A look back at the best and worst of TV in the past week (Jan. 30-Feb. 5), and a peek at what’s coming up.
Highlights
1. “Lost” (ABC). It was a mind-blowing season premiere. The moments that weren’t utterly confusing were hopelessly enthralling. What can I say, I’m a sucker for TV shows that mess with your head. The parallel timelines set off a million possibilities of how it’ll all end, and I’m solidly on board. The SF Chronicle’s Tim Goodman has a great item about where “Lost” might be going with the alternate worlds thing. Click for it here, it’s worth checking out.
2. “Damages” (FX). Only two episodes into the season and we’ve already gotten a whole season’s worth of shocking revelations. (Ellen and Tom? Whaaat?) The acting is just outstanding. We knew Lily Tomlin had some range, but Martin Short has been a revelation as the slick lawyer.
3. “The Inbetweeners” (BBC America). A new discovery, and suddenly one of the funniest shows on TV. Basically a British version of “Superbad,” following a group of sex- and booze-obsessed teenage boys and their humiliating high school exploits. It’s even got an Apatow-like sense of heart buried beneath its foul-mouthed exterior.
Honorable mention: “Parks and Recreation” (NBC). Tom’s Roomba DJ? Hilarious. Andy and April’s budding romance? Hilarious. Tom’s personal fashion show? Hilarious. The public meeting from hell? Hilarious. Tom’s misadventures in moving? Hilarious. (Have I mentioned Tom’s hilarious?) This has become the jewel of NBC’s Thursday night comedy lineup.
Lowlights
1. “The Michael Vick Project” (BET). A sickeningly fawning reality show glorifying America’s least favorite dogfighting ringleader. I’m glad he’s supposedly learned the error of his ways, but let’s not be too congratulatory for his suddenly having the sense of basic decency and morality that most people have by preschool.
2. “The Office” (NBC). Wow, it’s gotten bad. Didn’t we see this exact same Michael-is-afraid-of-corporate-change storyline last season when Stringer Bell took control of the office? And the year before that, when Ryan got promoted? Are they so desperately out of ideas that they’re recycling the same plot for a third time?!? Meanwhile, Jim and Pam were smarmy, pushy and almost completely unlikable. What happened to them? I kinda hate them now. On the other hand, Andy and Ellie are getting pretty entertaining as the bizarro world Jim and Pam.
3. “The Bachelor” (ABC). They’re all annoying. Gee, how shocking that the virgin who’s saving herself till marriage was the one to be eliminated. But it was kinda funny to discover Ali is a Marina Girl. If you don’t live in San Francisco, that probably means nothing to you. But if you do, she pretty much reinforces every stereotype about single women who live in that neighborhood.
Looking forward to . . .
1. Super Bowl (3:30 p.m. Sunday, CBS). There’ve been some good finishes in recent Super Bowls, but it’s been a while since there’s been a truly good entire game. This could be one. The Colts and Saints are the two best teams in the league, with two of the best quarterbacks, and this should be fun to watch. Oh, and some old guys are playing the halftime show.
2. Winter Olympics (Starting Friday, NBC). I love how suddenly I care about these sports that I care absolutely nothing about. And Olympic hockey is where it’s at – with evenly matched international all-star teams, it’s the next best thing to World Cup soccer. (Stay tuned later in the week for a viewer’s guide to the best of the Olympics.)
3. “Lost” (9 p.m. Tuesday, ABC). Where is this going? I need to know.
