gogogadgetearl

2007.02.08

• for no particular reason, i've decided to list my top 5 tv comedies.  if you enjoy my sense of humor, you'll definitely enjoy these shows...
  
  5. family guy: yes, it only made #5.  i used to place it at #1, but lately i've been less than impressed with it.  i don't know if my tastes have changed, or if seth macfarlane's wit is running dry - or both - but the newer episodes just seem obligatory.  formula: setup line + random flashback + [pop culture reference | slightly shocking action/statement | unexpected/retarded action by peter], rinse, repeat...pepper with stewie and brian singing.  going back and watching the older episodes, it's nearly the same thing.  i still love it; it's still in my top 5; but it's growing old.
  
  4. futurama: a wholly under-appreciated genius of comedy.  the funny thing about it is that i don't really know why.  i can't pinpoint what makes it so funny.  maybe it's because the show doesn't follow a formula [that i've noticed], or maybe it's bender's relentless "that's what she said" in the spanish fry episode, or maybe it's the constant homages to star trek - i dunno.  i do know, however, that i really love this show.
  
  3. the office: this show is so great because it emphasizes the subtle humor in life.  my sense of humor is weird.  i don't really laugh at the guy that got hit in the nuts with a football, i laugh at the fact that there are now 3 other guys on the ground with him laughing their heads off.  that's why i love this show.  you don't really laugh at michael's hijinks, you laugh at the other people's reactions.  it's not the joke that's so funny, it's the fallout.  i love it.  it was hilarious to see dwight discovering that all of his office supplies were in the vending machine, but it was even funnier to see that his way of retrieving them was to pull some change out of his pocket.  golden.  :-)
  
  2.  scrubs: if there were any show that describes what goes on in my head on a day-to-day basis, this would be the show.  all the random daydreams, all the recurring jokes that just never go away, all the blatant honesty - that's my life.  the only difference is that i work in a cubicle and they work in a hospital...and my life doesn't involve all the sex scenes, either [i'm married].  otherwise, if you ever wanted to experience what it's like to be earl for a day, watch scrubs.
  
  1. arrested development: the most brilliant of all tv comedies.  too bad fox cancelled it.  [side note: i'm going to just start watching all the shows fox cancels.]  you can still catch reruns on G4 and i'm sure you can find a torrent for all 3 seasons - but it's dead now.  the producers have made it obvious that, despite the critical acclaim and high DVD sales, they're not going to return to production.  it's a shame, the show had some of the most brilliant writing i've seen on any show...ever.  i've never seen such organization and comedic creativity.  the writers were able to create 2 completely separate hilarious situations, then have those situations meet near the end to create a totally new hilarious situation that is even funnier than the first 2 put together.  i would give an example, but the writers were so careful to create the setup for each situation, it would ruin the hilarity if i tried to condense it here.  you should just see for yourself.  you won't be disappointed.