As always, I take on the shows I watched during the week, and provide you with links to some of the other fine TV work going on at BlogCritics.
Overall take on the week:
Best show on television: Project Greenlight and The Office… ascends to the top spot for the first time! (tie)
Get back up in here: Lost
Upper-tier shows: The Office, The Shield, The Contender, The Apprentice
Falling… perhaps off the radar: Trippin’, Making the Band III (MTV needs to step up to the Fray), Alias
Cathode Ray Fray is now a regular segment on my podcast, Dumpster Bust Radio.
Check out the other regular television features going down at BC: Chris Beaumont’s The Week That Was .
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Sunday
The Contender - NBC
Overall, I like the format of this show and think it’s an improvement over The Apprentice. As we enter the second round, I’m liking the format even more: the winner of each physical challenge dictates the elimination bout. Lots of interesting strategy to think about.
Key Moment #1
The remaining fighters voted back in Ahmed the “Baby Face” after Juan de la Rosa pulled himself out. This seemed crazy at the time, but Ahmed did seem to control himself, aside from his normal squeaky bluster. The strategy behind the vote – to piss off and rattle Ishe – was both stupid and funny in that sophomoric high school way (of which I am often accused, I must admit).
The physical challenge was actually fun and cool to watch this week: the fighters had to run while carrying three medicine balls through multiple layers of elimination, ending with the prospect of making baskets with the heavy balls (all the while wearing boxing gloves!) followed by smashing a sculpture of a fighter’s face. Jesse won: you have to admit that the little dude is quick, agile, and will likely be around until very late in the competition.
There were two shows back-to-back this week. First up was Ishe v. Sergio Mora. I’ve said before that Mora is a likeable, charismatic guy. He reads fairly widely and didn’t vibe with the voting Ahmed back into the competition thing, which means he’s likely sane.
Key Moment #2
The Ishe v. Sergio “Latin Snake” Mora bout was unbelievable – among the best boxing matches I’ve ever seen. Mora worked the Sugar Ray-inspired psych out approach to perfection, frustrating and finally defeating the heavy hitting Ishe. Mora put on a mental clinic – I was skeptical of the kid’s tactics (make him beat himself, etc.) at first, but he proved me dead wrong. Count me on the Mora Bandwagon from now on.
Article comments
1 - Tom Johnson
1. I like The Office's Dwight, but he is an exaggerated, sitcom-y caricature, not very much like a real person, which is what made Gareth so convincing. I've known people like Gareth in my life. There is no one in the world actually like Dwight in real life.
2. I predict that Locke will be fatally shot - but will not die . . . because he's somehow been given a gift of immortality or invincibility by the island. We've already seen him not suffer any pain due to his leg being impaled by that piece of metal a few episodes back, and we also know that his paralysis is no more since the wreck. Locke's got some kind of supernatural thing going on . . .
2 - Eric Berlin
I agree with you regarding Dwight and Gareth, Tom, but I do think that Dwight is emerging as a more enjoyable character because he's been imbued with a degree of humanity. The Office BBC kept it so real that it was borderline disturbing at times... perhaps too close to the bone. I applaud it for that, however, while equally applauding the new version for beginning to find its own legs.
In any event, I'm increasingly surprised each week to find I'm laughing so much.
Interesting prediction regarding Locke. He certainly has a "connection" with the island unlike any other character.
I was thinking that he'll return from the hatch with some Profound Discovery, only to be shot and killed before he can deliver it. That would fall in line with Charlie's killing the creepy Canadian / non-passenger dude, at any rate.