General Television Thread

[fr34k]

I like HIMYM and Big Bang Theory in sort of the same way; neither is really a legitimately great show at all but they're pleasant enough for what they are, and in the case of the former occasionally they do have an episode I genuinely love (the New Year's Eve episode in season 1 (which has the Dean from Community as Fake Moby) was pretty great). So it's like the TV version of comfort food, I guess.

Don't get me wrong, I like both shows a fair amount, but the recent seasons were terrible.

[GoGo Yubari]

Yeah, I can't speak to the quality of either. I'm only midway through season two of the former and only seen season 1 of the latter. I've got too many other things I'd sooner watch right now, even in terms of Netflix (Cheers and The Larry Sanders Show, to name two).

[Gazz]

I like HIMYM, but it really is a one character show.

Edit: Actually, show is Big Bang Theory is you attempt to ignore Penny's boobs.

[fr34k]

Yeah, I can't speak to the quality of either. I'm only midway through season two of the former and only seen season 1 of the latter. I've got too many other things I'd sooner watch right now, even in terms of Netflix (Cheers and The Larry Sanders Show, to name two).

Then you're still doing okay. I'm looking forward to hateful rants when you're done watching the newest stuff.

[Guest JukeboxHero]

Cuddy won't be back for the 8th Season of House. She's refused a pay cut, and has decided to walk away instead. Foreman and Wilson both agreed to take Pay Cuts, so they'll be back.

I read about that yesterday and was absolutely gutted. It won't be the same. Season 8 should definitely be the final season.

[GhostMachine]

Cuddy won't be back for the 8th Season of House. She's refused a pay cut, and has decided to walk away instead. Foreman and Wilson both agreed to take Pay Cuts, so they'll be back.

I read about that yesterday and was absolutely gutted. It won't be the same. Season 8 should definitely be the final season.

Dammit. Totally agree about the part I bolded.

[Josh]

I hate that I know that just as much as I hate that it's happening. Dammit, Ace.

[The Sandman]

Nikita has apparently been renewed for second season. I liked the show and it just got better as it went on and was pretty much the only new show along with Event and Happy Endings that i've been following so 2/3 of them getting renewed ain't so bad.

So glad that there will be one more season of Chuck, i haven't seen the season finale yet and don't know how it ends. Season 4 has been the worst season, but even if it's been worst of Chuck it's still better than most of the other shows right now. Next season of House will propably be the last, i've liked it as well but i don't really care about it anymore same thing is with Bones, even though last episode was really good.

Edited May 19, 2011 by The Sandman

[YI]

Quite liking "Happy Endings". Really should have aired them in order though, as this weeks episodes fleshed things out a bit better should have been right at the start. Loved the Hardy Boyz theme music being used in the background of the cookery class too.

[Meacon Keaton]

Happy Endings is good stuff. I turned Bluey on to it, and I keep pitching it to my friends. Hope it sticks around for a while.

[YI]

Black guy, his wife and gay guy are great. I think I prefer black guy to gay guy now.

I still can't get away with the Cuthbert/ex-boyfriend relationship though. Does not work at all. There's a total lack of consistency in how things are portrayed. There's a lot of times as characters where you basically just think "There's actually no reason at all why they're not together" besides the writers just deciding they're not, and then there's others where imagining them as a believable, once long-standing couple just seems ridiculous.

As for HIMYM. Everyone talks about the unlikability of Ted, but for me it's Lily who is a complete and utter cunt. The problem with Ted comes in the fact there's been really no development with his character at all during the seasons, but his storyline has pretty much been the same from the start, I still think he's pretty sound. Really don't want Barney to marry Robin though. I just never really got into them. Plus, Nora's fucking hot. Really hoping for a few full on Ted in a 'nervous breakdown' episodes next season when he finds out Barney's getting married before him, if handled right should be fun.

The show also pretty much peaked with the Barney on the price is right episode. Although "The Pineapple Incident" was another early peak too.

Big Bang Theory is not something I go out of my way to watch. Okay for some background TV, but I think I'd phased out by the time Season 2 was around.

Edited May 19, 2011 by YI

[livid]

Yeah I've really enjoyed it too and I also thought it was pretty disappointing that they aired them out of order especially because it was so obvious. Glad it got picked up for a second season though because if this had happened before that, I could see it affecting the ratings.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Yeah, I can't speak to the quality of either. I'm only midway through season two of the former and only seen season 1 of the latter. I've got too many other things I'd sooner watch right now, even in terms of Netflix (Cheers and The Larry Sanders Show, to name two).

BBT gets much worse very quickly. HIMYM is more of a slow, less noticeable decline after season 2.

[Damian WayLNKe]

I blame all the How I Met Your Mother lameness on Stella. Case in point, The Best Burger in New York is in the middle of the story arc involving Stella but she isn't involved and that episode is awesome.

[Fitzy]

Why did you have to remind us about Stella?!

[Benji]

I'm running out of new TV to watch thick and fast. Glee sucked so hard this season that I gave up. Both V and No Ordinary Family cancelled, Smallville ended, The Event cancelled, meaning I won't bother catching up from where I left off. Judging by next season's schedule, not much will get put in place. Waiting on long aired episodes of Dexter and Supernatural to air over here, at least. Plus, Game of Thrones is the most exciting show since Heroes and LOST began, to me. Walking Dead is due back in winter, until then I need a few others to tide me over.

[GoGo Yubari]

Belatedly, on HIMYM and characters being terrible; honestly, I find almost everyone semi-unlikable at bare minimum. I genuinely like Barney the most and story structure on much of the episodes I've watched requires him to be the one who gets comeuppance in the end, and it blows because at least he's aware of how much of a dick he is.

I will say that the "oh god shut up" ball gets tossed between Ted and Lily the most, though. Sometimes Robin too, and actually maybe not Marshall all that much. I think I'd take a sitcom about Barney and Marshall roadtripping across America over the actual sitcom that's there.

EDIT: I think really the strength of the show is its willingness to do shit that most laugh track sitcoms wouldn't, both in terms of story structure and running gags. I just got to Slap #2 and the fact that they were willing to do a payoff gag like that with zero explanation for anyone who hadn't seen Slap Bet is great.

[Ace]

HIMYM was on a definite decline since Season 2, with the occasional awesome moment here and there (IE: Slapsgivng 2)

BBT would still be awesome, but it became too centered around Sheldon. Season One was a shared effort between Penny/Leonard/Sheldon. Season 2 started to see Sheldon dominate the story lines, and Season 3 revolved around how Sheldon coped with Penny/Leonards relationship and Sheldon VS Wil Wheaton (Which was admittedly awesome).

I've barely seen Season 4. Is it any better?

[fr34k]

Season 4 fucking sucks.

EDIT: I hate that BBT just turned into Two and a Half Men style humor with nerds. Maybe I just didn't notice it in the beginning, but the show could be so much more.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Yeah BBT completely gave up on anything other than playing for mass appeal, critics and consistency be damned.