What TV SHOWS are you watching?

I never watched much of the Muppet Show as a kid, maybe because it was never dubbed in French (yet I'd still watch Sesame Street - the Muppet movies were dubbed of course), but my girlfriend was a huge fan despite the language barrier (yeah she was in love with Kermit - and probably still is a little bit). So a decade ago when the DVDs were released we happily watched it together and I was pleasantly surprised that the stuff was still great for grown-ups, perhaps even better than for kids! Sadly they never released seasons 4-5, probably too many hard-to-get rights to performances...can't wait to see this.

Although I was a regular viewer, I think I only consistently liked three things about The Muppet Show: Muppet Labs, Pigs in Space, and the Swedish Chef. And some of the guest stars were cool. I didn't give a damn about Kermit or Miss Piggie.

I am currently watching Life on Mars, the original UK version. It's okay. The premise is not as crazy as I thought it would be, given the whole dreaming while in a coma angle. But my enjoyment is a bit diminished by my lack of awareness of some of the changes in the UK since 1973. Half of the music is great and the other half is acceptable. My favorite character is DCI Gene Hunt, the big, blustery boss of the investigators. He initially seems like a rough, crude bastard, but turns out to be a more nuanced and complex character at times. And when I close my eyes, he sounds a lot like Roger Daltrey.

I respect and admire Masters of Sex, but I don't particularly enjoy it (using the Josh Look Equation where Show=Boring if Robots=0 and Spaceships=0). But my wife loves it so we've been watching it. DAMN, the episode we saw last night was an amazing piece of TV writing- I think it was one of the best-written episodics I've seen in a long time. It's too complicated to lay out the details, but basically the episode revolves around this "celebratory" dinner that Masters sets up with him, his research partner Virginia, a fragrance company CEO/partner and his wife. Masters has been having this affair/relationship with Virginia for a decade that crosses between professional and private lives, Virginia is having an affair with the CEO dude that Masters had just found out about and she was setting up frivolous studies just to keep him on board, and the fourth party is this guy's alcoholic wife, who has no idea what is going on but she has this "open" understanding about her husband. So it's like this four person, INCREDIBLY awkward exchange that is 100% manipulated and masterminded by masters. Like, he sets up the reservation at this swank restaurant but doesn't tell Virginia that he invited the other two. And he didn't really set up a reservation at all, they only get it because of Dan's clout with the restaurant. It's all just this psychological game.

What makes it really compelling is that all four characters have extremely different understandings of this setup and completely different agendas that come to light over the course of the episode. It was just riveting to watch, much like some of Tarantino's best dialogue work but not as stylized. It was a very complex exchange, not something you usually see on a television series, even on one of the high-end cable programs.

There's a bunch of filler stuff in the show, other storylines that aren't as interesting, but this central piece was for me the best thing that has been on the show yet.

Back to Doctor Who. "Horror of Fang Rock".

Columbob wrote: Anyone watching the new Muppets? Second episode tonight. I missed the first one but it's on repeat on Sunday.

I should probably give this show a chance, but I'm just completely turned off by the reality show concept. I have an extreme aversion to all things reality TV based so that doesn't help. I agree that the "reality" format probably fits the Muppets well, but I just can't bring myself to watch it. It's kind of like trying to eat a food you just really don't like even though it isn't as bad as you thought it was when you were a kid, like Green Peppers or something for me.

I did like a lot of the bits from the old shows like were mentioned above, plus the two old critics. Those guys always cracked me up. I barely remember any of the celebrity guests though with the exception of Buddy Rich drumming all over the set. I thought that was the coolest thing when I was a kid.

Eh, I love the Muppets but for some reason what I've seen of the new show rubs me wrong...it's too "with it" or something...and I've heard that there are some more adult-oriented jokes, which is bad news. I like my Muppets innocent and the humor kind of lame but charming. The last couple of Muppet movies pulled that off really well but in a modern setting.

Plus, Kermit is seeing someone else? Heresy.

I actually just watched Muppets Take Manhattan the other day, still love that one.

As for classic Muppets, it doesn't get much more awesome than when Alice Cooper was on the show. That made a HUGE impression on me when I was little.

Barnes, I previously had less than zero interest in watching Masters of Sex, but that episode that you described sounds riveting.

The Muppet Show was appointment viewing for me growing up. That Star Wars episode was pretty much one and f the best days ever. I almost got my my tv privileges taken away for spazzing out over it.

I watched the first episode of the new show and outside of the nostalgia factor it was a solid meh.

The Muppets have always been (or at least for many years were) geared as much to adults as kids, with a lot of subversive humor and innuendo and drug culture stuff (e.g., Electric Mayhem). The cut-shot thing has barely been used so far, so it's otherwise a behind-the-scenes showbiz thing, which is what the original Muppet Show was. But it's 2015 now, not 1979, so the nature of what's being spoofed and joked about is a little different. I love it.

I'm watching The Flash pilot on Netflix, a little late to the show.

Who doesn't back up their dissertation?

edit: That guy who plays ED is up to something.

Finished up Continuum. A great show overall and I liked the ending. Starts a bit too procedural in the first season with all the cop stuff but that goes away. Thought all the time travel stuff was well handled and wrapped up surprisingly well.

Hard to say from just one episode, but so far the second season of Fargo seems to be more original and possibly more interesting than the first (which was great but largely an homage to the film, at least at first). Hopefully the trajectory is better than that of True Detective's second season.

Speaking of Fargo...

LAST WEEK TONIGHT did a featurette on NORTH DAKOTA??? Man, they must be really be grasping. I can’t wait to watch to see what this is about. Must be oil.


On the DAILY SHOW, Trevor Noah has been so clumsy and inexperienced in interviews, but it doesn’t bother me at all. It’s clear the guy is brand new to cue cards but that’s fine. I think the show is doing well. That new black correspondent is pretty funny.

On the NIGHTLY SHOW, Larry Wilmore has been killing it. I even enjoyed the panel last night…almost

COLBERT is still playing it wicked safe and it’s awkward, but when he’s at his desk, it’s great. The rapport he tries to get going with Baptiste is brutal to watch. It’s so much trying to be Leno and Kevin Eubanks(?). It’s almost the same thing but just wicked weird. They leave Baptiste’s mic on the entire time and it’s just no good. Paul Shaffer worked cuz he was far from his mic so he’d only approach it if he had something to say. Paul Shaffer did the Ed MacMahon thing perfectly.

Right now I think Jimmy Fallon has the best sidekick, whatever that nerd’s name is. That guy is hilarious and I love them together.

I know Andy Richter is great but I never watch Conan 

Don't know if you've noticed, but North Dakota has its own TV show now. It's home to the largest proven reserve on Earth. One hell of a boom town.

Did anyone catch Amy Schumer on SNL? I'm so mad I missed that. I have a crush on her...


Tracy Morgan on this week's SNL, that should be fun