Better-than-recent "Simpsons" (particularly the mall scenes), and I've realized that "Family Guy" is always funnier to me if I'm tired, drunk or on painkillers. (No fair telling which one I was last night.) I weighed in on "Desperate Housewives" and "Brothers & Sisters" earlier in the week, but am curious for any reactions, especially since those are two shows I probably won't be sticking with for very long.
Also, a spoiler for the "Brotherhood" finale after the jump...
As with "The Wire," I got to see the entire season of this show at once. Unlike "The Wire," I didn't feel compelled enough to go back and rewatch each episode for real-time reviews. Overall, it was a decent start, but the pacing got very sluggish very fast, and it felt like the last few episodes (from the highway suicide on) had to cram in way too much to make up for the lack of forward momentum in the rest of the season.
But here's my question: the last development with Declan and Mike looked pretty irreversible to me, but Showtime went and renewed the show. Does the title change? Do we get a supernatural element? Or was the beating not nearly as bad as we were led to believe?
I was more impressed with Brothers and Sisters than I thought I would be (I assume the fact that I had no expectations was useful). I mostly enjoyed the family dynamics: I thought the scenes between Kitty and her mother, and the scenes with the siblings especially worked. I'm not as excited about the business/mistress plots, but I'm sticking around until I see what Greg Berlanti can do with the show. If there's one thing Berlanti does right, it's family.
ReplyDeleteThis Family Guy episode was funnier when South Park did it two years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe animation in Family Guy this week was probably the most impressive I can think of on FG-- the sequence with Peter and the guys roller skating as well as the one with Brian and Stewie in the tank looked briilliant.
Andrew, and King of the Hill has been attacking Walmart for a decade now. I don't think even Seth MacFarlane would try to pretend that the show is breaking much, if any, new creative ground.
ReplyDeleteThe only sequence I can think of in the show's past that was as good-looking as the "Fifth of Beethoven" skating scene was Peter's "Shipoopi" sequence from the New England Patriots episode (which was, itself, stolen from a "Simpsons" plot).
"Or was the beating not nearly as bad as we were led to believe?"
ReplyDeleteHead wounds bleed a lot, and Michael Caffee has been described as harder to kill than a cockroach. My guess is that he'll be back, but Tommy Caffee's in a bit of a bind, isn't he?
Say what you will, I'm enthralled with "Brotherhood". My late mother-in-law was from Fall River, Mass, third-generation Irish American, and every time Fionnula Flannagan opens her mouth, I think of her.
I tried to watch Brothers & Sisters, but it just wouldn't take. The only scene I managed to stay with was the one where Sally Field asked Calista if they could hug or something. That was some nice tv, but the rest of the show was lacking something (anything) that would make me care about it or them.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised when Declan beat the crap out of Mike. It would be great if Mike were dead, but when I think about it, I realize I don't really care and probably won't be back for another season.
ReplyDelete