"Twice a week after work, I put on a totally realistic bear costume and hang out in the park. It makes me feel mighty."
http://www.savebetteroffted.com/
Now it's off for a weekend of Superbowl inspired fun, including movies with three of my favorite people, flag football in a wet park, and at least 20 sports-minded ladies crowded into one room to root for the Saints or the Cowboys.
Is it wrong that I'm more excited about the annual PUPPY BOWL on Animal Planet?
At least it's something to pass the time, in between the absolutely FABULOUS Rupaul's Drag Race, and succumbing to my need for foreign TV Shows, like British soap SKINS and the fast approaching season premiere of Spanish drama Los Hombres De Paco.
Seriously, if American TV is going to cancel gems like Better Off Ted, I need to go out of the country for quality drama.
Except for Chuck. Chuck! I still love you! You too, Modern Family!
This week, the quirky and awkwardly brilliant work place comedy Better off Ted quietly aired what will probably be the last episode of the series, after being burned off two episodes a week after a stale and wobbly retooled version of 'Scrubs'.
The episode itself, entitled 'Mess of a Salesmen', displayed the usual dynamics of the employees of Veridian Dynamics. Ted, our empathic corporate middle man, tried to give his slacker brother a job, but only suceeded in causing more workplace shenegigans, when his rebellious inspired Ted's socially awkward scientists to act out by ordering extravagantly - including a corpse-of-the-month-club. Meanwhile, boss Veronica and cubicle drone Linda raised money for young women, but upon discovery that their company kept 95% of the money, headbutted the president of the foundation. Literally.
It made perfect sense. And it was hilarious.
With a regular 2.1 over all rating, and none of the attention and hooplah that have been given to ABC's Wednesday night comedies (Modern Family, CougarTown, The Middle), Better Off Ted and its fantastic cast will probably go the way of other critical darlings like Arrested Development. Appreciated by few, watched by even less. Frankly, the show deserved better.
Yes, I'm bitter. Maybe the show's quirky comedy wasn't funny, but I found BoT brilliant, insensitive, hilarious, and genuinely FUNNY, unafraid to take on work place issues like gender, race, sexual harassment and mock them and our instinctive reaction to them in a delicious way. It took workplace comedies and spun them on it's head. The cast shone, and Portia Di Rossi's ever evolving Evil-Boss-With-A-Heart Veronica Palmer was played with such deadpan perfection it's emmy worthy.
The rest of the cast is just as capable, and even Linda, who existed in the first season merely as Ted's love interest and therefore remained the unfunniest member of the cast, has found her footing as the loony soul and concious of both Ted and Veronica. Mad Scientists Lem and Phil are both charming and hilarous in their bromance and geekery, and really, it's just too soon to lose them.
Why, ABC, why? Why not give Better Off Ted an actual chance, instead burning off episodes behind an ailing Scrubs?
How else am I going to find gems of quotes like this?
Phil: We can't leave work in the middle of the day. We're not Somali pirates.
Veronica: The forest will run red with the blood of woodland creatures who doubted little Veronica and will now pay with their furry little lives.
Lem: Maybe we should take a stand. Maybe we should say this is the one thing that must not be used for evil. Phil: Or maybe we say that the next thing we make must not be used for evil, but this one with we're fine with. And maybe the next one after that. But someday, they will push us too far, and the next time after that.. Lem: No, the time is now. 12:35. Maybe we should discuss this for another 20 minutes and then commit to something.
Ted: What are you afraid of? If you... if you throw a game, it's gonna keep you out of the time-wasters hall of fame? Linda: No. My position there is secure from getting my art history degree.
Veronica: Oh, God, we have unhappy Germans. Nothing good has ever come from that.
For a taste of what you've been missing if you haven't been watching this show, check out last week's episode here:
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