Comedy Corner: Happy Endings, Don’t Trust the B, New Girl, The Mindy Project, Cougar Town, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, The Office Reviews

Reviews, Shows

funny fridayThis week:

  • Happy Endings
  • Don’t Trust The B…
  • New Girl
  • The Mindy Project
  • Cougar Town
  • Modern Family
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • The Office

Note: From now until the end of the month, ABC will be airing two episodes of Happy Endings and Don’t Trust The B— In Apartment 23 per week, on Sunday and Tuesday nights. This is because they’re low-rated sitcoms and the network wants to free up time in the schedule to try out other shows. I wish these comedies did better, because I love them, but let’s look on the Brightside – double doses of funny for a few weeks!

happy endings sundayHappy Endings – “Fowl Play/Date” (Sunday)
This episode of Happy Endings was on the wackier side of the scale, what with the dead parrot and the raunchier and more racial jokes. I can see it not working for some people, but I enjoyed it. I’ve always liked the rapid pace jokes are fired out on this show, and the “con” jokes over brunch were a great example of how well the cast can pull off that kind of thing. (I need a bottle episode of Alex in her Annie Hall outfit at the Rom-Com Con. Also, when my fiancé saw her, he asked “Is she supposed to be Meg Ryan or something? Sigh. I have so much work to do.) I also LOVED Jane and Dave’s blind dates for Max. Particularly Jane as a gay man, rocking the shorts. Hilarious.
Best moment: I plan on wining, dining and 79ing him. And yes if you’re wondering that is 10 better!”
Runner up: “I don’t know why I’m surprised, I once saw you put sunscreen on a grape because you didn’t want it to become a raisin.”

happy endings tuesdayHappy Endings – “Ordinary Extraordinary Love” (Tuesday)
This episode was funnier to me than Sunday night’s, probably of the heavy amount of Jane. I loved watching her and Derrick take Max to every gay event in the city to try and figure out what incredibly specific gay sub-group he belongs to. (The “Ginger Snaps” were my favorite.) I also loved seeing Brad and Dave try and act like manly men. I wasn’t as into Alex and Penny’s storyline, but I still liked the episode overall.
Best moment: Alex just hasn’t been that into music since Smashmouth left the scene.

Don’t Trust The B In Apartment 23 – “Paris…” (Sunday)
This was another very funny episode of 23. I felt like all the pieces fell into place here – June’s new job, Chloe’s role as a badass, and James’ actor quirks. I like seeing Mark struggle with his feelings for June, and even Eli worked this week as he doled out advice from his window. I loved watching June attempt to kill her nemesis with kindness, but actually end up accidentally stab her. Usually an episode that sidelines Chloe is a dud, but Dreama Walker carried it this time. The “You from Queens!” bit was a funny surprise.
Best moment: “As an actor, I know everything there is to know about writing. I also know everything there is to know about medicine, being a fireman… and an astronaut.”
Runner up: “That felt like chicken.”

apartment 23 tuesdayDon’t Trust The B In Apartment 23 – “The Scarlet Neighbor…” (Tuesday)
Sigh. I want to have liked this episode, but I was too immensely distracted by the fact that ABC has been airing these episodes out of order. It was especially noticeable with the two that aired this week. On Sunday night, June had an exciting new job and Mark was trying to figure out how to make his move. On Tuesday night, June was back working at the coffee shop, she barely knew her neighbors and still hadn’t quite accepted Chloe’s badass, carefree ways, and Mark was getting back together with his crappy girlfriend. UGH. There were aspects to this episode that I enjoyed, but the continuity issues drove me so insane that I don’t even feel like blogging about it.
Best moment: On Sunday mornings, Mark’s girlfriend makes him go hiking with the cats.

new girlNew Girl – “Cabin”
I loved *everything* about this episode. Everyone in the cast got great moments. Jess, Nick and their partners hitting a cabin for the weekend with a bottle of absinthe made for unbelievable hilarity. Schmidt attempting to get Winston to act more black was absolutely the funniest those two characters have ever been together. Everything about it worked – that Schmidt would try and do something like that, and how Winston could barely hold his laughs in as he used it to prank Schmidt. The verbal delivery of the words “crack cocaine” alone was enough to prove why I love this show. The storyline played with a lot of stereotypes, but Schmidt’s intentions were good and the jokes were all so well written that it worked.
Best moment: “If you were a hat, you’d be a top hat. But like a really big Monopoly one. And I say that with deepest compliments.”

mindyThe Mindy Project – “Mindy’s Brother”
The reviews I’ve read online of this episode have been mixed, but I freakin’ loved it. I laughed out loud many times, and thought it was one of the better episodes this series has delivered so far. I know my taste is biased by my love for Kaling, but I adore this show. This week, Mindy tried to convince her brother not to drop out of school to pursue a rap career, after he surprised her by showing up in New York. I prefer self-righteous Mindy to hot mess Mindy, and the show played up those beats just like the episode where she doled out sex advice to teenagers. I like the Mindy who says “Rapping is a hobby. Do you think I would just throw my life away simply because I’m good at naming celebrity couples?” Minds was also trying to cope with a lot of stress, from work and from her recent love life disaster with Josh. Bringing the midwives back into play was a smart, funny move. I also loved Mindy’s Boston accent, the stress-barfing made me laugh, and Mindy’s reaction to having to deliver her brother’s racy lyrics were all highlights. I just felt lukewarm about the B plot, but Mindy’s main stuff was enough to carry the episode for me.
Best moment: “Oh my god did my tuition check bounce? Sometimes they don’t take those Hunger Games checks seriously, but I get such good Mockingjay points.”

cougar townCougar Town – “Blue Sunday”
Cougar Town is on TBS now, guys! I still haven’t figured out if I actually get that channel (I get too many channels to find my favorite shows, has there ever been a more first world problem?) but I’m thrilled that the show is still on the air. This was a great first episode back – the gang still has perfect chemistry, and Jules and Dime Eyes’ marriage has only made things better. There were tons of hilarious moments and I can’t wait for more.
Best moment: The teaser at the end, with a hilarious appearance from Michelle Williams, was amazing.
Runners up: “B-T-Dubs, I’m kind of obsessed with Monopoly. In high school I once had a backseat quickie with a guy just because his name was Marvin Gardens. The point is, I played Monopoly so much that all the kids called me “Community Chest”.
And: “I would apologize, but I know how to behave in a dream.”

Modern Family – “New Year’s Eve”
The folks on Modern Family spend more time together than most families, and it was good to see that acknowledged by the clan when Jay forced everyone to spend New Year’s Eve together at a hotel that Jay remembered from the old days with rose colored glasses. They spend too much time together to just have a quiet dinner, and everyone bailed as quickly as possible. The real highlight of the episode, though, was watching Haley and Alex try and figure out how to deal with babysitting the kids when Luke and Manny had invited girls over.
Best moment: Nude Year’s Eve.
Runner up: “We should start calling her ranch house, because she doesn’t have a second story.”

tbbt star trekThe Big Bang Theory – “The Bakersfield Expedition”
I felt like I knew what this episode would consist of when the guys said they were going to a comic book convention. But getting their car stolen while they were taking photos dressed in Star Trek garb was NOT what I expected. And it was hilarious. Meanwhile, the girls tried to read comic books to try and connect with their dudes. I liked this because now that comic books are more mainstream, trying them out is something that everyone can relate to. I liked how it turned into a big argument about the workings of Thor and his hammer. This was a nice episode.
Best moment: “You can’t ask a question like that in here, are you trying to start a rumble?”
Runner up: “The only thing left to do now is assign blame.”

The Office – “Lice”
Poor Pam. With Jim in Philly for meetings, she was dealing with the kids on her own – and a lice outbreak. Of course, that made for some office hilarity that played up some of the funniest peripheral characters. Everyone thought Meredith was to blame, plus we got some Oscar/Angela tension and a reminder of Erin’s orphanage past. (BTW guys, pretty sure mayonnaise doesn’t actually work for lice.) I like that Jim did so well in Philly – that guy needs a win, and the series only has half a season to let him and Pam move to Philly permanently.
Best moment: Jim in the limo, and Pam having a beer with Meredith.

You can follow Jill at her blog, couchtimewithjill.com, or on Twitter @jillemader Jill has been an avid fan of TV since the age of two, when she was so obsessed with Zoobilee Zoo that her mother lied and told her it had been canceled. Despite that setback, she grew up to be a television aficionado and pop culture addict.