Daniel's TV Blog

In chapter 5 of my alien invasion novel Sorry We Were Late, I refer to @midnight as though it was still on the air in 2019. Of course, I also refer to The O'Reilly Factor which got cancelled earlier this year too. So now I have to make small edits to cover these changes in real life. But I have about 20 typos to fix anyway.

I'm one of the few humans to have watched every single episode of @midnight. This statement is technically a lie, since I haven't watch tonight's episode and won't have a chance until next week. I'm currently at Lazy Bear in Guernville. I actually wrote this post on Saturday, I'm not blogging on vacation. I'm probably drinking next to a pool right now. Regardless, I've watched @midnight from the beginning. I'm sad it is going away. I hope it comes back now and then in the future. It's not a very expensive set to rebuild.


I almost never watch the show live. I've never participated in hashtag wars. It is a dependably funny show that rarely gets too political. My favorite guests were Mary Lynn Rajskub, Ron Funches, Matt Mira, Jonah Ray, Flula Borg, Niki Glaser, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, and Doug Benson.

Where am I going to see random comedy now?

First, my rankings for best Doctor and best companions.

Doctor
#1 David Tennant
Tied for #2: Christopher Eccleston, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi

Companion
#1 Donna
Tied for #2: Rose, Captain Jack, Martha, Amy, Rory, River, Bill, Nardole
Last place: Clara


I think the Twelfth Doctor would have been better received if he hadn't been saddled with the worst companion in the modern version of the show. Once the Doctor got rid of Clara, he really began to shine. I would love another season of Capaldi but three seasons seems to be the current limit for actors playing The Doctor.

The tenth season saw the doctor much older and now working at a University guarding a mysterious vault. With little surprise, Missy/Master was in the vault. Now much older herself, Missy is given a new chance at redemption. Of course her previous incarnation kills her rather than see himself become virtuous and help the doctor.

Bill was the perfect companion. She was curious and smart, although she only worked at the University where the Doctor works. She was also a lesbian and no one cared. Well, the Roman soldiers thought she shouldn't be old fashioned an limit herself to one gender. I was worried she would have a bad ending as she became a Cyberman in the penultimate episode of the season. But there was a great destiny waiting for her with the Heather-Puddle and they went off to explore the universe together.

This season the doctor was blinded and the Earth was completely invaded again. They went to Victorian London, Mars, some future space station filled with zombies, and Roman era Scotland. It was my favorite season since season six where we learned the origin of River Song. Unlike some jerks, I'm looking forward to a Lady Doctor. Just give her some good companions.

Labels: Doctor Who

I love Jason Batman and I love to pretend to hate Laura Linney.  Shut up Laura Linney! Just kidding, she's great. But I'm just not a fan of shows about criminals. I made it half way through the second episode when I shut it off. For a genius with money, leaving $8M in cash under his motel bed was the dumbest move ever. And then they threw in the stupid TV trope of kids not doing what they are told to move the plot along. I was already on the fence because I didn't like any of the characters and would have been happy with them all being shot in the head, but after those dumb moves I was out.

I'll be happy with Jason Bateman back on Arrested Development next year.

Friends from College was an almost perfect TV show. The characters were diverse and realistic. The performances were spectacular. It was a great presentation of what happens when you are approaching 40 and life is not what you really want it to be.

Fred Savage plays distracted gay literary agent flawlessly. When his best friend Key&Peele returns to New York, he resumes hanging with his friends from college. Like the others, his life starts to fall apart. After accidentally ditching his boyfriend Billy on the Street for 90 minutes at a vineyard, he sums it up perfectly. "You are a different person around them. I don't like that person." Or something like that. I don't feel like pulling up the exact quote. I was a little confused as to whose apartment they were living in. It seemed like it was Billy on the Street's place, but Fred Savage was living there later after the break up.

Ann was probably the least likable character. She was having an affair with Key&Peele consistently since college. She was cheating on Fish from Ally McBeal who seem to treat he really well and wrecking Robin Sparkles marriage as well. Although I think Fish knew she was having an affair. But she continued to call Robin Sparkles "Froshy" even though she knew she hated that nickname. It just seemed extremely mean considering she was fucking her husband.

Robin Sparkles had that perfect baby insanity breakdown. The night before the IVF turns into a classic escalation comedy of errors. Then after the failure she has a breakdown, has an affair with Nat Faxon, quits her job, breaks her leg.

Academy Award winning writer Nat Faxon played the perfect chill trust fund baby. He doesn't need to work so he doesn't. He just floats in and out of the lives of his friends. Near the end he starts to get his act together until his affair with Robin Sparkles is exposed and his fiancee walks out.

I was never fully up on what Marianne did. She seems to be a bad off-Broadway play producer and a yoga instructor. She did go to Harvard so presumable she either comes from money like Academy Award winning writer Nat Faxon or she made a shit-ton of money after college and is floating on it. I loved when she drove the party bus into the bridge underpass because everyone was ganging up on her. She is very funny.

And finally there is Key&Peele. He is clearly the main character. His performance was great. He is a writer trying to break into the YA genre with Wolf Trials. This sounds like something that will be made eventually. Of course, it goes off the rails as Fred Savage forgets this is already in development by another author. It is really had to be sympathetic toward him since he has been carrying on an affair for nearly 20 years.

In the end, Ann's car rolls into the pool and most of the secrets come out at her 40th birthday party. Then Robin Sparkles breaks up with Key&Peele. It was a great scene and a great way to end the season. I'm looking forward to more seasons.

PS, the funniest scene was when Robin Sparkles and Key&Peele set a sky lantern off after the failed IVF and it immediately crashed into a tree and started a fire. I laughed and laughed. The best guest was Kate McKinnon as the rich YA author who owns several Brazilian steakhouses. She is great in everything.

Season one was such an unexpected joy. I thought season two was a bit of a let down. I didn't even finish watching it until season three came out. But season three was just as good as season one. Here's what I loved.

The music! Season one still wins with the triple joy of Pinot Noir, Daddy's Boy, and Too Many Spidermen. But in season three we got to see Titus go Lemonading and explain about the Boob's in California.


I almost didn't recognize Judah Freelander without his trucker hats.

Xan's return! During Kimmy's brief time at Columbia, Jaqueline's step-daughter returned to Kimmy's life. Although she was super popular in high school, she is struggling socially in college. I really wanted more of her.

Guest stars! David Cross was great as Jaqueline's love interest until he got smooshed. More on that later. Fred Armison as Robert Durst, enough said. Amy Sedaris steals every scene she's in. Rachel Dratch perfectly played both halves of lesbian power couple Dianne/Leonora. But possibly the best thing about season three was Maya Rudolf as Dionne Warwick. I'm craving some baby corns right now.

Jaqueline's arc! I'm not a big fan of the TV trope of rich characters loosing their money. I didn't like where she went in season two. But the NFL and Washington Redskins storyline was great. I totally support changing the Seattle Seahawk's name to the Seattle Raisin's You Think Are Chocolate Chips. I loved her relationship with David Cross and his whole ordeal being smooshed by a Smartcar. I love the smoosh ward. Plus, her son is clinically a spazoid.


Titus's arc! He had an lost a couple loves, including construction worker Mikey that Titus went Lemonade on, and baby Linda's father. I think all company's should have a Linda in HR and a Tina in accounting. But his main arc was giving Kimmy a high five after realizing she is his conscience and he is better with her around.

Kimmy's arc! She was going to some crappy college and then to Columbia on a rowing scholarship. All that crank turning paid off. I was a little concerned the season would end poorly after she didn't get her dream job as a crossing guard. But thanks to her emotional intelligence, she landed a great job at a start-up as the CEO's liaison. He doesn't want to talk to his employees. The one somewhat disturbing thing this season was the inferences that Kimmy was repeatedly raped in the bunker. It made me sad.

I hope Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt wins the Emmy this year. It deserves it. It's been nominated twice before both times loosing to Veep. But at least is has a fourth season next year.

Also, I'd totally hit that.

Great episode. So long House Tyrell and Highgarden. Diana Rigg was a joy to watch.

Also Gord Rand (totally made up name) is sexy as shit as Captain Cardiff. I hope he is in more episodes.