Please Pass the Remote

It’s been ages since I blogged about what I’m watching on TV these days. So evern though this season's shows are wrapping up, here are two I'm tuned into.

The Big Bang Theory

Several great laugh-out-loud moments in this week’s episode, “The Vegas Renormalization." I must have missed something, though, because I did not know Howard had hooked up with Leonard’s ex, Leslie. If I had, I certainly would have predicted that it was a doomed relationship. And I would have right.

One of the things I really love about this show is the way the writers bring the story full circle. The opening segment began with our four favorite nerds talking about the concept of “friends with benefits.” As if they’d know. Right away I wondered where the writers were going this, and never would have predicted the tie-in at the end. Brilliant!

Leonard and Raj, good friends that they are, take down-in-the-dumps Howard to Las Vegas and set up a little...um...benefit...to console him. In case you haven’t seen this episode yet, I won’t spoil it for you.

Sheldon’s plans for a quiet weekend alone run amok when he locks himself out of his apartment and has to turn to the long-suffering Penny for help. He ends up spending the night with her. In her bed, actually. With Penny? Well, you’ll just have to watch, won’t you?

Fast-forward to the next morning and the last scene of the episode. Just as Leonard returns from Vegas, Sheldon emerges from Penny’s apartment announces that he now has a much better appreciation for the concept of “friends with benefits.”

Leonard’s reaction? Best laugh I’ve had in a long time.

Sadly, I think we see the season finale of The Big Bang Theory next week. But if this show hasn’t already been picked up for a third season, I’m confident it will be. And I'm still holding out hope for a little Leonard/Penny action.

The Office

I am so looking forward to tonight’s new episode. Michael, Pam and Ryan are back at Dunder Mifflin—Michael once again in charge, with Pam now a member of the sales team. Might Pam’s competitive streak create some conflict between her and easy-going Jim? I think so.

And have you noticed that Sheldon and Michael are the same archetypes? Very different characters, but Chiefs to the core. A couple of self-asserting know-it-alls who always get what they want—and we love them in spite of it. Or maybe because of it.

Reaching for the remote.
Lee

Channel Surfing—The Big Bang Theory

I’m a big fan of sitcoms—always have been—so I'm glad to see The Big Bang Theory is back for another season. 30 Rock might have cleaned up at the Emmy’s but in my opinion, The Big Bang Theory and The Office are the best-written and best-acted comedy series on television right now.

I’ll confess, though, that I’m a sucker for a show that promises an engaging love story, which may be why 30 Rock has less appeal to me. The Office has several love interests—Jim and Pam finally engaged! The Dwight-Angela-Andy triangle.

And of course The Big Bang Theory has Leonard and Penny. In spite of opening the box to discover Schrödinger's cat survived the experiment, their relationship was short lived. Poor Leonard. Lovable? Totally. Brainy? Yes. Socially inept? Oh, yeah. Pointing out that Penny didn’t even graduate from community college? At least he didn’t mention her weight.

In this week’s episode, enter Leslie Winkler, whose biological clock is wound tighter than the DNA she wants to replicate. She’ll even risk passing on Leonard’s short stature and lactose intolerance to her progeny if it means said progeny will inherit his brains.

The deal breaker?

No way will she take a chance that her child will favor string theory over loop quantum gravity.

Seriously. A girl has to draw the line somewhere.

So have we seen the last of Leslie? My instincts are saying no. There’s been some biology but definitely no chemistry between Leonard and Leslie. But there could be something between Leslie and Sheldon. Don’t you think? Is their constant sniping and animosity just a hint of what’s to come?

Leslie and Sheldon are identical character archetypes. He’s a Chief, she’s a Boss. Both highly competitive, both with an intense need to be right, all the time. So the big question is, will they be able to overlook theories of relativity long enough to let the laws of attraction take effect?

If I was one of the writers for this show, that’s the direction I’d take. It means Leonard would need a certain amount of consoling, and who better to do it than Penny?

Until next time,
Lee

The Office—"Hey, Pam . . . "

Have you ever noticed that when TV writers finally get two characters together, the conflict between them often evaporates and the couple is no longer interesting? Not so with Jim and Pam on The Office.

Last week the show returned from hiatus with Michael and Jan hosting the dinner party from hell and then finally calling it quits. This week, Michael’s biological clock was ticking. He wants to have a family, and he’s also shopping for a new chair for his office. The chair model in the supply catalogue turns out to be the perfect woman for him, with only one minor hitch. She died in a car accident.

To console Michael, Pam sets him up with her landlady, who happens to be a very nice woman, just not hot enough for Michael. That situation creates a perfect transition from the episode’s main plotline to some lovely Jim-and-Pam banter.

If Pam’s landlady kicks her out, she can move in with Jim.

Except she won’t move in unless they’re engaged.

Has he really not proposed yet?

Pam raises her ringless hand for inspection.

Then, in one of those fabulous vignettes with Jim talking to the camera, he shows us the ring he bought a week after they started dating.



The promise of Jim’s proposal will keep fans of The Office coming back for more. I can’t begin to guess what the writers have in store for us, but I’ll bet Jim’s proposal will kick everyone’s butt!

"Hey, Pam. Will you wait for me one second while I tie my shoe?"

Yes, Jim. We're all waiting.

Here's what I'm watching tonight:

Brothers & Sisters is back!

I'll also be tuning in to Sweet Nothings in My Ear, a made-for-TV movie staring Marlee Matlin - a family drama about a deaf and hearing couple who struggle to decide whether or not to give their deaf son a cochlear implant.

And of course Marlee's still a contender on Dancing With The Stars!

Tuesday News

April is TV Month! It’s been a long time since we’ve seen new episodes of our favorite shows, so April is feeling like fall premiere season all over again. Here’s what I’ll be watching:

Men in Trees — Wednesdays (currently airing new episodes)

NUMB3RS — Friday,April 4 (6 new episodes)

Samantha Who? — Monday, April 7 (6 new episodes)

30 Rock — Thursday, April 10 (5 new episodes)

The Office — Thursday,April 10 (6 new episodes)

Brothers and Sisters — Sunday, April 20 (possibly 6 new episodes)

Gossip Girl — Monday, April 21 (5 or 6 new episodes; note the new night)

Grey's Anatomy — Thursday, April 24 (not sure, but there should be 4 or 5 new episodes)

For the writers out there, April is conflict month with The Wet Noodle Posse. On April 8 I'll be blogging about characters' goals, motivation and conflict, and about writing GMC statements for our characters. But it gets better!

"Along with the award-winning Wet Noodle Posse authors, we have a star-studded
line-up of guest bloggers, including bestselling authors Jo Beverley (whose new
book, A Lady's Secret, is out today!), Susan Gable, Anna Campbell, Tawny Weber,
and Christie Kelley. You won't want to miss a single day! We will be giving away
a signed copy of a Jo Beverley novel on the 24th to a lucky participant, but you
must comment to enter. So please plan to join us all month long and bring your
questions and comments to our knowledgeable group of writers."

The Posse hopes you'll join us and our guests this month for lively discussions about conflict and the chance to win some great prizes!

Talk to you later.
Lee

Wait a Minute . . .

Left-handed Whoppers at Burger King? A report on Switzerland’s annual spaghetti harvest? Pat Sajak hosting Jeopardy?

Hm. What do these events have in common? They were April Fool’s Day hoaxes perpetrated on an unsuspecting pubic.

I usually forget about April Fool’s Day until after I’ve listened to a prank on the radio or read one in the newspaper. I’ll confess to having fallen for some very clever ones, but others are just too preposterous to be believed. Seriously. Spaghetti growing on trees? I don’t think so!

I've never been a prankster, but I do appreciate a good one. As you all know, The Office is one of my favorite TV shows. It’s too bad we won’t see new episodes until April 10 because this week would have been a perfect time for one of their outrageous pranks. My all-time favorite so far is Jim’s bitten-by-a-bat routine, in which he pretends to be turning in a vampire . . . and Dwight falls for it! Check out the Office Pranks blog for a great description of the vampire bite prank.

And if you’re wondering why I’m posting an April Fool’s Day blog on March 31, it’s to remind myself not to be a fool tomorrow. I hope you’ll join me! And if you have a favorite a favorite April's Fool Day prank, I'd love to hear about it.

Lee

PS: Tomorrow is Tuesday News Day and I have a ton of news. Seriously. I hope you’ll check back.

TV—On again, Off again

Programming is on again, off again, and so is my TV. I don’t watch a huge amount of television, but I always watch my favorite shows. Some are already off the air, though, and production of others has been shut down, which means the end is in sight.

I’m thrilled that Men in Trees will continue through the winter, but I’m already missing The Office. Thursday nights won’t be the same without it.

But in the midst of this, a bit of good news. The second season of October Road starts tomorrow night! Happy Thanksgiving! I don’t know if this was planned or if it’s a coincidence, but I hadn’t expected to see the new season until sometime in 2008. It will be on tomorrow night after Grey’s Anatomy, then move to what will be its regular timeslot on Monday nights at 10 pm.

I loved the first season of this show because it has all the story elements I love—family, friends, community, romance, and wonderful characters. If you missed the first season you can catch it this Saturday on SOAPNET because they’re having an October Road season one marathon! Six back-to-back episodes! Hope you have a chance to tune in.

Later,
Lee

The Office’s Dwight Schrute—Hero or Villain?

I love this character! Or at least I love what the writers have done with him. Dwight has always had a villainous side, and it came to the forefront when he killed Angela’s cat at the beginning of this season. After Angela broke up with him, the writers have clearly had some fun playing with Dwight’s evil side.

If you visit Tami Cowden’s website, you’ll find links to brief descriptions of the hero and heroine archetypes outlined in The Complete Guide to Heroes & Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever and Sue Viders. You can also learn about villains—heroes/heroines gone bad.

As a hero, Dwight is a Professor. Here’s the blurb from Tami’s website: coolly analytical, he knows every answer. He’s logical, introverted, and inflexible, but genuine about his feelings. At work, he likes cold, hard facts, thank you very much, but he's also honest and faithful, and won’t let you down.

What do we get when the professor lets us see his dark side? An Evil Genius.

Again, from Tami’s website, a description of the Evil Genius: the malevolent mastermind, he loves to show off his superior intelligence. Intellectual inferiors are contemptible to him and that includes just about everyone. Elaborate puzzles and experiments are his trademark. Don’t let him pull your strings—the game is always rigged in his favor.

In last week’s episode, “Branch Wars,” Dwight kept saying he wants to do something to someone’s eyes, and Jim’s genuine concern helps us buy into Dwight’s craziness. He wants to use real bombs on the office in Utica because “it’ll be so bad ass” and “we will burn Utica to the ground.”

Oh, Dwight.

His unwavering devotion to the company and the boss and his contempt for anyone who tries to malign them have been blended to create a wonderfully complex comic character.

In this episode I also loved the subtle way the writers introduced conflict into Jim and Pam’s relationship in this episode. Jim is shut out of The Finer Things Club because he monopolizes the conversation by trying to be funny. His reluctance to confront Karen in Utica made it obvious that while he’s in love with Pam, he’s still attracted to Karen. But he did the right thing by ‘fessing up to Pam, who already knew anyway, and she took pity on him by letting him join TFTC. And we saw how well that went :) Pam’s last line of the episode was a silent, apologetic “sorry” to Toby.

I understand that lots of finer things clubs have sprung up on Facebook. I don’t do Facebook but if I did, I’d be tempted to check them out!

Back soon,
Lee

On the Subject of Archetypes . . .

The writers over at The Office have used archetypes to create another set of characters every bit as strong as those in Men in Trees, but very different.

Men in Tree’s librarian archetypes, Marin and Jane, are joined by Angela from The Office. Remember me saying that archetypes are NOT stereotypes? I rest my case. If the librarian is efficient and serious, then Angela is the extreme. Even when she smiles, she doesn’t really. Repressed? Ha! I’ll bet she irons herself when she gets of bed in the morning. Is she a carbon copy of Marin or Jane? Not on your life!

Is there a professor archetype on The Office? No. Oh, wait. Dwight! Expert, analytical, insular, inflexible. Jack on Men in Trees is an expert wildlife biologist. Dwight is an expert on everything, or at least in his mind he is.

So, two very different shows, two very different pairs of characters. Jack and Marin. Dwight and Angela. The professor and the librarian.

These are so not stereotypes!

Till tomorrow,
Lee

The Office: Launch Party

When I blogged about the season premiere of The Office, I said I looked forward to seeing Jim and Pam play one of their pranks on Dwight. And the writers followed through, brilliantly, as we all knew they would.

In my opinion, Jim is the indisputable champ of office pranks. My all-time favorite is the episode in which he convinced Dwight that he’d been bitten by a bat and was turning into a vampire! If you’re a fan of The Office pranks, check out this blog.

But last week’s prank—Dwight vs. the computer—is right up there among the best.

Pam, sweetheart that she is, was reluctant to take part. Andy and the annoying bear horn gave her the push she needed. “What kind of prank are you thinking?” she asks Jim.

I love it when Jim and Pam put their heads together over the reception desk, and even Dwight, who’s been burned oh-so-many times, suspected something was up. But his initial suspicion that it might be Jim talking instead of the computer was allayed by Pam’s simple reply.

What is a Jim?

There were only a handful exchanges between Dwight and the computer, but they were so effective. As if I needed to be convinced that the writing on this show is clever, sharp and very tight. It’s a brilliant writer who makes every word count.

Dwight’s jubilation over out-selling the computer was short lived, though. His motivation had been to impress Angela, and she wasn’t. Poor Dwight. Usually I don’t mind seeing him squirm, but I was glad Pam let him off the hook.

You beat me. You are the superior being.

Ordinarily a phrase like that would have had Dwight lording it over everyone in the office, but he was too broken-hearted to care. I wonder if he’ll “get” that he shouldn’t have killed Angela’s cat?

There so much more to love about this episode. Michael referring to the new website as his brain-grandchild. That truly disgusting purple shirt! Driving to NYC for a chatroom party. Oh, Michael.

There was more spark between Jim and Pam in this episode, and I loved that.

One of the best scenes, for me, was Andy’s conference call rendition of ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me.” He didn’t see Angela’s little smile, but we did!

Till tomorrow,
Lee

The Office

Several years ago I attended a full-day comedy scriptwriting workshop presented by Robert McKee, the author of Story. Early in the workshop he said the comedy writer looks for social conflict and foolishness, finds pretentiousness, and attacks it. We should be able to identify the social institution being attacked by the title of the film.

The Office is classic comedy. Every week the writers take some aspect of an office workplace and expose the foolishness. I remember McKee telling us that to write really great comedy, the writer has to be angry about something. After watching this week’s episode, Dunder Mifflin Infinity, I’d say the writers are annoyed by people who sit around texting on their Blackberrys when they really should be working, by the pointlessness of talking cars that tell you where to go, and possibly even by gift baskets filled with stuff no one really needs.

In his workshop, McKee also explained what makes great comic characters. First, they strive to restore order to their world. It becomes an obsession for them, and they are unable to stop and assess a situation. A character in a dramatic show can take a step back and look at what’s going on, but the comic character forges blindly ahead. Another important aspect of good comic characters is their lack of internal conflict. People who have a lot of internal conflict take themselves too seriously. Not something we want our comic characters to be burdened with.

The Office’s boss Michael Scott is a textbook example. He doesn’t stop to examine any situation, he never thinks things through, and he’s always quick to come up with his own convenient explanation for what’s going on. In this week’s episode, Ryan yells at Michael after everyone teased him. “Enough! This is inappropriate and it stops right now.”

Does Michael realize he’d been out of line? Does he feel chastised? No. He says to the camera, “Yeah, Ryan snapped at me, but there was this twinkle in his eye that I picked up on, which said, ‘Dude, we’re friends. I’m doing this for appearances. I am the big boss now and I have to seem like an ogre but you know me and you trust me and we like each other and we’ll always be friends and I would never take you for granted in a million years and I miss you, man, and I love you.’ His words.”

When Michael discovers it’s not “business as usual,” he sets out to restore order to his world. Dunder Mifflin doesn’t need a website to attract customers. They need gift baskets.

Meanwhile, the office is abuzz with the news that Pam and Jim are dating. Toby is jealous and Phyllis worries that Pam will pass new customers to Jim. Angela rejects Dwight’s replacement cat, and then she rejects Dwight. Andy and Kevin try to act cool, and Creed tries to look younger. Ryan dumps Kelly, then asks Pam on a date, and Jim gets to smugly point out that Ryan can’t get every girl he wants.

Never a dull moment. Always a laugh. Outstanding writing. Such a great show. I look forward to it every week, and I'm never disappointed.

Back tomorrow.

Lee

The Office

It’s back, and the new season begins with a bang. Poor Meredith.

Michael is rationalizing his return to the office with pure Michael Scott logic. Which makes a better boss—a dog or a fish? Always an interesting question, but since he’s run down one of his employees in the parking lot, he has much bigger issues to deal with. Like how to make it seem as though the accident wasn’t his fault or, even better, that it was actually a good thing, not just for Meredith, for the entire world. Ah, Michael.

Dwight, by contrast, feels no need to rationalize his behavior. From the moment he returned from Angela’s apartment and reported that the ailing and aging cat was dead, we knew he had a hand in it. Like Michael, he’s convinced he did the right thing. He just doesn’t need to justify it.

The similarities and differences between these two characters are brilliantly crafted, in my opinion, and skillfully interwoven into each episode. It’s because its done so well that the writers get away with being as outrageous as they are.

PB & J . . . so adorable together, just as we knew they would be. By the second half of the hour-long premiere I was already starting to want more from Pam and Jim, and I’m confident these writers will give it to us. Now that they’re truly a team, I’m looking forward to seeing them play some great practical jokes on Dwight. Can they top last season’s episode in which Jim convinces Dwight he’s been bitten by a vampire bat? Oh, I think so.

I’ll wrap by saying that I think the dialogue is as brilliant as every other aspect of the show. Even if you’re not into off-the-wall comedy, studying a script would be like a master class in dialogue. And I get the sense that the writers are constantly trying to outdo themselves by coming up with over-the-top lines for Steve Carell’s character, and then waiting to hear him deliver them. Imagine how much fun that must be.

“I’m not superstitious . . . but I’m a little stitious.”

Way to write, guys. Keep it coming.

Back tomorrow.

Lee

Everybody Loves a Good Love Story

Romance is my favorite thing to read and watch. With all the wonderful storylines in Gilmore Girls, Luke and Lorelei’s love story was always at the core of the show. Everyone knew they belonged together, long before they knew it themselves, and the final scene of the final episode was the perfect ending for the series. Lorelei and Rory sitting in the diner, Luke making breakfast for them, everything as it should be. No fairy tale endings, no one riding off into the sunset, but it was the happily ever after that fans had been anticipating.

Two and a half weeks and counting till the fall premiere of Men in Trees, and already I’m looking forward to what those writers have in store for us. In her August blog, Jenny Bicks, the show’s creator said, “You will get some delicious Jack and Marin this season, I promise.” Yum.

But as much as we’re rooting for Jack and Marin’s happily ever after, we know we won’t get it. Not yet. Because just like Gilmore Girls or our favorite romance novel, HEA also means THE END. I’m looking forward to many seasons of Men in Trees, so I think Jack and Marin will have a lot of issues to work through before we close the door on their story.

Even people who may not be devoted fans of romance still love a good love story and the promise of happily ever after. It humanizes a story. Seriously, who watches The Office and doesn’t root for Jim and Pam? Last season ended with Jim returning to Scranton to make a date with Pam, and for one or two glorious moments we thought Karen had ridden into the sunset, solo. Cut to commercials. Then we discovered that Ryan got the job in New York, which means Karen will be back. Hm. Is the office big enough for Pam and Karen? I’m not expecting HEA, but for sure there’ll be conflict! Can’t wait till Thursday!

Talk to you tomorrow,

Lee

At Home on TV

The list of my favorite shows in the sidebar might seem a tad eclectic—dramas and comedies for adults and young adults, and settings ranging from small towns to big cities or, in some cases, stories set primarily in a single building. I’m not saying these are the best shows on TV. They’re simply the ones that have a struck a chord for me.

Different as they may seem, I see lots of similarities. Gilmore Girls (even though it’s been cancelled, it’s still a favorite), Men in Trees and October Road are set in small town America. To me, those communities are like secondary characters in their respective stories. But communities don’t have to be towns and cities. In The Office and Grey’s Anatomy, communities exist within the walls of a building. The Office’s boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell) has almost as much affection for the building as he has for his staff. Seattle Grace is practically home for the surgeon and interns of Grey’s Anatomy. In Degrassi: TNG, the community is a high school and, for the first time last season, a university.

Home and family are important factors in most of these shows. The contrast between Lorelei’s home and her parents’ home was a major story element in Gilmore Girls, and Rory eventually leaving home became a major part of the show. In Men in Trees, Marin Frist leaves her home in New York and finds a new one in the unlikely town of Elmo, Alaska. October Road is about a character returning home after a long absence and having to come to terms with what has changed and what has stayed the same. The relationship between two very different brothers and their father is an important element of NUMB3RS and for me it’s one of the things that sets it apart from most other crime shows on television. Their family home is a retreat from the chaotic, albeit predictable according to Charlie, world around them.

Brothers and Sisters is all about family. I didn’t watch it during the regular season last year, but I caught the summer reruns. At first I thought it might be too political for my taste, but that’s overshadowed by each family member’s individual story arc and the adult children’s relationships with their, um, slightly neurotic mother, Nora Walker (Sally Field).

I’m still debating which new shows I’ll watch this year. I saw the first episode of Gossip Girl and will definitely check out a few more before I make up my mind about that one. Since The Practice is a spinoff from Grey’s Anatomy, I’ll give that one a chance, too.

Any recommendations?

Back tomorrow.

Lee

Who Has The Remote?

This is my first post on my new blog. Thank you for stopping by! First, a bit about me. I am a romance author, thrilled to be writing for Harlequin’s American Romance series. Yes, those covers in the sidebar are for my first two books! Aren’t they gorgeous?

Along with writing, the most important things in my life are family and friends. Which makes American Romance a perfect place for me because that’s what these books are about—everyday people overcoming difficulties with the help of their family and friends, and finding love and happiness in the communities they call home. If you’re already a fan of these books, you’ll know exactly what I mean. If you’re new to American Romance, I hope you’ll love them as much as I do.

Readers tell me they love my characters and I’m always thrilled to hear that because creating characters is my favorite part of the writing process. And it’s so much easier than developing a plot. Fortunately, after I get to know my characters, they fill me in on their story as I write. As unbelievable as that might sound, that’s how the process works for me.

The hardest part is coming up with a book proposal to send to my editor before I’ve actually written the book. How can someone like me write a synopsis for an unwritten book when she doesn’t have the faintest idea what’s going to happen? I’ve struggled with this and finally managed to get a handle on it when I learned a little about scriptwriting and storyboarding techniques.

A TV or film script is a thing of beauty. Dialogue and a few stage directions—an entire story arc, stripped to its bare bones. It’s similar to what I might come up with if I were plotting a book, and it sort of resembles a first draft. Then I get to take off my scriptwriter’s hat and become the costume and set designer, director and camera operator as I flesh out the story. That’s the fun of being a novelist!

I still have a lot to learn and believe it or not, and watching my favorite TV shows is part of the process. I’m especially looking forward to this week because many of the season premieres for those shows will be on.

The Office (NBC) (one-hour season premiere!)—Thursday, September 27
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)—Thursday, September 27
NUMB3RS (CBS)—Friday, September 28
Whistler (CTV)—Saturday, September 29 (only in Canada)
Brothers and Sisters (ABC)—Sunday, September 30

My top fav, Men in Trees (ABC), doesn’t start until Friday, October 12. Still three weeks away, and I’m trying very hard to be patient.

Every week I’ll blog about my take on what I’ve seen, why I love these shows, and what I’ve learned. I may discuss what I as a writer might have done differently, but I’m not a critic so don’t expect in-depth analyses and critical reviews. Also, don’t expect Hollywood gossip—it’s not my thing.

From time to time I’ll also post news and reviews about my own writing, and there’ll be the occasional guest blogger and even a contest or two. And of course I’d love to hear your insights and recommendations or anything else that’s on your mind, so drop by any time.

See you tomorrow.

Lee