Well, Mr. Futon, it's been a while. Sure, ""Jersey Shore"" kept us aquainted at times during the summer, but the time for our relationship to really blossom has come yet again. As the season of the sitcom is officially underway, it's time to reflect on what we learned from sitting around and watching four of our favorite sitcoms for the past few Wednesday and Thursday nights.
""How I Met Your Mother""
Impatient. That is how you describe people who've stuck with ""How I Met Your Mother"" over thepast five seasons. From the one-night stands to the almost-wife, viewers have waited and waited for the mother of Ted Mosby's children to come along, but all the show has granted them is a brief glance at her ankle.
Because so much information about Ted's future wife is already known—she uses a yellow umbrella, plays the bass in a band, is the roommate of Ted's ex-girlfriend-turned-lesbian Cindy—it's difficult to get swept up in the romance of Ted's search for love. We know too much about what's to come to invest ourselves in what's already arrived, and we're ready for the ""happily ever after"" to show up.
This is not to say viewers are ready for the program to end. So long as Neil Patrick Harris' antics remain the backbone of an otherwise typical sitcom, ""How I Met Your Mother"" will be quality entertainment.
But come on. How long can the show continue to string people along? Just as one can only endure so much pointless dating before giving up on love, so too can ""How I Met Your Mother"" fans only cope with so many of Ted's failed escapades before shrugging off his story.
Who knows, maybe this will be the season Ted meets his wife and even if he doesn't, Barney, Mitchell, Lilly and Robin usually provide enough fluff to distract viewers from the stagnating plotline. That said, time is of the essence, and if ""mother"" doesn't show up soon, the show may find that people no longer care about how Ted met her.
—Jacqueline O'Reilly
""Community""
Of all the shows in NBC's Thursday night lineup, ""Community"" often seemed like the hardest to pin down. While it reached delightfully absurd comedic heights in some episodes, it was far from perfect. The show's love triangle plotline was predictable and ultimately inconsequential to the plot. Compared with other shows' love triangles, that of ""Community"" was awful in its restraint and pointlessness.
The cast is extremely talented and funny, capable of churning out quotes as quickly as ""30 Rock."" The problem is translating those one-liners into a coherent and compelling plotline, something we all hoped ""Community"" could do in its second season.
Two episodes in, it appears the issues that plagued ""Community"" in its first season are still there. It's a funny show, but it could be a lot better.
The show's first episode had its one-liners, but at times felt as if the show's writers were getting off to how meta they were being. Case in point: When Shirley turns to Abed and asks if he's ""being meta,"" you can practically hear the writers in the background going ""Get it?! We're a TV show that's so self-aware, we're self-aware about the fact that we're self-aware!"" We can only hope ""Community"" can stop being so obsessed with itself and reach its full potential.
—Nico Savidge
""Modern Family""
A year ago, over 12 million viewers tuned in for the pilot of ""Modern Family;"" and from there, the series took off. The show won six Emmy Awards this past August, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series. After becoming such a critically acclaimed success, the second season has a lot to live up to.
The second season began with an episode focused on saying goodbye to old memories, following with an episode showing affection to those we love. The sitcom's comfort with relatable issues provides appeal for huge audiences. Although countless shows have put a comedic twist on day-to-day family life, what sets this family apart is indicated in its title: It's modern. The collection of misfit characters challenges the stereotypes of the classic American family. Creators
Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan integrate varied ages, sexual orientations, and nationalities to produce a rich, dynamic cast.
In season one, we grew to love the characters' unique personalities, appreciating them just as much for their flaws. And in this fall's initial episodes, we're immediately reminded of what we loved: Phil's dorky humor, Cam's buoyant openness and Gloria's straightforward candor. With such interesting characters and witty dialogue, there is no reason to overcomplicate the plot.
Season two of Modern Family sticks to what worked in the first. Specifically, simplicity. If the season continues on this path, audiences have many hilarious Wednesday nights ahead.
—Kalie Riemer
""The Office""
Season seven of ""The Office"" started with a bang when the whole Dunder Mifflin gang recorded a music video to ""Nobody But Me"" by The Human Beinz. This grand opening mirrored the immense amount of anticipation there was for this season, one that has the potential to be the best yet.
Regardless of potential, the whole thing will likely be a little bittersweet. ""World's Best Boss"" Michael Scott (Steve Carell) has announced this will be his last season with ""The Office."" Hopefully, the show will find a way for the comedian to bow out gracefully. In true Michael Scott fashion, though, his exit will likely be anything but graceful. Either way, the season will be an interesting one to see unfold.
Surprisingly, the show plans to go on without him. To supplement this expected loss, the new season has already introduced a new face in Michael's nephew Luke, ""the world's worst assistant,"" played by Evan Peters.
We can only hope that before Carell leaves the show, Dwight and Michael will take us on a few more insanely funny adventures; because after this season is through, Dunder Mifflin won't be the beacon of hilarity it once was.
—Nick Cusatis
