NEW SHOWS
Harvey Birdman, Attorney General (B+)
Its parody is a little too on-the-nose, yet it’s also more equipped to mock our current absurd situation than more political shows. If they want to do one of these every year or so, I’m on board.
This Is Us – “Vietnam” (A-)
A really great episode, though the fact that the confrontation doesn’t happen, and it’s just a set-up for a subplot for the rest of the season is a little frustrating. Even so, Milo Ventimiglia and Michael Angarano are doing great work, and I’m looking forward to seeing them the rest of the season.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – “The Gang Does a Clip Show” (B)
I’m generally against clip shows as a rule, but at least this episode does some very clever things with it. It’s not Community’s Paradigms of Human Memory (what is?), it does a lot of fun, occasionally twisted, often brilliant things with it, at least in its back half.
South Park – “Tegridy Farms” (A-)
Not the show’s sharpest satire, but easily one of the funniest episodes I’ve seen in years, up there with “Sarcastiball” and “Butters’ Bottom Bitch,” where it takes an absurd situation at the school and keeps ratcheting up the insanity until it becomes something so silly it’s sublime.
The Good Place – “Jeremy Bearimy” (A-)
The first great episode of the season, with Michael explaining what’s really going on to all of them, leading our quartet to their own breakdowns/regressions, then the realization that being good and kind and encouraging other to do act the same way *does* matter, even if it doesn’t seem like it. It’s yet another new direction for the show. Let’s see if they can pull it off.
CURRENT SHOWS AND SPECIALS
Flight of the Conchords: Live in London (B+)
The new songs are great, and of course I loved the old songs. Wish they would have done “A Kiss Is Not a Contract,” which would have been perfect for this era we’re in, but you can’t get everything you want. Best addition: the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (aka one cellist with an afro and a surprisingly angelic voice).