That’s out of order!

 

amstell

Old news for some, but sadly even in the internet age uk-tv related news is not always easy to hear over here.

Simon Amstell has apparently retired as host of the BBC’s Music quiz/comedy show: Never Mind the Buzzcocks in order to spend more time touring as a straight (har!) standup artist.

This marks the second recent loss of a long-time cast member from NMTB as Bill Bailey left after the conclusion of the second-to-last series(season) last year. Phil Juputus remains as a team captain and frequent guest captain Noel Fielding of The Mighty Boosh will be taking over Bill’s chair permanently. Current rumours say the host position will be guest chaired for the coming season, apparently now not due til the fall. Hopefully they get another permanent host with the right combination of snark and deadpan.

Simon, we’ll miss you, come do the north american fringe circuit!

Check out a great clip of the surprisingly awesome Josh Groban and Omed Djalili on buzzcocks last year, then seek out episodes on your favorite internet video site for more.

R.I.P. Bea Arthur

Anyone who was around in the 80’s knew the Golden Girls, and like many Canadians around my age I probably saw every episode. The show’s syndicated run in Canada was one of the few things on after school that was for a bit more adult of an audience (these being the ancient days when basic cable was under 20 channels.)

 

Looking back I have a lot of fond memories of the show and of the four actresses in the lead roles. Much comedy was wrung from naïve Rose, man-crazy Blanche and irascible Sophia, but Bea Arthur’s Dorothy was the character that held the show together. Without Dorothy the show could easily have degenerated into one dimensional sillyness. Arthur was the consummate straight-woman and a gifted comedienne who had that all too rare ability to make the switch to pathos without it feeling totally contrived. (For a counter example see: Allen, Tim)

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It wasn’t until later in life that I saw any of her earlier series Maude on classic tv channels, but it was instantly clear that she brought the same skills to that role as well. I’m still amazed that they were able to have that frank of a discussion on abortion on network TV in that era. She was definitely a trailblazer for strong female characters on television (something we’re still not exactly swimming in.)

 

The post Golden Girls/Palace careers of the 4 women are rather varied…

 

Rue McClanahan seems to have taken minor parts in every crappy tv series and direct to video feature she could get. (Though I must say I enjoyed her as the blind biology teacher in Starship Troopers)

 

Estelle Getty died several years ago after developing a degenerative mental illness, but before that she did the terrible but  oddly funny Stallone movie “Stop or my Mom will Shoot” and had a few other minor roles including a voice part in Duckman.

 

Betty White continues to be a perennial scene stealer. The foul mouthed granny egging on the giant gator in Lake Placid is a favorite as was her turn on Boston Legal and a recent guest star appearance on My Name is Earl as the witch lady. Her upcoming role in the new Sandra Bullock movie looks to be the only watchable thing in that inevitable crapfest. Her recent appearances on the new Pyramid show demonstrate that she’s as sharp as ever (ditto her great roast of Shatner).

 

Bea’s post GG career was a little more laid back, sticking to a few roles and some stage work. The highlight for me of course is her absolutely inspired turn as the fem-bot impersonating a fem-puter on the Futurama episode: Amazon Women in the Mood. Her voice acting is fantastic and based on the commentary the Futurama crew obviously loved her. The most recent thing I remember her from is a perfect example of her deadpan humour, sadly the AVclub beat me to the punch on this one but it really is perfect:

 

 

Farewell Cook County General

 

er

In 1994 I was a geeky 10th grader making his way through high school and trying to decide what to do with his life. I was on the verge of making some serious mistakes regarding romantic entanglements that would haunt the next 5-10 years of my life, I was coasting through school without having to make much of an effort and I was discovering the person that I would become. And on September 19, 1994 a TV series premiered that would influence my life for the next 10 years… that series was ER.

 

More after the break…

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30 Rock – St. Valentine’s Day

As the follow up to the brilliant “Generalissimo” from last week, “St. Valentine’s Day” had a lot to live up to. While it didn’t quite hit that high water mark it still managed to make me nearly do a spit take a few times.

Liz and her hot-as-a-cartoon-pilot new flame Dr. Baird (Jon Hamm from Mad Men) end up having their first date on Valentine’s day, and what starts as awkward takes leaps and bounds into disaster area as accidental boob spillage, twosie seeing and family neuroses ensue. Our heroine and her new beau decide to embrace the trainwreck and try to get everything bad out of the way on the first date… thus far it works and we save the inevitable lemon-implosion for another episode.

Meanwhile in TGS-land, Frank’s one line of the episode hands off responsibility for a new blind NBC employee to Kenneth, who instantly falls in love and is speechless (I loved Tracy’s throwaway joke about Dotcom’s first meeting with Grizz’s Fiancée). Tracy plays a Cyrano of sorts, filling in the words he imagines Kenneth would say: “Yes indeedy corncobs!” After not seeing TJ’s crew for a bit Dotcom had some great moments tonight (he speaks french!) Needless to say, Ken does not end up getting the girl. Blind girl asks to feel is face and when she gets to his chin (or lack thereof), she beats a hasty retreat… ouch…

Salma Hayek continues her guest run this week with her nurse Elisa having issues with her catholicism and Jack’s very intense lack thereof. When forced to take confession rather than go eat a $1000 dessert, he manages to send the priest crying for backup. Priceless, as were the McFlurry jokes though I can’t imagine what McDonald’s must have paid for that.  I honestly don’t think Elisa’s hardcore religiousness out of nowhere was very believeable, but it did make for some great jokes, including Liz’s “If I had those knockers, I’d thank god too.”  I think we all should thank god for Salma Hayek’s breasts personally.

As a rule I’m not a huge fan of the episodes where A B and C stories are more or less completely separate, but the pacing and gags in this one made it work pretty well.  Jane only had one bit this episode but it was priceless as, after Tracy introduces her as Michael McDonald, she proceeds to butcher McDonald’s horrid over the top schmaltz.  I still find myself hoping we can go back to the writer’s room a bit, I miss Twofer and Ceri and more Frank…  We especially need more Pete, is Scott Adsit off doing something else? I thought Morel Orel was done with.

Favorite Line of this episode:  “The Patron Saint of Judgemental Statues”

A solid A- episode with some great moments.