Best of the Small Screen, Comedies No. 1


Over the next 11 weeks I'll be taking a look at some of my favorite TV series, broken down into three groups (Limited Run Series, Comedies, and Dramas). In my post on March 1 I laid out the ground rules for these categories and this exploration, the biggest of which is no series that are currently airing. To read the whole thing, check out the post "Best of the Small Screen" from March 1.

Today I continue with my favorite TV comedy of all time.

Sports Night (1998-2000)
Numbers of Seasons/Episodes: 2/45
Network: ABC
Starring: Josh Charles, Peter Krause, Felicity Huffman, Joshua Malina, Sabrina Lloyd, and Robert Guillaume
Creator: Aaron Sorkin
Favorite Season/Episodes: Season one, 1.02 "The Apology," 1.07 "Dear Louise," "2.03 "Sam Gardner," 2.11 "And the Cutman Cometh," 2.22 "Quo Vadmis"
About: Aaron Sorkin is known for his TV work, specifically his great hit "The West Wing," which will appear in the next 10 weeks when I focus on drama. But his first network show was actually a little comedy for ABC that was set behind the scenes of a show that looks an awful lot like "SportsCenter." I've mentioned before that sitcoms aren't my favorite format. But this show was made for me. High brow dialogue and something mimicking ESPN, sold. But the show was even better than the premise made it seem. Sadly, it got lost in the shuffle. This could easily have been part of the first list, of shows that were gone too soon, but it's my favorite comedy so I moved it here. Plus, at two full network seasons, it got more than 40 episodes to live on. I love the writing, the characters, the pace, and the humor here. I wish the show had continued longer, but I'll always treasure the two seasons we got, and I encourage everyone to check this show out if you've never seen it. I've listed a few of the episodes that are my favorites. "The Apology" was just the second episode of the show, and could have fallen into cliches, but I love the story Dan (Charles) tells at the end. It stirred me, and is one of the reasons I fell in love with the show so quickly. "Dear Louise" is funny, sweet, and creative. In the second season, "Sam Gardner" introduces the network consultant played by William H. Macy, and does so in a rousing way. "And the Cutman Cometh" is one of the funnier episodes of the series. And "Quo Vadmis," which ends up serving as the series finale, ends things on a high note. But, really, there isn't a bad episode in the bunch. It consistently stirs me and makes me laugh, which is why "Sports Night" is my favorite comedy.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more