Yodelling Llama

Wimpy’s much-anticipated “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday” popped up in the top-rated sophomore effort of “The Pop.” But Scott Chernoff’s delivery was, like much of the episode, a little off. The noirish style of the debut has morphed into a sunnier set of effects, many of which look cheap in the light of day. The spinach-fueled gangland warfare of the pilot has been replaced by a more traditional “Bluto is foiled in attempting to foil Popeye” plot. The blended premise is starting to separate back into its component parts. A slump? To be sure. Is all lost? Probably not. Kyle Kinane, et al. have enough charisma to hold this ship together for a while, regardless of what they’re given to do. B-

“Water and Power” #6 answers my question from last month: where’s Scottie? Now I need to pose a new question: where did the lovely procedural scriptedness of the first five episodes go? B-

The latest “Making Mistakes” makes great use of Boyz II Men in formulating a lovely series of father-son moments. Mike McCafferty’s aging former varsity basketball star is especially tasty on this go-around. A satisfying return to form. B+

The French-speaking tuerta-driver is probably the most giggle-inducing part “Boner for Boner” on its second go-around. But its the inexplicable intrigue of the Dude, Where’s My Car? sort that makes “Boner” work as well as it does. B+

What a devilishly strange newcomer “Compassion” is. Essentially, a somewhat malevolent talking head with a low-rent Power Point-esque overlay. Vaguely captivating, but mostly dull. C-

The cleverness of the “celebrity sibling edition!!!!” conceit of the second and final episode of “Trippin’ or Stylin’” gave its actors an excuse to unleash mediocre impersonations and explain away the mediocrity. Which illustrates my problem with this program beautifully: it’s dead on, very clever, and yet simply and utterly fails to entertain because, well, competently executing the double-bad is really difficult. That said, I did dig on the guy that played Vincent D’Onofrio’s sister, Sarah. C

“Alphabet Men” felt a little derivative of “House of Cosbys,” what with its being populated with bastardized knock-offs of an iconic 80s television star, its “funny voice” comedy, its non sequiturs, and the fact that it is animated. Derivative can be entertaining, though. B-

“The Adventures of Lisa and Friends” has a creepy photographed/drawn look that would be endearing if it packed a little more…oomph. But girls being catty does not quality programming make. D

Why were the 50s computer geeks taking shots of white wine from stemless glasses “Game Boys“? No matter: the inspiration for this particular Zaret-Stair production is pretty clear, and the concept had legs. But…the inattention to period detail, the hammy over-acting, and the flat jokes didn’t make the grade. C-

“Boys Club” showed a lot of contempt for the audience. But it had a few humorous moments. I’d say it was a draw. C

The Volvo commandeering opening sequence (a continuity work-around for an absent vehicle from past episodes?), the excessive cocaine sampling, the boxes, the endless supply of ammunition, and the “two days from retirement” cliché of the fifth “Scissor Cop were giggle-inducing. The twisty final scene…delicious. Have Westphal, Silvestro, and Prine finally hit their stride? Or have I finally glommed on to the vibe “Scissor Cop” is giving? A-

Debuting at #2, “Cooking with the Single Guy” is as-advertised. Host Matt Saccullo is the likable host of a low-rent cooking show with a “single guy” target audience. Done fairly straight, the program largely lives up to expectations. But if it weren’t for the parting shot, I’d have been largely disappointed with the lack of ambition. As it stands, much like 101: LA newcomer “Boner for Boner,” I’m intrigued enough to be cautiously optimistic. B-

The long-awaited “Sean” episode of “Mister Glasses” leans heavily toward architecture, which is surprisingly surprising for a show about architects, with a seemingly incongruent set of client mandates regarding a building as the focal point. The episode also runs a bit more noir than the usual “Glasses.” Overall, a very strong outing, especially with the awkwardly demoralizing concluding words of Mister Glasses to Sean. [Aside: why did Shelly Slocum replace Ellie Kemper?] A-

Captain Ultra’s confusion regarding Stan’s diagrams in the eighteenth episode of “The Defenders of Stan” provided a chuckle or two. As did Stan’s “yes” at the tail. And I can only assume the former schoolfellow from the head was a set-up for some future thread. Could use some more maniacal laughter, though. B+

Jess Lane, adorable as always, plays a lonely science geek who hangs out with her cat in newcomer “Me and My Cat.” A charming affair that’s one part “Mister Wizard,” and one part “BJ and the Bear,” with a dash of “Gilmore Girls.” B

The seventh and final “Majestic Dragon” disappointingly had a straightforward hallucinogen-oriented episode, and didn’t really resonate. C

“The Outer Boroughs” was cancelled. Was it because it really stick to any sort of consistent format? Or because it wasn’t really that entertaining. Hmm… C-

Perhaps “Penguin & Gwen” may have found more favor with the audience if it hadn’t had to compete with “Me and My Cat,” another girl + man in animal costume program that debuted this month. Perhaps not. C-

“MILF Solicitors” has a pretty great premise (incompetent would-be Internet porn kings who seem to be missing the staging and financial wherewithal to pull it off), a number of laugh out loud moments, and a few choice self-referential moments. I’m not sure it was series material, but it was pretty funny. B+