Must Have Seen

So the NBC Thursday comedy lineup is back.  It's been there over a quarter century.  This season it's Community at 8 followed by 30 Rock, The Office and the newcomer Outsourced.  Parks And Recreation is taking a break--I've always considered it the weak sister, so fine with me.

So how's this year looking?  Pretty good.  Community went a little overboard with last year's finale--Britta publicly told Jeff she loved him, he walked out and then kissed Annie.  A bit of a surprise, since so much of the season dealt with Jeff and Britta as the central couple.  Maybe the producers didn't like where this was going and dialed things back a bit.

 

It's somewhat cowardly, but better than flying off in weird directions. On the other hand, can you shove this toothpaste back in tube?

For the premiere, Britta was humiliated until she realized she was everyone's heroine for putting it on the line.  Jeff, to get back at Britta (and totally ignoring lovestruck Annie), told Britta he loved her and they started a sham relationship, waiting to see who'd crack first.  It was pretty tiresome actually (I was afraid they might go all the way and get married--happened in Taxi), but by the end they'd all become chums again and were status quo ante bellum.

So not actually a great plot, and I guess they were afraid of Jeff and Annie with Britta looking on as a season dynamic.  But still good gags, and that's the main thing.  Many self-conscious bits as always.  They started a twitter of stuff Pierce says--clearly a parody of $#*! My Dad Says--they even discussed the idea of turning it into a  TV series and said no one would watch that.  Jeff also warned Abed not to try so many TV references because that's such a first-season thing to do.

They also had Betty White, hotter than ever, in a guest shot as an anthro prof.  Just like last season the main teacher was played by Ken Jeong, hot himself from The Hangover.  He's a regular now, but I can do without his character.

Both 30 Rock and The Office have been around a while.  They used to win the best comedy Emmys until Modern Family (a good show, but not as good as Community) came along.  I was actually getting tired of them.  It seemed they'd done all the twists and turns, and were in the diminishing returns mode.  So I was surprised at how happy I was to see them both back.

30 Rock had Jack returning from a summer of bliss with Avery (I hope she returns soon--always good to see Elizabeth Banks). Jack also had a self-referential gag that they didn't play right--was this intentional?  Now that the show-within-the-show has made it to five seasons (already an inside bit), co-star Jenna has a contractual deal where she becomes a producer.  Jack launches into a tirade about worthless actors who become titular producers on TV shows.  That's when the producing credit for Alec Baldwin should have flashed onscreen, but for some reason it only came after they were into another scene.  Credit to Tina Fey (who wrote the script) for going in a different direction with the Jenna subplot--she turns out to be too good at her job and fires her producer self as deadweight.

Meanwhile, Liz's pilot friend, played by Matt Damon, falls to pieces.  Another big name actor who turns out to be flawed.  Will Liz ever find love?  Not if they're smart.  The harshest gag of the night was where Pete happily admits to Liz that he's been having sex with his wife before she wakes up.  We even do two cutaways in case you weren't sure.

Then there's The Office, which holds the tentpole.  It started with a decent video of them lip synching to the Human Beanz' "Nobody But Me."  The plot was Michael hiring a long-lost nephew as the office gopher.  He's horrible and everyone says he must go. (Didn't Larry Sanders do this plot?) Some pretty funny material as Michael tries to convince everyone that nepotism is a good thing.

I didn't see Outsourced.  Maybe I'll check it out if I have the time, but the concept isn't that compelling.

How'd the evening do?  Well, we're long past the days of Friends, Seinfeld and ER (and doesn't Jeff Zucker know it), but it did well enough.  Truth is, they had to face the hottest sitcom on TV, The Big Bang Theory, and as expected, it took a toll.  Big Bang easily won and its follow-up, $#*! My Dad Says, held very well.  Community and 30 Rock, which did about as well as could be expected.  But The Office roared back, with a better demo than CSI.  Outsourced held reasonably well. (The Apprentice seems to be dead. Once again, fine with me.)

By the way, the most obnoxious new show of the year--based on the ads--ABC's My Generation was DOA.  Grey's Anatomy, however, is still a hit, winning the 9 pm demo. So it's a lively night, but I've decided to stay with NBC.