Question: I wanted to echo TaMara's recent "Ask Matt" comments about the improvement of Psych. When the show's first season received quite a bit of attention last summer, I thought it was being overpraised. Though billed as a detective comedy, sometimes it was tough to sort through James Roday's antics and find any genuine comedic moments. But Season 2's writing has been crisper and far more focused. Even the cops are funny this year. Also, rather than emphasizing the often antagonistic father-son relationship that drove the first year, this season's stories have wisely been mostly driven by the best-friend camaraderie of Roday and Dulé Hill's characters. Hill in particular has shown a flair for physical comedy that is a delightful surprise after all his dramatic work on The West Wing, while Roday's overacting has been thankfully toned down since he doesn't have to do all the work. In my opinion, the show has been the superior of the Monk-Psych combo most weeks this summer (not that ...
read more
MonkI solved tonight's mystery at precisely 10:07 pm, a new record for me. This was based on my previously outlined theory: recognizable guest star — in this case Nicky Katt — equals guilty. But that meant I could sit back and enjoy the show, which was particularly amusing tonight, despite the serious story line about Stottlemeyer's faltering marriage. Stottlemeyer's stint in anger-management class had more laughs than that awful Jack Nicholson-Adam Sandler flick. When the teacher gave him a yo-yo because "no one can stay mad when they play with a yo-yo," I thought Stottlemeyer was going to find a way to use it as a deadly weapon. Other favorite gags included Monk going nuts because the loose change in a fountain equaled $10.03, and the homeless guy whose pet
read more
Battlestar Galactica "Save the attitude for someone who cares," Starbuck says to Kat — right before Kat's cannon explodes. Yeah, and save the "fracking," too, OK? I just want to say once again that I hate the whole "frack" thing. It's a distracting holdover from the original show, and it's not even a necessary one, no matter how many other fans insist on using it. There. Rant over. Just that rant, I mean. You guys know I love this show, and this was yet another great episode: Roslin's memories of Baltar making out with Number Six, the whole Baltar-Number Six drama in the present, Sharon's baby being a hair away from being aborted and then Baltar's discovery that its blood could be used to cure Roslin's cancer, etc. But the best thing about Galactica is that it's always avoided the trap other sci-fi shows fall into: that of so much going on that there's no room for character developmen
read more
Battlestar Galactica "Save the attitude for someone who cares," Starbuck says to Kat — right before Kat's cannon explodes. Yeah, and save the "fracking," too, OK? I just want to say once again that I hate the whole "frack" thing. It's a distracting holdover from the original show, and it's not even a necessary one, no matter how many other fans insist on using it. There. Rant over. Just that rant, I mean. You guys know I love this show, and this was yet another great episode: Roslin's memories of Baltar making out with Number Six, the whole Baltar-Number Six drama in the present, Sharon's baby being a hair away from being aborted and then Baltar's discovery that its blood could be used to cure Roslin's cancer, etc. But the best thing about Galactica is that it's always avoided the trap other sci-fi shows fall into: that of so much going on that there's no room for character developmen
read more
MonkIs it lame of me to continue mourning the loss of Bitty Schram, aka Monk's original sidekick, Sharona? Traylor Howard as Natalie just doesn't do it for me (honestly, few things pronounced "trailer" thrill me.) The tears she wept when she found out Monk had disappeared were so annoying. If he had gone missing on Sharona's watch, she wouldn't have called Stottlemeyer weeping. She would have gone out and found Monk herself! Also, I'm a little over the six-fingered man who supposedly killed our OCD hero's wife. I think creator Andy Breckman watched The Princess Bride one too many times (although it would be cool if the murderer ended up being played by Christopher Guest in the finale). OK, let me stop whining and talk about wh
read more
