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‘Don’t Applaud That!!’ Herc Says Tonight’s Louis CK-Enhanced PARKS AND RECREATION Installment Is Its Funniest Yet!!
I am – Hercules!!
NBC just sent over tonight’s new episode of “Parks and Recreation” this morning, which is weird, because they don’t ever send over screeners for shows airing later that day.
I watched and I know why they sent it. It’s as funny as one of the funniest episodes of “The Office,” which is saying something. I was laughing out loud all through it (which, sadly, doesn’t really happen as much as it should when I’m watching sitcoms).
Tonight’s installment revolves around:
a) a Miss Pawnee beauty contest that Leslie and Tom come to judge. April is a last-minute entry.
b) Ann's discovery that ex-boyfriend Andy is living in the pit behind her garbage cans.
My notes describe a dozen genius gags, but I’ll not paste them here for fear of spoiling. Louis CK as a cop hot for Leslie has a great bit toward the end, but he’s far from the only reason to tune in tonight.
By the way, I thought "Community," with its subversive "old people are senile, racist and dangerous" message was hilarious last week as well.
Watch, you swine!
Deleted scenes from “The Stakeout”:
Deleted scenes from “The Meeting”:
"Park and Recreation": 8:30 p.m. Thursday. NBC.
"The Office": 9 p.m. Thursday. NBC.
"Community": 9:30 p.m. Thursday. NBC.
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Readers Talkback
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and Louis CK is a great addition, even if it's just a guest role.
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Polio was funnier than this show.
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This show is hysterical, the cast is great and nobody watches it?
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if you didn't laugh at Aziz pretending to know flower names and just naming off rappers to the oblivious Amy Poehler then I guess this show's not for you.<br><br>Bone-Thugs-n-Harmoniums was a hilarious flower name.<br><br>Too bad Louis C.K. can't join the cast full time. He's amazing.
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I actually enjoyed his last ep more then some of his standup.
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Indeed, she does.
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In my opinion at least. She was awesome on UCB, great on SNL and always does well in her movie roles.<br><br>What is so bad about her?
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Yeah, uh, every person on the fucking planet says this show is awful aside from Herc. Do you think that maybe, JUST MAYBE, he's being a contrarian just to seem unique? Nahhhh...he'd never do THAT, amirite folks?
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simply untrue. Plenty of fans of the show.
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I've never understood the hatred for this show. While it's rarely as funny as The Office, it's WAY better than Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, etc. There are always at least two or three really clever gags and the people in it are likable enough. It's disappointing that the show can't find its legs in the ratings, but I personally think it has a lot of potential.
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"I'm Ron Fuckin' Swanson"<br><br>Seriously, Poehler's boss is awesome. The whole bit about him ignoring his hernia to the point that he couldn't move his head or torso was gold. Throwing the burger at his mouth had me dying. Then when the motion sensor lights left him sitting in the dark......it was just perfect.
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It rocked last week. As good as any episode of 30 Rock ever was.<p> As to Amy Poehler, she's obviously got talent but it's not suited to this role. She's miscast.
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I'd rather watch this or Community before The Office at this point. The premiere was terrible, but I seem to be the only one that thought so. The parkour thing was awfully awfully stupid. Last weeks was a bit better than your average episode of Entourage. I think The Office has run its course.
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The reviews for Parks' second season have been overwhelmingly positive.
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I can't remember the last time I watched three funny NBC sitcoms in a row. Park & Rec was hilarious. Tom is by far my favorite character. He needs more air time. I missed the pilot for Community, but I really enjoyed last week's episode. Hopefully this trend continues.
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Michael sneaking into Jim's meeting beneath Andy's super-lame cheese cart was fucking priceless!
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Including Dollhouse, the only part of the week that I will make time to sit in front of the TV for. No working, no playing with the dog, no reading at commercials - it's time for TV.
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Still, I'd love another coax guy with a differing opinion.
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before Jim caught on! I liked that touch. Micheal's schemes often fail but he'll keep trying them because sometimes, he gets lucky. (Well, maybe not "sometimes"; he's supremely lucky.)
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was Andy's whole waiter-type presentation talking about the shitty cheese as if it was elegant and stuff. The smile he had on his face was great.<br><br>Then the meeting abruptly ends. Michael coming out from the cheese cart nonchalantly had me cracking up
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And deserves its place next to The Office and Community. Knock it if you must, but I will fall to my knees and thank god for Thursday nights.
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Between this show, The Office, Community, and Always Sunny.....Thursday nights are full of great comedy. I look forward to Thursday every week.<br><br>So glad they got rid of Kath and Kim.
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Not even in the same league as The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Sunny, IMO. Speaking of the League, the previews of this new FX comedy look promising...anyone know when it starts? Couldn't find any info on the FX website...
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but as many are cringe worthy or just stupid. Gay penguin marriage, the endless fresh prince rap, anything about falling into the pit. Aubry Plaza and the guy who plays Ron Swanson have a cool rapport - I'd watch a show about them and Azzis.
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Community ought to be suspended and entirely reworked - McHale has fantastic timing and delivery and John Oliver is a perfect foil (and they didn't even use him in the second ep). Ken Jeong is great in small doses. Whenever Chase appears with his stale routine everything grinds to a halt. I can't remember anyone else on the show.
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By how much Amy is just Michael Scott, last week she was even doing Michael Scott gags...that were done on that same night on the Office. But the show is a marked improvement over last season (LOL at "Im supposed to have a rock fight with a crazy guy...nevermind he's like 20 minutes late anyways)," so I'll keep giving it a chance. Loving Community, last week's Spanish rap at the end was a blast.
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while Herc's column is undoubtedly wildly popular, there are thousands of other Internet columnists covering TV. If this talkback section doesn't provide enough of a "second opinion" for you, you should check out some of those many other sites. And if you feel those are too much like Herc's you can always start one of your own. <p> Having said that, I wouldn't mind seeing Herc paired with another similar Internet columnist on a TV show, Siskel and Ebert style.
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...Parks & Rec and SNL Update are out of luck. Against Bones & FlashForward....not even close.
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to enjoy Parks and Recreation, but for some reason it just won't take with me. While I am glad to see the laugh track banished from television comedies, I wonder if the faux documentary concept is wearing a bit thin. <P> This show is average at best IMO. Although Aziz Ansari is a stand out as the dude that never takes things too seriously but somehow you just know he will be POTUS one day. <P> Does anyone know when new episodes of 30 Rock start?
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went to NBC.com. 30 Rock starts Oct 15.
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So basically you agree with me. Thanks!
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Weeks would go by between posts. Nobody reviewed any TV shows. You were lucky if there were four posts in any of the talkbacks. It was the domain of tumbleweeds, kind of like AICN's The Zone is now. After Herc took over Coax suddenly I remember reading about this column all over the place, USA Today, the NY Times, EW, TV Guide, Us. Say what you will about the man's love of reality shows and obscure, low-rated stuff like like The Venture Brothers, Galactica, Mad Men, The Wire, and whatnot, but he really did put Coax on the map.
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why are they spending all their time with rashida jones and that dumb guy who banged poehler once? awful.
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is fucking high. That 'Stayin Aline' bit last season where Kelly spontaneously started dancing was probably the darkest moment in that show's history. Just awful. This season, on the other hand, has for the most part righted the ship. Thursday nights on NBC have been SUPREMELY satisfying the past two weeks. And there's still 30 Rock to come!
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I can't type.
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What "Michael Scott gags" did Leslie Knope do in that episode? I didn't make the connection but would love to hear them so I can watch it again.<br><br>I can understand why some people felt Knope was similar to Michael Scott early in the first season. But I really think they are doing small things to change the character. Check out this part of an interview Alan Sepinwall (TV Journalist Star-Ledger & sepinwall.blogspot.com) had with co-creator Mike Schur:<br><br><br><br>AS: How solidly did you have a handle on Leslie in those early episodes? Because it felt like in the finale, and in the first two episodes of this year, she's more recognizably human than she was at the start - a little more self-aware, not always dialed up to 11, somebody you can understand Mark and Ann wanting to hang out with, even though she's still an easy butt of jokes for people like Tom and April. <br><br>Mike Schur: I think that’s true, and it’s probably just the result of the writers learning how to write for Leslie (and all the characters, really). We got some feedback that Leslie came across as “ditzy” sometimes – that surprised us, because we didn’t intend that at all. I think what the writers intended as “takes her job too seriously” read to some people as “oblivious.” So we corrected a little for that this year in the scripts. <br> Early on we conceived of the “Canvassing” episode, wherein Leslie goes out on a limb by calling for a public hearing and then gets beaten up by the public, but hangs in and ends up like Rocky: beaten and bloodied, but on her feet. I like the way it turned out and I think Amy was fantastic, but in later episodes we found that it was more fun to watch the whole group moving toward a common goal. We don’t want people to feel like Leslie is on an island, in terms of her worldview. There are some nice moments in the first few episodes of this season where we see the other characters being more supportive of her.<br><br>AS: How did you all arrive at this take on the character?<br><br>Mike Schur: Trial and error, lots of discussions with Amy, lots of time in the writers’ room. In the end, we just felt that Amy is an enormously likable presence on screen, so as the season went on we just tried to create situations where that would shine through. <br><br>AS: Greg likes to talk about how seeing 40 Year Old Virgin helped you guys recalibrate how you were writing for Steve; was there a similar eureka moment here? <br><br>Mike Schur:Not really – it was more just watching her perform the character day after day. She improvised an interview segment in the “Boys’ Club” episode where, after accidentally shattering a bunch of beer bottles while trying to hang with the guys, she said, “I feel like I’m already in the Boys’ Club. Look at those bitches cleanin’ up after me.” That made us laugh, and we realized that Leslie can be a little bit cooler than we had originally thought. It was just a hundred little things like that.<br><br>
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Oct. 1, 2009, 5:34 p.m. CST
Rashida Jones is the only reason I consider watching
by BackRiverCatfish
I've never laughed once during the few times I've watched.
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My new favorite comedy. It has been pretty funny from the start. Even the first season was funny, unlike the office imho. The most surprising thing about this series is how funny Amy Poehler is when she takes one character and really runs with it.
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The second lowest rated sitcom on all of network television - only besting Fox's Brothers!!!!!!!!!
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last week, and I'm a big joel Mchale/soup fan.
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Good for her.
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Ugh. "Hilarious". Really, Herc? It's the same shit as always. They're even stealing jokes from that dumbass Miss South Carolina, except making it less funny. I feel sorry for the talent in this show; they're better than this. Poehler, Schneider, Jones, Pratt. They should all be doing better than this rubbish. At least it'll be cancelled soon and they can do something worthwhile.
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*Died* when they showed his little garbage office. Andy is a highlight of this show; doesn't get many lines but he nails them. <p> Also liked, "Yeah I quit but at least I didn't make any friends."
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Sit here, like a gimp, and let myself get disappointed so I can post about it on the internet. What a fucking buffoon I am.
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and Pratt gets funnier every week but this episode was a bit of a letdown after the herc hype.
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won't be getting him on P&R anytime soon. but his FX show should be awesome.
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The entire Parks and Rec episode. Aziz and Louis CK need their own show.
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Brilliant.
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First?
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With an actual focus on the office and not some wacky hijinks, but then they brought the silly bean thing into it and it went downhill. 4/10.
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Although their fighting was funny, I'm glad that they came to an understanding, if not of the actual problem, but of their positions. Progression! I also like how they both froze at the knock on the door. Nice cue.
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That ending was the best bit by far. He's under used.
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Oct. 1, 2009, 8:33 p.m. CST
"9/11 was basically the 9/11 of the falafel business"
by HoffmanPasander
That made me laugh.
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Wait..
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Oct. 1, 2009, 8:34 p.m. CST
Haha! Two laugh out loud jokes in Community so far...
by HoffmanPasander
"How about I pound you like a boy?" I am pleasantly surprised.
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The cute brunette?
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is the funniest Chevy chase has been in 10 years..god damn this show is funny, any word on a full season order?
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Such a cute show. I give it a high startled laughter award.
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The only show I've ever seen that accurately gets what it's like to work in city hall. Any show that calls out a city planner? I'm in.
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Christ, he's awful.
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Yes, that was Trudy Campbell, and funniest line of the night:<BR> <BR> "I'll have.......a BIRTHDAY CAKE!!"
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why we never get Supernatural talkbacks, but we get one for all of NBC's shit?
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I'm just not feeling it. It's had some signs of life here and there, but it's not doing it for me. And Aziz's shtick really just becomes irritating when stretched out to long periods of time.
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of what it used to be and if you don't agree just turn on tbs or fox and watch any syndicated episode, I guarantee you will laugh at least twice as much. Jim hasn't been funny in years and they are totally wasting Andy.
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Once 30 Rock is back, I'll be a happy camper. P&R has improved leaps and bounds over last year. Community is my favorite comedy (other than Sunny) since the Office premiered. Speaking of which, I never thought I's say it, but once 30 Rock is back, the Office will be the weak link on Thursdays (though it still makes me chuckle). Too bad NBC only has 2 hours of redeeming television all week.
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None of the supporting characters are particularly interesting. They all have funny bits, but I couldn't for the life of me name any of them, or remember what their characters are like. Poehler is great, and her character has become much more interesting and relatable since season one, but she's pretty much the only thing the show has going for it. I enjoyed tonight's episode, and laughed a few times, but it was more or less forgettable. I am loving Community, though. McHale is hilarious, Chase is great, and Pudi is swiftly becoming the best character on the show. I will definitely be tuning into this on Thursdays instead of the mostly forgettable FlashForward after it makes the move to seven next week.
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Lovin how the Office is making multiple references to Pam's preggo mams... they were incredible to begin with, can't wait to see em in full bazooka mode!!
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She's the female Jimmy Fallon. Over the top on every SNL sketch. Parks & Recreation is lame. Why in the world would you cast a comedy show with Rashida Jones and that unfunny Indian guy? What about these two keep getting them cast in comedies?
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This season is the best it has been since season 2. I wish we could forget seasons 3-5 like they didn't happen.
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Every show has been funny so far--great little jokes throughout, solid cast--I could watch the cast interact around the study table for 20 minutes and it would be funny...good sign.
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I was iffy til tonight but now im hooked, even chevy was funny in this one.
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Bless it.
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remains uneven; could do without britta, however, clever how they pulled that film together. "i think the wrong person left the room" was a good line and then a great line. still hate Chevy, still wish they had a female lead more like Pam from the Office and less like every other bottle blond who has ever walked the planet. Still no more John Oliver? He should be in every ep.
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going for and actually acheiving a surprising and genuinly touching moment, admidst some funny-ass shit. <br> <br> Y'know what that sounds like? British Office. I'm just sayin'.
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was just as awesome as last week. When you start an episode with Frank hanging himself, you know you're in for something good.
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The last two shows have been painfully, excruciatingly unfunny. I love the show and never bash it. But this is just sad. Nobody gives a fuck if Jim is going to get to be co-manager. There's no jokes, nothing. It's like a bad documentary about a really boring office nobody cares about.
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Your brain is wired backwards. If you seriously liked last season's broad buffoonery over the comparatively more grounded humor this season, then you're what's wrong with the audience. And while this show still exists in a more cartoonish universe than the UK version ever did, a place they can't really ever come back from, the past few weeks have been a welcome return to Earth. Then again, I dunno why I'm taking the time to respond to you anyway. Anyone who hasn't been getting laughs out of the Thursday line-up the past few weeks clearly has no taste.
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Park and Community were great. I missed the Pilot episode but the 2 and 3 have been hilarious. I went back and watched the Pilot after it was on last night. The has gotten better each week. The Office might be in trouble. Michael Scott has always been annoying and now that Jim is co-manager it makes it worse. Park and the Office work better when the other characters get the spotlight.
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I don't recall laughing. I felt bad laughing at Community more, but I did.
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4. Parks and Rec<p> 3. The Office<p> 2. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia<p> 1. Community
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In which Amy Poehler plays the perplexed supervisor of a small apartment complex. Every week she desperately tries to evict the strange priest living on the top floor whilst the large cast of wacky tenants in the building is gradually diminished due to 'mysterious disappearances'.
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Oct. 2, 2009, 10:15 a.m. CST
it started a bit wobbly last season, but P&R is on a hot streak
by Dr. Sid Schaefer
aziz ansari is fucking hilarious. and april's "impersonations" were genius. the haters can suck it; P&R is funny as hell!
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comedy gold guest stars like Ken Leung and John Michael Higgins. Joel McHale has proven to be a fine comedic actor. I only know him from The Soup and some bit parts. But I have to give a mention to the always overlooked Its Always Sunny. Charlie continues to be my favorite character. His line about burning garbage smoke turning into beautiful stars was classic Charlie idiot logic. And Mac couldn't argue that because "he doesn't know enough about stars"...AND FX followed it with the Charlie "Wild Card" episode? Thank you FX.
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Hands down the funniest thing on NBC. Hands. Down.
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I'll agree that last weeks episode had some humour in Micheal not wanting Jim to take over his job, but now that jim actually is a co-manager the show has hit a dead end. Micheal can't do goofy things anymore because jim is there to stop him and jim can't goof off anymore because he's now a manager. It takes alot of the charm out of the show to have both of those characters change at the same time.<P>and jim's office in the corner there really throws the entire office out of wack, it honestly made the office look like a set instead of a real office. Plus where does Jim go from here, i mean i can't see them keeping 2 managers for more then a few episodes, so that means Jim either takes a demotion, or leaves the show, or micheal leaves the show and jim replaces him as sole manager. I can'tsee either of those things happening since either actor would be foolish to jump ship on a top rated comedy.<P>let's hope they find a way out of this in the next few weeks (maybe jim can't handle the presure and decides to go back to a sales position so he can have more time with his wife). The office is still funny but the last two episode have felt like it was just going through the routines, the show needs to get better if it wants to comete with the ret of the thursday lineup <P>speaking of which, holy crap could comunity be the best comedy to heit the air in a long time, all 3 episodes so far have been outstanding, the cast has great chemistry and the stories are funny but with a heart, i hope this show doesn't get ass raped when 30 rock comes back, it deserves a thursday time slot, 8:30 would be best with Parks moving to 8 to lead off the night (it has the best "lead off vibe" out of all the shows), SNL thursdays is just a filler show anyways, drp that completley and have a comedy night of<P>Parks and Recreation<P>Community<P>The office<P>30 rock<P>and then something better at 10 because Jay Leno is a retard and the primetime varaity/talk show hasn't been relevent since Ed sullivan
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Someone actually said they don't like Britta? Suck on THIS: http://www.egotastic.com/entertainment/celebrities/gillian-jacobs/gillian-jacobs-is-my-new-favourite-004995
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I was pretty shaky on it last season, but it has my total support now. <br> The ex-boyfriend living in the tent is friggin' phenomenal!
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30 Rock Better off Ted - which I propose they should buy from ABC The Office Community Cancel Parks. And it's Michael not Micheal - Micheal would be pronounced mike-eel, it just looks so weird.
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Are always the best.
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love it. Cant wait for it.
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But for me nothing in it topped last weeks stuff with Ron and his hernia (or maybe that was the week before?). His scenes were amazing. Also I think the office has started off really strong this season. In fact, I like the whole NBC comedy lineup on Thursday. I also watch Supernatural and Sunny so my Thursdays are packed with shows.
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This show has already been canceled, announcement in about 2 weeks. :-(
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calling the beauty pageant girl "Buddy" at the end of the episode almost killed me. The delivery, unexpectedness and the principle of calling a hot chick "Buddy" had me laughing like an idiot.
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It was actually the best episode of all the like 5 or 6 shows I watch or DVR on Thursday nights. Fringe and Flashforward were both really disappointing, The Office was alright, and Community was funny, but P&R really had me laughing. Surprised me <p> "That's disgusting" "..Noo, what's disgusting is the Glitter Room. Do Not Go to the Glitter Room." Hilarious.
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