Jay Leno was pathetic on Oprah yesterday, but that is going to be the subject of an essay on late night I'll put out sometime next week. Now that things are winding down I feel like I can do a proper review of the messy, fascinating fiasco.
BORED TO DEATH (HBO)
I watched the first few episodes of this and gave it an A. I watched a few more. I fucking love it. It feels like a smart, funny and sometimes moving independant film. Only it's a half hour and pitch perfect. They veered into some weird territory with the Ted Danson bi-sexuality thing...I thought that was a rare mistep. (Ted's character implied he would have some gay sex, hired a male prostitute, then of course never had sex - just talked pop culture all night with the guy.) But I love this show and think its one of the best half hours HBO has ever produced.
Grade: A +
AMERICAN IDOL has been okay....I really wish they would not set you up for who's going to go through and who's not - maybe the worst case of over editing ever seen. That said, this season has been good and there have been some really memorable characters, most notably the "Pants on the ground" guy. Although Jimmy Fallon, usually unwatchable on his boring chat fest, turned that song into something Neil Young might've done in the 70s and rocked the house with the re-work of the song and his uncanny impression. I don't think Fallon belongs at the center of any late night show, but he earned a few points with this frightengly good Neil Young impression.
Go here to see it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2WfUzNYPwo
But back to IDOL. Some of the guest judges (most) have been snoozes, but there were three that deserve comment. Kate Perry, just because there is something so real and lovely about her, I wish it were here and not Ellen becoming a permanent judge. April Levigne - I know, I probably mangled her name but fuck her. I don't like her, don't really like her shitty music and REALLY didn't like her sour puss attitude on the show. Turning down people left and right that were good. What does she think? I don't know - she came off really bad and gross and angry. Then there's NPH. Neil Patrick Harris. Oh, boy. It was almost as if NPH said to himself "I'm goign to be on Idol. I need to really be on, mix it up with Simon, be hilarious..." And wow - was he on. And boy did it turn me off. He tried to go in there and just be one of the gang and I appreciate the showmanship I guess, but I really love it when someone who is guesting on their to both assertive and themselves. I got the feeling NPH was doing what he thought we wanted to see him do. Ever since he hosted the Emmys and got touted as genius - even though it was one of the safest hosting jobs I've ever seen (not that I think NPH has the ability to be dangerously comic), but if ever there was an overrated guy around, it's gotta be Neil Patrick Harris. The strange thing is I really like him most of the time - I just wish he didn't believe his own press so much.
For the record, I really like the "Barney" chick with the whip.
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