I watched a show and I liked it… Two, actually. Yes, that’s right. After years of finding very little on television that I actually liked and/or wanted to watch, I have discovered two shows of which I’d like to see more. Take that, preposition! These are words (prior to that preposition non sequitur) that I didn’t think I’d actually be able to write. Not due to writer’s block or illiteracy, but because I am annoyingly (some might say objectively or charmingly? …ahem!) hypercritical and judgmental of movies and television shows and haven’t seen anything in the past couple of years that made me want to watch. More on this later.
You see, I have a love/dislike/lack of patience/hate relationship with television and movies. It’s not that I think I could do it any better. That’s not really the point. The point is, that if you’re going to be in a position of making a TV show or a movie, it should be good. Always. There’s a lot of money at stake in these things. And careers. Not only of the actors and writers and producers if the show doesn’t catch on or if the movie flops. But of all the nameless, but essential, people who do the behind-the-scenes work to make the writer’s vision possible.
And then there’s the time investment of the viewer. Too many times in the past I’ve tuned in to a new show only to tune out after about ten minutes. If it looks like it’s going to be the same old, same old, then I’m not going to stick around. A lot of shows are pretty much the same formulaic stuff with a different cast and an altered premise. I always look to see what’s different about a show. Too often I have found that there’s very little that distinguishes one show from another.
Unsurprisingly, then, there are only about five shows currently on television that I could honestly say that I am interested in watching, so for me to say that I liked any show – outside of that five – is pretty amazing. I’m not saying that I am a good judge of what is good and what isn’t. Quite the opposite – I’m sure I’m a terrible demographic for this sort of thing. I’m just saying that it takes a lot to get me to tune in and then to make me want to come back.
So here’s what happened. I was paging through show listings in OnDemand (don’t judge), noting how there wasn’t even one show in the E-J section that I watch – or have ever watched. Then I saw this title: “I Just Want My Pants Back” and was intrigued. Something about the name called to me. I clicked through to the next menu, and voilà! – there were the first two episodes. If you’re following closely, you can probably determine what happened next.
That’s right, I started watching. A bad sign: it’s an MTV show – often not a good thing. But that’s really a generalization (I think many would agree an accurate one) fit for their (I’m hypercritical and judgmental, remember?) putrid reality shows. But, I decided to stick it out and at least see how long it would be before I lost interest. The answer, my friend, was blowin’ in the wind – and 22 minutes. And, I liked it enough to watch the second episode as well. Score!
I don’t know what it was. The characters were kinda quirky, but not in the overdone cliché way that seems to prevail these days (think “New Girl” or any Zooey Deschanel vehicle). And there was snappy, authentic, give and take dialogue that was funny and interesting, and seemed a little less forced than it does on most shows I’ve seen recently. The scenarios of hanging out with friends and sexual exploits were all in place. I just felt like I was watching the exploits of people that I knew in college. Or of people that I’d have liked to have known in college. One of the two.
And I think I (just now) realized what the most appealing aspect of the show was. No laugh track. Imagine that! A show that dares to allow the acting and writing carry the day all on it’s own. And it was good. I discovered, after a few internet searches for the show, that it is not a new show (debuted in 2011) and that it has it’s detractors, but I am undeterred. I really wish more comedies would eschew the laugh track and let us determine whether or not something is actually funny.
And the second show? “Comic Book Men” on AMC. It is done by the very entertaining filmaker Kevin Smith, and centers around his comic book shop in Red Bank, New Jersey, which is called Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. The basic ‘plot’ is that Mr. Smith introduced a camera to the geek world, complete with the making of a comic book podcast that he does with four of his buddies (three of which actually work at/run the store) and conversations about comic books and comic book characters. As you’d expect from Kevin Smith, it’s pretty damn funny stuff.
The first episode (and it’s very rare that I would see the first episode of any show anywhere near the time it first airs) offered up a couple of collectors coming into the store with some pretty cool things, and encountering the inevitable disappointment that every collector feels when they find out that this item is not as valuable as they thought it was. It’s probably more accurate to say that they weren’t going to get the money that the items were ‘worth’ and were lucky to even hear an amount that was in that same ballpark. It was kind of depressing to watch. To their credit, some of the collectors decided not to sell.
Next, they talked glowingly about the Collingswood Flea Market, and then three of the guys went there and sold stuff for cheap. It would have been kind of cool to have been at the flea market that day. It was refreshing to see something that celebrated the toys, comic books and super cool memorabilia of the 70s that we were all supposed to have outgrown or forgotten. And it’s nice to see all the collectibles in the store, and to listen to these guys talk so enthusiastically about something that they loved when they were kids.
Oh, the responsibility. Two new shows to watch. I don’t know how this happened, but I’m glad it did. It’s always nice to be pleasantly surprised like this. And if you happen to stumble upon either of these shows (or seek them out now that you’ve read these brilliant and compelling commentaries), I’d recommend you do like I did and give them a fair shot.
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Depends on What the Meaning of the Word 'Blog' is 
If you enjoyed Comic Book Men, which I am hoping shines because of the genuine complex character mix of those involved, then why not give their podcast a try which the series spawned from (I think). They reach their hundredth episode this week, but all episodes are available here:
http://smodcast.com/channels/tell-em-steve-dave/
Here in the UK we still wait for Comic Book Men!
Glad you are expanding your viewing options! I’ll have to check them out. There are lots of other shows I think you’d like if you gave them the chance. Like me though, I know you only have so many hours in the day to watch TV.
Well I guess I can’t be too surprised at your hyper critical tendencies considering I’ve been a willing audience to them for 25+ years. Interestingly enough, I currently only watch one TV show regularly (The Biggest Loser….with Erin, don’t judge) but often feel there are MANY shows I want to watch but I just don’t seem find the time.
I know nothing of “Pants” and would never sacrifice time to watch something like that when Genre fiction calls, but I did see some of “Comic Book Men.” I wasn’t very impressed by the admittedly short chunk I saw. It probably has to do with the strong feeling of geek voyeurism of the thing…..I’d rather they keep reality TV out of our little corner of Nerddom.
From the parts of it I’ve seen you might want to give a shot to “Warehouse 13” which is a pretty cool and different piece of genre stuff.
And of course Biggest Loser is probably right up your alley too:)