Hey, guess what. Just because I finished reviewing all of my video games from years gone by doesn't mean you've seen the end of three-sentence reviews. In fact, far from it! Here I go again!
30 Rock: Season 1 ('06-'07)
The first season of this Emmy magnet was also its worst, in my humble opinion. An extreme overabundance of Rachel Dratch was the primary reason. Seriously, Tina Fey just kept letting her come back in new one-off roles, and the whole thing felt like bad SNL for a while.
30 Rock: Season 2 ('07-'08)
Here's where the show transitioned from "barely tolerable" to "kind of funny" for me. The third and fourth seasons were still better than this one, but that doesn't mean this was terrible. And that's good, because the first season kind of was.
Da Ali G Show: Season 1 ('03)
His characters may be world famous now, but Sacha Baron Cohen was far from a household name when this BBC/HBO series first aired. The quality is actually pretty poor on several of the Borat and Bruno pieces, but that doesn't keep them from being hilarious. You also never got the sense that these segments were scripted in any way, either.
Da Ali G Show: Season 2 ('04)
I liked the first season a bit more than the second, but honestly, the two are nearly indistinguishable from one another. The final episode may have contained the highlight of the series, however, when Andy Rooney got all irate over grammar and Ebonics. All in all, I enjoyed both six-episode seasons and recommend them to everyone.
Andy Richter Controls the Universe: The Complete Series ('02-'03)
I watched a few episodes of this show when it first aired on FOX and never even liked it very much. Why, then, did I buy the complete series on DVD just a couple of years ago? Beats me.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 1 ('00-'02)
This animated series bases its humor on total irreverence, but at least it was actually funny back in its early days. This first season remains its greatest to this day. There may be 100 episodes of ATHF, but the vast majority of all quotable material and memorable moments came in these dozen episodes or so.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 2 ('02-'03)
It isn't nearly as classic as the first season, but the second season still packs plenty of legitimate humor. If the first DVD volume was a ten, then this one is a seven. The rest of the way, this series averages a four or so.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 3 ('03)
This was really no worse than the second DVD set and it contained a number of memorable episodes. "Frat Aliens" and "Broodwich" especially come to mind. I'll call the highs just as high as ever before, but I'll also point out a number of do-nothing filler episodes.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 4 ('04)
Here's where things really began to head south for the winter. Unfortunately, it's a winter that has yet to end. Highlights remained great, but the overall quality was slipping away.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 5 ('05-'06)
Once Again, this wasn't terrible. There were still a few good episodes to be seen and a number of hilarious one-off characters. But this was a far cry from the first set of episodes from early in the decade.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 6 ('08-'09)
By this point, the series was more or less a parody of itself. An urban legend persists that the creators have been making the show as terrible as possible for years, hoping to get canceled. And I can assure you, they're doing a fantastic job if that's been the case.
The Blue Planet ('01)
If you enjoyed Planet Earth, perhaps you'd like its older but lesser known sibling, The Blue Planet. The eight-part miniseries explored underwater ecosystems from coastlines to coral reefs to the deep sea floor. My only complaint is that it's just not as diverse or visually stunning as the land-based Planet Earth.
The Boondocks: Season 1 ('05-'06)
When I first saw this racially-charged anime, I was confused and offended. But once I had seen a number of episodes, I realized that much of what I didn't like about it at first was only satire I had failed to catch onto. The first season remains my favorite of the three that have aired so far.
The Boondocks: Season 2 ('07-'08)
Even though I just said the first season was my favorite, I guess this second season of The Boondocks was just as good. Memorable moments included Riley imitating a flamboyantly homosexual gangsta rapper and an absolutely relentless assault on BET. Sadly, the recent third season did not live up to the expectations set by the first two.
Breaking Bad: Season 1 ('08)
Cut short by the writers' strike and coming in at just seven episodes, the first season of Breaking Bad feels tragically incomplete. But it's still fantastic. If you haven't seen it yet, you're really missing out on something wonderful.
Chappelle’s Show: Season 1 ('03)
This show was pretty big but I fear it's already somewhat dated. I haven't gone back and watched it for some time now, but would it still be as funny to me now as it was to all of us back in the midst of the Bush years? And now that we know how unnecessarily racially awkward the show got in its very shortened final season?
Chappelle’s Show: Season 2 ('04)
I feel the need to reiterate how funny this show was during its prime. And this second season was certainly the show's prime. It will be difficult to forget most of the sketches, characters, and Charlie Murphy stories.
Chappelle’s Show: The Lost Episodes ('06)
Chappelle left his own show just a few episodes into what was supposed to be its third season, and it's no wonder he did so. It's hard enough to make racial jokes work while toeing a fine line, but the controversial "pixie" skit in the final episode - the reason Dave quit - was downright offensive without even carrying a hint of humor. What made me even more uncomfortable than the bit itself was the ensuing audience reaction that closed out the episode and thus the series.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 1 ('00)
Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I always liked this show better than Seinfeld. And that doesn't mean I think Seinfeld sucks. It just means I think this show is awesome.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 2 ('01)
In this season, fictional Larry David reunites with several of the Seinfeld stars while trying to come up with a new idea for a sitcom. Hilarity ensues as network after network backs out on Larry due to his hijinks. This was even better than the first season.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 3 ('02)
The season-long story arc this time around centered on Larry's decision to open up a restaurant. It may be my least favorite season-long plot, but the individual moments and episodes remain top-notch. Still, all in all, this is probably the weakest season since the first one.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 4 ('04)
On the other hand, the fourth season of Curb Your Enthusiasm may be the greatest one. David Schwimmer and Mel Brooks are recurring guest stars this season as Larry prepares to star in The Producers. I can say with confidence that there isn't a dud in the entire ten-episode season.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 5 ('05)
I have conflicting opinions about this season. It had some of the greatest stand-alone Curb episodes ever, but it also had a very peculiar and weird finale. Aside from the way it ended though, the kidney story arc was fantastic.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 6 ('07)
For the first six episodes, Larry and Cheryl take in a group of Katrina refugees and the plots focus primarily on the ensuing culture clash. But the final four episodes occur after Cheryl finally leaves Larry, and the focus shifts to Larry's dating woes. Both sets were really great though, and the show felt revitalized after leaving us with a so-so season finale two years prior.
Deadwood: Season 1 ('04)
If you read my posts regarding the second and third seasons, you can probably tell that I struggled to get through this show at times. Really though, I only struggled to get through the first two or three episodes, and then my interest picked up. Still, I'd only recommend this show to you if you can patiently and attentively appreciate slow-moving period pieces.
Dexter: Season 1 ('06)
The concept itself - a serial killer who kills other killers - isn't that unique or original. But the stark presentation and very slight mystery aspect add a whole lot to the otherwise ordinary table. This is definitely a show worth trying to watch, unless you can't root for a fictional serial killer to succeed.
Dexter: Season 2 ('07)
I liked this season just fine, but it was probably the weakest to date for me. The season-long arc, in which Dexter's murders are the main case everyone works to solve, seemed like it came a few years too soon. The arc resolution and season finale were also kind of disappointing.
Whew. That took me two weeks to do. Three more TV 3SR posts are on their way eventually, but what's the rush? Savor the flavor of this one for now; I'll be back when I'm back.
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