Groucho Marx once said that he found television very educating because every time someone turned on the set, he would go in the other room and read a book. His words proved especially prophetic when reality television became widespread in the early 2000’s. Appealing to the lowest common denominator, reality TV relies on obnoxious personalities, physical violence and the occasional unplanned pregnancy to draw in viewers. Fortunately, the History Channel has managed to produce a reality show that does not rely on any of these.

Pawn Stars details the dealings of Rick Harrison, owner of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. Along with his father (nicknamed the Old Man), son Corey and Corey’s dimwitted friend Chumlee, Rick deals in everything from vintage cars and antique muskets to plastic toys. The show’s format details the various items that come into the pawn show, which the cast examines, values and decides on whether to purchase the item. While all of the cast members are foul mouthed, they come off as down to earth working men, rather than the immature jerks the likes of which populate The Jersey Shore or The Real World. What’s more, it is clear that the cast maintain a fondness for each other despite it all. The cast will endear itself to viewers because it represents the genuine tension of working in a family business, rather than the melodrama of being locked in a house or stranded on an island with 8 immature strangers.

As the opening narration states, “Everything in this store has a story and a price.”  These are the two elements that make the show interesting. As each item is examined, a fascinating mosaic of facts and history blend to give each item a story. Learning what makes an item valuable, how it was made and how it came into the owner’s possession represents an intriguing look into fields as diverse as metallurgy, printing, and engineering. This is especially true of items that need restoration or are counterfeit, which have an added element of suspicion and disappointment which give the show an exciting edge.

Complementing this academic element is the wheeling and dealing that goes on as the cast decides whether to buy an item. The shop is a business and every item needs to be sold for a profit. Unlike the Antiques Road Show, valuing an item is not an idle exercise in intellectual curiosity. The interactions that occur as the cast seeks to talk down the price of a gold coin, broken pinball machine or a classic car humanize the show and build in an element of tension that complements the scholarly expertise nicely. It makes the show relatable as well. Viewers will become enraptured as they share in the hope of finding a million dollar item, and the despair of finding out grandma’s prized antiques are worthless junk.

A pleasant balance of family drama, archeological curiosity and the desperate search for profit, the show is easily addictive and thoroughly enjoyable. The only drawback to the show is that its format rarely changes and after watching several episodes, it can become repetitive. Never-the-less, Pawn Stars represents a triumph: it is a reality show that is at once intellectual, charming and enjoyable.

Pawn Stars airs on the History Channel Mondays at 10:00PM

Good news everyone! After being taken off the air in 2003, the classic sci-fiction comedy Futurama is back and better than ever. Die hard fans of the show and new comers who missed its original run are in for a treat this summer. Clever, irreverent and wickedly funny, the new season promises to boldly go on making viewers explode with laughter.

The brainchild of Simpson’s creator Matt Groenig, Futurama is the story of the adventures of the crew of the Planet Express Delivery Ship in the 31^st century. The show revolves around Phillip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from our time frozen for a thousand years, his cycloptic love interest, Leela, and his hard drinking, hard smoking robotic roommate Bender. Supported by zany cast of superbly written characters from the crazed Professor Farnsworth to the loveably pathetic lobster Dr. Zoidberg, the world of Futurama represents a rich mosaic for Groenig and his writers to examine modern life and mock it mercilessly.

Indeed, Futurama’s satiric bite remains among the best on television and can stand up against the best episodes of South Park or the Simpsons. In the latest season, our heroes are confronted with a giant battle station that censors entire planets, nefarious plots involving the latest “eyePhone” and a fierce debate over whether humans and robots should be allowed to marry. Despite being timely, the show’s punch lines never feel forced and story and characters are never sacrificed for a cheap laugh. While the show is a work of science fiction and derives much of its humor from classics of that genre, its situations are familiar enough that casual viewers will love it.

It is not often that a television show gets a second chance to shine, and as another adult cartoon recently proved, after being resurrected it can bear little resemblance to the original gem. However, despite being off the air for years save for a series of direct to DVD movies, Groenig’s show continues to be fresh. Any television enthusiast tired of summer reruns will find themselves welcome in the world of tomorrow.

Futurama airs on Comedy Central Thursdays at 10:00PM

Something, Something, Something Dark Side, the newest incarnation of Family Guy’s Star Wars parodies, is a pleasant surprise after a particularly unpleasant season. Seth MacFarlane has done what George Lucas did with Episode III and barely managed to salvage his series.

Put bluntly, Family Guy is no longer funny, nor has it been for some time. The show that was once putting viewers in hysterics with its zany characters and ridiculous gags long ago fell victim to its own success. Its famous cutaway gags are no longer witty, and all too often rely on increasingly obscure 80’s pop culture references or gross-out humor that would make Eric Cartman blush. Its weekly plots seem to be one long running diatribe of MacFarlane’s political views, which lack the clever subtlety of the Simpsons or South Park’s satiric bite. All of this will lead viewers to the regrettable conclusion that MacFarlane and his writers stopped trying sometime around 2005.

Indeed, what makes SSSDS work is that the Family Guy writers don’t have control over the story and can’t rely on cutaways. The result is that they are forced to take what made the show hilarious in its early seasons, its character’s charming stupidity, and work it into the grand narrative of Lucas’ magnum opus. Not only is it fun to watch the Griffins act out their parts as the heroes of the Star Wars saga, but fun to watch how bit players in the Family Guy universe are each incorporated into the saga to give life to the minor characters in surprisingly funny ways.

Although it is entertaining, the piece as a whole continues to suffer from two other Family Guy habits: repeated breaking of the fourth wall and padding. Some jokes are repeated ad nauseum to the point where one must wonder whether they are there to fill time. Moreover, the characters comments on the parody leave us with the feeling like we are watching the episode with someone interrupting the show every few minuets It destroys the flow of the story nearly as effectively as the two nerds in the front row of the theater arguing over the inaccuracies in the Phantom Menace.

Overall, the episode is well done. It gets in an above average number of laughs and will please Star Wars fans with its in depth references and shot for shot recreations of some classic scenes. Much like the film, it will leave viewers eager for a conclusion, both for this series of entertaining Star Wars parodies, and the unfunny filler that MacFarlane airs in between them during the rest of the season.

After the tremendous pilot introduced us to the world of Caprica, one could say that the bar was set unreasonably high. Every show has its good and bad moments.Nevertheless, while the show remains fun and watchable, “Rebirth” felt like a letdown, mainly because it is the first time the show has made a major mistake.

Plot Summary: Spoilers below

Zoe-A is experiencing Zoe’s memories and trying to discover her own identity. Daniel continues to experience problems producing Cylons. He is avoiding Joseph, who is having trouble dealing with his own grief and is haunted by visions of his daughter. Amanda begins investigating Zoe’s life, but is interrupted by Agent Durham who questions her about Ben Stark, who she didn’t know was Zoe’s boyfriend. Lacy goes to lunch at Sister Willow’s house, where Willow plies her for information about Zoe’s work. Two of Daniel’s technicians transport the cylon to his home. Zoe-A reacts violently as one of the assistant tries to work on her, cutting off his finger. Sam takes Willie around little Tauron, where he begins introducing Willie to crime by throwing a trashcan through a window, getting both of them arrested. Amanda convinces Daniel to attend a memorial for the bombing victims. Lacy secretly visits the Graystone house and talks with Zoe-A, who feels trapped in the robot body. At the memorial, Daniel is visibly uncomfortable. Amanda meets Natalie Stark, Ben’s mother, who gives her a number of Zoe’s things, including an STO pendant. Joseph confronts Daniel about the Tamara avatar. Their talk is interrupted by Amanda speaking to the crowd. She says that she didn’t know her own daughter, and declares that Zoe was involved in the bombing as the crowd erupts in anger.

Hulu-Caprica: Rebirth

One should not discount Caprica as just another show that is failing to live up to its premise. This episode still holds its own. In particular, elements like the way news clips are seamlessly cut into the narrative, the banter between Daniel and Amanda and Daniel’s private moments of reflection remind us of why the show is excellent. These elements make the characters feel like real people whom the viewers can identify with and care about. This is particularly true of the masterful way the shots of Zoe-A and the CGI cylon are done, reminding us of the character and the person within the metal shell. Viewers will find themselves with a knot in their stomach as Amanda watches movies of Zoe and shiver in their seats as Zoe-A wipes the blood from her hands after injuring the technician. The acting remains superb and the characters remain incredibly well drawn.

However, putting great characters on the screen is not in and of itself enough to make a great episode. The main issue with this particular installment is it lacks any pretense of subtle narrative. The cloud of sinister mystery surrounding Sister Willow dissolves when we are introduced to the polygamous cult known as the Willow family. Instead of a complex villain, Sister Willow feels more like a caricature of a zealous nut. Another problem is the repeated flashbacks to the STO symbol at the end. These give off the impression that the directors don’t think the audience is smart enough to pick up the references that were crafted into the episode. They do nothing crassly insult the viewer’s intelligence. But the worst incident takes place between Zoe-A and Lacy. Zoe-A describes herself as three entities combined into one, when Lacy blurts out the word “trinity”. While the connections to our own religious traditions make the show relevant and thoughtful, this dialogue feels contrived and ham-handed. The writers could not have been more blatant if they filmed Ron Moore in a cathedral wrapped in the Shroud of Turin singing “This show is about religion” to the tune Handel’s Messiah. Good science fiction reflects society back us, rather than forcing itself down our throats. Although this is one incident, its sloppy execution jolts the viewer out of what could have been an engrossing scene.

On the whole, this episode is minor disappointment. The cliff hanger ending is well done and successfully accomplishes two things: it will leave viewers eager for the next installment and thanking their various gods that the current one is over.

Viewers were stunned back in 2003 when Ronald Moore and David Eick’s “Battlestar Galactica” exploded on to Syfy. Taking their concept from the admittedly campy 1978 series created by Glen Larson, Moore and Eick put together an epic sci-fi saga. That series left audiences with one phrase in their mouth at the end of its four seasons: “Fraking amazing.” It would have been easy for Moore and Eick to repackage the Galactica formula for its prequel, “Caprica”. But the beauty of Caprica is that it is not an attempt to recapture Galactica’s glory days. New viewers will find an original concept that isn’t based on intimate knowledge of the series universe. Instead, viewers are presented with a world that feels disturbingly familiar, as well as another show of terrific characters and an engaging story of religion, family and technology.

Plot summary: Spoilers Below.

58 years before Galactica, the planet Caprica is enjoying a period of material and technological prosperity while its society descends into hedonism.. Surrounded by sex, violence and human sacrifice in a virtual world called the V-club, Zoe Graystone (Alessandra Torresani) looks down on a virtual avatar of herself and tells her comrades Ben Stark (Avan Jogla), and Lacy Rand (Magda Apanowicz) that the avatar (known as Zoe-A, also played by Torresani) holds the key to God’s plan for redeeming society’s decadence.

In the real world, Zoe is resentful and disobedient toward her wealthy parents, Daniel and Amanda Graystone (Eric Stoltz, Paula Malcomson). Resolved to leave her unfulfilling life, Zoe and her friends run away. As they board a train, Lacy gets cold feet and refuses to go. Moments later, as Zoe watches in horror, Ben opens his jacket to reveal a suicide vest. In the name of the one true God, he blows the train to pieces.

Several weeks later, the devastated Daniel attends a memorial for the victims. It here we learn that a group of monotheistic extremists known as The Soldiers of the One (STO), has taken credit for the bombing. Daniel encounters Joseph Adams (Esai Morales), who has lost his wife and daughter in the attack. Joseph is an immigrant from Tauron, another planet whose people are looked down upon on Caprica. The two men begin to bond in their grief. Lacy, ridden with survivor’s guilt, attempts to find solace in the mysterious Sister Willow (Polly Walker). Upon returning to V-Club, Lacy discovers that Zoe-A has survived her creator’s death. Zoe-A is a perfect replica that possesses all of Zoe’s memories and thinks of herself as a person. Zoe-A begins searching for her purpose and with Lacy’s help begins trying to find a way into the real world. But Daniel discovers Lacy accessing the V-club, becoming suspicious.

Attempting to deal with his pain, Joseph, now a single parent, works to connect with his son William (Sina Najafi). Daniel busies himself by attempting to create a robot for the Caprican government. The project is over budget and not making progress. To make matters worse, the Vergis Corporation on Tauron has made a technological breakthrough and Graystone Industries is in danger of losing its contract. At the same time, Daniel begins investigating the V-club, where he glimpses Zoe-A. Amanda, who has been in shock since her daughter’s death, receives a visit from the police, who now suspect Zoe may have been linked to the bombing.

Daniel confronts Lacy about Zoe-A. They travel to the V-club, where Daniel meets her. He’s initially hostile, viewing her as nothing more than a computer program, but eventually seems to warm to her. He asks to hold her, but as they embrace he downloads her program over Lacy’s protests.

As Daniel and Joseph become closer, Daniel introduces Joseph to the V-club and to Zoe-A. Although initially repulsed, Joseph is tempted by Daniel’s offer to use Zoe’s program to resurrect his wife and daughter. In exchange, Joseph must use his contacts with the Tauron crime syndicates to obtain Vergis’ technology. With the technology in his possession, Daniel creates an avatar of Joseph’s daughter, Tamara (Genevieve Buechner). However, she is terrified when she and her father meet because she cannot feel her heart beating. Heartbroken by this, Joseph leaves Graystone’s lab in a rage. He returns home and tells William that they will begin to rebuild their lives through Tauron traditions. This includes adopting the Tauron form of their surname: Adama. In the meantime, Daniel attempts to download Zoe-A into the robot he developed. Although this succeeds at first, the robot eventually breaks down. It appears Daniel has truly lost everything left of Zoe.

With the technology stolen from Vergis, the robot successfully completes its tests and Graystone Industries is awarded the contract to build more of them. Daniel is responsible for the creation of the first cybernetic life-form node or Cylon. Following the test, the Cylon rises on its own and calls Lacy. In Zoe’s voice, it ominously says that that it will need her help.

If the purpose of science fiction is to reflect society back at us, Caprica is an excellent specimen. Issues of terrorism, materialism, race and faith seamlessly course through its two-hour pilot. Importantly, the show doesn’t club the viewer over the head with these themes, but develops them naturally through its wonderful set of characters. If there is any element from Battlestar that Caprica replicates beautifully (aside from the CGI robots) it is the wonderfully developed cast of primary and secondary characters. Stoltz, Morales and Torresani give masterful performances of complex characters thrown into extraordinary circumstances. But the secondary characters add a depth to Caprica’s universe that is often lacking in other shows. In particular, Walker’s performance as the mysterious Sister Willow and Sasha Roiz’s role as Joseph’s brother Sam, stand out. The only characters who won’t amaze the viewers are Malcomson’s Amanda Graystone, who is tragically underused throughout the pilot as well as Apanowicz’s Lacy Rand, who feels at times like a one dimensional caricature of a distressed teenager.

The other factor that makes Caprica a wonderful addition to anyone’s Friday night is its aesthetics. Far too often, science fiction is characterized by a few characters standing in a brightly lit room staring at CGI effects. Caprica’s world is not driven by special effects. Its technology feels instantly familiar and the show doesn’t rely on technobabble to drive its story. It expansive sets, combined with Bear McCreary’s hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, delight our eyes and ears as flawlessly as the story provokes our minds and hearts.

“All of this has happened before, all of this will happen again.” Caprica takes the mythology created for Galactica to set itself up, but stands on its own two robotic legs. Although it lacks the fast pace battles and war drama that made Galactica exciting, Caprica makes up for it through beautifully crafted drama between wonderfully complex and flawed characters. Overall, it promises to entertain, shock and surprise us for weeks to come. Highly recommended for hardcore Galactica fans or first time viewers, Caprica will again leave the viewers fraking amazed.

Ricky Gervais’ new show is all about his comedy podcast that enjoyed an enormous following. Sitting down with his good friend and colleague Stephen Merchant and the absent-minded Karl Pilkington, they basically talk about nothing. The show has a unorganized format because Gervais and Merchant react to the idiotic ramblings of Pilkington. His ideas are random and absurd, but provide perfect opportunities for the quick witted Gervais and Merchant to make hilarious, if sometimes mean, comments.

In the first episode of HBO’s new show, Pilkington begins to talk about how humans should reproduce. He believes that when a woman turns 78 she should die, but that a small baby should be born from her body when she dies, so that it would be a “good-bad situation”. Immediately, Gervais cracks up at the idiotic premise. The worst part about it is that Pilkington believes that this system will be the next stage of evolution. Gervais and Merchant try to convince him of the ridiculousness of the idea, but it does little to persuade him.

The other funny segment was “Monkey News” in which the men discuss a story having to do with monkeys. Pilkington begins to speak about how angry he would be if he was a monkey because humans get all the credit–particularly for space travel. He eloquently points out that a monkey went into space before man. Although it is a somewhat legitimate point, it devolves into babble after he says that the monkeys were taught to fly the spaceships using buttons and a banana dispenser.

With such ridiculous segments, Gervais and Merchant, among comedies brightest talents, are in a great setting. The show itself is done in an animated style reminiscent of the Flintstones (which, oddly enough, they reference in the show) and show their animated persons sitting at a table discussing with occasional cutaways describing certain elements of the story.

The problem is that I can’t really figure out why this needs to be a television show. Yes, the segments become more ludicrous when you actually see what Pilkington is describing, but it isn’t a constant which warrants watching the screen the entire time. The animated style is not impressive and much of the time is just showing the animated men sitting in a studio. Thus, I kept getting the feeling that this show, although funny, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is better than the podcast. It has the feeling of a simple video podcast, but one that you don’t need to be watching constantly in order to enjoy.

Nevertheless, both Gervais and Merchant are funny enough to make the show deserving of a large audience. Although it is very likely that you will find yourself doing other activities while watching it.

The opening ceremonies of an Olympics are usually a good indicator of the two weeks that follow them. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the wizardry and precision of the Opening Ceremonies was matched by the record-breaking performances of Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt. The 2010 Vancouver Olympics, on the other hand, featured an agonizing four-minute delay as a technical error prevented a mechanical cauldron from forming for the lighting ceremony. This error has extended to the events themselves. Mind you, this error is not about the athletes, who have delivered exciting races and hard-hitting hockey, but rather from the media coverage of the events. Without a doubt, NBC’s handling of the Olympic Games has been atrocious and a disservice to anyone who remotely enjoys sports.

First, the lack of an HD version of MSNBC on DirecTV or Verizon FiOS means that some events do not get the benefit of high-definition coverage. For instance, last night’s US vs. Canada men’s hockey matchup, which NBC’s website declared as “the most anticipated game of the tournament so far”, was broadcast on MSNBC. CNBC and USA had limited curling coverage and no Olympic coverage, respectively, but they have HD channels. Since many sports bars and homes use DirecTV or Verizon as their provider, many people were stuck watching the game in standard definition. In 2010, this fact is unacceptable. High-definition coverage has changed the way that sports are watched and for a game of that magnitude to be broadcast in such a manner is ridiculous.

Making matters worse was the fact that NBC was broadcasting ice dancing, the redheaded stepchild of figure skating, while the hockey game was played. Instead of seeing a game that pundits have declared an instant classic, NBC thought it was more appropriate to show a sport whose biggest story was that a pair’s costumes offended Australian aborigines. This decision should have been an easy one for NBC: its home country was facing off against the hockey-crazed hosts. Yet, as we’ve seen with the Conan O’Brien/Jay Leno saga, when NBC has an easy decision they will drop the ball every time.

Does this event really make for better television than hockey?

Second, and most importantly, the use of tape delay in the events has ruined the desire to watch the Olympics. NBC faces a dilemma: they have valuable primetime space, but many of the events occur in the daytime. Thus, it has decided to broadcast many of the popular events on a tape delay so that they can gain valuable ratings. However, there is a problem with this decision. The primetime broadcasts are not geared with sports fans in mind. Many times, there is very little sports action and instead there are human-interest features about polar bears. Does anyone really tune into the Olympics to hear about polar bears? No! Put the sports on the screen; that’s why the viewers watch a sporting event.

Furthermore, because these events happen live, other major news organizations will tell the results of the events before NBC gets around to broadcasting them on tape delay. Major news sites like ESPN and social networks like Twitter will often have the results of the events anyone wants to watch before he or she can watch them. It’s frustrating for a sports fan to watch the events, which are built on drama and excitement, with suspense removed. What’s even more egregious is the fact that NBC also spoils the events. An anchor on the NBC evening news last night told me to “look away” if I didn’t want to know the results of the events that already happened but would be broadcasted later in the evening. I never thought that the news would require a “spoiler alert”, but thanks to NBC it’s a common occurrence.

The worst part about this practice is how unnecessary it is. These Winter Olympics are not in a place where the time difference makes it prohibitive to show the events live (like when the 2002 World Cup was in South Korea). They are on the West Coast. There is no reason why the events should be tape delayed for people in the United States, especially those who live on the West Coast (like the opening ceremonies were). This practice serves only to frustrate viewers who want to watch the games as they happen live.

If NBC really believes that the only way that they can attract viewers is through irrelevant, tape-delayed features, then there is a simple solution: broadcast the events live on its cable networks (USA, CNBC, MSNBC) and on the Internet. Then, in primetime, run the package of highlights and features, while having more live matchups on its cable networks. However, this solution would require NBC to embrace new media and the opportunities it provides. A sports fan’s best hope is that NBC, who Conan O’Brien gleefully reminded us is losing $200 million on these Olympics, decides to abandon the Olympics altogether. Then a real sports network could take over and give the viewers the coverage that they want (an ABC bid, using all of its many ESPN outlets, comes to mind). Until then, enjoy tape delays, standard definition, and ice dancing!

Its basically a love story in reverse. The viewer already knows that Ted ends up happy and with two kids, but they don’t know who he marries. Speaking to his kids, future Ted (Bob Saget) explains the long, arduous journey of how he met their mother. Years before, Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) is a twenty-something architect living in New York City. Accompanied by best friend Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segal) and his girlfriend Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan) as well as wannabe best friend Barney Stinson (Neal Patrick Harris), Ted attempts to find true love in the big city.

Ted hasn’t had a lot of success, but he immediately becomes smitten with reporter Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders). On their first date, Ted impresses her but then makes the faux-pas of using the L- word. Reversing traditional gender roles, Robin is the one who doesn’t want to commit to a relationship but chooses to focus on her career. Begrudgingly, Ted accepts that they can just be friends and introduces her to his circle of friends and immediately click.

Opposite Ted is his best friend Marshall who has been in a nine year relationship with Lily and they are completely in love. Ted wants what they have while Barney attempts to do everything in his power to keep him single. Barney doesn’t believe in relationships or in marriage and wants his “best friend” (Ted always says Marshall is his best friend) to understand the “awesomeness” of being single in New York.

Despite Barney’s efforts, the first season of How I Met Your Mother tells a number of stories about Ted and Robin searching for love but consistently coming back to each other. Ted begins to look for love in other places and stops actively pursuing Robin but his belief that Robin is the one never subside. All indications lead the group of friends to believe that Robin is simply not interested in dating Ted, but it begins to change when Ted stops pursuing her.

Marshall would love to help his best friend find a girl but his life is quickly evolving into adulthood. After he proposes to Lily, the two attempt to become more sophisticated with disastrous results. Both realize that wine and cheese parties are nothing compared to the good company of their friends at the local bar, MacFaddens. Barney becomes Ted’s wing-man, introducing him to attractive women by simply saying “Have you met, Ted?” and walking away. While Barney is happy with the constant stream of women, Ted is still intent on meeting the girl of his dreams.

Ted begins to date Victoria (Ashley Williams) and feels like she is the one. Robin becomes jealous and realizes that she has romantic inclinations towards Ted, sentiments she carefully shares with Lily. Victoria’s relationship with Ted weakens when she moves to Germany after being accepted into a culinary school. Robin is secretly happy and decides to invite Ted over late one night. “Nothing good every happens after 2am” future Ted warns his children, but young Ted decides to go to her apartment.

After some more drama, the season ends with Robin and Ted finally becoming a couple. However, their fortune is contrasted with Lily’s decision to move to San Francisco to attend art school–effectively breaking up with Marshall.

The strength of How I Met Your Mother is the writing and the characters. Even the most successful have particular characters that are weakly played or tangentially attached to the story arch, but this is simply not the case in HIMYM. All characters are played with energy and realism, absurd as they may sometimes be. Particularly noteworthy is Neal Patrick Harris as Barney. Most people know Harris as Dougie Howser M.D., but he successfully breaks the fetters of his childhood role and creates an enormously funny character. The oversexed, cool guy Barney is always asking his friends to “suit up” (get dressed up in suits and go out) and frequently describes things as “legen- I hope your not allergic to – dary”. While the character prototype is nothing new, Harris, a gay man, portrays a misogynistic straight man enormously well.

Harris is surrounded by a cast of vibrant, quick and very believable actors. Josh Radnor, Jason Segal, Alison Hannigan and Cobie Smulders all play drastically different people but those with convincing and entertaining interactions. The nicest thing about watching the ensemble is seeing all the smiles. I constantly saw characters smiling ear-to-ear at the edges of the screen showing that the actors have a great time and make the show all the more believable.

Without a doubt, How I Met Your Mother is a winner.

Drunk calls. If you are a college student, you have most likely been the recipient or instigator of a call to a person of the opposite sex in an inebriated state. People will say their true feelings bluntly, however, there is an understanding that these things won’t be remembered in the morning.

Unfortunately, there are times when you leave drunk messages which really come back to haunt you.  Such was the case in this week’s episode of Community in which Britta makes a drunken call to Jeff.  Playing this message for her completely changes the dynamics of the relationship. Britta initially blocked all of Jeff attempts at romance but recently she has begun to have her own romantic inclinations towards him. The message put all of this in the open.

Jeff has the upper hand in the relationship, but he doesn’t want to destroy the playful banter of their interactions. How to fix it? Abed and Jeff decide to get completely plastered and make a call to Britta so it will re-balance things.  In a montage involving alcohol, dancing and a pizza deliveryman, the two achieve their goals, but they can’t remember what Jeff said in his two conversations with Britta and his girlfriend, Michelle.

The hilarity ensues at the Valentines Day dance where Jeff discovers that he called Michelle but hung up when it wasn’t Britta. Suspicious, Michelle gives him the cold shoulder while Britta arrives at the dance saying that she was so flattered that he had invited her to the dance.

In regular Community fashion, the cast of characters at dance is absurd. Professor Chang dresses up like “Beat It” Michael Jackson and dances with Pierce and Troy who have been forced to wear light fitting ladies pant suits after lying in Spanish class about having girlfriends.  The awkwardness of the love triangle is assuaged by the ridiculousness of the dance.

This episode proves to me once again that Community has hit its stride. The new comedy has established the relationship dynamics that provide for an intoxicating comedy.

Viewers are always assured to have a reasonably good time watching the Super Bowl even if the game is boring. The biggest television event of the year usually has the best commercials of the year. Companies spend millions of dollars to produce and buy coveted marketing time during the most watched telecast in America.

This year there was a mix of funny and sweet commercials for a variety of products and services. We are going to highlight the best below:

Doritos: “Play Nice”
Doritos had some major misses this year. They try to be funny, but so many failed miserably. Lucky for Frito-Lay and for the viewer, they had one gem. A cute young black kid tells his single mother’s date the rules of the house and of conduct. He’s definitely in charge!

Snickers: “Betty White”
Old people being tackled is just funny. If that old person just happens to be Betty White, the epitome of a nice old woman, it is destined to be a winner. Throw in an brief appearance by Abe Vigoda and you have a formula for a memorable Super Bowl commercial.

Flo TV: “Moments”
I had never heard of Flo TV before this Super Bowl. Allowing people to watch TV anywhere seems intriguing, but advertised by this commercial made it all the more appealing. The Who’s “My Generation” blasting over images that have formed contemporary America makes me want to never miss a moment. I guess I can do that with Flo TV!

HomeAway.com: “Hotel Hell Vacation”
Remember the Griswolds? Back in the 1980s, Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo took their family across the world in a series of vacation movies presented National Lampoon style. HomeAway.com? I had never heard of them. Apparently they have something to do with traveling. But just like an effective commercial, I am going to seriously contemplate booking my travel plans through the site. If the Griswolds do it, then America should too!

Motorola: “Megan Fox Photo”
Using sexy girls to sell products is certainly not new. In recent years, GoDaddy.com has used well-endowed women to sell their service. Motorola went this route and created a funny montage of what would happen if Megan sent out a sexy photo. A mother desperately knocking on Timmy’s locked door, asking whats going on in the room made this commercial too memorable to exclude from the list.

Bud Light: “Light House”
Ah, the Super Bowl beer commercial! A staple of the Super Bowl experience for as long as I can remember. Bud Light always tries for the humorous route. Its always hit or miss. This one was done very well. Playing off of the “Go Green” movement, the house appears to be made up of recycled beer bottles. But they aren’t recycled, they’re full and the guys can’t resist them.

Bud Light: “Stranded”
“Lost” just started its final season and most people are wondering what really happened on the island. Playing on that motif, a crashed airplane is saved not because of the discovery of a radio, but because there is Bud Light in a beverage cart!

Google: Search On
Google did a masterful job with the ad. The most memorable commercials usually utilize humor humor to grab the attention of the viewers. However, Google decided to tell an endearing story of a guy falling in love in Paris through a series of searches. “How to Impress a French Girl”, “Churches in Paris”, and “How to Assemble a Crib” were just some of the searches that describes so much without saying anything. Superbly crafted.