Over a week later and I'm back. I wasn't immediately compelled to write about these episodes, so I simply never did. The theme of the night was of course Valentine's Day, and while it was fun to see each show's inevitable romantic, goofy, hijinks, on the whole I wasn't impressed. But there were parts that made me smile, so NBC comedy night, I forgive you!
The previous week's episode, Romantic Expressionism, was flawless, and Communication Studies didn't measure up at all.
For starters: although I'm warming up to Britta (her hungover vulnerability helped, and I'm willing to bet it was supposed to), I thought her drunk dialing storyline was boring. And in the end, I still don't care enough about her and Jeff as a couple to get the warm-and-fuzzies at their Valentines dance encounter. It was a lame premise to begin with - Jeff having to drunk dial Britta because she did it to him? I'm sure there are many other solutions to "balance" their relationship. Abed's tutelage was funny, but the entire storyline felt contrived, once again, to get us to root for Jeff + Britta.
The parallel story with Troy, Pierce, Annie, Shirley, and Senor Chang was equally boring. I get it - Annie and Shirley care about their friends! Senor Chang is so hilariously cruel! Womens' pantsuits are funny! Overall, an underwhelming episode.
Parks and Recreation - Galentine's Day, 2.16
My favorite of the bunch, as per usual. I dug Leslie's extra thoughtful Galentines Day gift bags (which included a mosaic portrait made from the crushed bottles of each gal's favorite diet soda), Tom and Justin's relationship, Andy's band Mouse Rat (formerly Scarecrow Boat, among other names), the deleted scenes of everyone mocking poor Jerry, and above all, the relationship developments that occurred during the episode.
Leslie begins to realize Justin isn't right for her, and Ron helps her through the decision. April finally dumps her gay boyfriend and his boyfriend when they make fun of an old couple (she's really a big softie, underneath it all). Ann realizes her seemingly ideal relationship with Mark is actually pretty boring. Andy dedicates "The Way You Look Tonight" to April Ludgate, to Ann's surprise. Tom tells Wendy how he feels.
And that's just the regular cast! The central storyline really revolves around Leslie's mom Marlene's "greatest love story of all time" and its disillusionment. A great, relationship-driven episode, with fewer laughs than usual; but as always, with enough heart to make up for it.
The Office - The Manager and the Salesman, 6.16
My least favorite of the four... again! And I hate to say that, too, because it was written by Mindy Kaling, one of my favorite Office writers ("The Dundies," "The Injury," among others).
The parts I enjoyed were the cold open (Michael canceling his hotel reservation), the Kelly/Erin/Andy/entire office V-Day card confusion (Andy/Erin is my favorite part of every episode, now), and at the very end when Jim dunked Dwight's tie into his coffee (oh prankster Jim, how I miss you!).
The parts I didn't enjoy were everything else. Hasn't the Jim vs. Michael managerial/control thing been played out? Not fun anymore. Hopefully that's done now, with Jim back as a salesman again.
30 Rock - Anna Howard Shaw Day, 4.13
I'd been looking forward to this episode since the promo pictures came out of Drew, Dennis, and Floyd. Liz Lemon is a lucky woman!
The episode had some hits (Jenna thinking Julia Roberts is her peer, "One word: Oral. Two words: Oral surgery.") and some misses (Jenna's stalker plot was kinda flat). I liked Elizabeth Banks as Avery Jessup and her Hot Box interview with Jack. But my favorite part had to be in the last five minutes (sigh!) when Liz hallucinated the nurses as her past boyfriends. Dean Winters, Jon Hamm, and Jason Sudeikis looking VERY good. I was pleased. And the tag had me cracking up, hilarious!
In short: so-so episode; love Liz's ex-boyfriends.
I agree with your community critique. Very bland and predictable episode. It was one of those storylines that's been done in EVERY sitcom with a slight twist so it could be considered "different" (drunk dialing's never been done before!)and the whole senor chang thing was dumb. yeah it was just dumb. The last ep would have been more fitting for v-day.
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