By Amy Van Veen (Contributer) – Email
This week was definitely a week that had NBC shining in the spotlight. CBS has decided, for yet another week, to keep HIMYM fans stewing over the ‘Last Words’ episode and Big Bang fans will apparently get their next fix on February 3. ABC just can’t make up its mind with what new episodes they’ll air (Cougar Town), which reruns they’ll show (The Middle and Modern Family) and which shows they’ll be so undecided about they don’t even get a rerun slot (Better With You, anyone?).
Cougar Town did answer the question that has been plaguing fans ever since Jules stared in despondency at herself in that pilot episode: who made her the leader of the group? Cougar Town has not only been wrestling with their name choice, they have also made a switch from following a divorcée in her 40s wading through the mess that is modern dating to an ensemble show following the antics of the cul-de-sac crew. When Ellie goes and buys herself something new, she embraces her tomboy side and Jules can’t quite handle her best friend becoming a redneck. Grayson finds out why Andy’s so touchy with him, unfortunately he finds out after he tied Andy, in Travis’ sweatshirt, to a tree. Finally, throughout the episode, we see the gang of adults, and one college kid who can’t seem to find his way in college, playing sardines in a can.
Drug awareness gets a new spin on Community with Troy and Abed as bees, Pierce as the dreaded marijuana leaf, Britta and Troy as cool cats and Shirley as…a crayon? Annie’s desperation for money leads Pierce to offer her some and then blackmail her into giving him a bigger part in their play for at-risk middle school students, which means Annie’s message gets a little mixed. In the end, though, it’s saved by Chang, who shares with the kids the crazy side of drugs because no one does crazy like Changry.
As Amy and Vance return from their spontaneous trip to Paris in Perfect Couples, Dave tries to get Julie on board with being overexcited so Vance won’t pick up on disapproval from his friends, even though Dave is the one to disappoint him. Meanwhile, Leigh decides to be Amy’s wedding planner and Rex ends up succeeding at selling one of his new Bentleys to Dave. Thanks to some flashbacks, too, we see how all of the couples made it through their proposals, and which proposal trumped another’s wedding.
The Office did not disappoint this week with their cold open as Ricky Gervais makes a cameo as David Brent and asks Michael Scott if Dunder Mifflin is hiring. Since it’s Steve Carell’s last season, is this a possible foreshadow to a passing back of the passed torch? In the office, though, Michael seems to bring out his Despicable Me accent for a chance at improv with Holly, Oscar and Pam help Erin improve her Scrabble skills and Andy finally makes some sales.
In Parks & Recreation, it becomes clear that sick Leslie is even better than drunk Leslie, especially when she brings herself together for a presentation to save the Pawnee Harvest Festival, and their jobs. Anne no longer has to be intimidated by Chris, thanks to his admission to the hospital with a mean attack of the flu. Tom hot-tubs with some movers and shakers of Pawnee, allowing for corporate sponsorship at the Festival, and Ben just gets more and more endearing when he brings Leslie his homemade chicken soup and a take-out order of waffles as she heals in the hospital.
30 Rock. What can be said about this week? When Jack decides to pre-tape a disaster relief benefit, leaving Jenna’s song vague enough to cover just about anything and getting Robert DeNiro to share his condolences for just about any disaster, even one where Hitchcock’s The Birds becomes a reality, it seems like a horribly good idea. That is until the disaster he ends up relieving involves Mel Gibson’s personal island and his friend and fellow victim of the disaster, John Gosselin. Meanwhile, Tracy’s wife’s new reality show is following him, forcing him to act completely sane to save face just in time for the Oscars which Liz can’t help but exploit. The two of them eventually sort it out thanks to an angry sing-off and some “reality” TV fixes. OneRepublic comes in at the last minute making Jack and Liz’s last glance even more meaningful.
Finally, Thursday night was wrapped up with Outsourced as Charlie finally gets into the loop of Tonya and Todd and Rajiv tries his best to backtrack on all of his negativity when Jerry tells him it’s time for the employees to do evaluations on him. With Madhuri’s help, he eventually gets everyone on his side, only to find out that managers should not be liked in their evaluations.
Obviously, Thursday night is packed full of hilarity even with only one network stepping up to the plate. Hopefully by next week the other shows will catch up and on February 8 with the Chance family and bringing back their parenting skills in Raising Hope although Will Arnett’s new project, Running Wilde, seems to be losing traction and may be stopped short.
