia, the Starz original show was one of the best of last season. Unfortunately, it’s future is in jeopardy as lead man Andy Whitfield, who played the title character, was diagnosed with cancer and will be unable to return to the set for a second go round. In light of the circumstances, Starz has begun work on a prequel to blood and sand, titled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, though considering Whitfield’s compelling performance and ability to endear the audience to his character, it will be difficult to accept such a major paradigm shift. Hopefully, Whitfield will beat the disease and go on to enjoy a long healthy acting career at some point resuming the Spartacus: Blood and Sand storyline right where it left off. Read more »