Shane Life

The Big Bang Theory is one of the best TV shows to hit the airwaves in the last couple seasons. More specifically, Jim Parsons portrayal of Dr. Sheldon Cooper is the best thing to happen to television in a very long time. While How I Met Your Mother is my favorite sitcom on TV, it doesn’t make me actually laugh out loud nearly as much as The Big Bang Theory.

“If I may speak again…Dr. Sheldon Cooper…FOR THE WIN.”

HOWEVER…

The brilliance in the video below showed why HIMYM is still one of the best.

When referencing a graphic design program, please do not - under any circumstances - EVER use the following dialogue:

Jim: “I thought you were good at Flash.”

Pam: “I was. And then they changed to Acrobat and now it’s Quark and I’m just not good at this computer stuff.”

Unacceptable. UNACCEPTABLE!!!! There are so many things wrong with that statement. Graphic designers and people who work on the Web should share my outrage.

I expect a full written apology from Pam Beesley, Jim Halpert, Dunder-Mifflin, Ricky Gervais, Greg Daniels, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, NBC Universal, and Reveille Productions.

You have 48 hours to meet my demands.

Don’t forget. The Top Chef: New York premiere is tonight.

Watch it.

(And yes, this is my NaBloPoMo post for the evening. Don’t mess with me on Top Chef Premiere Night.)

My favorite reality TV show is back. Emmy-nominated Top Chef is in New York City this season with new challenges, new food, and a whole lot of kitchen drama.

After spending two seasons in San Francisco, then taking the show on the road to Miami and Chicago, Top Chef is in the culinary center of the universe now. I can’t wait.

For those of you that do not watch this brilliant show, you are fools. It starts Wednesday night on Bravo, so set your DVR now so you don’t miss it. Seriously. It’s Project Runway meets the Food Network and it’s totally awesome.

I predict a possible live-blog of the 9 p.m. Wednesday premiere.

Each fall, I try to evaluate the ads for new TV shows and make a decision as to which ones might be worth adding to our already-crowded DVR schedule. Last year, I made the fantastic decision to add The Big Bang Theory and Chuck, both of which have turned out to be really funny shows, worthy of space on my DVR (although Chuck is usually watched on Hulu instead).

This year, I didn’t see very much to get excited about. There was Gary, Unmarried - a sitcom starring Jay Mohr which I’ve not been inspired to watch and Kath & Kim, an NBC remake of an ultra-popular Australian sitcom starring Molly Shannon (who, like Mohr, should definitely have her own show) and Selma Blair. Here’s a clip from Kath & Kim:

Not only is the show disappointing…it’s just completely unfunny. It’s a total waste of some very talented comedic actors on a show that struggles to get even a sniggle of laughter. The funniest part of the show is unfortunately the last 1-2 minutes, called “Wine Time” where Kath and Kim sit on the back porch drinking wine and reading US Weekly and InTouch magazines. But you can’t fill a half-hour sitcom with that. You just can’t.

So I’m sorry to say, Kath & Kim…you’re deleted.

If you are like me and you watch How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory on Monday nights (and let’s face it…if you aren’t watching these shows, there’s just no talking to you), this applies to you.

Check your DVR.

CBS is running an election special during their normal airtimes and have moves HIMYM and BBT back to after David Letterman. This actually works out well for me because it allows us to record Dancing with the Stars and the Saturday Night Live Election Bash at the same time. Booyah!

So if you watch these shows, make sure and check your DVR.

You are welcome.

Alli and I had one of the very few days on a weekend that we have absolutely no plans. Sunday is going to be a madhouse, so we thought we’d take today to do nothing.

We did nothing and it was everything we hoped it would be.

Armed with Season 3 of How I Met Your Mother (seriously, if you aren’t watching this show, there’s just no talking to you), we rolled out of bed around 9:30, picked up Starbucks and Mollie B’s muffins and started on disc one of three. About 2/3 of the way through disc 2, I made a decision to accomplish one thing today: mowing the lawn. I figured that I probably won’t have to mow again this year and I haven’t in several weeks…it was long, but it only took about an hour.

After I got done, it was about 3:00 and we were hungry, so I called the Original Pizza in the Great Mall. The Original Pizza is the only reason to go to the Great Mall.

When I got home, we finished up Season 3 of HIMYM by about 7:00. We’ve been puttering around since and made a short trip to Michael’s so Alli could pick up some inexpensive pre-made canvases for her business.

It’s been a glorious day. No expectations, totally relaxing… everything that we intended with absolutely nothing on the agenda.

Also, this is my first post for NaBloPoMo. I doubt I’ll be able to keep up a post a day for a whole month, but I’m willing to give it a shot. I am not really qualified for Chimpotle’s Movember because I refuse to cleanly shave my face EVER because I look ridiculous.

I stayed up to watch last night’s Emmys last night and here are my quick thoughts.

• Good for Tina Fey. She’s one of the funniest women on TV. Would have liked to see The Office win Best Comedy, though.
• I’m starting a Steve Carell for Best Comedy Actor Web site.
• Allowing the Reality Show Host nominees to host the show was a bad plan. The opening was awkward and awful.
• I was SHOCKED that Jon Hamm didn’t win for Mad Men. He’s terrific.
• I’m sick of The Amazing Race winning Best Reality Competition Show. Long live, Top Chef!
• The Kathy Griffin-Don Rickles thing was uncomfortable. To see Kathy Griffin uncomfortable is IMPRESSIVE.
• Best part of the night was the part I least expected: Josh Groban’s theme song medley

AMC’s Mad Men is just an absolutely gorgeous show. Its construction of the early 1960’s world of Madison Avenue advertising is so meticulous that if it weren’t for the slick production values, you’d think you might be watching a documentary. Creator Matthew Weiner (who served a few seasons as a writer and producer of The Sopranos) has been extremely diligent with the show, adding subtleties to it that make it all the more authentic and the characters all the more compelling.

This video is the opening credits, which I absolutely LOVE. Season 2 is now available On Demand and Season 1 can be purchased on DVD or through iTunes.