This is one of those times when I'm really glad I don't follow the behind-the-scenes drama of the shows I watch. This review seems to weigh heavily on that, when to me, it's all but inadmissible evidence. Generally speaking, unless we're talking Simpsons or SNL, I don't want to know from showrunners or producers or…

I didn't have a problem with this one, and there have been LMOE episodes that absolutely infuriated me in the past. I actually did get stuck in an elevator once (only an hour, but still…), so Gail's story worked well for me. And I'd give 90% of the credit to Mary Steenburgen's performance. She really sold it. At least…

I heard "Billboard gave me nightmares." I figured Boyle saw a single billboard for Dexter — enough to notice the protective suit worn by the character — and that scared him too much to ever watch the show.

Other than the fact that it set up yet another ridiculously contrived scenario in which Tandy is horribly, stupidly misguided before learning his lesson, I liked this one a lot. I want to see more of this building, so hopefully the show can explore this space for at least few more eps. My guess is that the place is a…

I was one of the complainers who expressed misgivings about "B.A.N.," so "The Club" felt like a welcome return to the Atlanta I thought I knew. Last week's show went in a sketch comedy direction, and this one had the dream-like atmosphere of a "typical" episode, largely because we were seeing the events from the…

My main problem with the episode was that it hinged on Phil's emotional attachment to Malibu. But would he have one? Tucson was his home and the setting of the show's first season. Carol had to practically drag him to Malibu. This place was imposed on him. He didn't choose it. Why would he be the one fighting to stay…

Also: the "episode within an episode that takes up the whole episode" thing has been done already. Not done to death, but it's been done. The Simpsons did it ("Behind the Laughter"). 30 Rock did it ("Queen of Jordan"). Parks & Rec did it ("Johnny Karate"). I feel like I've seen other examples, too, but none are…

Still processing this episode. I wish it had been followed by an interview with Donald Glover, because I'd love to hear what he has to say about it. Initial thoughts: The commercial parodies were beautifully done and funny, but Montague felt more like a sketch comedy parody of a talk show than a real talk show. It…

I heard "Drake Malfoy." Like Drake meets Draco Malfoy.

Oh, dear lord. I didn't think any episode could frustrate me more than last week's, but goddamn, did they outdo themselves this week. I actually like slapstick and physical humor, so that has nothing to do with my strong, roiling hatred for the last few episodes. I'm just sick to goddamned death of the Let's Torture…

I found this episode infuriating for some of the reasons you mentioned here. Mike immediately is revealed as a monster, and yet no one but Phil seems able to see that. It's maddening. The arrival of Jason Sudeikis into the Malibu crew is just another excuse to humiliate Will Forte, again and again and again and again…

A DISSENTING OPINION

Nice list. I personally would have called it "16 shows which weren't a total fucking disgrace to the the films that inspired them," but that's splitting hairs.

"Andrew Garfield/Coldplay" is the kind of episode which makes me bearish on SNL's future… largely because the show seems overly bullish on its own past. At this stage in its lifetime, SNL is way, way too content to be a commercial for itself and a "living museum" of its own hallowed tropes and cliches. It's beyond…

Observation: The good guy in this movie looks like he would be the bad guy in almost any other movie.

Do you realize this is now the second For Our Consideration scolding Parks & Rec at length? Maybe it's the third or fourth. I don't follow this feature as religiously as perhaps I should. The AVC seems to have some curious form of anhedonia related to this particular series, and it manifests itself in dour…

"It’s hard to believe that young children gobbling down Flintstones vitamins or rotting their teeth with the new Poppin’ Pebbles know Fred and the gang as anything other than product pitchmen."

I felt the same way about this. From what I've seen of it, Two and a Half Men is a particularly sleazy, cynical, mercenary show with very little to redeem it. My guess is that many of the people who work on the show are not particularly proud of it but just put their blinders on because the show is a cash machine. I…

Thanks to ME-TV, I've been getting reacquainted with the original Star Trek and have enjoyed it, but I must ask: how many times can Kirk, Spock, or McCoy "die" only to be saved by a loophole/technicality in the last five minutes of the episode? It seems like they go to that well every third episode. There's always a…

I have no idea who Alan Sepinwall is, but Ken Tucker and Rob Sheffield are two of my least-favorite critics working today. Throw in Owen Glieberman, Tom Shales, and Jim Derogatis, and you have the Dream Team of people whose opinions I don't trust.