The Last Man on Earth had a uniquely uneven first season. Its premiere episode was marvelous, a real instance of comedic, cinematic television, from acclaimed directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller of The Lego Movie. The show’s premise was simple…
TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×08) “Celebrate Ricky Sargulesh”
Now that’s more like it. If you’ve been following along with my Party Down reviews, by any chance, you’ll remember that I was let down by the last couple of episodes. I didn’t find them comedically satisfying. Last week’s episode,…
TV Review: Scream Queens Series Premiere
During the two-hour premiere of Scream Queens, we encounter a motley crew of characters, sudden deaths and a whole bunch of ear-piercing screams. The show, described by creator Ryan Murphy as ‘Halloween’ meets ‘Heathers’, lives up to that description in…
TV Review: The Big Bang Theory 9×01, “The Matrimonial Momentum”
We last left off The Big Bang Theory with Howard and Bernadette failing to kick Stuart out of the house, Raj deciding whether or not to stay with Emily despite the fact that she makes Creed from The Office seem…
TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×07) “Brandix Corporate Retreat”
There’s one truly great sequence in “Brandix Corporate Retreat.” It comes along well into the episode’s running time, just as all of the members of the Party Down crew show up for a team building exercise Ron has insisted they…
TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×06) “Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen”
Given that Whiplash was my favorite film of 2014, I was delighted when I pressed play on “Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen” and was immediately reminded that J.K. Simmons basically plays his Whiplash character in this episode of Party Down. Like Terence Fletcher, Leonard…
TV Review: The League Season 7 Premiere
The League has always been an uneven show. Its frequent shifts in quality are due in large part to its Curb Your Enthusiasm-style improvised nature. The show’s writers devise the episodic scenarios, and the cast, full of quick-witted comedians, come…