Where is Don Draper when you need him?

Since "Mad Men" began in 2007, Don Draper has brought a serious dose of nostalgia to our televisions every Sunday night and will again starting in March 2012. "Mad Men" has been such a huge hit that it has directly impacted America from bringing back retro wardrobe pieces to drinking our beverages in high ball glasses and it no doubt has been the impetus for at least one of the million Kennedy projects that we have been exposed to over the last few years. The writing and acting is so solid that it sometimes feels like a documentary instead of the fictional drama that it really is. 

So, it's no surprise that copy cat shows have come out of the woodwork to capitalize on our new found love of all things 60's.  This season, NBC premiered "The Playboy Club" which was cancelled after only a few episodes, and ABC put all of their 60's eggs in the "Pan Am" basket.  "Pan Am" is still hanging on, despite ratings falling, it premiered to around 11 million and recent episodes are down to about 5 million. Probably because, well, the show just isn't that good.  

"Pan Am" should be better because "Mad Men" has given networks a perfect blue print for what a period show should be.  Plus, any show set in the 60's is already at an advantage based solely on the style and allure of that time.  You could watch Pan Am on mute and the show would be beautiful, from the costumes, to the set decoration, to the airplanes that put our current ones to shame, this show is extremely aesthetically pleasing, but it's just not enough.

I really wanted to like this show. It's seventh episode will air tonight and I kept putting off writing this post because so far "Pan Am" has been like that friend that you really want to like, so you stick it out for awhile and hope that those nagging annoyances in the back of your head will go away and everything about them won't drive you crazy if you just wait one more week to stop hanging out with them. I think it's time for "Pan Am" and I to stop hanging out. I can't really understand what this show is trying to be. In the beginning, it seemed like it was going to focus on female co-workers, their friendships and their struggles, primary revolving around being a woman in an era when they were still seen as primarily sex objects. However, as time goes on, the show seems to following tired story lines and I'm having a hard time following, caring about, or believing the story line that a Pan Am stewardess is also a CIA covert operative. 

The worst part about "Pan Am" though, is that despite pretty solid performances by the female cast, especially Christina Ricci, I just don't feel any attachment to these characters at all. I'm not sure where they lost me, but I think it's fair to blame the writing which has caused a serious lack of character development and ultimately if one of the "Pan Am" flights went down with half of the primary cast on it, I wouldn't really care.  The men especially lack the spark that Jon Hamm brings to "Mad Men" as Don Draper, a spark that allows us to forgive all of the things he does including but not limited to cheating and lying. Hamm has created a character that we love through all of his up's and down's and one that we make excuses for because he has made us believe that underneath it all, his troubled past has clouded his judgement and that ultimately he is a good guy...it doesn't hurt that he is also unbelievable attractive. Hamm isn't the only strong male character on "Mad Men" and the pilots and politicians on "Pam Am" really just look weak in comparison...and why are none of them ever smoking!? It's the 60's, every room should have a cloud of smoke in it.  My guess is censoring by ABC's parent company...call me crazy but I appreciate accuracy in my television.

While I know it is unfair to compare any show to the genius that is "Mad Men", the "Pan Am" creative team should have known that ultimately, that is what they are up against. I'm not going to produce a show about a group of people crash landing and trying to survive on a deserted island unless I know I can compete with JJ Abrams, it might not be fair, but it's reality. 

I wish "Pan Am" was better.  I love period shows and I think this one really had potential but ultimately, I'm going to blame poor casting of the male leads and writing that didn't connect me to any of the characters. I guess I'm just going to have to wait until March to get my 60's fix. If any of you haven't had a chance to catch up on "Mad Men" yet, I highly recommend giving it a chance. Use this link to purchase season one of "Mad Men" on Amazon for less than 12 dollars!

Let me know what you are thinking about "Pan Am" in the comments section below, I'm sure some of you disagree with my opinion and I'm interested to hear what people are thinking about this show!

If you aren't watching this...you aren't watching the best show on television.

It's hard for me to choose my favorite tv shows because I love a lot of them for different reasons. Until recently, if someone asked me what my favorite was they would get a list that would be at least three shows long, and ultimately after having to listen to me talk forever, would probably regret asking the question at all. However, last year I decided to check out a show that raised the bar on my expectations of what television was capable of.

Since then, I can say unequivocally that my absolute favorite show is "Friday Night Lights". Anyone that has read my blog won't be surprised by that and in fact, many of you are probably sick of hearing about it (there is an easy solution to that problem, watch it already so I can stop talking about it!). Rest assured this isn't a post about "Friday Night Lights" but since I put it in a class of it's own, the fact that I am about the review a show that I can say is almost just as good as "Friday Night Lights" really speaks volumes.

If you aren't watching "Parenthood", you are absolutely missing out. Since the show was developed by Jason Katims, the head writer of "Friday Night Lights", it's no surprise that "Parenthood" has the potential to change the way you look at your family, your relationships and the way that you live your life.

Centering on the Braverman family which is comprised of Zeke played by Craig T. Nelson and Camille played by Bonnie Bedelia, as well as their four adult children, this show will make you laugh but more often it will be so relatable, it will make you cry. 

Oldest child Adam and his wife Kristina have three children, teenage daughter Haddie, son Max and new baby Nora. Their son Max, who is now in fifth grade is played by Max Burkholder. Max has Asperger's syndrome and it is commendable the attention "Parenthood" is bringing to the struggles that parents of children on the autism spectrum face, as well as how it impacts the child and other family members. Burkholder's performance is nothing short of Emmy worthy.

Zeke and Camille's oldest daughter is played by one of my favorites, Lauren Graham. I loved her as Lorelai Gilmore and I couldn't have been happier when she was cast as Sarah Braverman. Graham's portrayal of a single mother left to raise two teenagers when her alcoholic musician ex decides that responsibility just isn't his thing is flawless. 

Crosby, Sarah and Adam's younger brother played by Dax Sheppard, is the self proclaimed screw up of the family and finds out in the pilot episode that he has a son, Jabbar, that he was previously unaware of. Crosby has a realization that he needs to start taking some responsibility in his life and watching his relationship with his son develop will make you fall in love with him even when he makes some questionable choices. 

Youngest Braverman Julia, is a working mom struggling with trying to balance her work as a lawyer with motherhood while her husband stays at home with their daughter Sydney. Julia's jealousy that her husband gets to stay home coupled with his frustration at needing to, creates some problems in their marriage and their portrayals of a young couple struggling with very normal, very real problems are spot on. 

This show is perfectly cast, perfectly written and is the most realistic portrayal of a family that I have seen on television in a long time. I promise that if you just watch one episode of this show, you will love it. Sometimes, television has the ability to make you feel and to reflect on your life, relationship and your family. Sometimes, television even has the possibility to change your life. "Parenthood" is that kind of television. 

It's currently in it's third season and hopefully it will be around for a long time.  If you already watch it, I'm preaching to the choir, because you already know how amazing it is. If you haven't seen it yet, stop reading this and make it happen. Season one is on sale on Amazon.com starting at $17.00 and season one is streaming on Netflix. Stop watching crappy reality tv and start watching something that has the potential to make you a better parent, child, husband, wife, brother, sister and ultimately maybe even a better person.

Revenge is sweeter...

I was pretty sure that I was never going to forgive ABC after they cancelled "Brothers and Sisters" one of my favorite family dramas last spring all the while allowing "Grey's Anatomy" to continue on as they recycled the same tired will-they won't-they story lines over and over again (yes I still watch it anyway...see my blog post on "The Office" for further understanding of my contradictions).  However, our relationship has totally been repaired because they have brought me one of my new favorite shows of the fall, "Revenge". 

So even though Meredith and Derek are still in turmoil over at Seattle Grace, ABC is really delivering with this new drama featuring Emily VanCamp as Amanda Clarke, a daughter back with a new identity set on avenging the unfair conviction and ultimate death of her father.  

Amanda Clarke now goes by the name Emily Thorne to avoid any suspicion from the seemingly endless group of people she is targeting for being responsible for unfairly putting her innocent father in prison.  The first episode begins with Emily's engagement party as she is set to marry the son of one of those very targets. We immediately go back to five months earlier and it seems like this season could culminate with those first few, very intense, minutes of the pilot episode. 

This show is flawless. It has it all, strong acting, strong writing, beautiful set design and a fresh take on the idea of revenge...sometimes it just might be justified.

VanCamp, who I have loved since her days on "Everwood" (check it out on Netflix if you haven't seen it) and my beloved fore mentioned "Brothers and Sisters" has a way of making you root for her, even as she ruins lives and wrecks families...now that's talent. She is the perfect balance of vulnerability and strength and watching her take down both men and women of power and wealth simply with her brains, tenacity and a little help from her pretty large inheritance, is extremely enjoyable.

Also perfectly cast is Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson, the Queen of the Hampton's who was deeply involved with the situation with Amanda's father. Seeing VanCamp and Stowe in scenes together, the passive aggressiveness and tension is palpable and for some reason it really reminds me of 80's dramas like Dynasty...but in a good way. Fortunately though, I don't think we will see any swimming pool cat fights on Revenge, these women are much too smart for that. I'm loving watching them in scenes together and I can't wait to see how this progresses as Emily gets more and more involved with Victoria's family.

And, if there are any other "Gossip Girl" addicts out there (what? It's a guilty pleasure, try it, you might like it), wondering where brother Van Der Woodsen has disappeared to, he's been spotted in the Hampton's. 

Watch this show. All of the previous episodes are available now on ABC.com so there really is no excuse, well I guess unless you don't have internet...but then how would you be reading this blog? 

Girls, Girls, Girls...

I have to admit that this is the best pilot season I have seen in a long time, usually one or two new shows will make it to a season pass but this year even the CW made it into regular rotation on my tivo. I already shared my witty remarks on my new favorite sitcom, "Up All Night" which is still going strong as it heads into it's fourth episode, so in another tivo or forgo entry, I'm tackling two more new sitcoms!

First up, "Two Broke Girls". Since the show was created by Michael Patrick King who also executive produced and wrote one of the greatest female ensemble shows...well, ever, "Sex and the City" (Let's all try to forgive him for "Sex and the City 2") and Whitney Cummings, frequent "Chelsea Lately" contributor and also creator of perhaps the worst sitcom pilot of this year, "Whitney" the show had a 50/50 chance of being watchable.

The pilot, starring Kat Dennings as Max, a tough talking, poor girl living in Brooklyn and working two jobs as a waitress and a nanny and Beth Behrs as Caroline, a fallen from grace socialite who finds herself broke after her father is caught participating in a Ponzi scheme, wasn't awful. The jokes were funny, some even pushing the envelope for an 8:30 p.m. time slot, and Dennings who I have loved since she played Norah in "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" has enough talent to make you forget (for a little while) about how cliche the rich girl/poor girl relationship really is. In typical odd couple fashion, the two can't stand each other at first but 30 minutes later they are fast friends, talking about opening their own cupcake business and going to Caroline's house in Manhattan to pick up her only possession, a horse. They then ride the horse back to Brooklyn and keep it in the backyard of their apartment building...which begs the question, can you jump the shark in the first episode?  


The second episode resorted to jokes about poop, and it only got worse from there. The envelope pushing turned into cheap sex jokes that resulted in over the top amounts of laughter from the studio audience but only made me want to change the channel. Overall, "2 Broke Girls" isn't the worst thing you could watch this fall, but it's definitely not the best, so it's getting a forgo from me. It's mediocre at best but if you need something to pass the time, it won't kill you.


Next up, Fox's "New Girl", which is so far my second favorite sitcom of this season. Whoever thought Zooey Deschanel should play a giant nerd, fresh from a breakup and living with three guys she met on the internet, is a GENIUS.  Deschanel plays Jess so perfectly with an equal balance of awkwardness and lovability (yah, sometimes I make up words) that her performance is reminiscent of one of the greatest female nerds of all time, Liz Lemon. 

The pilot focused on Jess moving in with her new three male roommates who try to get her back into the dating world. When she gets stood up the guys rise to the occasion and by the end of the episode, they are in the middle of a restaurant singing Jess' comfort song "I've had the time of my life" to cheer her up. I think I need to spend some more time on Craig's List... There is a really strong chemistry between the cast and even though one of the roommates was recast by the second episode because Damon Wayan's Jr. is busy working over at "Happy Endings" (blog post coming on that soon) the show still works. 
 
Season pass "New Girl" and I don't think you will be disappointed, and even if you hate the show, the theme song alone is worth watching!

Tivo or Forgo...

Ok so it's that time of year again when my tivo and probably yours is bursting at the seams with all of the new Fall pilots. So far, some have been great and some have been...not so great (I'm looking at you "Free Agents" and "Whitney"). Well don't worry I'm here to help and watch some of this crap so you don't have to. Here are two of my recommendations to either tivo or forgo. I'll give you the bad news first...

Charlie's Angels

I don't even know where to start. Ok, the pilot started with a predictable car bomb killing one of the original angels and leaving the door open for none other than Lyla Garrity (if you don't get that reference for the love of God please watch Friday Night Lights, what the hell are you waiting for)...ahem I mean Minka Kelly, Derek Jeter's ex and the kind of beautiful that keep the rest of us going to the gym every day. Minka is one of the three ridiculously beautiful (and tiny) angels. The least they could have done is cast some women that look like they may be able to kick a little ass (e.g. Eliza Dushku) so when they start throwing around giant men, it might be slightly believable. 

The acting is terrible, almost laughable at times, and not in that intentionally cheesy Aaron Spelling way that made the 70's version a huge hit. Lines like "we're angels" that worked when Farrah said them, just seem silly now...and Bosley isn't supposed to be hot.

When they jumped into the ocean and emerged with perfect makeup...I didn't think it could get much worse, until Carlos Bernard, my beloved Tony Almeida ("24", see note above about Friday Night Lights) showed up as a child trafficker with a terrible, I think Columbian, accent.

The plot was confusing at best, and I never found myself caring whether they made it out alive or dead...probably not a good sign. The only good thing about this show was that they kept the old theme song. I don't understand why Hollywood can't learn from it's own mistakes...did "Melrose Place" and "Knight Rider" teach them nothing?

Overall this show is a definite forgo, but if I know America...and I think I do, it will stick around for awhile because people like to watch pretty girls do ridiculous things.

Hart of Dixie

And for something completely different..."Hart of Dixie" is definitely one of my favorite new shows of the fall...and not just because of Jason Street (seriously, Friday Night Lights, it will change your life) but because this show is, well for lack of a better word...heartwarming. The pilot is based on a fresh out of medical school doctor played by Rachel Bilson who wants to follow in her fathers footsteps and become a cardio-thoracic surgeon in New York City, but when her life plan starts to become more difficult than she imagined, she finds herself working as a plain old doctor in Bluebell, Alabama.

Although I wasn't necessarily a huge fan of her before this show, by the end of the episode Bilson had completely won me over and I think she is perfect for this role. Surrounded by an interesting cast of characters in a small southern town, you can't help but want to get to know Bilson's character Zoe better and hope the best for her, and it's really nice to see a show that takes place in the south and doesn't feel like a parody. 

If someone threw Felicity, Gilmore Girls, Dawson's Creek and Everwood in a blender, "Hart of Dixie" would be what you end up with. It feels like a show that should have been on the WB and I am officially in love with it. It's definitely a tivo recommendation, because if nothing else, this show will make you feel good and in a world that is full of crime shows, vampires, mobsters and disturbing reality tv...who couldn't use something a little wholesome and heartwarming?

Breaking up is hard to do...

I'm a loyal person, I have had the same friends for fifteen years, I have lived in the same apartment for seven and at 30 years old, I have really only had one professional job. Once I like something or someone, I stick with it. So, in 2005 when I decided that I liked a little American remake of a British mockumentary based on some quirky office workers at a paper company in Scranton PA, I was committing to staying with it for the long haul. At the time it seemed like it would be easy, I was laughing out loud weekly and falling more in love with the crazy but somehow believable cast of characters, but then, the journey became more difficult.

My loyalty got me through the Will Ferrell days...the awful stunt casting that did nothing but make me dread what was to come.  Casting someone so well known is exactly the opposite of what "The Office" is supposed to be about. The reason we actually believe that this could be a real place of employment is because for the most part, we had never seen these people do anything but sell paper for Dunder Mifflin. Even though the Ferrell days were tough, I decided to stick with it into the eight season, I was curious just like everyone else about who the new regional manager would be...after all, they had some big shoes to fill. 

The episode began with some jokes about planking which people either didn't get because they aren't on twitter and didn't see the ridiculous pictures of celebrities doing it months ago, or they didn't find funny because they are on twitter and did see the ridiculous pictures of celebrities doing it MONTHS AGO.  The joke felt outdated and seriously "Office" you're better than that, or at least you used to be.

And really...Andy as the new regional manager just doesn't feel right. Especially because it feels like they never stopped writing for Michael Scott and just put another body in the chair. The speech that he gives to Robert California (and by the way, giving someone a ridiculous name doesn't mae them any more funny) where he sings the praises of the staff and even the quiet goodbye and smiles he gives to them on their way out just feels so Michael. The new regional manager needs to be completely different for people to be ok with someone else sitting in that chair and the Andy they have written so far, just doesn't seem different enough.

The BBC had it right, the British version of "The Office" lasted for fourteen extremely funny episodes. They didn't shove it down their viewers throats until we just couldn't take anymore, they went out on top.  In the last episode, the British Jim and Pam finally got together, which means nobody in England had to watch their Pam pregnant for a second time crying for a half hour over a commercial for Traveler's Insurance (oh and while I'm at it, Ray Lamontagne, what were you thinking?!).

I will always love Jim Halpert and the bit at the end with the list of Pam, Cece and the new baby in the winner column was cute and reminded me of "The Office" of yore...but I just don't think it was enough. If the powers that be respected their audience as much as they respect their money, they would have accepted that "The Office" without Steve Carrell would be just as crappy as "Saved by the Bell the College Years" without Jessie and Lisa, "90210" without Dylan, Brandon, Brenda, and Andrea (geeze did anyone stay on that show) or "Scrubs" without Zach Braff, it just doesn't work.

After eight years, I think it's time for me to break up with "The Office", we have had a lot of good times over the years, a lot of laughter and even some tears, but I need to walk away because it is just getting too hard...(insert that's what she said joke here because shove it up your butt is never going to be a catch phrase.)

It's not Gob, but I'll take it!

I, like probably a lot of you are still deeply in mourning over "Arrested Development". They say things get better in time but it has been over five years and the pain of losing one of the most famous "great shows that nobody was watching" is still raw. This pain and sorrow has caused me to seek small satisfactions through the projects that the cast moved on to post development. While Bateman and Cera have eased some of the pain by taking their talents to the big screen, I have been longing to see some Bluth's in my living room again. I only made it through a couple episodes of Portia de Rossi's "Better off Ted" and my hopes were so high for "Running Wilde" that I broke my own tivo rules and committed to a season pass without even seeing the pilot, how could Horowitz and Arnett together again not be amazing!? We all know how that turned out...but maybe worst of all was seeing the amazing Jessica Walter, the beloved Bluth matriarc on...gasp...TV Land. Since my heart has been broken over and over again, I went into Arnett's new project "Up All Night" with extreme caution. I saw it sitting on my now playing list and talked myself into giving these Bluth's one more chance...

This show is exactly what I have been hoping for since 2006. Will Arnett is finally in the type of role that suits him perfectly, the Gob we know and love is long gone but the goofy, nerdy husband and new stay at home father who thinks liking Train is "ironic" and wears a Huey Lewis and the New's t-shirt is unbelievably likeable. Equally likeable is Christina Applegate who I also gladly welcome back to television. She is a working mom trying to balance being a television producer, a wife and a new mom to a baby that although loved was completely unexpected. As a couple, they totally work and as parents who weren't sure they even wanted children, watching them adjust to parenthood is incredibly funny and entertaining. Their struggles with still wanting to be cool and have a social life while trying to take care of a new baby are real and completely relatable. As a couple, they are super fun to watch and I can't help wishing for some flashback episodes to see what their life was like pre-baby Amy.

Maya Rudolph as an over the top, ego centric, Oprah type with her own talk show is perfect casting and her ability to play this character so well off the heels of Bridesmaids and 2009's Away We Go shows that she is capable of so much more than just impersonating Whitney Houston and Donatella Versace.

I'm two episodes in and the second was even better than the first.  Please watch this show, if only so Will Arnett can start feeling like a man again at home instead of Mr. Amy Poehler, plus I'm pretty sure that everything that Lorne Michaels touches turns to gold...except for maybe MacGruber, but hey everyone makes mistakes.