TV Question Qorner: Character by numbers
"As a matter of fact, I've ALREADY eaten a bee."
Law & Order: SVU. Really? A cockroach? Just going to rip Papillon and Brazil off, but without the insight?
Meloni’s “the walls, they breeeeeeathe” acting choices looked a lot like the ones he made while humping a fridge in Wet Hot American Summer, but WHAS is a comedy. …Well, an intentional comedy.
And has Christine Lahti always done that thing where she arranges her upper lip over her teeth like an awning? Or is that Botox? I’ve never liked Lahti — either every character she plays is supposed to be haughtily unlikable, or that’s how she chooses to play them, but the end result is the same — but I feel sorry for her here; this character, on top of the hauteur, is a basket of dated neurotic signifiers and cliched responses that few actors could hope to rescue. I doubt we’re supposed to like her, but I don’t think the writing is having the effect it thinks it is. You actually can spell “credible antagonist” without “annoying.”
The Office. Does anyone else really not care about Jim and Pam, or their wedding, at all? Anyone look at that trending tag on Twitter and say aloud, “But…with baseball on?”
Anyone think I’m a hypocrite, since I’m one of the 16 people still watching Survivor? Hee.
Trauma. The steam coming off this week’s pile almost obscured the screen. Old guard harasses the newbie? Check. Precocious kid wins over kid-averse cowboy? Check. Failure to save apparent slam-dunk patient leads to hackneyed, “some days you’re the hydrant” brooding over good days and bad days? Check. Defensive know-it-all has a lot to learn? Chfphpp…zzz.
What happened? I liked the pilot fine; it didn’t do anything Third Watch hadn’t done better — and the show we TWoP editors cheerfully referred to as Turd Watch didn’t do anything very well to start with — but it had some promise. Did I get distracted by all the shiny explosions and the thrill of the new? Do I put too much faith in the fact that that one guy played Herc on Friday Night Lights, and has foxy sideburns?
I think it’s possible to do the paramedics/FD action drama in a fresh way — but while I don’t know what that way is, I do know that this is not it. One more week and I’m out.
Tags: Botox Christine Lahti Christopher Meloni Friday Night Lights Law & Order: SVU shut up Jeff Probst's vast collection of smugly tailored camp shirts The Office Trauma Turd Watch TV
*waves* I’m still watching Survivor, and I couldn’t tell you why if you offered me chocolate in return for a good reason. Oops.
I like Jim and Pam, though, and I’m so glad they’re getting married so we can put that whole “they’re so cuuuuuuuuute together” thing to the side for a bit and have more fun with the other characters. Dwight and Toby could have a spin-off all of their own and I’d watch that. If they’re going to have a wedding every couple of years, I’d love for Oscar to get married and see what Michael would do with that event.
re: SVU: SERIOUSLY. When I first heard that she was going to be the ADA for a few episodes I was…mildly concerned… and then she barges in all stroppy and overbearing and caustic and condescending and I was pretty much begging Capt. Cragan to tell her to pound sand.
It’s still my favorite of the L&O franchise, but it has become somewhat predictable. No real shocks anymore à la “Pique” – the episode with Chad Lowe that still gives me the creeps.
I’m recording The Office, but more because I feel obligated to see the wedding episode rather than b/c I am looking forward to it. It was so much funnier when the characters retained a bit of believability – the only one who regularly makes me laugh anymore is Andy.
I totally agree about The Office. I was walking home tonight and I realized that I don’t care that I’m going to miss the episode because I just moved and don’t have TV yet. I feel like the big commitment in that relationship already happened–once they got together we knew they weren’t going to split up–so the wedding seems almost anticlimactic. And the episode where Phyllis and Bob Vance (Vance Refrigeration) got married was so cringeworthy in terms of Micheal’s reaction that it was almost not fun to watch, and I’m kind of expecting a repeat of that. I’ll still watch it eventually, though.
Does anyone else really not care about Jim and Pam, or their wedding, at all?
THANK YOU. I used to be really into this show up through about season 4. I started to give up in season 5 and now I catch this show on Hulu. I’ve seen about 18 million commercials about the wedding (and I really don’t watch that much on NBC) and I just feel…dead inside. “Yay for happy ever after!” But really who cares? Meh, I’m over it.
I tried to like “Trauma” because of Herc, aka Kevin Rankin; Herc was perhaps my favorite secondary character on FNL, and while I stopped caring about Jason Street ’round about quad rugby, I was sad when he left because I knew it meant no more Herc. And Derek Luke played Boobie Miles in the Friday Night Lights movie and I like him too. Also the actor playing the male pilot, is fucking gorgeous. But I just … don’t. I can’t remember any of the characters’ names, and I like an explosion probably more than the next person, but they seem to be swapping explosions in for storytelling. And the female paramedic’s acting is really weak; I didn’t really notice on Damages because she (rightfully) wasn’t carrying the show. I’ve already given up on it.
With you on Jim & Pam; I deleted my Office season pass a while ago. Don’t care about their baby, don’t care about their wedding, and The Office is way, way less funny than it used to be.
I loathe Lahti’s character on SVU. Not in a love to hate way; she’s just … a pain. That “boo hoo, you saw through my tough facade so I must slap you” bit on yesterday’s episode was so dumb.
Oh Sars, you could be in Philly where Survivor (in the person of Heidi) interfered with baseball (in that she went into labor while her husband was pitching not very well for the Phillies and was mercifully removed so he could join her for the birth of their son). I’m bitter about this. Which I realize is very petty. But I’m sure the first time I see the baby (who will be living in the building next door to my office) I’ll get over that.
I think I have forgiven Christine Lahti a lot of television work because of her early movies, where she shows a lot more range (Housekeeping’s Aunt Sylvie absolutely compensates for Chicago Hope’s Katherine Austin) but if she’s not getting/putting out variety in her acting, but narrowing her range… that’s sad. She’s capable of more, I think.
@The Office: You aren’t the only one who doesn’t care about Jim and Pam, but I feel like the only one who just doesn’t…like the show. At all. And, I feel like I should. I love Office Space and Dilbert. Skewering corporate America works for me. But every time I’ve tuned in to the Office, the talking to the camera device feels fake and artificial and drives me nuts, and I find the entire show disaffected and off putting.
@Truama: OMG, I was out after the pilot. I thought they should have spent some of that massive effects budget on a script doctor and acting lessons for the cast, especially the blond girl on the roof, who was just laughably bad. At the end of the hour, I didn’t care about one of the characters…it was the television equivalent of a Michael Bay movie, all visual flash, no heart.
I am one of the 16 people still watching Survivor… not sure exactly why, either, except that it is a long-standing friend-date, which I cherish. I was wondering last episode, though, why we torture ourselves through every season otherwise. Maybe we’ll have to find another show for our traditional friend-date.
Totally with you re: The Office, baseball, and Survivor. Never got into The Office (blasphemy, I know), and every time I tried it just made me cringe. Which is PART of the point, but not the entire purpose.
I’m impressed anyone’s watched Trauma at all. The pre-premiere marketing blitz completely turned me off. It all just seems sooooo cliche.
@Bo Seriously. The nerve of that woman! I blame her for her husband’s HORRID line readings (and hair) in the Comcast ads we get in central Jersey.
I still watch Survivor, too. And then I shower. Russel…*shudder*
Hold on. Herc is on a new show!? How did I miss this? And, the show might suck? How is this possible? Are you sure? I mean… it’s Herc.
I’m still watching Survivor. Why is that? Why do I feel unable to just let it go? I’ve dumped plenty of shows but for some reason this one just keeps hanging around. What’s the deal with that?
So many questions…
When a friend told me the helicopter v human factor in Trauma was exceeding even that of the helifrenzied ER, I knew I had to take a pass.
I’m still watching Survivor, too. I’m even liking this season; if they continue to cut back on Russell’s screen time, I think it could shape up pretty well.
The Office has seemed to be kind of off its game this year, and this wedding episode was the most off yet. Plus, it did not need to be an hour long. I’ll just hope that now that Jim and Pam are settled, their plot will be sidelined for a while.
So, now I feel like I am the only one who enjoys The Office still. I didn’t watch from the begining, but probably started around season 3. So, I’ve never been ALL ABOUT Jim and Pam. But, I thought their wedding was sweet, and I really enjoyed all the other characters.
I think since I didn’t watch from the begining, I’m not as invested (and therefore don’t feel as betrayed by the direciton the show has gone) as some viewers. I think that’s why I still like the show. It’s funny. I don’t give a crap if it’s the same as it used to be.
Office: I watched it and felt warm and fuzzy. I don’t understand the hysteria over “Jam” — in either direction (love or hate). I think the show is less sharp than it used to be in some ways, and sharper in others, but a little directionless. I think they’re milking the Jim/Pam thing less than they COULD be, and I’m thankful. I’m glad they’re married so they can be done with that whole thing — my hope is that they’ll fade into the background as a content couple and the show will resist the temptation to soap-opera it up with breakup scares and what have you.
SVU: @Sars: “this character, on top of the hauteur, is a basket of dated neurotic signifiers and cliched responses that few actors could hope to rescue. I doubt we’re supposed to like her, but I don’t think the writing is having the effect it thinks it is. You actually can spell ‘credible antagonist’ without ‘annoying.'”
INDEED. The whole face-off with Stabler about…stuff, with the end-of-episode resolution? I fail to see the point, to understand what was meant to have led the characters to that antagonism, or to be at all interested.
It irritates me when a show brings in some sort of fancy guest person and there’s a virtual trumpet fanfare, just because the person is (a) famous and (b) confrontational. And we are instantly meant to care, a LOT, about how the person interacts with “our” people. The famous-guest-star thing is such a lazy shortcut and never fails to bug me (oh, it’s Ed Asner! Well, *he* can’t die!), and, has SVU ever, since the show started, brought in a new lawyer of some sort played by a famous person who WAS NOT immediately abrasive? Ever? It’s such a trope and so played out. I get that SVU is out of ideas, but it’s a cliche that I’m very tired of.
“Do I put too much faith in the fact that that one guy played Herc on Friday Night Lights, and has foxy sideburns?”
I know he’s the only reason I tune in.
Hate Christine Lahti as the guest DA. HATE. I get that overturned convictions are bad, obviously, but GOD, her attitude just bugs the hell out of me. I’m sure the cops didn’t make ALL the mistakes, lady. At the end of last week’s episode, when Eric McCormack got the scissors in the neck, and she started gasping/crying, I was all, “SEE? See what happens when you interfere?”
Other people who never got into The Office! I was convinced I was the only one!! I’m not alone in the world!!!
Though… I will defend the original Office probably until the day I die because that there from beginning to end is THE most perfect television program ever aired. And I say that having seen every episode of Arrested Development about 10 times. Adult Swim is airing the UK Office Fridays at midnight for anyone who hasn’t caught it yet. I highly recommend it.
Totally agree with Jenn and K. I used to LOVE The Office, to the point of scheduling classes around it (before Hulu/never had TiVo). The Jim/Pam storyline is so played out and impressed with itself that it’s not fun any more. I actually want Roy and Karen to come back. But Toby, Oscar, Andy, and Angela are still pretty great.
I’m still watching Survivor (but I use Comcast’s OnDemand service, and usually watch it a day or two later), I haven’t seen Trauma (which I’ve heard is crap, but is filmed in San Francisco, and we can use the money), aaaaand I’ve never watched the Office for more than 2-3 minutes. I’ve tried to love the Office, but I just can’t stand it.
Well, damn. I’ll go ahead and be the one person who’s watched The Office right from the beginning and loved it, and still love it. The only thing I wanted less of was that awful Amy Ryan romance for Michael. When she smiles she looks extremely dimwitted. But the wedding story and the wedding itself were great.
No one’s going to mention that Christopher Meloni already spent a bunch of time in the hole as a prisoner on Oz? Except more nakeder.
The spell check doesn’t like “Meloni”, but it accepts “nakeder”. Hee.
Ok so I just watched the Office wedding episode and now I feel like a great big dork for saying I didn’t care about watching it b/c I pretty much leaked tears for the last 10 minutes of the show. (Spoiler Alert)Loved the scene where Jim cut his tie, loved the juxtaposition of them on the Maid of the Mist with the awkward church wedding aisle-dancing, got all choked up. So, yes, I’m a loser.
Oh, and L.H., YES. I totally thought the same thing about Meloni…man this is a cakewalk compared to Oz, yo! Heh. Bonus points for “nakeder”.
Definitely love The Office, definitely cried during the whole Maid of the Mist sequence. Don’t care if it makes me cheesy and will certainly watch it again before the weekend’s over. Also – Kevin’s tissue box shoes? Fantastic.
To answer the question in your third paragraph, yes. She has always done that. And it’s always driven me mad.
Heh. “More nakeder.” We’d better not talk like that in front of the Donors Choose kids. Also, “helifrenzied.” Excellent work, attica!
Sars, have you ever seen the Sesame Street parody of L&O: SVU? Should anything ever happen to Chris Meloni, Muppet Meloni could slide right into his spot and I don’t think anyone would notice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5121VjLwqZM
Muppet Munch is similarly spot-on.
Yeah, the last two seasons of The Office have definitely been below par for their particular course, but I’m remembering Jim and Pam as they used to be, and I’m happy for them and will insert the good parts of their wedding into my little Platonic ideal cave gallery, Office section.
This is hilarious–I am watching that episode of L&O right now. I’d never seen an episode with the Lahti character, and I thought, her terribleness is somehow familiar to me. Did I read something about it? And here it is. So right about the lip awning.
Has anyone else seen a movie or TV show and immediately remembered reading Sars’s take on it? Happens to me all the time.