I think Futurama's Flowers for Algernon episodes will always be my favorites, but this was pretty good. I liked that they twisted the trope a bit and had him never be smart in the first place… seeing his experiment labeled Spydar was a good payoff.

Ohhh, that makes so much sense.

Off Topic
Was it an AVClub thing 3-4 years ago to give your post a subject line? I was just reading old Curb reviews and noticed that almost EVERY comment had a title/lead-in. I checked Party Down and Better off Ted, and sure enough… same deal. Was that just a weird quirk of the AVClub commentariat from that era?

Somehow this felt simultaneously experimental and sitcom-y, which might actually be what they were going for given the focus group interludes. Unfortunately, as much as I like Sarah Silverman it just wasn't all that funny… not surprised NBC didn't pick it up.

Haven't you ever played a video game? Bad guys vanish after a little bit.

Shane was the source of like 85 percent of this show's stupid melodrama. I honestly can't see how anyone can miss him?!

I've gotta agree… honestly, this episode is exactly what I want out of TWD.

Damn, that would have been awesome. The characters could have started using the phrase "winter is coming" as a cheerful idiom.

I thought this might've been the best episode yet (except for the fantastically convenient timing of the character revelation at the end).

Haha, I instantly thought of Fantastic Mr. Fox during that scene, and somehow it never occurred to me that Life Aquatic is definitely a more apt comparison.

This might have been the funniest half hour of comedy all week.  Well played, The League.

Haha, I refer to red Twizzlers as licorice.  I think it's as odd and nonsensical as you do, but it's a habit I'll probably never shake.

This episode was only okay, but goddamnit I laughed so hard when the second plane crashed and then they cut almost instantly to Cartman running a truck into a tree.

Speaking of SyFy… does anyone know whether they're still developing a Bryan Fuller pilot set on the moon? Because that sounds like it could potentially be my favorite show ever.

Yeah she's been pretty great so far… Her antics kinda remind me of Cheryl from Archer, or even Sue White from Green Wing.

Yes!! I've always been much more a fan of shows that take you through the entire emotional spectrum, rather than just the grim, gritty, dark.  Dead Like Me is one that really did it for me… hilarious, bittersweet, imaginative, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hopeful.

I don't think it's a B+ episode for a show that's already hit a stride, but for me it was definitely a B+ pilot.  I mean, even a lot of all time great comedies have had some pretty shitty pilots.

Fox Confessor is definitely her best album, but I'm starting to realize that I probably like Middle Cyclone more than most people.  I think I have some pretty specific place-time memories attached to that album that elevate it for me.

I agree that this isn't a great review, but… I dunno, I kinda think it's a below average effort from her—in the context of the rest of her work I don't think a B- would be too far off.

Daniel Keyes?