TV This Week

The Office: Baby Shower - - hulu it here
Season 5, Episode 3 (Original air date: 10/16)

Michael throws a shower for his ex-girlfriend Jan’s new baby, while members of the office show various stages of disgust and outrage. Jim and Pam are out of sync on cell phone conversations. Dwight tests the durability of Jan’s $1200 stroller. Creed provides the best line of the night (after Jan described delivering her baby in a bathtub with water and the placenta): “Must be like the tide at Omaha Beach.” The rest of the episode was filled with mildly amusing, if not particularly memorable moments. Stanley had a funny moment comparing himself to a pregnant woman. Jim’s reaction to Jan singing “Son of a Preacher Man” is great, but an entire episode built on unnecessary conflict is a tough one to pull off well. But the use of "ass-turd", "golden shower", and "pervert" always helps. B

Next The Office episode: Crime Aid on 10/23
30 Rock (finally) begins 10/30

Click below for SNL, South Park, and McCain on Letterman


South Park: Breast Cancer Show Ever (10/15)

You have to be a familiar with South Park to completely appreciate this episode. After Cartman makes fun of Wendy’s breast cancer presentation, she challenges him to a fight after school. He eventually chickens out of it several times. She is then inspired by the principal to finally kick his ass. You have to like Cartman’s shenanigans to like this episode. The brief There Will Be Blood homage was a nice touch. See it here.
Regular viewers: B
Occasional viewers: C+


Saturday Night Live
Weekend Update Thursday (10/16)

Disastrous in every way: repetitive, dull, biased, and worst of all – unfunny. The opening skit taking on the 3rd McCain-Obama debate was nothing but an attempt to discredit “Joe the Plumber” as a potential influence on the election. There was not one joke directed toward Obama - I guess the writers think he’s perfect. Hey, writers, Joe Wurzelbacher is a real person (not a figment of McCain’s imagination) and has shown Obama for the socialist that the Illinois Senator is. I’ll agree that Joe W. was mentioned too frequently in the debate but this skit was just not funny. Seth Myers and Amy Poehler were equally unfunny, relentlessly attacking McCain and his supporters. Let’s hope these were the jokes that were discarded for the new SNL tomorrow night (10/18) – with host Josh Brolin. *Governor Palin is rumored (by the real John McCain) to make an appearance on the 10/18 SNL* (see below). I'd make a link or embed a video, but you'd hate me for it. C-


Late Show with David Letterman
Guest: John McCain (10/16)

John McCain cancelled an appearance on Letterman in September and Dave has verbally excoriated him every waking minute since. If Obama would have cancelled, it would have been “measured” or “nuanced”. Anyway, McCain decided to walk into the lions’ den last night, admitting he made a mistake by not showing. He also compared Letterman’s grilling to his last interrogation in the Hanoi Hilton. Dave has the amazing ability to keep you relaxed and make you smile as he plunges the dagger into your left ventricle. He basically spouted Obama’s talking points and McCain defended himself well. McCain showed grace under fire and a sense of humor. Dave almost lost that sh!t-eating grin when McCain pledged to take all of Dave’s wealth and give it to the audience members. The biggest revelation of the show was when McCain said the actual Sarah Palin will be on SNL this weekend. You can see the whole interrogation, I mean, interview here. B-