Analog This: Community Season 5 Premiere, and the Meaning of Greendale

“Community” has had such a troubled run. At the same time, it is also more privileged than most shows. Besides multiple hiatuses and threats of cancellation, the show has seen one showrunner get fired and then re-hired. But the loud voices of the Internet spoke, and Dan Harmon’s vision got to beat on.

And to that I say, “amen.”

I would have been okay if “Community” had gotten canned after its third season. However, if it had ended with the bitter taste of season four, that would not have felt right. So, there is a fifth season of “Community.” And once again, I say “amen.”

Analog This: The Pete Holmes Show Is Quietly Reinventing Late Night

Image via PopWatch

Late night isn't what it used to be. Besides the fact that most people are just watching the highlights online, there's just way too many hosts and way too many shows to choose from.

During the 11 PM hour, I have to choose between Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O'Brien, who are all personal heroes of mine. Two weeks ago, Comedy Central kicked off "@Midnight," which proved to be a surprisingly smart and fun way to combine TV and social media into a game show format. There's a reason that Chris Hardwick now hosts everything ever.

Then one week later, "The Pete Holmes Show" premiered on TBS at the exact same time. After two or three episodes, I was sold. Granted, I was already a huge fan of Pete Holmes through both his standup and his podcast "You Made It Weird." Holmes' standup is endearingly goofy and consistently sharp in its observations. "You Made It Weird" focuses on a loose conversation that is funny and enlightening and often pushes the three hour mark. Holmes is both one of the most talented stand-ups working today, and host of a podcast that is often better than some of its more well-known contemporaries.

Analog This: Homeland- Run Dana Run

This is a recap of episode four of season three of "Homeland." The episode is "Game On." 

I have no idea what's keeping "Homeland" together right now. Each story seems to constitute its own separate show. It's about time some character came in, "Lost" style, and declared that everybody needs to go back. I'm pretty sure Matthew Fox is actually looking for work.

The one common factor keeping everyone together this season is a feeling of imprisonment. Tonight's episode is called "Game On" but it feels more like a groan than a game changer. This is the episode where everyone tries to run away. Some found great success (Carrie), while others found themselves walking into yet another trap (Dana).

Analog This: Homeland- Tower (Of David) Heist

This is a recap of episode three of season three of "Homeland." The episode is "Tower Of David." 

Most chatter about "Homeland" nowadays is marked by debate on whether or not the show is good anymore. Rarely have I seen a show fluctuate between great, okay, and horrible so often, and sometimes just within the span of a single episode.

"Tower Of David" is not the best episode in the short history of "Homeland," but it is definitely one of the most different hours that the show has done. This was the least politically driven episode in a while. To prove how far away it would be going from Washington politics, the episode opened with a sunny beach that might as well have been stolen "Lost" B-Roll. After a bunch of men spoke Spanish (with no subtitles to be found), a bloody and dying Nicholas Brody pops back up. America's favorite sleeper cell agent is finally back!

Analog This: A Helpful Guide of Whether or Not You Should Keep Watching Homeland

I swear...no more Skyping with terrorists.

Spoilers for the season three premiere of "Homeland" to come. Assume there will be spoilers for old episodes of "Homeland," too.

A funny thing happened as "Homeland" was on its way to becoming TV's best drama: it decided to go completely downhill. But "Homeland" wants you to know that they're trying really hard to make a comeback. They let us know by devoting the entire "Previously on..." segment of the season three opener to what was essentially a highlight reel of the entire series.

I get it, "Homeland." There was like two or three really awesome parts of last season. But Dana and her stupid boyfriend still murdered someone (before he got blown up) and Nicholas Brody Skyped with a terrorist on a Blackberry while standing next to the vice president. So I guess you could say things weren't going too well for them.

So, should you keep watching, or not? The season three premiere showed some promise, but also some drawbacks. Here, I will present some highlights from the premiere, and its up to you to decide whether or not you should keep up with "Homeland."

Chris Brody: He's really tall now. And still has nothing valuable to add. I just want someone to give him a show where he reviews HD TVs.

Dana Brody: In retrospect, making Dana a murderer last season was pretty dumb. During the long gap in "Homeland" time, Dana attempted suicide. This is a more grounded, dark, and interesting territory for the character, and a good chance for actress Morgan Sayler to show off more of her acting potential. I just hope they don't make much out of her sending the nude selfie. Like, that her potential new boyfriend is a Senator's son and it causes another political scandal. It just seems too obvious.

Jess Brody: Sorry fans, but there was no Jess Brody nudity this time around. Just some deep and dark insight into her past and her family's history with suicide and depression. Oh great, more interesting character insight. I blame the Puritans.

Jess' Mom: Here's a new character. Already not a big fan of her. She just seems to be there to tell Jess that she's parenting all wrong. She reminds me of Claudette from "The Room." That's not a good thing.

Carrie's Mental State: Carrie is still torn up about last year's events at Langley. She blames herself, and I'm not sure if she really does or if that's a way to make her cover story more convincing. Either way, she's trying alternative medicines, but it doesn't seem to be helping so far. She's on trial for treason. I need to start the Carrie cry count, because this episode was a doozy.

Where in the World is Nicholas Brody?: Not sure. Surprisingly, he wasn't in this episode at all. Maybe he's with Saul Goodman in Nebraska. Or somebody sent him to Belize. Guys, I miss "Breaking Bad."

Better Call Saul (Berenson): It's really hard to complain about Mandy Patinkin. He's like Jewish Santa Claus. He's facing a lot more pressures now. As de facto head of Homeland Security, he has to deal with the possibility of a revoked charter, more terrorists, and the Nicholas Brody/Carrie bomb. Plus, Saul has personal issues to deal with. He's the most sane character on the show, so I really hope he doesn't fall into the vortex of insanity.

New Problems, New Possibilities: Maybe I'm alone here, but the most interesting conflicts on this show are the internal issues being dealt with at Langley. It feels more relevant given how, you know, we don't have a functioning government right now. "Homeland" has some great characters, and I think it would be even better if we got to see them evolve this year. Instead of just chasing terrorists, which we've seen before, I'd love to see some personal struggles. How does someone keep an entire government agency, and themselves, together? But it's a fine line to walk because...

...I don't want a courtroom drama: "Homeland" runs into the possibility of slipping into implausibility and simply being a show about chasing terrorists. This was a problem it faced last year, which is why it nearly slipped into complete "24" territory. However, I also don't want to see it become just a courtroom drama. Too much of old white people (because, American politics) arguing over abstract political issues could get dull. So if "Homeland" is to get back on its feet, it needs to balance internal and external threats. Oh, and bring Nicholas Brody back.

Analog This: Breaking Bad- Goodbye, Mr. Blue

This is a recap of episode 16 of season 5 of "Breaking Bad." The episode is "Felina." IT'S THE FINALE. 

Well.

Well, well, well then. That's all I can think of saying at first. There's a lot to say. 

First of all, this definitely isn't the ending you expected. Nearly every prediction made by the Internet was wrong, proving that Reddit can't write a TV show. Or at least not one as good as this. 

Continued After the Jump

Breaking Bad: Analog This- The Wizard of Ozymandias

This is a recap of episode 14 of season 5 of "Breaking Bad." The episode is "Ozymandias."

Fuck.

That would have been an apt title for tonight's episode. And just as poetic. It was one of the last things that Hank ever said ("My name is ASAC Schrader. And you can go fuck yourself.") and also the one thing I couldn't stop saying over and over again throughout "Ozymandias." I think I needed this little mantra. It reminded me of how cathartic cursing can be.

I know that I am always talking about how amazing "Breaking Bad" is every week but I feel like up to this point, I was being a tad hyperbolic. "Ozymandias" may be the show's finest hour. If it is not the absolute best, then it was the show's most horrifying and emotionally devastating. Appropriately, many critics are already comparing this episode to a horror movie. This episode was a horror western directed by Rian Johnson, who's proved himself to be excellent at mixing and matching genres through the likes of "Brick" and "Looper."

Analog This: Breaking Bad- Dumb & Dumber

This is a recap of episode 13 of season 5 of "Breaking Bad." The episode is "To'hajiilee."

Walt has spent the past five years (real time, not "Breaking Bad" time) outsmarting everyone he knows. It turns out though that Walt's ego, the same thing that's always helped him get out of trouble, could also cloud his judgement. Finally, the joke's on him. 

Only on "Breaking Bad" could a cathartic moment suddenly be turned into one of fear and pain. When Walt finally got handcuffed, it felt like a moment that was long time coming, which is probably why this episode alluded to the pilot so much. Of course all the hurt happens under the direction of Michelle MacLaren, who's directed some of the show's most twisted episodes. And hopefully once "Breaking Bad" ends, she'll become a fine movie director, hopefully funded by Megan Ellison. 

Analog This: Trapped, Trapped, Trapped in Orange is the New Black

YOU ARE NOW ENTERING SPOILER TERRITORY

Is TV as we know it dead?????!!!!! Is Netflix the only place we can get good shows now????!!!!!!

No. TV is alive and well and Netflix holds promise as a lead distributor for the future. But I'm not in the future predicting game; I'm in the "Orange is the New Black" fan club. We are few and we are annoying, but we know great television when we see it.

"Orange is the New Black" is based on the true story of Piper Kerman, a waspy shiksa* who ends up in prison for a crime she committed years earlier. The show takes a lot of liberties from there. It starts through the eyes of Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) and then expands far and wide, populating the prison with an array of colorful characters. These are the kind of characters who normally aren't portrayed on television, and they're often the kind of people you never meet when you're a sheltered white boy from Connecticut. That's what good stories are all about: expanding your world and introducing you to the kind of things that your own life might be too short-sighted to ever see.

While watching "Orange is the New Black," I was reminded of an unlikely companion show: "Lost." Like that sci-fi drama, "Orange" uses the medium to its fullest extent by leaving its setting through flashbacks. This allows the characters to be more than just their present selves; in prison, you're not the same person you were on the outside world. In order to understand the new person, it is necessary to also see the old one. Also, if "Orange is the New Black" is "Lost," does this mean they're going to start having flash forwards later on? And does that mean Jason Biggs is the smoke monster?

But I digress. "Orange" is the second show created by Jenji Kohan, the first being "Weeds." If the last few seasons of "Weeds" left a bad taste in your mouth, then consider "Orange" as Kohan's way of pressing the reset button. This is a brand new world with an episode structure that literally allows endless possibilities.

"Orange is the New Black" is not just that female prison drama. This is a show about people who happen to be prisoners. Emphasis on the people part. That's why it expands to the characters' lives outside of prison, so there's a taste of life outside the prison walls. "Orange" is as much about life in prison as it is about people trying to maintain normality in a very abnormal place.

I wish I did a run through of each episode individually, and tried to cover the little moments that can get lost during binge watching. That will be for another time. So for now, I will try and recap all the best little tidbits of this awesome first season:

Analog This: Breaking Bad- Every Dog Has His Day

This is a recap of episode 12 of season 5 of "Breaking Bad." The episode is "Rabid Dog."

Tonight's "Breaking Bad" episode requires a little history lesson on the "Breaking Bad" universe. So for just a brief moment, let's go back to season two. Remember that pink teddy bear that fell from an airplane that signified that Walt's selfishness could lead to an airplane crash? Well once again, Walt can't do anything without ruining the lives of others. In "Rabid Dog," Walt showed that if he was going down, his whole family would be going with him. 

Analog This: Breaking Bad- Burning Down the House

This is a recap of episode 11 of season 5 of "Breaking Bad." The episode is "Confessions."

Not that I will actually do this, but from now on I am going to stop trying to predict every little thing that will happen on "Breaking Bad." That's because nobody can mess with Vince Gilligan and the gang's sheer brilliance and intricate plotting. I don't know how this show will end, which is why I am not a writer for "Breaking Bad."

"Confessions" opens with a scene that isn't addressed for the rest of the episode, but it will definitely come back to haunt everyone. It is important to note that one of the men that Todd met with also orchestrated all those prison murders at the end of last season and now he knows Walter's name. Also, that bloody tissue he wiped his boot with probably didn't flush all the way, as this show follows Chekhov's Gun very closely. 

Analog This: Girls Season 3 Trailer

The season three teaser trailer for "Girls" was just released. It's noteworthy because there's no actual scenes here; it's just a slideshow of Instagram photos of the show's production. It's certainly a great way to get our attention and spare our attention spans. In related news, I heard that the season four "Game of Thrones" teaser is going to be a BuzzFeed list.

The trailer tells me absolutely nothing besides the fact that there will be a lot of beach scenes. Either way, I'm excited for season three, even if season two had a disappointing ending. I look forward to how else Lena Dunham intends to skew the half hour format, because she's done some spectacular things so far. Here's hoping that this season includes Allison Williams singing a cover of "Black Skinhead."

Analog This: Breaking Bad Recap- Belize Navidad

This is a recap of episode 9 of season 5 of "Breaking Bad." The episode is "Buried."

Well, there was no way to top last week's episode.

Last week, the cat leaped out of the freaking bag, tore up the entire place, and pooped outside the litter box after Walt warned Hank to "tread lightly." This week's episode was also tense, but in a much quieter way. It was a linking and in-between episode, a nice valley between last week's eventful episode and what is sure to be another great one next week. 

Analog This: Breaking Bad Recap- When One Garage Door Closes...

This is a recap of episode 9 of season 5 of "Breaking Bad." The episode is "Blood Money."

Last we saw "Breaking Bad," Hank made the discovery we've been waiting five seasons to see. Last night, all of that came to light and it did not disappoint.

Vince Gilligan has such an amazing grip on how the camera works, he is like a master filmmaker who runs a TV show. He is so skilled at misdirection, that I thought the opening shot of a bunch of kids skateboarding in an empty pool was an episode of "Rocket Power." Nice trying pranking America, Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

This was actually yet another flash forward in the "Breaking Bad" timeline. Walt, with a full beard and a full head of hair, returns to his dilapidated home to get the Ricin that he hid inside an outlet last season. Remember, on "Breaking Bad" every little moment means something and will likely be mentioned again. So you can bet that old lady who nearly spoiled Walt's assassination attempt on Gus will be back.

Analog This: Five Seasons of Friday Night Lights in One Post

This year, I am grateful that Netflix exists. It took me a while (well over a year, to be not-so exact), but I finally finished this show in its entirety. I was hesitant to watch it at first, because sports have never been my biggest interest and also I've been putting off watching "The Wire" for way too long. But this was the summer I finally decided to finish "Friday Night Lights." What a long yet rewarding journey it has been. "Friday Night Lights" is not just a compelling drama. It changed the way I view people who are different than myself. Most importantly, it made me realize that sports are about more than just competition; sports are about stories. A coach can do more than merely teach a sport. A coach can also be your personal hero. Especially if that coach is played by Kyle Chandler.

I thought it would be hard to write a straight-up review of the entire series. Instead, I figured I'd recap each season to the best of my ability. There will be things I forgot (sorry in advance for the lack of Buddy Jr.), but that is because "Friday Night Lights" accomplished more and introduced more characters than the average drama that goes on twice as long as this show did.

To the best of my ability, here is my recap of five seasons, through good times and bad, of "Friday Night Lights":

Analog This: Season Four of Arrested Development (So Far)

SPOILER ALERT: I have not finished the fourth season yet, but there may be some light spoilers ahead. Read with caution.

Seven years ago.

That's when the original series finale of "Arrested Development" aired. That's also how long I waited for TV's greatest comedy to come back on the air.

"Arrested Development" holds a special place in my heart. The first three seasons have been like a Comedy Bible to me. It taught me to embrace details as well as the slow buildup to a laugh. I've rewatched and deconstructed every episode so many times, yet I always find something new to marvel at. In the universe of "Arrested Development," no comedy stone is left unturned.

For years, I was constantly teased with the idea that there could be an "Arrested Development" movie. Any mention of the movie itself (without any promise of it actually happening) became something of a recurring joke worthy of the "Arrested Development" universe. That is, until the day that it was announced that a fourth season that would lead up to an eventual movie would be released.

Suddenly, "Arrested Development" was on the level of hype and public scrutiny that no cancelled cult TV series would normally face.  Essentially, season four would have to be the greatest event in television history, because that's what every hyperbolic blogger labeled it as. However, it is rare that anything that is labeled as "the greatest ever" before it is actually released will actually be the greatest ever. Narrowing it down to film and television, most of the greatest works came out of nowhere with very little hype behind it. Or, as was the case with the first three seasons of "Arrested Development," it could take years for the public to ever come around to it (despite multiple Emmy wins).

Continued After the Jump

Analog This: My 2012 Emmy Winners

I think everything that can be said about the many problems with last night's Emmys has already been said. Instead of ranting about Jon Cryer and "Modern Family" ruining everything, I will just say that I am happy that Louis C.K. got rewarded both for changing standup comedy and pulling off perhaps the greatest fart joke ever and making it last for an entire episode.

Here are my winners for the best the year had to offer in television. Keep in mind that many of these people and shows weren't even nominated for Emmys this year (after the jump):

Analog This: Breaking Bad and the Crystal Blue Side of the American Dream

"Now you're looking for the secret. But you won't find it because of course, you're not really looking. You don't really want to work it out. You want to be fooled." 
-The Prestige

As always, SPOILER ALERT.

Could there have been a more perfect song to put into a "Breaking Bad" episode than "Crystal Blue Persuasion"? I wonder how long Vince Gilligan was waiting to use that song, because tonight's episode, "Gliding Over All" seemed like the perfect place for it. Tonight, it was more apparent than ever why Walter White's crystal blue meth is both the best and worst thing to ever happen to him.

"Gliding Over All" was one of the most important and exciting episodes of the series, which I tend to say about almost every episode. However, this one was different than most "Breaking Bad" episodes. Most episodes tend to pick their pace wisely. One week we will get an action packed thriller and the next week will be slow-burning exposition and character work. However, the mid-season finale gave us a little bit of both.

Analog This: It's Not Just About Walt This Time

Just in case this wasn't the first thing to cross your mind: SPOILER ALERT

"Breaking Bad" is the closest thing to must see TV that exists during a time where seeing a program live doesn't really matter to most people anymore. While watching it live is not mandatory, it is certainly an event. To me, watching live television has often felt like finding out some amazing secret before anyone else does. And finding it out at the same time as a certain chunk of the country that I've never met before felt like a strange bonding experience.

This right there is the beauty of television, and with TV changing so rapidly, "Breaking Bad" deserves to be the poster boy for a new era. It earned it long ago, and it certainly looks like it has no intention of ever giving that title up. It is not earned by Nielsen ratings, but rather by pure quality. Just like Walter White, it has crushed its competition just by being the best at what it does.

Analog This: A Blockbuster Summer for TV; Maybe Less so for Movies

No one can deny it at this point: there is something wrong at the movies. Tentpoles and remakes just won't seem to go away. A good movie feels like a treat that is too good for its own good. There is good hope when something like "Moonrise Kingdom" can find an audience. However, when even Batman can't deliver, there must be a problem. However, one place I couldn't find a problem this summer was on television. While film has already broken down so many barriers, TV is just figuring out how to do the same thing.

This summer (well, it's been a long time in the making), cable and basic cable networks have nailed the formula down and created an entertainment experience that can sometimes rival even a great film. Now that everyone has a DVR box and access to the internet, shows can carry long stories in ways they never could in the past. Here are the shows that created a Blockbuster summer for the likes of AMC, FX, and HBO, amongst others: