24
Although I was generally in favour of TV companies being allowed to place products in TV shows – they really need the cash these day – I almost made a 180º turn on that after watching last Monday's 24. Product placement is one thing, but when you have nearly two minutes of a show turned into a training video for Cisco's WebEx digital signature system, I think we've gone too far.
Chuck
Yvonne Strahovski looks like a tiny little girl playing dress-up when she's next to Tricia Helfer.
House
Even if a show is formulaic, if it knows it formula well enough then it can be very clever in how it plays with that formula.
The Mentalist
Even if a show is technically a 'procedural', it doesn't actually have to follow any known police procedures. Ever.
Supernatural
Even if an episode's concept isn't totally original (Stranger Than Fiction, etc), you can still make a damn fine and clever episode from it, even when you're in your fourth season.
April 6, 2009 | Reply
'24':
I don't watch the show, but I think you'd have to even worse to beat the despicable product placement for Degree anti-perspirant throughout the last season of 'Eureka'. It served as the deus ex machina in one episode!
'Chuck':
After that observation, I'm picturing Yvonne/Sarah undercover in a Catholic school girl uniform. I'm a baaaad boy......
'The Mentalist':
It was off-beat enough, but still easy enough to guess the true villain of the piece.
'Supernatural':
That "life as a book" trope was well done, and good guest work by Rob Benedict as the author. Nice planning ahead to have his publisher go out of business - no crutch for checking out the plot in advance in future episodes.
"CSI" (from the aside):
Not only was I surprised that it was picked for their 200th episode, but that Friedkin was the director. (Then again, I've always thought his rep was over-hyped.)
April 6, 2009 | Reply
"'Chuck':After that observation, I'm picturing Yvonne/Sarah undercover in a Catholic school girl uniform. I'm a baaaad boy....."
If they haven't already done it or are planning it, I'd be surprised.
"CSI" (from the aside):Not only was I surprised that it was picked for their 200th episode, but that Friedkin was the director. (Then again, I've always thought his rep was over-hyped.)"
That was Friedkin? How weird.
April 6, 2009 | Reply
Sure, but the reverse of this is ...
... placing Tricia Helfer next to Yvonne Strahovski makes Yvonne look barely legal, and some guys (not me, obviously) like that, too.
Ali pic at the top of my blog for you.
Off to walk the continuingly recovering Homer, who appreciates everyone's good wishes.
April 7, 2009 | Reply
"Ali pic at the top of my blog for you"
You're a scholar and a gentleman. Best wishes to that other scholar and gentleman Homer, too.