Tuesday, May 30, 2006

BECAUSE HERE AT DUNDER MIFFLIN, SCRANTON, WE'RE NOT JUST IN THE PAPER BUSINESS. WE'RE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS: Tom Shales believes 2005-06 marked a renaissance for prime-time drama:
Complexity has replaced simplicity in these shows, both in terms of plot and character development. Some producers take the new liberty and go cuckoo with it, with the results snazzy but implausible. But for the most part, it's resulted in first-class, high-gloss television, this liberation-born-of-desperation (broadcast networks were steadily, annually leaking audience to basic cable, but that hemorrhage has at least temporarily been halted -- in part because the new-age dramas are so addictive).

Indeed, I'd expand the thought in two ways -- first that it's also in response to the rise of reality tv, putting more pressure on scripted shows to deliver; and second that the improvement has been seen across the universe of scripted shows, comedy as well as drama.

This thread is open for your nominees for Television's Best Episode for the 2005-06 season just concluded, and I've got so many that it's hard to pick one, including HBO's Rome for "Caesarion" (the Egypt episode) and "The Spoils" (Titus Pullo, Gladiator); the Sopranos "Join the Club" (The Kevin Finnerty Show, though it's hard to pick just one from the first five episodes); the gripping Grey's Anatomy Super Bowl two-parter; and Project Runway's "Team Lingerie" (the only reality hour worth noting, I think, because of Santino's ridiculousness and Daniel Franco's classy end).

But I think I've made it clear by now that I don't think any show got it right more often this season than The Office, mixing comedy and character, desperation and frustration into something both intensely real and magical. There is not a stinker in the bunch, but if I'm going to pick one, it's not going to be "The Dundies" or "Booze Cruise", and not even the finale -- which, great though it was, actually only kicks into highest gear in the last eight-minute segment. No, my winner is "Valentine's Day", which sends Michael Scott to The Big Apple for a big presentation ("Stanley's dedication is no doubt one of the hallmarks of the foundation of the business we're hoping to build our basis on"), Kelly into Ryan's arms (on February 13), Dwight into bobblehead form, Meredith into a drunken stupor and Pam and Jim just a little step closer to each other. Or heartbreak. It's all completely brilliant, and it just lasts one half-hour.

The floor is open.

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