Morning TV Round-Up: 'Bob's Burgers' & 'Happy Endings'
Leg waxing, laser tag and bird autopsies?
On "Happy Endings," something about Jane's friend seems awfully familiar.
Press tour eats into a lot of my TV-watching and reviewing time (much of what I write this week, review-wise, will be of shows I screened before I came to tour), but I did manage to catch last night's episodes of "Bob's Burgers" and "Happy Endings," and have a few quick thoughts coming up just as soon as I mount a dead fly from my windowsill production of "Pippin"...
One of my big disappointments of 2012 was falling very far behind on "Bob's Burgers" because I always had to prioritize new shows and/or ones I was covering weekly. Every now and then, I'll catch a stray one that only reminds me how much I like this show, and "Mother Daughter Laser Razor" was a particularly fine example of the show's formula — a mix of silly, sweet and just plain strange (Tina's "Terminator 2" nightmare about her leg hairs) in action. The cross-cutting between the screams at the leg waxing place and by Louise and her friend while they were forced to watch "Freaky Friday" was particularly funny, but I thought all the pieces fit together very well.
"Happy Endings," meanwhile, began the first of several Sunday airings — ABC is going to have this show and "Don't Trust the Bandana In Apt. 23" airing on both Sundays and Tuesdays for a while to get them off the air a little quicker than originally planned — with an episode that pushed the outer limits of both raunch (Dave's various "I want you to come" songs/texts, the jerk circle, 79ing) and cartoonishness (the doppelgangers, Penny and Brad freaking out about the dead bird). And yet I thought the writing of certain sections, like the cold open listing all the Cons (even though I wish there was enough time/budget to actually show Rom-Con-Con, instead of just putting Alex in "Annie Hall" drag), or Max detailing the depths of his lonely life, were really very sharply-written and funny. (I'm still laughing at Max's explanation of the Jeff and Stan Van Gundy sex dream, for instance.)
What did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupSteve
January 7, 2013 at 1:28PM EST Reply to CommentGlad to see some love for Bob's Burgers. I've always wondered why you don't seem to like it more (not on top 20 list, no regular mentions on Twitter or the blog) given that it seems to be right up your alley. I thought it was one of the 5 best comedies of 2012.
sepinwall
January 7, 2013 at 1:30PM EST Reply to CommentI just didn't watch enough episodes this year to consider it, unfortunately. There was always the chance I might not have liked it had I seen more.
dezbot I think you would have liked it. It's consistently funny, and Gene is one of the best child characters on TV.
January 7, 2013 at 2:01PM ESTSteve They all are!
January 7, 2013 at 7:53PM ESTtossit @Steve: I love the show but Louise can be really annoying at times. Tina and Gene on the other hand..always gold.
January 8, 2013 at 4:43AM ESTCy
January 7, 2013 at 2:37PM EST Reply to CommentI just love Happy Endings. One of the few shows to move me to, yes...laugh out loud. Damon Wayons, Jr. is utterly awesome.
tossit Completely agree. Even when some episodes don't completely click he is consistently funny. Him and Elisha Cuthbert are probably the two strongest/funniest of the cast.
January 8, 2013 at 4:53AM ESTOne of the funniest shows airing currently. Hopefully, the whole fourth season/syndication/being a Sony production thing helps them out and we can at least have them around for one more year past this one. The ratings have been terrible though, hopefully some cable channel can save them or they can return to their post-Modern Family slot?
kronicfatigue
January 7, 2013 at 2:42PM EST Reply to CommentAm I the only one who watches Once Upon a Time? It's by no means "great", but I'm extremely impressed w/ how they tell their stories. All the characters interact in a compelling way, and they mix in past vs. present scenes perfectly. I blew through the first season on Netflix and now finally caught up with season 2. I have nobody to discuss it with!
loubaye I watched Season 1 and most of Season 2. I did not watch the "Mid Season Finale" a few weeks ago nor last night's, and probably will never watch it again. Season 1 was OK, although sometimes cringe-inducing. Now it's just absurd.
January 7, 2013 at 6:45PM ESTBrian
January 7, 2013 at 3:36PM EST Reply to CommentThe Van Gundy joke was great. They even nailed which coach is better known for coaching offense (Stan) and which one is better known for defense (Jeff).
ghoti
January 7, 2013 at 4:32PM EST Reply to CommentThat ep was Happy Endings turned up to 11. It was totally ridiculous, but still very funny. The guy in the cold open had the perfect reaction to this show when it gets out of control.
ghoti
January 7, 2013 at 4:34PM EST Reply to CommentAlso, the racist parrot was 74!
ghoti Frak. 84!
January 7, 2013 at 4:35PM ESTThomas
January 7, 2013 at 4:37PM EST Reply to CommentAlan,
Is ABC's plan to get Happy Endings and The B off their schedule sooner than planned a prelude to them likely cancelling both shows?
Col Bat Guano That was what I was wondering as well. Losing Community and Happy Endings in the same season would be too cruel.
January 8, 2013 at 1:27AM ESTBELLEKW I believe I read that they were put there to replace 666 Park Ave, which is either done or being moved to the summer. Ad I believe I read something about how this didn't signal cancelation, only a need to fill the time slot. If I remember, I'll post the link when I have time.
January 9, 2013 at 1:35AM ESTJB
January 7, 2013 at 5:01PM EST Reply to CommentI don't really like Happy Endings when it gets this broad and cartoonish. It can still be funny but the characters don't feel particularly human.
keynote2k
January 7, 2013 at 5:25PM EST Reply to Comment"Happy" was a little too broad for me, but I enjoyed the "Neil Patrick Niles" line.
My wife (who doesn't watch the show) asked me, "do the characters always talk like this, or are they doing a bit spoofing some other show I don't know?"
Ricardo
January 7, 2013 at 8:06PM EST Reply to CommentEverything about Dave singing cracked me up.
bitchstolemyremote
January 7, 2013 at 11:30PM EST Reply to CommentThought that this was the funniest episode of the season (although it certainly was dirty).
Loved the Penny/Brad pairing. Why haven't they been together yet?!
Our take: http://wp.me/p2MfmI-1ZQ
LJA
January 8, 2013 at 3:43PM EST Reply to CommentI haven't liked Happy Endings as much this season as I have the previous two, but this episode totally brought the laughs.