TVSquad

Paul Goebel
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(S01E01) True Blood is definitely a show after my own heart. I love any high concept drama that lays out the entire idea in the first five minutes.

In case you didn't get it, here's the short version. Synthetic blood is now available for vampires to buy, therefore they no longer need to kill to survive. So, as a society, they decide to live out in the open and are met with the kind of fear and skepticism that you'd expect.

I got a great letter this week from a fan named Harold Dickinson.

He writes, "I'm trying to get the name of a cartoon from the late 50's or early 60's. It had two characters who -- at least in my memory -- remind me of Penn and Teller. The one character was tall and bombastic, the other was shorter and never spoke- although he would whisper to the other character. I believe the smaller character was named Leonardo- but I wouldn't swear to it."

(S02E07) "Sounds like the world's worst game show." - Sam Axe

Finally, Michael gets himself involved in someone else's problems in a truly organic way. Like most of you, I was tired of people seeking Michael's help like he was Robert McCall Jr. So when he came to the defense of Seymour, it was really refreshing to see.

Speaking of Seymour, I was surprised to see Silas Weir Mitchell playing a character who was so socially functional. After his stint on Prison Break and Earl I wasn't sure if he was even acting.

(S01E10) "I'd rather lick money." - Lacey Thornfield

As exciting as the idea of Lacey having a sexy dream is, the feeling was immediately counteracted when she revealed that the dream involved Pip. The saving grace is that anyone who took Psych 101 in college could figure out that Pip was just a substitution for The Middleman. The uniform was a dead giveaway.

One thing that keeps me watching this show is the introduction of new characters that inhabit Wendy's life. Meeting Noser's roommate Anvil was very cool. I don't know if he's an artist like most of the other residents of the illegal sublet, but if he is, I really want to see his work.

I got a great letter this week from a TV fan named Jim R.

"Dear TV Squad, About 15 years ago, I watched an episode of a scifi/fantasy TV show wherein an Elvis impersonator traveled back in time to meet (and eventually kill) the real Elvis. Could you please tell me the name of this program? Thanks"

(S02E06) You have to admire the stones on a guy who can insult someone else's wardrobe while he himself is wearing a Daiquiri Ice colored polo.

As much as I love the larger than life characters on this show, Victor the Wrangler was a little too much for me. I never enjoy seeing brand new characters who talk to the regulars like they are old buddies. I know that's how TV works but if a guy is going to engage in as much douche speak as Victor, he's got build up some goodwill first, or else I'll end up hating him from the beginning. That, however, may have been the point.

One day in 2001, I was having lunch with a friend and we were talking about the new fall shows. We discussed shows that we thought weren't going to make it as well as shows we really enjoyed. Towards the end of the meal we started to discuss The Tick and how we were both excited to see the live version that was premiering later in the season. I remember turning to my friend and saying, "Isn't there another show premiering on FOX later in the season?" We couldn't think of which show it was and so went back to discussing The Tick.

The show we were trying to think of was The Bernie Mac Show and five years after The Tick had come and gone Bernie's show had become one of the funniest family sitcoms on television.

(S02E05) "Sammy's gettin' some hammy tonight." - Sam Axe

How great was it seeing Michael and Fi still sitting in that car? I like to imagine that they were sitting there for an entire week while we waited for the new episode.

Not that I didn't enjoy Michael's how-to on exposing covert security but I feel bad for the delivery guy. As if it isn't bad enough to get to the delivery and realize you've been pranked, this poor guy is also going to get the crap beaten out of him. No wonder Michael helps everyone he meets. He has a lot of bad karma to make up for.

(S01E08) "Guy I Don't Know is starting to look like Guy I've Known My Whole Life." - Noser

Yo, Wendy Watson. Thanks for wearing the skimpy dress in the very first scene of the show.

For the most part, scenes with two attractive young people flirting with each other while spouting flippant duologue has been done to death. For some reason that I can't quite identify, the scenes in tonight's show worked for me. Maybe it's the huge crush I have on Natalie Morales, maybe it's the fact that The Middleman is chock full of that kind of dialogue, maybe it's because I still feel bad about what happened to Brendan Hines on The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

This week, I got a question from Jonathan Myers that reads...
"There was a short lived television show in the late 60's or early 70's - sitcom - where the characters dressed in dog outfits. Part of me thinks it was related to Rob Reiner? Any idea what show this is?"

Well, after scouring my memory and doing a little research, I was able to dig up some info on an unsold pilot called McGurk.