TV Premiere reviews (Modern Family, Dexter and Office) * Oct 4, 2010

Oct 4, 2010

TV Premiere reviews (Modern Family, Dexter and Office)

Current mood:listless

Last week was a much anticipated week in television season premieres.  There were three I had in general that I had to wait awhile for especially when one of them I had to wait nine months for.  Come on 9 months.  What I am going to discuss here is if these season premieres made up for the wait.  A claim definitely is not being made that these have to be the best episodes but they should be at least better than at least half the season for making other viewers and me wait so long. 

Office's season 7 premiere

I will review the Office first just to get it out of the way since most of my blogs have been about this show.  The show had a really scary start.  Understanding that it was suppose to be over the top because of what they were going for I was brought back to the debate of how far has this show drifted from its main goal.  The main goal being that these are regular people trapped in a boring life and Steve Carrell is the reason they ever get any excitement in their lives.

  This gets complicated to explain because I understand how television shows have to evolve so the crowd doesn't adjust and feel the show is being stale.  It's these characters’s evolution that makes me want these guys to keep simple.  The Office and every TV show are constantly gaining and losing fans.  Since Office is going to take a big hit in lots of fans when Carrell leaves it will have some extent of what it originally had so it draws a whole class of new fans.  These new fans need something to relate to like what the show originally had with casual people who were involved in everyday awkward situation rather than ones that are forced because of the flamboyancy of every character.  The intro of the show was of course going to be over the top but compare it to how the video would've been done in the first season or if it would have even been considered.

The show took some pretty big jumps from when we were last left off from the 5^th season.  The biggest one was Andy & Erin breaking up for no reason after the audience had to be dragged forever though their failed attempts to hook up.  Another shot at keeping fans after this season.  The evolution of relationships is always a good way to keep fans caring in the long run.  Speaking of relationships Jim and Pam this episode worked with each other to tease Dwight, which is the way it was before the 5^th season.  Currently Dwight or Michael Scott are these two can interact with now or else they would seem like snobs since everyone's else corks is what brings the usual fans back.  These two cannot interact with anyone else but for the opening episode they played a mediocre role and nothing more.

The big issue of an episode was Michael Scott hiring his nephew, that everyone seemed to hate.  Michael may know how to manage but when it comes to hiring,  It was awesome how the episode pointed that out when Michael brought forth “What if I should punish everyone that does their job badly?” and the camera aims at Ryan.  A good objective shown.  Instead of enjoying this opener as the comedy it was I spent the whole time trying to adjust to the major changes from the summer.  Thank goodness Steve Carrell brought the high level eccentrics down to simple playing field by spanking his nephew for being unprofessional.  Even though being the season opener was a good reason for the nephew to suddenly appear as the associate I didn't feel the fulfillment I craved for my wait.

The changes were too unsettling and the story didn't make the flow smooth enough to enjoy the comedy.  Season 5 so far to me has the best opener and almost Season 2's Dundies episode.  As much as I am attacking the show for not preparing for Steve Carrell's departure they are making a good effort into easing Kelly into being hired into the manager position especially with her knowledge of zoning areas.

Rating: 6/10; it barely got its job done for an opener but as an episode it was good.

Dexter opener

Now, this show's opener had the highest expectation from any..other show I am covering today.  Season 4 ended in one of television’s most anticipated cliffhangers in the history of television. The writers for this episode covered their butts in many ways to make sure the waiting viewers were not disappointed.  The episode was a definitely a to ease into the season causing a balance of speeding up in some areas while being too slow in others.

The one factor that unquestionably went too fast was the expectancy for Dexter to heal.  He actually was taking the death of his wife as a normal person would but all of his coworkers besides LaGuerta were expecting him to be able to function normally.   LaGuerta's only reason for even taking sympathy on Dexter is because wants people to treat that way in case it happens to her.  I understand what Debra ask of Dexter to setup his funeral is understandable but she treats him like Rita during wedding preparations.  Sort of a big difference between wedding and funeral to your wife I would like to imagine.  Dexter doesn't give her a chance sit down and talk about what happened but how could in the state that he is in.

Then there's Quinn, the Doakes wannabe, assuming immediately that Dexter has something to do with it.  The writing team couldn't hold off on this issue for a few episodes to bring this as a twist issue.  It would be a minor surprise since the audience feel Dexter is in the clear because the MO is clearly Trinity's but a hint from the neighbor or the family alerts them of Kyle Butler and then annoying Quinn can activate.  The worst reason why Quinn isn’t the best one to begin this heinous chase over Dexter is because Dexter knows where the off switch is for Quinn once the smoke clears.  The reason Joseph started this silly hunt is because Dexter caught him sneaking a few bucks from a murder victim.  The reason this rush bugs me so much is because usually Dexter’s familiars usually give him too much time for emotions but now they reversed as if they know his problem. 

The one thing I think is taking the appropriate speed is how Dexter had to explain this horrible atrocity to his family.  Astor hates Dexter like a child should against their Step-father.  The scene where he had to explain what happened to the family felt appropriately awkward especially when Dexter had to wear the Mickey Mouse ears.  The slow issue was Dexter’s tendency to run away.  It felt dishonorable even for Dexter’s cold standards and it dragged on.  When he was on that boat did he truly feel he could easily be forgotten by the FBI and the people he has a responsibility to?   I guess it could be counted to as temporary insanity but it didn’t feel right for his character or the flow of this episode.

  This opener was a good following to crazy ending of last season.  The pace of some of the issues may have not felt right but I am sure the paces will balance themselves as Dexter season 5 continues

Rating 7/10

Modern Family

This was by far my favorite premiere of the three.  The only sad part in not enough college students, my current peers, and watch said show.  This is why I am posting the whole episode while it last instead of a picture.  It’s not incredible quality of the episode that made it such a good opener but the mood and moral it places its viewers.

  The theme was “letting go” the basic family had to let go of their dangerous wagon that they spent younger times on hills.  I can’t say that my family has had such different time when we younger at Dayton’s bluff are looking over St. Paul down or Hudson looking over the Mississippi River. I swear not only is the Chicano mother married to Ed O’Neil sexy but she is by far the show’s funniest character.  Her little Manny is getting success with this girl while she awkwardly fight the girl for Manny by fighting over which way is best to drink chocolate Milk.  Note to self: try chocolate milk with salt.

The gay couple’s story didn’t follow the theme but was mindlessly funny still the same because how one not has fun when you have someone using dangerous tools that never should.  Poor daisies.  One can’t help to watch this show and feel good about which they have for family and not in corny but the way that you realize their imperfection and like them for it.

Rating: 9/10

I know the 2^nd episode of all of these TV shows is orut by now but I thought these are good if you aren’t so caught up on all of these shows.  Let me know if you disagee.

Ps. if you hate reading Batman comics because Robin is too much of a goody good start reading them again.  The new Robin is Batman’s son but it’s the mother who should make you interested.  Damian Wayne’s , new robins, mother is Talia Ahl Gahl, the leader of League of Assassins. So one could imagine how being raised with assassin could make one a kickass homicidal maniac for a Robin.

 

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