Standout TV from this year...

It's that time of year again. The time when baking deserts and drinking too much becomes your paramount concern and the only way to keep new content on your blog is to resort to lists (Heaven forbid)! And so without further ado, my breakouts to watch for the coming post-holiday season (even if at least one of them doesn't return until April, once again reminding me why Fox is my nemesis).

Glee (http://www.fox.com/glee)
While Fox may be my nemesis when it comes to making it difficult for me to watch my favourite shows they certainly delivered with this smart, original and comedic musical series. With catchy tunes and a marketing machine that seems to run itself, Glee has become one of the most talked about new shows in recent years. Though it has been suggested that the momentum the show has now can't keep up for too much longer and while I think that it is often true that breakouts don't stay strong forever (see Grey's Anatomy), the value of "where do we go from here" is often overlooked and can sometimes be an even greater, albeit slower pay off. If you haven't had a chance to catch an episode, have a look see. At the very least you will get some great one liners out of Jane Lynch's Coach Sylvester.

Better off Ted (http://abc.go.com/shows/better-off-ted)
This series actually premiered March 2009 but I'm just getting around to watching it now and with the second season just gearing up it seems like as good a time as any to extol the virtues of the team at Veridian Dynamic. The series follows Ted, a middle management type, as he navigates the corporate environment and the everyday ups and downs of working with an overbearing boss (played to exquisite perfection by Portia DeRossi), a team of sometimes slow on the uptake genius product developers and a very pretty co-worker/love interest. With a corporate entity that literally steals the show (through cleverly played commercial inserts) and manages to be a secondary character to the whole mess, Better off Ted is a standout comedic series.

Cougar Town (http://abc.go.com/shows/cougar-town)
Courtney Cox is back and she's better than ever as newly divorced forty-something Jules in this new family comedy on ABC. Although ABC trying to convince us that Courtney is a typical woman in her forties who's been thrown back into the dating pool is a little stale (any promo shot will immediately disprove all the things Jules is constantly saying about her body). The cast of secondary characters and sounding boards from which Jules' neuroses rebound are really the crowning achievement on this show since even though Courtney is working it as hard as she can she's always been about the team effort. There are a lot of great jokes in this one for the ladies so if you're bored and want a few laughs and drama-lite (no heavy stuff here folks) then tune it. It's worth a try.

I know it's a little heavy on the comedies but that's what I seem to have been into of late. Maybe it's an economic crisis thing but I haven't had the heart to sit down and enjoy Damages, The Wire, Flash Forward or any of the other shows that everyone's been raving about. If you have a show that you absolutely adored this season (whether it's new or old) post it, I'm always on the lookout for a decent show I can pull an all nighter with.

To that end, these returning gems deserve a nod:
Californication
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
How I Met Your Mother
In Plain Sight
Mad Men
The Mentalist
Supernatural
True Blood
Ugly Betty (has finally rallied! Check out the last episode!)

Because it's Tuesday...

...I thought it might be interesting (as an alternative to seeing a cheap movie that you haven't already watched) to re-watch a movie you have seen from a new perspective! What I mean of course is the commentary track.

My friends (as my university roommate used to say) "really know this" about me but I LOVE watching my favourite movies and TV shows with the commentary track on. I have to admit that being a giant film nerd is part of it but depending on who is doing the commentary it can be insightful, hilarious or altogether disturbing.

Case in point:
Don't ever EVER watch "What a Girl Wants" with the commentary track. I love Amanda Bynes for her fearlessness but it should never extend to commentary tracks on your own.

And so, on this Tuesday I present to you my top 5 commentary tracks...(in no particular order)

SHE'S THE MAN
There are several tracks on this DVD and the one that I enjoy is the cast commentary. The main reason (and it is not to swoon at the boys as they are neither visible-- clearly-- nor particularly insightful) is that when you stuff that many young actors in one room with their self deprecating director and force them to watch themselves for two hours you get gold. At any given point at least one of the actor's true personalities shines through (Robert Hoffman, the self promoting video hag; Alex Breckenridge's slightly slower intellectual speed) as they continue to make fun of themselves and each other mercilessly throughout. Had me laughing out loud a few times...you'll enjoy it.

MISS CONGENIALITY
There's something wonderful about Sandra Bullock's ease onscreen and it translates beautifully into the commentary that she does on this DVD with writer and longtime friend Marc Lawrence. They seem to travel seemlessly between teasing each other and giving insight into the process of making the film. Being one of the film's producers probably helps but the commentary is fresh and funny and stays true to the lighthearted nature of the film.

SERENITY
Joss Whedon. JOSS WHEDON. I'm sorry, let me contain myself. For those of you who worship the ground this man walks on you've already listened to this commentary several times and probably know it by heart so you can skip this pitch. For anyone who has not had the opportunity to enjoy this commentary (and has any interest AT ALL in the creative process) the commentary on this disk is almost like a personal writing class using the suprising box office smash as the example. If that sounds boring you should probably try listening to it anyway as Joss' playful sense of humour is peppered throughout the track and includes surprising insight into the physicality of film (both for the actors and the crew).

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (SEASON 1)
I have often heard it said that showrunners Carter Bayes and Craig Thomas are two of the best at what they do and this commentary track only manages to prove that statement right. Insight into characters, places, plots and jokes the commentary provides great depth to a show that already has some of the snappiest timing on prime time. If you've enjoyed HIMYM and don't want to wait until the next new episode then check this out.

DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-A-LONG BLOG
I can't actually pitch this commentary because I haven't heard it yet but just based on the original material (and rumours that there would be a commentary track that was entirely singing) I have to include it if only as an item on my commentary wish list.

Well there you have it, my top 5, feel free to post your own (or even examples of behind the scenes featurettes you love etc.). I really believe it's important to share when something is worth your time. Think of it as a public service announcement.