Watching Sitcoms

I was talking to some friends about shows we watch in common, and it was pointed out to me that I watch a lot of TV. I didn’t really think so, well, I guess I did, but I didn’t think it was that noticable. Anyway, it got me to thinking about (more…)

So sorry I haven’t been around for a bit. The problems between Time Warner and LIN Broadcasting were really crimping my style. As it turns out the only sitcoms I watch are on CBS (The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Gary Unmarried). So that was a real problem. I needed to wait for someone to upload the shows and then I had to find time to watch them other than the time they are actually on, and then I had to care enough to talk about them.

I’ve also been sick for the past couple of weeks. In a bad way. When you add all that up, it basically meant no blogging for me. But the good news is that we have CBS and the CW back!! Yay!! I didn’t think I would miss them so much, but it really messes up your schedule.
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In this week’s installment of Gary Unmarried, we find Gary suddenly realizing that the sooner Allison and Dr. Krandall get married, the sooner he can stop paying alimony. So he set about telling Dr. Krandall, in their therapy sessions, how wonderful, beautiful and perfect Allison is and what a wonderful wife she will make, in order to push Dr. Krandall into setting a date for the wedding.

It all backfires, however, when Dr. Krandall takes this to mean that Gary is still in love with Allison himself. Dr. Krandall begins to feel somewhat guilty for falling in love with Allison, because he thinks he might not have done all he could during therapy to save Gary and Allison’s marriage. So Dr. Krandall breaks off he and Allison’s engagement.
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What in the world is happening? What? Is? Happening? I mean it, how can this be? Look, I watched the second ep of Gary Unmarried this morning. As it turns out, I already watch two shows between 8 pm and 9 pm on Wednesday, Bones and America’s Next Top Model, so I can’t DVR or watch a third at the same time. So anyway, I had to watch Gary Unmarried on the CBS site, like last week, and as I will have to next week, should I decide to ever, ever watch it again.

Last week I was pleased that the show was simply humorously funny and not just about sex. I even overlooked the fact that the opening scene was Gary having sex with a woman he barely knew. I’ll never understand that. Why in the world does someone want to gave sex with a total stranger? If you ask me, that’s just completely icky. But I didn’t let it bother me cause I thought the show was funny otherwise.
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I had to watch Gary Unmarried online at CBS.com, cause I forgot all about DVRing it and I wasn’t home last night. Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is, I liked it. I thought it was funny. I even laughed out loud several times. The bad news is, since I like it, undoubtedly it won’t be around much longer.

I’m not sure why it is, but usually when I like a show, it gets cancelled. Its like Nielsen has a link to my house. As soon as they figure out what shows I like, the ratings immediately drop and the show is off the air before all the filmed eps can even be shown. But I don’t take it personally.

So anyway, Gary Unmarried is about Gary (clearly) Brooks, played by Jay Mohr. Gary has been divorced for three months from his somewhat demanding ex-wife, Allison (Paula Marshall). Their children are Tom (Ryan Malgarini) and Louise (Laura Marano). I’m glad, cause I always liked her and I believe I mentioned how upset I was when she was replaced without any explanation from last year’s failed sitcom, Back to You.

Gary has met a women he thinks he is interested in but he has agreed with his ex-wife that they will not start dating again yet for the sake of the children. Turns out, his Allison hasn’t kept to the agreement either. She is engaged to marry their couples therapist, Dr. Walter Krandall (Ed Begley, Jr.) and has not told anyone. Gary doesn’t seem upset, in fact, he’s pretty happy about it - other than the fact that he thinks Dr. Krandall is too old for Allison - cause it leaves him free to pursue a relationship with Vanessa (Jaime King).

Overall, I’m not saying the show is anything out of the ordinary as far as sitcoms go, but I did think it was funny. And all the jokes weren’t about sex.

I’m so excited cause Big Bang Theory will be back on Monday, September 22, 2008. Finally a sitcom I can watch and talk about instead of all these other shows I’ve been reviewing, cause, well, I have to talk about something, right?

Not only is Big Bang Theory back starting at 8:00 pm ET, but CBS is also following with the season premieres of How I Met Your Mother, Two and Half Men and the series premiere of Worst Week. I know where I’ll be Monday night.

This is actually a big week for the sitcom, as Wednesday night, September 24, marks the season premiere (also on CBS) of The New Adventures of Old Christine at 8:00 pm ET, and the series premiere of Gary Unmarried at 8:30 pm ET. They are joined on Wednesday nights by the already started Til Death at 9:00 pm and Do Not Disturb at 9:30 pm on FOX.

Then on Thursday, September 25, we have the season premiere of My Name is Earl on NBC at 8:00 pm ET, followed by another new episode of Earl at 8:30 pm ET, and then the hour-long season premiere of The Office at 9:00 pm ET.

I know people keep saying the sitcom is dead, and maybe that’s true of the good old fashioned family sitting in the living room with their TV dinners watching together kinda sitcom, but perhaps there’s a new form of situation comedy for now.

Another new show that’s premiering this week, which is not a sitcom, but I wanted to mention anyway, is The Mentalist, which airs on Tuesday, September 23 at 9:00 pm ET on CBS. Apparently, its the story of a former fake psychic who uses his heightened observation abilities to assist the police in solving crimes. Can you say Psych, anyone?

On CBS, there are a few returning sitcoms and two new ones.

One new comedy is Gary Unmarried, which premieres on Wednesday, September 24 at 8:30 pm ET.  The show stars Jay Mohr and Paula Marshall.  Gary Barnes is a recently single painting contractor, who, after 15 years of marriage to his controlling wife, Allison, now faces post-divorce life as they each embark on new relationships and share custody of their two children, played by Laura Marano and Ryan Malgarini.
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