Posted Nov 6th 2009 1:31PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E08) Yes! Finally. The moment we've all been waiting for. Ever since the season five promos first aired, I have been eagerly anticipating some sort of context for Charlie's uncontrollable eyebrows and the ridiculous Kitten Mittens (or Kitten Mittons, as it were). Seeing the ad in full certainly didn't disappoint, though I wish we could have seen more Kitten Mittons throughout the episode. Admittedly, thirty-some minutes of cats struggling in booties probably doesn't sound like a hot idea, but, hey, animal humor has sustained many a clip show.
Plus, I heart over-enthusiastic Charlie.
Continue reading Review: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Paddy's Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens
Posted Nov 2nd 2009 8:35AM by Annie Wu
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Animation, Adult Swim, Episode Reviews
(S04E03) I swear to you, dear reader, that I do my best to stay somewhat objective when reviewing
The Venture Bros. It's tough, though, when the writers keep knocking them out of the park like this. We're only a few episodes in, but I'm already enjoying things more than I did with season three, and it's not just because this episode had mind-blowing prog rock and UPS guys with the Shining.
Continue reading Review: The Venture Bros. - Perchance to Dean
Posted Oct 30th 2009 11:59AM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E07) This episode brought back many things that fans of
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia have already come to know and love: nearly aggressive patriotism, needless shirtnessness, songs sung in falsetto and, of course, Rickety Cricket. I would like to also submit that the Birds of War get-up (pictured above) would be perfect for this Halloween, especially if you're desperate for few high-fives or silent nods of approval. It covers a wide range, as it appeals to both
Always Sunny fans and people who like America and/or chickens. I mean, eagles.
Continue reading Review: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - The Gang Wrestles for the Troops
Posted Oct 26th 2009 12:08PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Animation, Adult Swim, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S04E02) First things first. If you are not a connoisseur of '90s superhero cartoons or a huge nerd that has been closely following
Venture Bros. news all the way through production, you may have missed out on the full "Handsome Ransom" experience. That is not to say the unaware couldn't have a good time, but things were made ten times funnier if a viewer knew that the not-so-pure Captain Sunshine was voiced by Kevin Conroy, aka Batman.
Continue reading Review: The Venture Bros. - Handsome Ransom
Posted Oct 23rd 2009 3:32AM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E06) Ooh! Things I learned in high school! This episode of
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia was presented as a frame story, just like
The Canterbury Tales. Did the gang out-Chaucer Chaucer!? Well, no, but it was a lot funnier than the Wife of Bath, I can promise you that.
There were a lot of excellent moments (read on to find out who won the "Best Retch-Face" award, which is as coveted as it is imaginary) and they made for a solid episode, though not one to immediately jump into my favorites. Admittedly, that's an unreasonable weekly expectation anyway. Oh well. At least we got some Greenman.
Continue reading Review: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - The World Series Defense
Posted Oct 19th 2009 1:37PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S04E01) Is it going too far calling
Venture Bros. the
Lost of animated shows? Because, especially when one compares it to other programs in the [adult swim] line-up, it definitely is. While shows like
Robot Chicken are custom-tailored for short attention spans (which isn't necessarily a bad thing),
VB does a beautiful job of rewarding the loyal who take time to learn and love the show.
You know how else it's also kind of like
Lost? It's really damn confusing sometimes. It wasn't until the very end of the premiere, when bits of my brain were coming out my ears, that I finally managed to put most of the story together in my head, though I knew I would have to watch it at least once to more to seriously understand. I see what you did there, Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick. Real sneaky.
Continue reading Review: The Venture Bros. - Blood of the Father, Heart of Steel (season premiere)
Posted Oct 18th 2009 2:03PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, Saturday Night Live, Video, Celebrities, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S35E04) I remember sitting down and staring at Gerard Butler as he made funny, smarmy faces at the camera. And then I blinked, only to see Butler was thanking the cast and viewers for a wonderful show. I looked on the computer screen. There were half-remembered notes haphazardly tapped out at some point.
Somehow, I had jumped forward ninety minutes. Had I finally mastered short-term time travel? Or did I just watch an incredibly forgettable episode of
Saturday Night Live? Probably the latter. However, I vaguely recall a destructive robot adorably struggling through a wall. If that was actually a dream and not real life, please don't tell me.
Continue reading Review: Saturday Night Live - Gerard Butler/Shakira
Posted Oct 16th 2009 11:19AM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E05) This, more than any of the other episodes from the current season, felt the most true to the show. I know, that's kind of weird, since the canon is growing and developing with every installment, but this episode had all the things that we've come to know and love from
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, from Frank's increasingly speedy spiral toward rock-bottom to Charlie and Dee's personal issues with the Waitress (never give her a name, for the love of everything that is terrible and in poor form). The schemes and the chemistry of the gang was extra-perfect in this episode, especially during the rapid-fire conversations surrounding Mac, Dennis and Charlie.
This is one of those episodes I've pocketed away in case I need to subject -- I mean, introduce -- an uninitiated person to the world of
Always Sunny.
Continue reading It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia: The Waitress Is Getting Married
Posted Oct 11th 2009 10:29AM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, Saturday Night Live, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S35E03) Drew Barrymore is energy. Pure, almost-scary energy. It's disorienting to watch when one is bleary-eyed and staring at a tiny TV in the wee hours of the morning, but this trademark makes for consistent television-viewing. While the quality of
Saturday Night Live's writing may waver from episode to episode, every time Drew Barrymore returns, one can safely expect absolute enthusiasm and a palpable willingness to step back and laugh at herself.
All right, little Ms. "I Extra-Love Female Empowerment," prepare for me to work that ego.... Especially when one compares her to the typical "hot girl" host (see: Megan Fox's
SNL premiere), Barrymore doesn't box herself in and offers a lot more opportunity for fun characters. Would someone like Fox ever be willing to bolo it up to play Nina Wilkes Booth? I doubt it.
Continue reading Saturday Night Live: Drew Barrymore/Regina Spektor
Posted Oct 8th 2009 11:03PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E04) This week didn't really bring anything mind-blowing, but it returned us to old stomping grounds. With this episode,
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia revisited a few familiar themes: gross people from the gang's history and the never-ending quest to bang moms. Mary Lynn Rajskub (remember, it's like "rice cub") made her
Always Sunny debut as Dee and Dennis' "garbage pail cousin," Gail the Snail, and successfully joined the McPoyle brothers in that elite league of characters that make viewers feel greasy just from looking at them too long.
Continue reading It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia: The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention
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