How I Met Your Mother - "Ducky Tie" Review

What won't Barney do for a look at Lily's Pregnant Boobs?

Though I last expressed trepidations about the return of Victoria last week, I can now thankfully say that those misgivings were entirely unfounded. "Ducky Tie" was, through and through, a callback to the early days of How I Met Your Mother. It almost played like a direct sequel to "Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM" from season one, and this helped give it the feel of a classic HIMYM episode. The story of "Ducky Tie" played out in a delicate balancing act, between the funny and lighthearted Barney-Lily-Marshall story, and the deeper and heartfelt story of Ted, Robin, and Victoria. The issues between Ted and Victoria, left somewhat unexplained at the end of the aforementioned season one episode, are fully resolved here, and what be most surprising is that this appears to be the only episode in which Victoria will be, as opposed to my belief that she was back for a longer term. She gave Ted a few words of wisdom at the end, that, from Saget Ted's narration, allude to a coming change in dynamic in the group, particularly between Ted, Robin, and Barney. This could go one of two ways: either they will have a falling out, and go their separate ways for a while, or it's that Robin is, in fact, Barney's bride a little ways down the road. Then there's the previously promised Ducky Tie storyline, in which a wager is set: if Barney can do the Shinjitsu art of cooking, he gets to fondle Lily's enhanced pregnancy breasts (MOST. MATURE. BET. EVER.), and if he loses, he has to wear Marshall's ducky tie (brrr) for a year. As it turns out, Barney had been psychologically conditioning Marshall towards this bet for years, should he ever want something from him, and is an expert Shinjitsu cook. The intricacies of Barney's plan are gut-bustingly funny, and the denouement just makes it more so, and I look forward to watching Barney wear Marshall's tie for the rest of the season. Overall, though, this was both a nostalgic episode and a step forward, and continues the high quality trend that has begun early in this season.

"Ducky Tie" - 4.5/5 stars

The Office - "The List" Review

Robert California. Welcome to the winner's table.

So, here we are. The 8th season of NBC's hit comedy The Office. Or, as it shall be known to future generations, "The first season of the show without Steve Carell". Yes, Michael Scott is gone. And that's that. Now that that's out of the way, let's move on to the actual review.

It is unlikely that The Office will ever truly regain the heights of its earlier seasons (I'm thinking second and third), simply because it feels a bit long in the tooth at this point. We've been watching Jim, Dwight, Pam, Stanley, Phyllis, Meredith, Daryl, Creed, Angela, Kevin, Kelly, Ryan, and Oscar in action (with Andy, Erin, and Gabe joining in as the series came along) since early 2005, and let's face it, the characters are not as fresh as they once were. So, in the wake of the-actor-who-shall-remain-nameless' departure, the producers felt it was time to bring in a little new blood. And in the funny but uneven and ultimately disappointing season 7 finale "Search Committee" (I hadn't started this blog yet then, but if it had been, I would've probably given it a 3-3.5/5 star rating), they dangled Ricky Gervais (returning briefly once again as David Brent), James Spader, Catherine Tate, Will Arnett, Ray Romano, and a very odd fleeting cameo from Jim Carrey, in front of us, to see who we'd be most receptive to taking over at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. In the end, they chose Spader's Robert California (who was my favorite of the guest spots, with his domineering persona and insane "everything is sex" belief system), but not as Regional Manager. It seems that California felt the position was beneath him, so he somehow managed to talk Jo (goodbye Kathy Bates) out of her own job, and became the new CEO of Sabre. So, even with a new star thrown into the mix of our cast of characters, the manager position remained open until last night's episode. And the new manager of Dunder Mifflin is (*insert self-appointed drumroll please*) none other than Ed Helms' 'Nard Dog himself, Andy. While I was personally hoping Darryl would take over (Big Craig Robinson fan here), I also think Andy is an excellent choice, as he was given a significantly larger role last season, and they even alluded to him possibly being the manager a few times. Helms delivered in this episode, appearing flustered and truly confused in his new job, while having to attempt to reason with the occasionally bizarre California. Spader, as opposed to his guest spot last season, was a bit dialed-back here, and while this sort of dropped the comedy ball a bit, it certainly made him into a more believable character. The "winners-losers" list plot in this episode worked a bit less than the other elements, simply because it felt like a plot device created to cause headbutts between Andy and California. However, Andy's vouching for the losers side of the list was touching and a great character moment, and it highlighted some of his similarities to the former He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This will help the show continue to transition into this new era. The mentality here almost felt like a second pilot episode for the series, in which the show attempts to reboot itself, while honoring the stories that have come before. Overall, this episode was better than I expected it to be, and it's clear that The Office could have a few years left ahead of it yet.

Oh, and Pam's pregnant, with a boy this time. Here's to hoping that the writers don't screw the kid up like they did with Cece, who, like Deangelo Vickers, is on the top of my own list of "Babies I Don't Care About"

"The List" - 4/5 stars

My Thoughts on The Roast of Charlie Sheen

Nothing can kill him, so he's already won.

Comedy Central roasted Charlie Sheen a mere hour after Two and a Half Men premiered Monday, as you must know. And how did I feel about this? In short, I LOVED it. Not only was it hilarious, with an excellent group of roasters (William Shatner! Kate Walsh! Steve-O! Some other funny dudes! IRON MIKE TYSON HIMSELF!), but as much as Sheen got tongue-lashed in the show, his final speech had me feeling like he came out on top this time. He looked quite a bit less burnt out than he has in recent months, and he spoke of how he is now happy at where he stands. Despite his rather humiliating public meltdown, I've gotta say that I was highly impressed with Monday night. I won't analyze or rate it in depth, as it's not my type of show to review, but if you haven't seen it yet, try to. You won't be disappointed.

How I Met Your Mother - "The Best Man/The Naked Truth" Review

Mosbius Designs may have failed, but these episodes succeed.

Ah, How I Met Your Mother. A show I barely knew about a year ago, until introduced to it by some college buddies, and now, it may just be my favorite sitcom of the last decade. Its sweet and honest humor, its solid logic and overarching narrative, and its very much beating heart are just a few reasons of why I so love it. And in Monday night's two-part premiere, I got what I hoped for: two more hilarious and heartfelt half-hours of time with Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robin, and of course, Barney. "The Best Man" and "The Naked Truth" succinctly represent the two sides of HIMYM's coin, the former being more toward the overarching story and emotional core of the series, while the latter plays more for laughs, while setting up the plot points for this current seventh season. I will, thus, review the two individually.

"The Best Man" opens the season with an event discussed much last season: the wedding of Punchy, Ted's high school friend, whom Ted is serving for as the best man. It is shown through the lens of Future Ted (or as I like to call him, Saget Ted or ST), as he recalls the wedding of Barney that is apparently still "a little ways down the road". Barney's future wedding is, of course, where Ted will meet his future wife, The Mother, as revealed in last season's superb premiere "Big Days". This season appears that it will drive toward Barney's wedding, with the main question now being "who is his bride?" And right now, we have two candidates, Robin and Nora. While Robin reveals in the premiere that she still has feelings for Barney, which she clearly shows after they take over the dance floor, I can't help but wonder if this is another red herring. Barney, meanwhile, decides to attempt to move forward with Nora, so it's all up in the air right now. In the end, I wouldn't be surprised if his bride is someone completely different.    Back to Punchy's wedding. Overall, it made for a funny setting, with Marshall drinking for him and Lily due to her still concealed pregnancy (as revealed in "Challenge Accepted", last season's finale), and eventually accidentally ruining Punchy's wedding, which was used as a subplot throughout the episode, that ended up feeling a tiny bit played due to its overemphasis in the plot. Ted's habit of choking up as a toaster at weddings was played well, particularly with his funny "Mosbius Designs has failed" remix, but I was a little irritated with Ted's decision to attempt to find love once again, as this has happened one too many times for me. When it happened after Stella, it was understandable, but with Zoey, their lack of chemistry and shorter relationship makes me feel like Ted shouldn't have needed to have this decision again. Zoey was the main underminer of season 6, though, so it's good to see them put this behind the show. "The Best Man" was still a wonderful episode, though, and perfectly set up the season.

As we can see, Beercules will indeed strike again. Note the ducky tie on Barney.

"The Naked Truth" was, in short, the perfect follow-up to "The Best Man", being a more jokey, lighthearted episode that had quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, a lot of them revolving around Marshall's YouTube persona, Beercules (who you will bow down before, BTW), as well as Martin Short's guest role as Marshall's new boss. Short was hilarious in his Short time on screen (geddit?), despite the obvious fact that the "swamp" he was standing in was on a green screen. And Liam McPoyle himself (IDK the actor's name) showed up as Marshall's former college friend, as he attempted to do the impossible, in finishing the hallowed sport, EDWARD FORTYHANDS!!!! (Seriously, when that showed up, I practically killed myself laughing). Barney also took a big step forward in character development, as he attempted to make amends with Nora, telling her of his entire bag of tricks. This somewhat felt like a rite of passage for the character, as he leaves that shallow Barney Stinson behind in favor of a more meaningful existence, culminating in him waiting at the diner for quite a number of hours. Have we seen the last of "Daddy's home?" Maybe, maybe.  However, there were a few minor shortcomings to the episode (mainly the false promise of a Lenny Kravitz cameo that never materialized), as well as a final twist that somewhat lacks in impact (though I'm interested as to what (SPOILER) Victoria's return means). The problem is, now that we know where Ted will meet the Mother, any romance he has before Barney's wedding is doomed to fail. It was the problem with Zoey, it will inevitably be the problem with Victoria's return, and with the return of the Slutty Pumpkin (who will be played by Mrs. Cruise herself, Katie Holmes, no less), it will probably resurface as well. However, this is not a knock on the episode, as these two rank among HIMYM's finest, if not its absolute greatest.

On a side note, any theories on who the Mother actually is? I've got one: Carly Whitaker. Who is that, you ask? Jerry Whitaker's (Barney's father) daughter. Lithgow himself mentioned that she was currently in college, and could conceivably be Cindy's roommate as well as at Barney's wedding, as his half-sister. Just a thought.

Anyway, my ratings for these episodes:

"The Best Man" - 5/5 stars
"The Naked Truth" - 4.5/5 stars

Two and a Half Men - "Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt" Review

Ashes and suicide attempts abound as Walden and Alan meet at last.

I must be honest: Two and a Half Men has always been among my guiltiest pleasures. A childhood favorite I used to watch with my grandparents and little brother, the show, despite its steep decline over the years as well as its rather juvenile and puerile approach to humor, will always hold a place in my heart. And I was as dismayed as anyone, in the wake of Charlie Sheen's public meltdown, when he was fired from the show. My worries increased to breaking point when I learned of Ashton Kutcher taking over the lead role, as I've never been a fan of his work. He doesn't really seemed interested in quality, and only seems to play roles that slightly deviate from Kelso on That '70s Show. However, I decided not to prematurely pass judgment on this new series dynamic, and tuned in (from the record-breaking numbers, with pretty much everyone across the country) on Monday night at 9, fresh off the excellent two premiere episodes of How I Met Your Mother (which I will be reviewing shortly), and an hour before the roast of Sheen on Comedy Central (which I will also discuss). And what did I think? Well, for about 80% of it, I despised it. It felt like half a very deliberate case of twisting the knife in Sheen by Chuck Lorre, this time through the brutal and rather unsympathetic death of Charlie Harper, and half a showcase for how the new dynamic with Kutcher as Walden Schmidt might work. And that part didn't work too well either. Walden is supposed to be a smart, brokenhearted Internet billionaire with a large wang, and yet, he comes off as much of a player as Charlie, if a lot less mean-spirited. For a guy who pines for his lost love, he sure doesn't care much about engaging in a threesome with two different girls while Alan cries himself to sleep. Also, the "big dong" gags were a little awkward, though I will admit that I chuckled when he walked into the kitchen with Berta completely naked (censored by CBS). Other than that, I laughed twice: when Rose gave her brief explanation of Charlie's (rather suspicious) death, and when Alan dropped the urn with a freezing Walden standing on the deck (only time he was actually funny). Other than that, I was completely disappointed with Lorre's rather bigheaded attempt to pile more crap on Sheen. After the roast and his multimillion settlement, he certainly looks like the winner, indeed. I will still reserve final judgment on this new incarnation of Two and a Half Men until I see the final part of the premiere, airing Monday, but this wasn't a good start at all.

"Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt" - 1.5/5 stars

TV Hiatus Recap

My favorite things from the hiatus

In the return of school, I've been keeping busy with my studies, and thus, it has been difficult to review episodes in recent weeks. The summer TV season has ended, and the fall has just begun. I'll catch up on my reviews of this week, and this will serve as my reviews for all the episodes I missed, that being Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage. First, the latter.

Too perfect an ending.

I'm not going to BS here: I was not happy with the ending of Entourage. The final episodes were plagued with an odd listlessness, and resolved storylines that should have ended a long, long time ago. Going into the finale, "The End", I'd hoped there'd be a few surprises in store, but sadly, it was just too rote. It played out exactly as I expected, and that was the most disappointing thing of all. Vince is getting married (to a girl he's known for what, 3 weeks?), and E gets back with Sloan (AGAIN). Ari reconciles with Melissa (she's named now), but we expected that too. The only really good scene was the one where Ari had a revelation while playing the opera music, and the post-credits scene basically promises we'll get a film somewhere. The finale was serviceable, but it feels long overdue, and truthfully, this show should have ended after season 5. Doug Ellin better have an awesome idea for a movie, or Entourage will be doomed to the annals of TV history.

Luckily, Curb Your Enthusiasm's ending was much better, if a little inconclusive. The final stretch of episodes, particularly "Larry vs. Michael J. Fox" were completely gut-busting, and delivered some of the best Curb we've had in years. While season 8 lacked a narrative thread, it made up for it with laugh after laugh, and for once, I really think it should get another season. The fifth, sixth, and seventh season finales all felt more appropriate to end the series than this one, and while it was the best the season had to offer, it doesn't work as the final episode. Let's get a ninth (and final) season, so Curb can go out in hilarious fashion.

And there you have it. I'll have reviews posted for this week in TV in short order, and will have a few other little posts to add too, some Blu-ray stuff, stuff like that. 

My star ratings for the endings of the two shows:

Entourage:

"Motherf*cker" - 2/5 stars

"The Big Bang" - 3/5 stars

"Second to Last" - 3.5/5 stars

"The End" - 2.5/5 stars

Curb Your Enthusiasm:

"Mister Softee" - 4.5/5 stars

"Larry vs. Michael J. Fox" - 5/5 stars