Whitney (NBC, Thursdays)
Like Two Broke Girls, I had high hopes for this one. Whitney Cummings is a solid, risk-taking, wise-cracking comedian. I like her for how far she’s willing to push a joke, not for how high the network can hike her mini skirt. However, NBC seems to value the latter more than the former. Honestly, I think the situations and dialogue vary from somewhat okayish to beneath her. Cummings is a sharp-tongued, foul-mouthed woman — this show finds lots of “funny” ways to stick her in a skimpy outfit. Barf. What a waste.
Rating*: one kinda stinky dachshund butt
Free Agents (NBC, Cancelled)
I liked this show. It wasn’t immediately attention-grabbing, no, but its understatedness had style. I suppose I liked the glum but realistic depression/mid-life crisis drama undergirding the sarcastic “dating-at-40-sucks” jokes. Seeing Hank Azaria try his hand at playing a normal dude and not some over-the-top caricature or actual cartoon was pretty nice, in my humble opinion. Kathryn Hahn and Natasha Legerro held their own for the weird but capable lady side of the show, and it was cool to see Al Madrigal play a smart quirky Chicano character — not many of those portrayals on the television tubes these days. The talents of Anthony Head (Rupert Gilles of Buffy fame) were severely underused (um, why was he there again?), but it really seemed like the program was going to find itself with a little time.
Rating: one grumpy dachshund and a (cute) half
American Horror Story (F/X, Thursdays)
So this show kind of crept up on me. I wasn’t anxiously awaiting the premiere or anything — I just ended up watching the pilot because I was up, The Daily Show was a re-run and AHS was on its second airing. Is it cheesy? Um, a little, but cheesy like a psychological thriller/horror movie where a house’s paranormal energy is freaking toying with the weaknesses of everyone who inhabits it. And, hello, I like that stuff! The story involves a cheating therapist, his cuckolded wife, family crises, weird sex, creepy neighbors and all kinds of house haunting ghosteses. I’m intrigued to see how long a horror story can keep me hooked and more importantly, keep me scared.
Rating: 2.5 murderous dachshunds suffering from Oedipal regression
What you should tell me about:
The Ringer. Sarah Michelle Gellars, plural?! Double Buffies?! I gots to know about this show! How is it? What about the ABC show with all the stewardesses? What about that? Fill me in, Idlin’ folk.
*Rating system: 3 Dachshunds is the highest score suggesting subjective Ana-related watchability for these 2nd-string Fall programs. This rating system may not mean anything to the common viewer at all.
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Ana Holguin writes PopHeart for The Idler.