You know what? Skip the flowery introduction, skip the pontificatin’, skip all that this week! Here is what we thought about some of the best shows on TV last week and you can agree to disagree with us in the comments!

Zoe

Community: “The Science of Illusion”
A friend and I were catching up recently and, as you do, you discuss the TV shows you watch. And we realized that, as much as we enjoyed Community, and as often as I do write about it, it’s hard to think of anything to say about it each week. “Britta is becoming more of a character!” “Troy was funny!” After a while, there’s just not always that much to say about comedies if they’re good.

And while this week is good enough to be a part of that quandary, it does have something of note that gets a HUGE thumbs up from me, when Troy talks about not getting a reference to the Cookie Crisp Wizard. And not only do I like that detail because I also had no idea that was a reference, I like that detail because it attacks something that annoys me to no end: when older writers make younger characters reference things they just wouldn’t know. The most egregious example of this, in my mind, is when Juno screams “Thundercats, Ho!” as she’s having her baby. Because the most normal thing in the world is to reference a show that was off the air by the time you were old enough to remember it.

Ok, rant over. The point is, I appreciate Community for remembering that Troy is still a young guy and, as such, isn’t going to go around being all about the late ’70s/’80s.

How I Met Your Mother: “Say Cheese”
Boy, it irked me when Lily kept referring to Ted’s exes (or whatever you’d want to call them) as skanks. I mean, it’s not out of character, but their skankiness is only evidence by the fact that they might want to have sex with Ted which…ok, valid, but still.

Anyways, while this episodes was sort of “eh” and points to the biggest flaws of season five, it makes me think about an issue that the writers are getting closer and closer to having to face: their characters are getting old. Like, old enough that, if certain things are supposed to happen, they’re probably going to happen soon. As in, Lily should start think about getting pregnant and Ted definitely better start thinking about getting married. I know, I know people are getting married and having kids older than ever! But in my experience, if someone isn’t married by their mid-30s they’re probably not going to be. And if we can reasonably expect Ted’s future wife to have kids….yea, this train better start moving out of the station a bit faster.

Dennis

Damages: “Drive It Through Hardcore”
I meant to write about Damages last week but neglected to do so. I wanted to complain about the random C-plot the show was throwing at us with Ted Danson’s Arthur Frobisher. Luckily this week, Arthur is still on, so I still have cause for complaint. While Danson’s character was integral (and amazing) during the show’s first season, it seems as though the writers have been inexplicably trying to shoehorn him into the show ever since whether it makes sense or not. At least this week, it was an interesting detour into Frobisherville, as Patty reminded (a now supposedly rehabilitated) Arthur he hasn’t changed. I guess if the show is going to insist upon bringing Danson back (it’s not like he’s hard up for work, he’s on Bored to Death and occasionally Curb Your Enthusiasm), let’s have Patty chew him out just once a season, and then send him on his way.

Grey’s Anatomy: “Suicide is Painless”
This week’s Grey’s was almost entirely fast forward-able, save for a guest Emmy-worthy guest appearance by Sara Gilbert as a dying Cancer patient. I know The WB’s Twins wasn’t good, and her brief upgrade to regular on The Big Bang Theory didn’t go so well either, but she’s had solid post-Roseanne guest and recurring parts on 24, ER, and now Grey’s. Can someone give Gilbert a starring TV role already?

LOST: “Ab Aeterno”
Not sure I have anything to say that hasn’t already been said in this week’s Getting LOST. I concur most of all with Scott, when he says, “It seems a little too easy for LOST’s six years of shifting allegiances and ambiguous character motives to come down to a guy in a white shirt who’s God and a guy in a black shirt who’s Satan.” True that.

LOL RoundUp
If anyone still claims that TV comedy is dead, they should be shot (or at least told to stop watching How I Met Your Mother… zing!). I figured I’d mention my favorite funny moments on each of this week’s TV shows

RuPaul’s Drag Race: “Once Upon a Queen,”
Each remaining contestant was given the opportunity to roast the others this week, and Pandora Boxx’s of Jessica Wild (“Those drag clothes look like a donkey f**ked a piñata and threw up”) and Raven (“The frosty bitch, I think I see penguins circling that pole”) were the best. Between that, and her Carol Channing impression a few weeks back, Pandora better win this competition, or it’ll be a real (bad pun coming in 3…2…1) drag.

Modern Family: “Starry Night”
I maintain that much like its comedy um, grandfather All in the Family, MoFam’s the funniest when it’s a little politically incorrect. Cameron is complaining about Mitchell’s Ivy League friends just as Colombian Gloria and her pint-sized son walk in: “I wish that tart would go back to Columbia, and take her weird little Brown friend with her.” That still makes me tear up with laughter every time I think about it.

Greek: “The First Last”
I enjoyed Ashleigh showing Casey how to “smile with her eyes” (“smeyesing”) and Casey telling Ashleigh she looked like “a mime on drugs,” but I really enjoyed one line from Clark Duke’s devout Dale to his homosexual pal Calvin: “The gay cruise promotes promiscuity. I saw the pictures of all those shaved calves and snug swim trunks.” Ah, how I wish Hot Tub Time Machine did better this weekend. Duke deserves just as much work as his real-life bff Michael Cera.

30 Rock: “Floyd,” Community: “The Science of Illusion” and Parks and Recreation: “Summer Catalog
None of the episodes on NBC’s comedy line-up this week were my favorites of their respective shows, but there were some funny moments nonetheless. 30 Rock had Floyd drunk on salmon, Tracy and Jenna assaulting what they thought was Nightmare Kenneth, and possibly Pete’s only funny moment ever in the history of the show, where he’s trapped in his own nightmare with Liz and an NBC underwear-clad Kenneth. Community had Chevy Chase wandering around in a magician costume, pointing a cookie wand at people. And Parks and Recreation had some good quotes from April, including, “I’m an eyebrow girl. I want to make out with him and chew his eyebrows off.” That’ll do NBC comedy, that’ll do.