Tag Archives: Ben and Kate

TV Obituaries: RIP Ben and Kate

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ben and kateWe have only just begun the season’s cancellations and if this a sign of things to come, I am not going to be in good shape.  While Ben and Kate has not been officially cancelled, production has been halted and much like my face when I heard this news, it is not looking good.

Assuming this happens, I will never understand how this show didn’t make it.  It’s the kind of comedy that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy after you watch it while still remaining funny and sharp.  The show seemed to be settling into the characters with Kate finding her dorky awkwardness, Ben finding his ambition, Tommy getting over Kate (for now), and B.J. establishing her general awesomeness.

I will always struggle with smart, lovely shows getting cancelled while networks can still find room for your Last Man Standings and Whitneys.  How does this happen?! How do we LET this happen?!  And I’m just going to say it:  Ben and Kate is a better show than The Mindy Project.  That’s just how I feel.  I still enjoy watching Mindy, but Ben and Kate had more to love, and now everything I loved is being taken from me.

What?!  I don’t get too invested in TV, but my life is over.

–Ellen

Grade A Choice Picks: Best New Fall TV Shows!

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We are officially well into the fall TV season, so we thought we would let you know which of the new shows we are are still digging.

Whitney’s Picks: 

The Mindy Project (Fox): Called it! We told you that this show was going to rule, and so far, it has. Usually, shows about clueless women in the workplace (I’m looking at you, Ally McBeal) really annoy me, but Kaling’s Mindy is funny enough to pull it off. Plus, I feel I’ve found a kindred fictional spirit in Mindy, as she seems to be as rom-com obsessed as I am. Mindy, you totally complete me.

Last Resort (ABC): In all honesty, I can’t be sure if this show is actually as awesome as I think, or if I’m just so freakin’ grateful to have Scott Speedman back in my life that my judgment has been compromised. Time will tell. If you’re not already watching this show, think of it as Hunt for Red October sans Cold War backdrop. Are you asleep yet, ladies? If so, let me direct you attention to this picture of Mr. Speedman. Are you back with me? Good.

Mockingbird Lane (NBC): Honestly, my hopes were not high for this Munsters remake, but thanks to the combined talents of Eddie Izzard, Portia de Rossi, Jerry O’Connell, Charity Wakefield, and writer Bryan Fuller (of Pushing Daisies fame), I’m now totally on board. If I can’t have Ned and Chuck, I’ll gladly take the Munsters.

Ellen’s Picks:

Nashville (ABC): I have noticed that the only dramas that I am drawn to are crazy over-the-top and scandalous, and Nashville fits in quite nicely.  There are all sorts of sexual politics, real politics, shady business dealings, family drama, bedroom eyes over microphones, and country music (which in and of itself is pretty dramatic).  And I can’t get enough!

Ben & Kate (Fox): Definitely my favorite new comedy.  It is sweet, charming, and hilarious.  I can already tell that I am going to enjoy watching Ben and Tommy and their crazy antcis, B.J.’s dating lessons for Kate, the sibling love/rivalry between Ben and Kate, and the potential couplings that could ensue.  Not to mention, that little girl is  adorable.

Emily Owens, M.D. (CW): It has now been decided and proven that I have to add one schlocky show to my roster with every new season of television (see Hart of Dixie last year).  Regardless of the schlock, I still love to watch them.  Also well documented is my love of complicated love triangles, so it should be no surprise that I am on board with this one.  If this doesn’t sound like it is as much up your alley as mine, watch it at least once for the uncanny resemblance of Mamie Gummer to her mom, Meryl Streep.  It creeps me out sometimes.

-Ellen and Whitney

Marry Boff Kill: New Fall TV Shows

Posted in MBK, TV by

It’s here!  It’s finally here!  I feel my life beginning to take meaning again.  That’s right everybody, fall TV is upon and with it comes a fresh crop of new shows.  Like any sane person would do, I have chosen which of the new shows I am ready to marry, boff, and kill.  In other words, which shows I already feel commited to, which I am willing to give one night of passion to for them to prove their worth, and which I will be killing from my DVR lineup.  Let’s dig in!

Marry: 

The Mindy Project – Having already seen this pilot, I have to say that I was impressed.  I typically feel that pilots are a poor test in deciding whether a show will be good or not.  It is a strange thing to go back and watch the pilot of a show that you have loved for years, because they usually morph into something completely different.  That being said, pilots usually suck so I like to give them some time to grow on me.  The promos for this show left me on the fence, so imagine my surprise when I left the pilot almost positive that I was going to fall for this show.  Mindy is a funny, smart, and unique female lead and judging from some of her references, I feel like we are of the same people.  Definitely the show I am most excited about of this bunch.

Ben & Kate – Like the above, I have already seen the pilot to this show.  Though I enjoyed it to a lesser degree, I still saw promise.  Do I think it will join the lineup of shows like New Girl or Parks and Rec, shows that I can’t wait to watch every week?  No.  But do I think it could join shows like Raising Hope or The Middle, shows that I enjoy but have no problem letting pile up on my DVR until I have a lazy Saturday morning?  Yeah.

Nashville – It’s got Tami Taylor, y’all!  I shouldn’t have to say anything else, but I’m going to anyway.  I love a good song and dance number, even when they are country.  In general, I tend to go more for comedies, but the dramas I do watch tend to be ones that I can still have fun with, i.e. soapy, slighty over-the-top dramas.  This looks like it should deliver in spades.  Also going for it, the critics are raving and I am weak enough to buy into it.

Boff: (I’m going to start talking less)

Elementary – I may only have room in my heart for one Sherlock and Benedict Cumberbatch is taking up a pretty large residence.  Show me what you got, Johnny Lee Miller!

Arrow – Dear CW,

Nice work with those billboards.  You are really proving the boffability of this program.  If you have any brains with that brawn, I could see this really working out between us.

Sincerely, Ellen

P.S. Nice work scheduling it with Supernatural.

Revolution – The premise intrigues me, but I don’t know how that plot is going to work on a week to week basis.

Kill:

The Neighbors – Have you seen the promos?  I really don’t need to elaborate.

Chicago Fire – I don’t know why this has no appeal to me.  The elements are all fine to great: procedural, bulky men, firemen, and oh yeah, FIREMEN!  But it still is not working for me. 

Beauty and the Beast – Like most things, the 80’s did it better.

-Ellen