Taking On 2014 - Top TV Shows (Q2 Quarterly Review)

Okay, so we've gotten through music by looking at the best songs of the year and the best albums, which means it's now time for films, right? Usually, yes! However, this time I'm going to try something a little different. I've been watching a lot more TV this year, and with last year marking my first TV round up, I figured it's worth it to at least look at all the series I have watched so far and start at least considering them. Not really a full on Quarterly Review, since I won't do this again until January, but probably worth checking in simply because with the fall approaching a few of the shows towards the bottom are likely to get bumped by Boardwalk Empire or that new Soderbergh show or other things. Not to mention the time I have to catch up on this season of Oranges: The New Black, Fargo, and Penny Dreadful. Plus Gravity Falls is coming back. This list could end up being the hardest to make by year's end.

Taking On 2013: Top TV Shows

It's been a while, but I have a brand new keyboard and we are back in action. So how about starting off 2014 right? Well, I guess we can do that in any number of ways, but once the alcohol is gone and the sun has risen we are really only left with one option: Best Of Lists. There were (and may still be) plans to pair these lists with the launch of a very special Processed Grass podcast (a ProdGrast, if you will), but we shall see because despite this being a new keyboard I am now having some audio problems on my end. We'll see! I should say that all the shows on this list are the seasons that ended in 2014, not the ones that started. That mostly means network shows like Parks and Recreation, Bob's Burgers, etc. are being judged for their 2012-13 seasons, not their current 2013-14 seasons. Either way, on to TV!

A Game of Thornes

Earlier this week I was invited to take part in a discussion of the latest episode of Game of Thrones with Kate Kulzick, Michael Waldman, and Simon Howell over at the SoundOnSight Game of Thrones Podcast. This historic event marks my first ever podcast experience, and it was great to have a bunch of friendly, intelligent people to help make the process enjoyable. Going in I was a bit nervous, and I think it shows a bit, but in the end it was a blast.

Final Farewells: Thoughts About, Reflections On, and Saying Goodbye To Wizards Of Waverly Place

As some may know, about a year ago I wrote a post about the end of Hannah Montana and how that ushered in the beginning of the end of Disney's latest golden age. And now, only about an hour ago as I type this, Wizards of Waverly Place concluded its run as Disney's longest running original series. As a whole the episode really allowed every cast member time to shine as the writing was as sharp as ever. It all built to a fairly predictable, but still emotionally engaging, conclusion that results with everyone happy.

But I'm not here to discuss the episode, I'm here to pay my respects to what is likely the channel's most accomplished series and to look ahead.

Changing Of The Guard: The End Of Disney's Latest Golden Age

Another classic from the Processed Grass Wordpress Vault:

A few hours ago the Disney Channel Original Series juggernaut, Hannah Montana, aired its final episode. As a fairly big fan of Disney Channel I was compelled to watch this episode, sadly I missed the first half. Actually, I am not really a fan of Hannah Montana, but as a fan I cannot help but feel a sense of sorrow at the end of Miley's time with Disney. The starlet's departure ushers in the end of an era, a changing of the guard of sorts, and given Disney's recent scramble to find any sort of replacement has me worried about the quality of the programing as a whole.

Wish There Was Something Real In This World Full Of You

A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner (Shortened Version) (Holland, 2011)

Earlier in this year J.J. Abram's latest film Super 8 made unapologetic plays toward the nostalgia of audiences the world over by hoping to tap in to childhood memories of beloved Steven Spielberg classics. With the latest made for TV Nickelodeon movie, A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner!, we have appeal to a nostalgia that I think is likely still there for a large section of the audience, at least it's there for me, while still being able to draw in recent viewers who have taken a liking to the cartoon series that spawned the feature length live action adaptation. I still remember watching the very first episode of The Fairly Odd Parents, actually the pilot on that cartoon collection thing that Nick had which was similar to Cartoon Network's What A Cartoon, and finding, alongside a great block of animated programing that Nickelodeon was pushing out at the time, another show that I became instantly addicted to for a good deal of time. But all too many times with these types of movies making the transition from animated series to full on film is even more difficult than turning a television show into a movie in the same format, so despite being interested in the cast I was even more excited to see how the movie handled this transition.

You Can't Even Speak, But All Of Them Speak

In The Loop (Iannucci, 2009)

Every so often television shows get made into films. From what I know most of the adult shows made into films are usually pretty well regarded by fans and usually by critics alike. I do not know why, nor have I seen many of these films, but as talks of the Arrested Development film heat up I find myself caught up in the television to film transition hype and, as luck my have it, my recent viewing of In The Loop, based on the six episode British series The Thick Of It, is an example of a successful transition of a short lived series to the big screen. Now I ought to say that, while I knew a few things about the show, I have never seen an episode of the series nor have I seen any of Armando Iannucci's other work. However, after watching the show the first thing I feel compelled to do is check out the series and Iannucci's older work, so I suppose, at least in that sense, the film is a success.

Of course saying the film's only triumph is its ability to generate interest in the source material, and I suppose its ability to appeal to someone who is not familiar with said material, sells the film incredibly short because the film is one Hell of a ride and a refreshing breath of comedic air amidst a slew of underwhelming and generic comedies. It seems almost fitting that I watched this after Sasha Baron Cohen's latest effort, Bruno, because, with the exception of Adventureland, it really is the only other comedy I have seen this year that has delivered a good deal of substance mixed in with the laughs. Well, let's add In The Loop to that list because, as the posters may imply, the political satire that Iannucci showcases here is incredibly sharp and witty while still remaining mostly hysterical throughout. By blending the UK aspects with the US politics even an ignorant American like myself who is not in tune with any of the minor British references can find some things to grasp on to when things could easily become too culture specific. The film's script is handled with care and Iannucci delivers a beautifully cynical film that is packed to the brim with an engaging narrative.

As for the direction, there are a few shots and sequences that stand out as being visually noticeable, but I do not think that the film ever breaches territory that is beyond very good. Part of this, I assume, is because the pseudo-documentary, fly on the wall, style has been used in numerous sitcoms, most notably both versions of The Office and Arrested Developed, so that seeing it in a feature length film is not all that striking. Still, it's handled really well and it never gets int he way of the narrative at all, so despite not being anything all that new it is also nothing bad. The camera work is solid though and a joy at some times, it is just nothing that I feel needs extended time spent discussing when the film has so many other aspects of the film worth talking about.

Especially worth discussing is the acting, anchored by a stunningly talented cast who all take full advantage of their time on screen. The minor roles, even the limited time that Steve Coogan gets, are all incredibly funny and usually work in the context of the film and help drive the plot forward and, in the case of Coogan, prove crucial to the film's plot. The two major roles that stood out to me were Tom Hollander in the role of Simon Foster and, without question, Peter Capaldi as the wonderfully hilarious Malcolm Tucker. Hollander brings humor to a role that asks him to be humorously ignorant with flashes of brilliance, a fairly standard role, but when the film really begins making his personal conflict more overt he really starts turning in a really stellar performance. Similarly, Capaldi is given a good amount of time to shine at the end of the film because of the the narrative, but really from the beginning he is a bolt of lightning on screen. His angry comedy combines with his biting wit to make for one of the most memorable and enjoyable characters to appear on screen in a long while. He is absolutely hysterical and enough cannot be said about the man's performance.

In the end, In The Loop takes what could have been a solid comedy and elevates it to one of the year's most enjoyable by bringing together a great script, incredible talent, and very solid direction. I have only watched the film once so far, but from what I was able to gather it should be good for repeat viewings and, given the nature of the humor on display, probably contains many lines that I missed the first time around. Incredibly paced and uproariously funny, In The Loop stands on its own as a comedy and is approachable for those who, like myself, may not have been exposed to the source material. Sure the film is not without its flaws, but the laughs are there in droves and all the extraneous materials blend together to make one Hell of a comedy. I could go on about how great the film is, but I imagine, as tends to be the case with comedy, each personal experience will differ. So, while I do not usually do this, I am urging all readers to take the time and watch this wonderful film.

A-/A or 4.21823027147238104623854

Comments are welcome and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

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