Episode 3 – In Review

The third episode has arrived and it finds my co-host and I joined by my girlfriend Erika Houtz to discuss the recent Emmy’s ceremony followed by our top five television shows currently airing new episodes.

Just a few thoughts on this years Emmys in summation.  Neil Patrick Harris easily gave the best live performance of the year.  A category for best variety show event saw Hugh Jackman win for his performance of the opening number at the Oscars but if Harris’ performance was in the running it would be a quantum finish.  Mad Men and 30 Rock repeated last year’s top honors and it could not be more well deserved.  If I could, I would personally thank Tina Fey and Matthew Weiner for making television exciting again.  The sensation third season of Mad Men has just started and it is not too late to catch up on the best quality show around.

The three of us leapt into an algonquin roundtable of sorts generating the following list of the best television on air as we see it.

Erika’s Top 5:

1.  Mad Men

2.  Big Love – New season in January

3.  Top Chef

4.  United States of Tara

5.  Curb Your Enthusiasm

Dane’s Top 5:

1.  30 Rock

2.  It’s Always Sunny in Philidelphia

3.  South Park

4.  The Daily Show

5.  Jeapordy

James’ Top 5:

1.  Mad Men

2.  30 Rock

3.  Curb Your Enthusiasm

4.  United States of Tara*/Party Down

– I didn’t get a chance to talk about Party Down which is a great new show airing on Starz.  Ken Marino, part of the same group that did the sketch comedy show The State, plays the owner of a catering company in LA primarily staffed by indifferent failed actors/comedians.  It’s a hilarious riff on LA culture with some interesting characters that go beyond the zany sitcom archetypes.

5.  The Daily Show

It’s clear that we all share a certain reverence for the siren song of the glowing glass box and I hope you share our enthusiasm or at least enjoy hearing us enthused for 45 minutes of pure entertainment.

~James

*Note, we said on the show that Diablo Cody directed Juno which is not accurate.  She wrote the screenplay for the film, and won the Oscar for best original screenplay, and Jason Reitman directed.