What I Watched This Week: 12 Oct 2014

NEW SHOWS
Brooklyn Nine-Nine – “The Jimmy Jab Games” (A-)
For better or worse, this is the heir apparent to The Office, with its consistently great ensemble cast, sweet little romances and the workplace’s own mythology. But I like this show better. There, I said it.

CURRENT SHOWS
Brooklyn Nine-Nine – “Chocolate Milk” (A-)
An abundance of great performances here, particularly from Terry Crews and guest star Kyra Sedgwick. I also loved that part of the plot centered on something that felt distinctly Brooklyn: a stabbing at a chocolate milk bar. And Boyle had cornrows, which is either the greatest or scariest thing ever.

The Mindy Project – “Crimes & Misdemeanors & Ex-Boyfriends” (B+), “I Slipped” (A-)
Two consistently winning episodes, with latter paying great tribute to the Seinfeld classic “The Contest.” And while this show will never be great, I continue to find little things that tickle me (e.g. Jeremy playing the banjo or Danny being really into J*A*G).

Saturday Night Live – “Bill Hader/Hozier” (A-)
Bill Hader is an all-timer and he’s consistently great, as expected. I would have liked to have seen some Vincent Price, but a performer this great will be back a lot.

OLD SHOWS
The Simpsons (Season 8) – “You Only Move Twice” (A)
You could make a strong case that Albert Brooks gives the greatest guest performance of all-time, or at least of celebrities not playing themselves. Hank Scorpio is such a great character, but his appearance really exists outside of Springfield, so it’s OK we haven’t seen him since. This is a top-to-bottom classic, with every subplot dovetailing into a much-needed return to their hometown.

The Wire (Season 2) – “Collateral Damage” (A)
Yeah, whoever said the shift to the docks is less compelling was obviously smoking crack like Bubbles. I’m already engrossed in the case of the 13 dead Jane Does and the arguments over which jurisdiction’s police are responsible for such an unwinnable case. Simon is just absolutely nailing the frigid Baltimore winter and the characters just trying to scrape by and, in many cases, do the right thing.

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