The family and I watch a good amount of TV. Consequently, there are always several different storylines I'm following from week to week. Two of late, romantic in nature, deserve comment.
The Office
One of the nicest things about The Office is the Pam and Jim romance. Their story is nothing new to television; we've seen it before - from Sam & Diane to Dave & Maddie to Ross & Rachel to Ginger & Mary Ann (hey, a guy can dream). Pam and Jim are smart, very likable and deserve to be together. And now, after two seasons of unrequited love, they are dating and it's paying huge dividends to the show.
Unfortunately, when TV brings characters like this together, most of the producers in Hollywood seem unable to keep from splitting them apart (no doubt due to their own commitment issues), usually to the shows detriment. It's a weird ritual of self-mutilation and usually backfires. For example, after finally bringing Friends' Ross & Rachel together, they were broken up under very contrived circumstances less than a season later, creating resonating story problems. Frickin' Mad About You nearly broke up Paul & Jamie and the show was never as good.
The producers of The Office are very savvy. I am really hoping they'll let Pam and Jim continue to do their thing until the show ends.
Pushing Daisies
This wonderful show continues to kick major butt week after week (which is a weird thing to say about such a whimsical program). ABC has realized it has a winner on its hands and PD has been picked up for the rest of the season. Hooray!
Two things concern me. One, they seem to be pushing the Chuck/Ned relationship ahead very quickly rather than play it out slowly. That's okay, because it's so unbelievably cute and warm, but it makes me a little uneasy.
My other concern is the narrator's interchangeable use of the terms "homeopathic" and "herbal" medicines. Herbal medicines could have some affect on a person. Homeopathic medicines could not, unless our understanding of chemistry is completely wrong. It bothers me that the writers are being so sloppy. Then again, they did correctly use "Occam's Razor" in this week's show, so maybe the writers do know the difference and there will be some unexpected payoff.
Battlestar Galactica
One very unfortunate development. BG's fourth and final season will not air on Sci Fi until April of 2008. Noooooooo! In the meantime, the tele-movie BG: Razor will premier on Nov. 24. That will have to tide us over.
2 comments:
Love The Office. Feeling a bit uneasy about Daisies. I think I don't like Chuck. I find her really annoying and wish he'd hook up with the Olive (that's the blond's name, right?) She's hot AND smart and has been there for him forever. Ned treats her like dirt, which makes me not like Ned so much sometimes -- that and the fact that he's always mooning over Chuck. There's only so far they can go with that relationship and then they'll have to move on.
I love Chuck. She's cute as all get-out and very charming. But I suspect that may be a gender difference - men will tend to like Chuck more than women.
Olive (Kristin Chenowith) is indeed everything you've said. I think Ned isn't treating her like dirt so much as that he's so infatuated with Chuck, he isn't paying much attention to Olive.
I still think it will be very hard to sustain this show over the long haul, but I'm loving the heck out of it now.
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