A few months lull makes the heart grow stranger. Being out of familiarity with the 101 vibe brings up the bile and vitriol and sebum. I would have expected to have been relieved to have seen the latest crop. But instead, I found myself avoiding. And when I dangled my toes in the water, I was not impressed. But I keep getting comments asking where the Roundup is. So I suppose I ought to oblige.
The latest Water and Power played like an inside joke. And I mean that in the worst way. The unexplained mystery of the 7-Ups, the purpose of the mayor’s visit, and the presumably tongue-in-cheek attitude toward Mr. Ridley’s departure, given the program’s track record of tying up loose ends and “Law and Order” encapsulation, really got my goat. But it was the use of the menorah–suggesting for comedic effect just how out of touch with Judaism Californians are–that irritated me most. C-
Somehow, The Mountain failed to live up to even my lowest expectations. The chintzy effects, soap opera overacting, terrible music and outsider skiing aesthetic from the first go-around have been supplemented with a monster-hunting plot and a sassy black woman. Oh, and a heavy-handed moral. What’s truly awful about “The Mountain” is it clearly isn’t phoned in, and took a lot of work. And if there’s anything I hate more than unfunny claptrap, it’s unfunny claptrap from people who tried. D-
Even after seven times around, I keep finding Making Mistakes charming. This, a flash-forward episode, is chock full of amusingly bad parenting advice, somehow amusingly adequate parenting, a lovely sniff-test, and goofy dancing. I liked the makeup decisions re Wayne here. But I loved the sense of unironic melodrama that permeates the series. But do they really have to fucking curse so much? A-
Switcharoo ought to have been adorable. The premise–think Vice Versa, only with three band members instead of a father-son–is classic Kyle Reiter-inspired, what with his fascination with 80s film and television in general, and Fred Savage in particular. Of course, as with Mr. Reiter’s early outing The Bed & Breakfast Club, the execution leaves something to be desired. Throw in the line-tripping Vatche Panos and the inexplicably-intermittently-accented Kelsy Abbott, and you’ve got a mediocre party. Still, I’m looking forward to the band stealing the Stanley Cup and making bad music. C+
Amazingly enough, Shitbuster (2008) actually segued into a narrative in a way that kinda sorta makes me want to see a third episode. So long as the conspiracy reveal continues to be slow, color me impressed. B
Cut down in its prime, The Pop likely succumbed because it juggled too much. Too many bodies. Too many awkwardly out-of-place characters: here, the doctor. Too many plots. Too many excretions. Or perhaps it succumbed because the voters are fucking morons. B
The 7-8ths Project is a silly project that is sort of delightful as a one off. I liked the rogue’s gallery of worthless persons, the absurdity of the danger as well as the solution, the overarching faux seriousness of the set-up. But the 7/8ths Project was probably best thrown in the “failed pilot” bin. Partly because it would have collapsed under the weight of its breadth. Or else fallen into some sort of repetitive trap. Or failed to stay true to its absurdest core. Or otherwise fail to impress by reaching only 7/8ths of its potential. B-
The Briefcaser represents a bit too much of a retread for Brian Wysolmierski and company. May I suggest different sound effects? Or different voice actors? C-
Although I found the fratboy hijinks that dominated the debut of The Day My Boyfriend Became, I thought there was potential there for a serious relationship drama. Also, the sound editing was impressive. B-