Sunday, October 10, 2010

The Battle of "Scrubs"

This fall it seems that each TV show is trying to replace a previous one. Be the “new” this or that.  The Event wants to be the new Lost.  Outsourced wants to be the new The Office.  But despite the unpopular response to the last season of Scrubs, there seems to be a scramble to be the new Scrubs.  And appropriately enough, it’s between the two networks that aired the series.
            Is it fair to say that there is even one show that wants to be the new Scrubs? Yes, because whether or not it will say it outright, there is too much evidence against Cougartown than it can avoid.  You have Christa Miller, playing the same character they played on the show. Courtney Cox (who actually had an arc on Scrubs) leading the show. And the same kind of man-love J.D. and Turk had between Bobby and the bald one. Christa Miller’s husband on the show. Can’t remember his name.  But despite the fact that they don’t work and they don’t have any of the silly fantasy sequences, the actors have a similar chemistry (and one that’s definitely way better than the last season or two of Scrubs).
            Even last year, however, I noticed that there is another show with Scrubsian elements. Community, like the aforementioned, has an institution to tie all the characters’ lives together (and yet it seems like you can pretty much get away with anything at).  Joel McHale is working well as a sort of replacement for Dr. Cox.  He has the wit, charm, and confidence that very few others on network comedy can claim. And the recurring man-love of Troy and Abed helps its case as well. Since you asked, No, the man-love aspect is not the only criteria I use to make these comparisons. There’s also the awkward romantic endeavors between the main character and the leading lady or ladies of the show.
             Speaking of NBC, is anyone as excited as me about the 30Rock live episode? Pretty ballsy.  But if anyone can do it, it’s Tina Fey and crew. That’s not even the show I’m most excited about this fall.  Aside from that and How I Met Your Mother, I would have to say Castle is still doing pretty good for itself.  For those of you who are completely out of the loop, Castle stars Nathan Felion, the guy from Firefly. He’s a bestselling author who helps out/gets inspiration from the NYC police/one especially attractive lady detective.  But that’s all I’m going to say besides It’s good, and you should be watching it.
            Now for shows that suck. First and foremost is Outlaw- I actually started watching it on Hulu because I confused it for Lone Star. The latter was cancelled.  The former unbelievably hasn’t been.  It stars Jimmy Smits, who should not be allowed to lead a show. But the worst part is the concept: A Supreme Court Justice, a conservative, leaves the bench after his dad, a liberal, dies, and he realizes he should be a liberal, too.  Pretty ridiculous no matter your political affiliation. Justices don’t just leave the bench like that, unless they’re retiring. And they don’t really seem to give any reason for his deciding he’s a liberal. This show is entirely inferior to even The Defenders, which I don’t really like that much either, mostly because Jim Belushi doesn’t really work in a dramatic role.
             So if you are watching these shows, or Outsourced, you may have even less of a life than I do.

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