Pilot Round Up: Part Uno

PUSHING DAISIES: Lee Pace? Bryan Fuller? Even before I read the script, I was inclined to like ABC's new "forensic fairytale." And I did. Now that I've seen the pilot (or pie-lette as it's so cutely labeled), I'm in love. It's the magic of Wonderfalls with healthy doses of Dead Like Me’s matter-of-fact, goofy darkness and Big Fish’s expansive visuals. I'm anxious to see where the story goes and also about how it will be received by a mass audience. Maybe its uniqueness will strike a chord. Maybe it'll be largely ignored like Fuller and Pace's other little masterpiece.

THE IT CROWD: Another one I wanted to like. It's not being picked up and it's just as well. I'm not sure why anyone was paid to write an almost exact replication of the UK version – save an Americanization or two and one dumbed down explanation of an originally absurdist joke. Oy. Instead of dwelling on miscasting and awkward execution, I'll just look forward to the UK's Season 2.

MISS/GUIDED: When I heard that Rob Thomas was going to be the showrunner of this one, I was so excited. Then he left amid "creative differences" and I was disappointed (don't you love this insight into my inner pysche?). I'm no longer disappointed. Judy Greer is a fantastic actress and very easy to root for. Sometimes I even felt myself rooting for her in 13 Going on 30 (and she's a villainous bitch in that). And yet, that fairly two-dimensional villain is way more interesting than her awkward guidance counselor in Miss/Guided. I don't even remember her name. And Brooke Burns (or Burke... the one who used to be blonde and broke her neck at some point) is completely flat as a generically bitchy former homecoming queen. I saw the twists coming from miles away and even then, they had me yawning.

SAM I AM: Speaking of 13 Going on 30, Christina Applegate's new show is a lot like a more grounded version of that film. And I mean that in a good way. This was a pilot that I wasn't apt to like. One of the co-creators, Cecelia Ahren, is a young, gorgeous writer whose first book I disliked so much I not only didn't finish it, I took it to the bookstore and demanded my money back. It's now been made into a film with Gerard Butler (mmm Attila...) so apparently not everyone had the same reaction. Anyway, I approached this pilot with the expectation that Ahren would once again disappoint. And she did. In that she didn't. Confused? Me too. Basically, I loved the pilot. Applegate has done no wrong since Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead and the supporting cast is stellar. Barry Watson is appealing as the mysteriously nice (ex)boyfriend and I'm already in love with Melissa McCarthy's cheerfully pathetic wannabe sidekick.

Kick Ass Casting News

The cast of NBC's remake of The IT Crowd has been announced. Joe McHale (the wonderful host of E!'s The Soup) will play Roy, Jessica St. Clair ( who I've never heard of) will play Jen, and (drum roll, please) Richard Ayoade will reprise his role from the British version and play Moss.

Okay, so if you haven't watched The IT Crowd, then you probably don't understand why this is so awesome. Below is a clip of Ayoade as Moss on a video dating site.

Now do you get the excitement? Go to google video or youtube and illegally watch the six excellent episodes of the UK series. You can thank me later.

Alternative Viewing Update

Men in Trees in now available online at abc.com! So far it's just the pilot and the last episodes, but with shows like What About Brian? offering the full season, let's hope they'll add more soon. As the owner of a persnickety tivo, I've made it my business to know the following:


The-N.com offers new episodes of Degrassi and Instant Star.

NBC.com shows select series. Ratings challenged Friday Night Lights is available, but The Office is not.

CBS.com uses InnerTube to show comedies like How I Met Your Mother and The Class. The player doesn't work on my mac, but seems to be compatible with PCs.

ABC.com offers Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Knights of Prosperity and several other shows.

YouTube and Google Video are hit and miss when looking for entire episodes, but using them I watched the full first season of The IT Crowd and the series finale of Everwood (what? I had to make sure they'd get a happy ending).

I have an unlikely crush on...

Moss from The IT Crowd. He's socially retarded, but so, so funny. If he was a serial killer he would be the Gardner. And he would kill people with a hammer. Seriously! Go to Google Videos right now and watch The IT Crowd! Now!

Ugly Betty, Weeds, The IT Crowd

The lack of Friday Night Lights and Veronica Mars last night gave me a chance to reflect on some of the shows I’ve been watching outside of primetime.

Ugly Betty is pretty awesome. The show’s available online at abc.com so I generally watch it on Saturday morning, when it’s not interfering with The Office and the Chef and the Subletter are watching football. America Ferrera is so lovely as Betty that I love her in spite of her complete earnestness. I generally prefer my heroines with a shot of sour bitch (see: Veronica Mars, Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me), but her poise and winning attitude in a world of fembots is refreshing. Plus Amanda and Marc fill my bitch quotient quite nicely.

The second season of Weeds may be finished on Showtime, but I’m only about halfway through. What was initially a black comedy about keeping up appearances in suburbia has been pervaded by a sense of dread. Silas sabotaging a condom to better insure that his girlfriend can’t leave him broke my heart and made me nauseated all at once. And as Nancy gets deeper into her position as a grower and her relationship with her DEA agent husband of convenience, I can’t help thinking of Heylia as the Cassandra who saw it all coming. Weeds is, in a word, compelling.

The IT Crowd… I’m still not sure if I’m supposed to pronounce it as “I.T.” or “it,” but it’s a strangely enjoyable show from the UK about the nerdy tech department of a major corporation. Though it’s set to be adapted by NBC for the US, it’s has more in common with the Fred Savage sitcom Working than with The Office. It’s over the top, surreal and pretty dead-on in its satirical portrayal of socially awkward smart people. You can find episodes online through Google Video. If asked to cast the American version, I'd go with Dave Foley (or any of the Kids in the Hall) as the blowhard boss and Christina Hendricks (Saffron from Firefly) as Jen. Ooh! And the older Pete from Pete and Pete as Roy. You know, just in case anyone cares.