Best Kiss – Nick and Jess, New Girl

Of course Nick has thought about kissing Jess. He’s probably spent the last two years on and off thinking about it and cycling through self-loathing and reasons why not to … why it was never the right time, what the right time would be … and so to see him kiss Jess wasn’t just good because it was a great kiss (and it was a great kiss), but because we finally got to see Nick get over himself enough to make that move he’s been waiting to make for a long time. And Nick’s move was perfectly timed and placed; wait longer and it becomes unbelievable that Nick and Jess wouldn’t have hooked up sometime, or that when they did Jess wouldn’t cite their friendship as a reason not to continue. Do it earlier and there isn’t enough of a friendship foundation to make them hooking up high stakes. But have them kiss now, two years in, and the timing is just right.

Also, it was a really great kiss. Have I mentioned that yet?

Best Meta – Raising Hope, “Modern Wedding”
So here’s the thing – I hate Modern Family. I don’t understand the appeal. It’s bland fare that’s been overdone a million times and employs some truly lazy writing. I am so tired of it winning awards that should rightfully go to other, more deserving and innovative shows. And so anything that makes fun of Modern Family is immediately going to be, in my book, superlative. But what was so great about “Modern Wedding” wasn’t just the lampooning of Modern Family, but the fact that it effortlessly displayed what the show is missing: an element of surprise, a sense of tongue-in-cheek self-awareness and heart.

The gauntlet has been thrown, Modern Family. Top that if you dare.

Most in Need of a Steady Job – Wilmer Valderama
Has anyone else noticed he plays basically the same character in both Suburgatory and Raising Hope? Maybe it’s time he got a new gig.

Biggest Tearjerker – 30 Rock, “Hogcock!/Last Lunch”
I can’t discuss this coherently, but let’s just say this finale was everything I hoped for and more. I loved every minute of it, cheered every bit of character resolution, adored Jane Krakowski‘s work more than ever before (where is her Emmy???), sobbed at every goodbye (Hot bowl of bear meat! And did you know Tina Fey hand-wrote Liz’s goodbye to Tracy? Nope, too many emotions. Shutting it down), and adored every last second of it. It was perfect and I will miss this show more than words can express.

Goodbye, 30 Rock, you really went to there.

[easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B0053O8A78″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hFJARiNFL._SL160_.jpg” width=”114″][easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B0072KZ0Z6″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51K7Y%2Baaq6L._SL160_.jpg” width=”112″][easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B009Z3QPL6″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51lcOD3jNrL._SL160_.jpg” width=”113″]

When I first heard that Don’t Trust the B—- In Apartment 23 was cancelled, I thought that was the saddest news I would hear this week. While Don’t Trust the B was not perfect, it was enjoyable, with undeniable chemistry between June (Dreama Walker) and Chloe (Krysten Ritter), and my weekly recommended allowance of James van der Beek. But Don’t Trust the B was not the only sitcom or even the saddest sitcom winding up towards a finale or cancelled, and so for this week we have a special Sitcom Superlatives where we bid adieu to two very special friends.

Ben and Kate
It’s rare a comedy as warm and unrepentantly sunshine-y as Ben and Kate comes along. And despite my constant gushing over Go On, Ben and Kate was my pick for best new show of the season. It was effortlessly delightful, sweet, and… cancelled?

I don’t pretend to understand FOX’s internal decision-making on this one. I’m sure it had something to do with ratings (which I maintain are bullshit), or maybe no FOX executive had ever had a sibling, because if they did, I’m not sure how they ever could have said no to this show, which portrays family and especially sibling relationships so perfectly and tenderly. I can only hope that this is a stepping point for all of the lead actors to bigger and better things – specifically Dakota Johnson and Nat Faxon. Call me, you guys. I have ideas.

30 Rock

I’m not sure how sitcoms are supposed to go on without 30 Rock. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready to know.

[easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B0053O8A78″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hFJARiNFL._SL160_.jpg” width=”114″][easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B000RBA6CO” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eWJeSCNjL._SL160_.jpg” width=”115″]

Best Wedding – Liz and Criss, 30 Rock
If I had to choose a favorite TV wedding, I should probably say that my favorite is Monica and Chandler’s, or Jim and Pam’s, or Marshall and Lily’s. But as I’ve mentioned before, my stance on weddings is, to put it lightly, highly atypical. And my wedding, should I ever have one, is going to resemble Liz and Criss’ on this week’s 30 Rock far more than anyone in my life probably feels comfortable with.

Look, I’m with Liz (shocker) — the wedding-industrial complex is nuts and I have no desire to have a big party where I have to be nice to people I never wanted to invite and look the most like I a beautiful princess I have ever looked in my life. Weddings, in my opinion, should ideally reflect the couple and the kind of life they want to share with each other. And maybe some people want to share a perfect fairytale life, but that sounds like a lot of pressure to me. Give me a small, personally significant, completely ridiculous and goofy wedding any day, because life is never going to be a perfect fairytale. But if you’re lucky, it will be a fun, silly gathering of close friends who love you, and of course, a few who don’t but are just there for the ride. And let’s be real, who wants to be Cinderella when you can be Princess Leia? No one I want to hang out with, that’s who.

Show Finally Coming Into Its Own - The Mindy Project
I have in my drafts folder the beginnings of an article on how The Mindy Project was both my most anticipated show of the season and also my biggest disappointment, because I could see all the potential it had but it just seemed so scattered and unable to reach it. I kept watching, though, because I like to give shows I see potential in what I call “The Parks and Recreation cushion”, i.e.: six or so episodes to try and find their voice, and The Mindy Project seems to have done that. They seem to have realized that what works best is not trying to occupy every character, but to have a Mindy plot and a B plot, and give Mindy Kaling time to do what Mindy Kaling does best: opine on vaguely girly matters in a down-to-earth, slightly ridiculous way.  For example, on the phone to her BFF: “Gwen, you’re so smart. I wish we were lesbians so we could get married. I mean, I wouldn’t want to have sex or anything. Maybe a little kissing.” Raise your hands if that’s a conversation you and your BFF have had. I’m guessing pretty much every hand just went up.

Most Disappointing Episode - Suburgatory, “Friendship Fish”
I was really in the mood for Suburgatory this week. It was one of those weeks where I was gleefully anticipating Wednesday and watching old episodes on Hulu. But sadly, this week’s Suburgatory fell victim to one of the classic episode ruiners: product placement. Usuually product placement is a throwaway line about a character’s great new car, but this week Tessa’s entire storyline was about her new Windows tablet, and it was terrible. Even George and Dallas’ fun and frankly adorable storyline about George losing his city edge couldn’t make up for a storyline that was so bad it involved a talking fish. I think that should be a new rule of television writing, actually: if your storyline involves a talking fish giving life advice, it’s probably a good idea to do a re-write.

Best Episode of the Week - New Girl, “Eggs”
Here is how you know this episode of New Girl was great; as I sat write this section I reached a dread writer’s block, which I dealt with in the normal way – going to the bathroom, cleaning my gerbils’ cage, and finally sitting there drumming my laptop and saying in my best Nick Miller voice, “I got nothing,” while the Winston voice in my head went, “it’s like you don’t want to write!”

No, Winston voice, sometimes I do not.

Therein lies the genius of this week’s New Girl, it’s relatability. Everyone has written a paper the way Nick wrote Z is for Zombie (which, incidentally, I would give a lot of money to read). Everyone has been Winston, trying to be responsible and settled while their friends are still running around and not respecting their adjusted schedule. Everyone’s been Schmidt and realized too late that they have feelings for someone they never wanted to have. And everyone’s been Jess and Cece, both wanting the future to happen and being terrified of the ticking clock we all try so hard to ignore. And on top of that relatability we got layered in what New Girl is best at: Jess and Cece’s amazing friendship, Schmidt balancing ridiculous with accidentally deep (that sound you heard during the monologue in the gynecologist’s office was the sound of Max Greenfield nominating himself for an Emmy), and tying it all together, the feeling that Jess and her boys in apartment 4D are the strange and wonderful sort of found family that everyone wants to one day find.

[easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B0053O8A78″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hFJARiNFL._SL160_.jpg” width=”114″] [easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B005LAJ1ZE” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GIPtFhjlL._SL160_.jpg” width=”139″] [easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B0072KZ0Z6″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51K7Y%2Baaq6L._SL160_.jpg” width=”112″]

I always get excited when I talk to people whose work I respect. I typically feel even more excited when I walk away liking the person after briefly talking to them. Grizz Chapman is one of those people. I’ve enjoyed Grizz Chapman’s portrayal of Tracey Jordan’s second entourage member since day one. Even though he barely spoke, he was never voiceless. In fact, I’d call his hilarious silences more vocal than anything else. I always look forward to his character’s appearance, because I know it will always feature something significant and hilarious. As this is 30 Rock‘s last season, I’m looking forward to what will happen to Grizz’s character.

I caught up with Grizz Chapman before his Saturday booth 658 extravaganza at New York Comic Con. Surprisingly, his favorite part of New York Comic Con surrounds the open acceptance of everyone letting their freak flag fly. If you want to dress like Spider-Man and playfully interact with others, you can do most of that at Comic Con  without any blowback. I think it’s interesting that, like Billy Dee Williams, his most memorable fan is the one who cried upon meeting him. While he calls it the craziest, it was more because it shocked him that he could affect someone that much. This is the thing. I have an ego the size of Montana. If someone cried upon meeting me out of awe, I’d pat myself on the back and say, “Job well done.” But, despite 30 Rock and the opportunities it afforded him, Grizz Chapman’s ego remains in check. He felt more humbled than magnanimous. Clearly, there’s a reason I’m a blogger and he’s a professional actor.

He feels sad about season seven serving as 30 Rock’s last season and feels partially cheated that they only received 13 episodes as opposed to 22. Last year, I approved the 13 episode decision. 30 Rock kept coming up with new ideas, but the energy felt tired. However, this week’s episode reminded me of season one where line after line included a punch, a smack and a snap. Even throwaway lines were comedy gold. Considering how on-fire the writing team feels, I wouldn’t mind seeing more. He admits that he feels choked up and knows most of the cast will showcase teary eyes. They’re mid-way through filming the season and have just finished episode five or six. Grizz’s biggest hope is that fans will go away satisfied and view the finale as setting the standard for season finales. He admits it’s a tall order, but he’s excited all the same.

So, what are the new storylines? I’m so glad you asked. In addition to Liz and Jack’s attempt to tank NBC, Liz’s pregnancy journey, Jenna’s marriage, as well as Kenneth and Hazel’s love triangle will all continue to play out. For upcoming guest stars, look for an Olympic swimmer. Grizz wouldn’t say who, but I narrowed it down to two: Ryan (Lochte) and that “other guy.” If you’ve read the Daily Mail, or caught one of the preview commercials, you know it’s Ryan. But, for secret storylines that may or may not happen, we might see reference to Liz and Grizz’s past relationship. If it happened, it could be something sweet like handholding. When I asked if Grizz might father Liz’s baby, he joked that it’s possible Liz could birth a child with a gold chain. And for possible 30 Rock spin-offs, wouldn’t you love to see Grizz and .com help Tracey and the “Queen of Jordan” with the extra child? Could that happen? In my deepest wildest fantasies which I hope will someday come true.

I always love listening to actors indicate awareness of other actors. Grizz admitted he’d love to interact with Betty White, on the show or otherwise. And, who wouldn’t? She’s sharper than most 20-year-olds and remains on top of her game. He also talked about everything that Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin taught him. It’s nice hearing an actor compliment those he works with. And, still look upon the experience positively after seven years.

Lest you think 30 Rock is Grizz Chapman’s final project, you have another thing coming. He just shot Home and has Hyperbeats in the wings. Additionally, other project opportunities are leaning his way, which he loves. If you want to keep following Grizz during 30 Rock‘s final season and afterwards check him out on twitter as @grizz30rock, instagram and at his website, GrizzChapman.net. Also, check him out all day Saturday, if you’re at NYCC at booth 658. If you’re an upcoming actor or interested in the television industry, his main piece of advice surrounds never taking no for an answer.

[easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B0053O8A78″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hFJARiNFL._SL160_.jpg” width=”114″][easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B003L77GBU” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JhzzS9pdL._SL160_.jpg” width=”114″][easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B000RBA6CO” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eWJeSCNjL._SL160_.jpg” width=”115″][easyazon-image align=”none” asin=”B002N5N5KW” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hvIW75FAL._SL160_.jpg” width=”115″]