A look back at the best and worst of TV in the past week (Oct. 3-Oct. 9), and a peek at what’s coming up.
Highlights
1. “The Office” (NBC). I was braced for the big wedding to be overly cute and sappy. And it had its cute and sappy moments. But it was also a great hour of TV. Soooo many funny moments: the mass barfing, the rehearsal dinner speech from hell, Andy’s torn scrotum, the fact that Dwight’s got game with the ladies, Kevin’s . . . well, everything about Kevin. And was I the only one who thought Michael was headed toward a hookup with Pam’s mom? I think I’m the only person in the country who hasn’t seen that YouTube video, so I didn’t really get the inside joke with all the dancing down the aisle. But whatever, it was a thoroughly fun time, one of the very few wedding episodes of any series that actually worked well.
2. “Mad Men” (AMC). Who knew Betty spoke Italian? Her and Don’s little jaunt to Rome put their dormant chemistry back on display and rekindled the sparks between them — until they returned home and Betty crashed back into reality. Quite a disparity between the glamorous life she once had and the mundane suburban life he now has. Meanwhile, back home, like a puppy who just peed on the carpet, Pete showed he just can’t be left alone. Oh Pete, you couldn’t even find an au pair on another floor?
3. (Tie) “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (FX). The creepy cousin Snail, played by Mary Lynn Rajskub, was a piece of sheer comic brilliance. She was hilarious even when she was just standing there, hunched over and slurping. Then she’d open her mouth and be even funnier. It takes a lot to be more disgusting and unappealing than the regulars on this show, but she made Dennis and Dee seem completely sane and justified for throwing salt at her. I loved the gang’s wine-in-a-can obsession too. Just a great episode.
3. (Tie) “South Park” (Comedy Central). I thought the main “Ghost Hunters”/Billy Mays/Michael Jackson storyline was pretty ho-hum, but the Chipotle jokes absolutely killed me. Outrageous, disgusting and devastatingly hilarious, the Chipotlaway cleanser (for removing bloodstains from your underwear caused by Chipotle burritos) bits left me with my jaw agape. Think Matt Stone and Trey Parker got bad service one day when they were on a burrito run? Wow.
Lowlights
1. “FlashForward” (ABC). A complete waste of 55 minutes. Seriously, did any plotlines advance in that time? There’s still waaaay too much exposition and pontificating and not nearly enough action, or even progress. Until the last five minutes, that is, which provided another “holy crap” moment. I’m getting a really bad feeling about this series – I’m starting to suspect that it’ll be like Season 2 of “Lost,” with shocking cliffhangers at the end of every episode, but nothing but filler for the previous 55 minutes.
2. Ron and Marcy on “The Amazing Race” (CBS). So . . . . one of my picks for the final three was the third team to be eliminated. This is why I don’t play Vegas. They seemed so good on paper, but in action they were nothing but a disappointment. They lacked any sense of urgency, made poor decisions and there wasn’t even good chemistry between them – Marcy was a nut and Ron seemed pretty fed up with her. To make matters worse, they couldn’t even do me the courtesy of hitting the finish line before Lance and Keri, thus ensuring I’ll be stuck watching that Masshole at least one more week.
3. Tyra Banks on “Gossip Girl” (The CW). I haven’t seen such horrible, wooden acting since Joe Montana guested on “Saturday Night Live” like 25 years ago. At least “SNL” made fun of it. “GG” tried to make us believe Tyra’s character was actually a good actress. Ha! She made Blake Lively look good.
Looking forward to . . .
1. “30 Rock” (9:30 p.m. Thursday, NBC). The best comedy on network TV and reigning Emmy winner is back for a new season. Can’t wait to see Liz, Jack, Tracey and the gang.
2. “Durham County” (10 p.m. Monday, Ion). In the first-season finale, Mike tries to prove his innocence and Ray goes off the deep end and kidnaps Mike’s daughter. Um, that may help Mike’s case.
3. “The Amazing Race” (8 p.m. Sunday, CBS). For no other reason than I’m interested to see Cambodia. One of the things I love about this show is how it provides a window into completely foreign lands and cultures. This is the show’s first time there, and I’m curious.
