Television

TV Shows That Lasted Too Long

Following in the footsteps of Nicholas, who took it upon himself to look at some shows throughout the recent history of television that were killed before they turned two, I found myself thinking about the opposite end of the spectrum. Too often, shows that are doing quite a few things right in their tenure on our screens step well off the beaten path, going from more than watchable to outright awful (or something somewhat in between). It’s hardly a rarity, but I give you my take on a few shows that should have/need to end.

Wilfred – Happiness

After months of FX promoting this
offbeat series, the premiere of Wilfred
is finally here. It’s weird and raunchy, with a dark edge to much of
the humor. Which is to be expected when a show’s opening scene is a
man attempting suicide. Introducing two great leads and a storyline
brimming with opportunities for humor, “Happiness” managed to
provide just that thing to the audience.

With a
plot that is a blend of Calvin and Hobbes
and Fight Club, there
is no denying this series is odd. After ruining his career as a
lawyer, Ryan (Elijah Wood), decides to take his own life via an
overdose. Despite doing all he can to help the drugs along, come
morning he still hasn’t shuffled loose the mortal coil. This is when
his blonde, bubbly neighbor, Jenna (Fiona Gubelmann) stops by to ask
him to dog sit, introducing Ryan and the audience to her dog, and the
titular character. For Ryan however, Wilfred appears as a man in a
dog suit (Jason Gann), who almost immediately takes it upon himself to
be Ryan’s life coach, helping him find the happiness he’s never
known. So it’s certainly an esoteric storyline, but is it funny?

Louie – Pregnant

Louis C.K. is back for a second season of his pet project, and from the first episode it’s looking to be funnier, darker, and better than ever. “Pregnant” was the perfect way to kick off the new season as it highlighted what C.K. does so well. The way he blends hilarious, depressing, and poignant moments together is truly masterful. Whether you’re just watching for his standup or can’t get enough of seeing the world through the bitter and downtrodden eyes of one of comedies greatest assets; this episode was sure to entertain.

Not even letting the audience get to the opening credits without simultaneously feeling a tug at the heartstrings and busting a gut laughing, “Pregnant”’s cold open so perfectly embodied what Louie is all about. As Louie dutifully brushes his five-year-old daughter’s teeth, she informs him she prefers staying at her mother’s because she loves her more. Ever the good father, Louie says nothing, sending her off to bed while flipping the bird to her as she walks away. Heartbreaking hilarity to say the least; which if this series can’t take credit for inventing, it can certainly be said to have done more with the idea than any other show has. Finding humor in some decidedly unfunny situations is a skill deserving of admiration, and no one’s better at it than C.K.

Fox Premieres!

In the absence of anything particularly interesting being on television right now, FOX has seen fit to release its fall schedule. Fringe is holding onto its Friday night spot and Sunday may as well be renamed Seth Macfarlane day, whilst newcomer Terra Nova finds its home on Mondays. Check out the full list…

‘Life’s Too Short’ Coming to HBO

Following the international success of The Office, Extras and The Ricky Gervais Show,
the English comedy writing team of Gervais and Stephen Merchant have
evidently decided to keep pushing forward for world domination. The
duo’s new outing called Life’s Too Short – a fictional documentary following the life of dwarf actor Warwick Davis (Return of The Jedi, Harry Potter)
– has been picked up by HBO. Described as a “naturalist observational
comedy,” the show is set to air on the BBC this fall, but has now also
been confirmed to air on HBO sometime in 2012.

Falling Skies – Live and Learn & The Armory

For the premiere of Falling Skies,
TNT aired the first two episodes back-to-back. “Live and Learn”
emotionally introduced us to the survivors’ plight following the alien
invasion, and “The Armory” pitted humans against humans in an
exploration of human frailty in the desolate post-invasion world.

 
The
extended episode opens with shots of children’s drawings of the
invasion accompanied by their voice-over descriptions of the events that
occurred seven months earlier. This is part of a class activity at a
makeshift school in a survivors camp. The narration becomes darker and
grows more emotional as they mention the death of family members. The
scene ends when one of the kids — talking about his father and his
brother — says, “Well, they were OK this morning, but I don’t know about
now. They are fighting…” This opening worked much better than any
live-action shot of the actual invasion. Using children in such a class
allowed the show to engage us more effectively with the tragedy of the
situation. It also allowed the writers to quickly pass along some
information about the invaders (“Skitters”) and their actions (the
“harnessing” of children). It finally showed us with the closing
comments how the events gave the children an almost grown-up sense of
reality.

They Died So Young: Five Great One Season Shows

It’s a part of the nature of the television industry for shows to be canceled before they have reached their conclusion, but that doesn’t make it any easier to accept when it happens to a show you love. In three installments, I’ll be taking you back over some of the best short-lived television series, while trying not to reopen any old wounds. Starting with an eclectic mix of shows that never made it out of their freshman season that  all share one similarity: ending before they should have.