Author: Clara Bush

Clara Bush is a grammar nerd, social media specialist, and couch potato. She'll curl up with Netflix and a homemade dessert any day.

Top 10 episodes of CBS’ ‘The Big Bang Theory’

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Aug. 11, 2015.

I’m a fan of comedies, so after picking the best episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” and “Friends,” it’s time to pick the top 10 episodes of “The Big Bang Theory.”

Of course, the CBS show still has many episodes to go, so this list could change, but here are my current picks (spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen every episode):

10. “The Proton Resurgence,” season 6

Bob Newhart won an Emmy for his guest-starring role as Sheldon’s beloved childhood idol Professor Proton in this episode.

It’s one of the few times that Sheldon (Jim Parsons) shows genuine affection for another human being. But that doesn’t mean conversation isn’t sometimes awkward.

9. “The Spaghetti Catalyst,” season 3

Sheldon going behind Leonard’s back? Uh-oh.

When Sheldon and Penny (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) have dinner together, Sheldon feels a lot of guilt but doesn’t know how to handle the friendship after Penny and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) break up.

And at one point he gets chased by a dog.

8. “The Maternal Capacitance,” season 2

What could go wrong when Leonard’s mother, Beverly (Christine Baranski), comes to visit? Quite a lot.

Penny and Leonard end up drinking in excess, leading to a revelation that angers Penny.

Sheldon and Beverly, who are quite similar in personality, grow closer and bond … over the game “Rock Band.”

7. “The Countdown Reflection,” season 5

Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and Howard (Simon Helberg) rush to get married when his space trip gets moved.

Exemplifying the nerdiness of the show, the gang hatches a plan to have the wedding on the roof so it can be seen by a satellite. And they all officiate the ceremony, with a little Klingon thrown in by Sheldon.

It’s also the one time we “see” Howard’s mom (voiced by the late Carol Ann Susi) … her figure is seen as the camera zooms out over the wedding near the episode’s end.

6. “The Romance Resonance,” season 7

Howard sings to Bernadette for the anniversary of their first date. And it’s the nerdiest, cutest song you’ll hear.

5. “The Pants Alternative,” season 3

Sheldon doesn’t know social norms, which causes a massive problem when he has to give a speech to receive an award.

He doesn’t want to give the speech, but he does want the award, so his friends try to coach him. Which would’ve worked, maybe, until he drinks too much and gets slightly out of control.

4. “The Locomotive Manipulation,” season 7

After many years together, Sheldon and Amy (Mayim Bialik) kiss! And Sheldon doesn’t mind … he might even like it.

3. “The Prom Equivalency,” season 8

Since most of the characters were bullied and/or went stag to prom, they decide to have a do-over.

Leonard and Penny talk about their past. Howard can’t deal with comic book store owner/friend Stuart’s (Kevin Sussman) relationship with Howard’s mother, which ends in a fight in a limo.

Most importantly, Sheldon tells Amy he loves her. (I’m a huge Shamy fan.)

2. “The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis,” season 2

I chose this episode in my great Christmas episodes list.

But the holiday theme doesn’t matter; it’s a humorous, heart-warming episode with one of many awww-inducing moments from Sheldon and Penny.

1. “The Adhesive Duck Deficiency,” season 3

Leave it to Leonard, Howard and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) to get accidentally stoned. They may be scientists, but their street smarts are lacking.

At least the results are hilarious to watch.

Elsewhere, Penny needs Sheldon’s help, which doesn’t go well. If only she had put adhesive ducks in her bathtub …

This is also an episode that features “Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty,” the song Sheldon needs to hear when he’s sick.

 

“The Big Bang Theory” returns Sept. 21 for its ninth season, which can’t come soon enough after last season’s cliffhanger finale.

What are your favorite “Big Bang Theory” episodes?

‘Imaginary Mary’ and ‘Great News’: New-ish takes on family comedy

In a world of reboots, it’s nice to see some newer ideas.

Taking on the family comedy genre are ABC’s “Imaginary Mary” and NBC’s “Great News.”

“Imaginary Mary” focuses on Alice (Jenna Elfman), whose imaginary friend Mary (voiced by Rachel Dratch) comes back into Alice’s life when she starts seriously falling for a man with kids.

“Great News” focuses on a mother who becomes an intern at her daughter’s work after a friend dies.

Both shows are full of B-list stars, though “Great News” boasts that it’s produced by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock.

The comedies are not as revolutionary as “Modern Family,” but at least they tried for something different.

When was the last time you saw an imaginary friend on TV?  And it’s nice to see an older female starring in a TV show about something that is slightly relevant (baby boomers in the workforce)

Yes, there are still some usual tropes: “Imaginary Mary”  has the I-don’t-know-how-to-handle-children mentality and “Great News” yet again focuses on the world of journalism. And yes, neither show is laugh-out-loud funny.

But with all these reboots, I’d give these a shot.

“Imaginary Mary” airs 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC. “Great News”airs 9 p.m. Tuesdays on NBC.

History on TV: Examining ‘When We Rise’ and ‘Shots Fired’

Some shows take us to magical worlds…or at least away from reality. But not these two.

ABC’s “When We Rise” and Fox’s “Shots Fired” take a tough look at relevant issues: gay rights, women’s rights, police ethics and racism.

“When We Rise” is a miniseries based on an unpublished manuscript and starred Mary-Louise Parker and Guy Pearce, among others.

Looking back on history starting in the 1960s, each episode was 2 hours (with commercials), and it aired for four nights over the course of a week.

“Shots Fired” mentions Ferguson, but it’s a black cop who shoots a white teen— and everyone is trying to figure out what happened.

The only super big name star in this 10-part series is Helen Hunt; it airs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays.

The two shows are similar in structure — and ratings.

“When We Rise” ratings dropped each night, and the Dustin Lance Black-produced mini-series wasn’t deemed a success.

“Shots Fired” isn’t doing well in ratings either.

My question is: Why?

Maybe airing 2-hour arcs four nights in one week is too much. Perhaps 8 p.m. Wednesdays is too full of good options.

Or is it because we don’t want to face the reality that these issues exist?

It’s not easy to watch. But in this day and age, the fact is this does still exist. Rips of racism and homophobia still prevail throughout the United States.

Especially, after the election, could it be these shows are too close to reality?

TV and movies for some are an escape from the world. It’s why I enjoy musicals and Disney and not war movies.

But now, especially after a vicious election cycle, is it time to put that aside to relearn some history or see it from another angle?

Black wanted to show another side of the story. The duo behind “Shots Fired” wanted to challenge perspectives.

Is it worth stepping out of the comfort zone and learning something new? What do you think?

James Corden joins late-night talk show circuit with ‘The Late Late Show’

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on March 24, 2015.

Sometimes the only thing decent to watch late at night is a talk show.

But it’ll take a little more time for James Corden, the newest late-night host, to be up to par with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel.

Corden replaced Craig Ferguson, who left “The Late Late Show” after almost 10 years, and started his hosting stint Monday night, March 23. Well, technically, Tuesday, March 24, since it was after midnight.

After a lot of thanking and one choke-up about his parents, Corden poked fun at himself and the idea that no one in the U.S. really knows him and the fact that he’s never been a host.

Basing his first sketch on “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” with hints of other movies such as “Whiplash,” Corden got his golden ticket and tips from Meryl Streep, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shia LaBeouf, Allison Janney and, of course, Jay Leno. Because who else?

Honestly, the bit felt like a ploy to get as many celebrities on the show as possible to boost ratings. And after Corden picked up the chocolate bar with the golden ticket that Chelsea Handler dropped, I couldn’t help but wish she wouldn’t have dropped it … even though the bit was fake.

Kudos for getting Simon Cowell to be the greedy celebrity seemingly desperate for a new gig, though.

Corden continued his run of stellar celebrity guests by having Mila Kunis and Tom Hanks be his first interviewees.

The British actor’s interviewing skills could use some work — he talked too much about himself, he struggled to include both celebrities in the interviews (why they did two interview sets together wasn’t clear to me), and he seemed nervous.

He’ll probably improve over time, but it wasn’t enjoyable to watch his first night.

What was fun was an homage to Hanks’ films. It allowed the men to show off their acting chops.

Most people don’t know Corden yet — he’s best known for playing the baker in “Into the Woods” alongside Emily Blunt, but in time, I hope he’ll improve. He has good improv and singing skills, but his interviewing, a key component of late night talk shows, could use some work.

“The Late Late Show with James Corden” airs on CBS at 12:35 a.m. weekdays, after “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

Winter/Spring TV 2017: Time, law common themes this season

The new shows keep rolling in.
It seems that more and more networks are constantly airing new shows.
Here’s the latest crop of show reviews, based on the pilot. I also watched “FEUD” thanks to a preview pass on FX’s website, and as much as I’d like to continue watching it, I don’t want to pay another site. So I’m eagerly waiting for it to come to Netflix. The acting is superb, and its take on aging women in the industry is so relevant.
9 p.m. Sundays on ABC
The 2016-2017 TV season is the year for shows about time travel. In this drama, Freddie Stroma (“UnREAL“) plays H.G. Wells, and Josh Bowman (“Revenge“) plays Jack the Ripper.
The two travel from 1893 to present day, and they both navigate the (disappointingly to Wells) distopia that is today’s world (which included references to ISIS and Trump).
A bit of romance with a museum curator and Wells blossomed, and the end was a cliffhanger twist related to time travel.
It’s all a bit cliche, and there’s not really any concern for how traveling in time could affect the past and future (like “The Flash“).
If you want a show about history and time travel, I think “Timeless” is the better option.
Grade: B

“MAKING HISTORY“

8:30 p.m. Sundays on Fox

For real, these time-travel shows may have seemed ingenious, but they all somehow premiered at same time, which makes them seem less inventive and a lot more repetitive. It’s unfortunate.

This version of the time-travel concept is a comedy that’s infused with pop culture references such as Celine Dion, Starbucks and more.

Starring Adam Pally and Leighton Meester, Pally’s character Dan messes up the Revolutionary War during one of his weekend-1700-travel trips.

Minus all the pop culture references, it’s a pretty predictable show. It probably would’ve been better had it been a new concept like it probably planned to be.

Grade: B-

‘CHICAGO JUSTICE’

9 p.m. Sundays on NBC

Out of so many reboots and spinoffs, this one hit pretty middle of the road.

It felt like I was dropped into this Chicago world without any prior knowledge, so I felt a bit lost. Characters from its other shows came into play, but it faded away to its own show fairly quickly.

Unfortunately, its own show is standard to other courtroom shows. But a few characters popped in briefly, and it may be interesting to see them appear again on the drama.

Grade: B

‘TRIAL & ERROR’

9 p.m. Tuesdays on NBC

It wouldn’t be unwelcome to have a show poking fun and making light of lawyers and courtrooms…unless most of it is in poor taste.

This documentary-style show is the bad courtroom version of shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation.”

Breaking the fourth wall isn’t new. Plotting “gotcha” twists isn’t either. This comedy isn’t worth your time.

Grade: D+

What shows are you enjoying?

Stephen Colbert is no David Letterman

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Sept. 9, 2015.

Can a Comedy Central guy hack it on CBS?

After watching only one episode, I’d have to say … no.

CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” premiered Tuesday night, and Colbert brought his brand of satirical humor to late-night TV.

I get the feeling people will either love or hate this new talk show, based on how they feel about Colbert and his previous show, “The Colbert Report.”

Colbert has an ego; there’s no doubt about it. Unlike James Corden, his CBS late-night counterpart, he’s not humble or gracious about his new gig.

He almost seemed to be poking fun at his job, even making a joke about how he had nine months to make one hour of TV.

The episode felt like a news show, which is not what the show was when David Letterman hosted. That might have had something to do with his first-night guests, actor and activist George Clooney and presidential candidate Jeb Bush.

Late-night talk shows are supposed to be entertaining, but all the political talk may be too polarizing for viewers.

I’m not sure Colbert has broad appeal, and I definitely think there were better options to replace Letterman.

But Colbert did have some funny moments.

There was a bit about Trump and Oreos which was funny for a bit, but like some of his other jokes, it ran too long.

At least Colbert admitted early in the show that you can’t replace Letterman. Because Colbert can’t.

Not right now, anyway. It’s an adjustment, and viewers will have to wait and see how Colbert molds into his new gig.

But I probably won’t be watching.

What do you think of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”?

In support of TV’s supporting characters: Why ‘Manhattan Love Story’ and ‘A to Z’ were doomed TV shows

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Dec. 28, 2014.

After watching all the new fall TV shows and then seeing a lot of comedies, I came to a conclusion:

If the supporting characters on a TV show are less than desirable, not even good leads can save it.

Cases in point: “A to Z” and “Manhattan Love Story.”

These two comedies were among the first of the 2014 season to be axed (Though “A to Z” is still airing new episodes, production will most likely not continue). And I was not too surprised.

I thought the leads for the shows were endearing. But their friends on the shows were awful.

The lead actress in “Manhattan Love Story” roomed with her college friend and her husband.

And boy, were they obnoxious. The college friend, Amy, was always talking like she knew everything, with a whiny voice, might I add. And her husband, David, was just stupid and loud.

Same sort of problem in “A to Z.” Cristin Milioti (“How I Met Your Mother”) and Ben Feldman (“Mad Men,” “Drop Dead Diva”), the leads, were quirky and entertaining.

But both characters had best friends who were archetypes. The girl friend was desperate for love and the guy friend was a player.

It’s 2014, almost 2015. TV viewers are smart — they are beyond watching stereotyped characters. It’s boring, uninteresting and a waste of time.

Not every show can be an ensemble show like “Friends” or “Modern Family,” where every character has enough of a story line each episode to give them purpose.

But shows should not have useless characters that only add frustration instead of enjoyment to a TV program.

Think “Breaking Bad” or “The Big Bang Theory.” Those shows have obvious lead and supporting actors. But you’re invested in every character no matter how many minutes they are on your TV screen.

A smart show needs smart characters. And only smart shows will survive.

I get that comedies are hard to write because it’s difficult to be funny. But it can be done. And we don’t need to bog down with dramas. We need to laugh, too.

Winter TV 2017: Another spinoff, another movie reboot

Violence and behind-the-scenes crime-solving seems to be a trend this winter TV season.

Two of these three shows make you think about what strangers may know about you…and one has already seen better days.

Here are my reviews, based on the pilot only.

 

‘THE BLACKLIST: REDEMPTION’

10 p.m. Thursdays on NBC

This spinoff focuses on a set of characters whom all appeared on the original “Blacklist,” but it’s not necessary to know the original to understand this show.

It might help with backstories, but a new mystery fuels this drama.

The show is a little run-of-the-mill, with the usual elements of technology, crime, backstabbing…but there is a twist of family and betrayal that may hook some viewers.

Grade: B-

 

‘DOUBT’

10 p.m. Wednesdays on CBS

I thought this show somhow managed to make law interesting, but I may be alone in that sentiment.

Despite a cast of heavy-hitters( Judith Light, Katherine Heigl, Laverne Cox Elliott Gould and Dule Hill), the CBS show has already been pulled from the schedule.

Centered around the concept of “beyond reasonable doubt,” I appreciated the high stakes without being over the top.

The love story wasn’t necessary, but there were some interesting relationships.

Grade: B

 

‘TAKEN’

10 p.m. Mondays on NBC

This NBC drama barely resembles the original 2008 movie with Liam Neeson.

Yes, the main character wants to protect his family, but (spoiler alert) his sister dies within the first five minutes, unlike in the movie when the lead saves his daughter.

I don’t think the show is as interesting as the movie; it doesn’t have the heart or pace.

Grade: B-

 

What’s your favorite new TV show?

Colbert, Letterman: Late-night talk show shuffleboard

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on May 4, 2014.

Jimmy Fallon. Seth Meyers. Jimmy Kimmel. Conan O’Brien. Chelsea Handler.

All of these people are late-night talk show hosts.

Anyone else notice they are all men, except for Handler? And her late-night show isn’t even on a big network. It’s on E! And it’s only half an hour.

On April 3, David Letterman (who, in case you didn’t know, is a Ball State alumnus) announced he would retire from the late-night talk show circuit in 2015.

On April 10, it was announced that Stephen Colbert would replace Letterman.

Really? Why?

I personally find Colbert a bit intolerable. I don’t enjoy his show, and it really annoys me when people call it a news show. It’s news satire.

And what about Craig Ferguson? You would think the person who has a talk show after Letterman’s would be next in line.

To me, it wasn’t a surprise when Ferguson announced his departure from CBS on April 28.

And what about women in late night?

There are plenty of women in the talk show world. But most are featured during the day, and many of them are in groups (Ex: The View, The Talk).

A woman could easily hold her own on a talk show. Rachael Ray does it. Ellen DeGeneres does it. Handler does it.

And, in case anyone forgot, Oprah did it with flair. Her show had heart, but it tackled tough issues, too.

Woman like talking, so what’s holding major networks from throwing a woman in the late-night ring? Is it too risky?

If it is, it’s 2014, so get over it.

According to news reports, Ferguson’s departure had been in the works for some time. But since he doesn’t step down till December, I say it’s time to give a woman a chance.

Valentine’s Day 2015: 5 TV episodes celebrating the holiday

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Feb. 10, 2015.

Love is in the air. Or not.

Whether you’re single and ready to mingle or hopelessly in love, here are five Valentine’s Day-themed TV episodes you can enjoy.

Desperation Day: “How I Met Your Mother,” season 6

Oh, Barney. Always searching for what’s easy.

Barney refuses to have a Valentine’s Day date, but that doesn’t mean he can’t find a “victim” on Desperation Day, aka Feb. 13.

Lily struggles to get Marshall to care about their relationship after the death of his father. In the end, he pulls through for his Lilypad.

My Funky Valentine: “Modern Family,” season 1

Phil and Claire aren’t always the most adventurous, so to mix things up, they create fake personas.

But things go awry when Claire’s overcoat gets stuck in the escalator, and everyone, including her father, sees.

The One with the Candy Hearts: “Friends,” season 1

In a lot of moments of this beloved show, Ross can’t seem to catch in break.

In this episode, he ends up on a date at the same restaurant as Carol and Susan, his (first) ex-wife and her partner. Awkward.

Chandler ends up on a blind date with Janice, the woman he can’t seem to shake off. Also awkward.

Phoebe, Monica and Rachel burn mementos of ex-boyfriends. Not awkward, just super funny.

First Date: “That ’70s Show,” season 1

After a bit of back and forth, it seems like Donna and Eric will finally get together.

But this is TV, so of course, there’s a hitch. And his name is Hyde.

It’s an episode featuring young love and the nervousness that comes with it.

Silly Love Songs: “Glee,” season 2

Back when “Glee” was still good, this episode featured the right amount of cheesiness, heartbreak and sappy songs.

Puck tries to woo a girl by singing “Fat Bottomed Girls,” and we get to see Artie and Mike channel Michael Jackson with “P.Y.T.”

The episode will leave you saying, “Awww.”