Making the world a better place, one show at a time.

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Washington, DC, United States
I guess you would like to know a little bit about the person making all these proclamations upon good taste and horrid characters. I'm Andrea and when I was 15 I fell in love. An hour after meeting "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" I was forever altered in the way only love can, and I never questioned for one minute afterwards that television offered me an amazing chance to experience lives and moments that I could never imagine. So now, when I'm not getting distracted by my real life, I write about TV. I also read, am finishing a Master's degree in English Literature, travel, am attempting to learn vegan cooking, am the 5th of 6 children, and drive my roommate nuts by constantly cleaning our already clean apartment. Now that we're old friends, time for you to take my opinions as the be all and end all.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Samantha Who? (6): Why Is Everyone Calling Her Mean?

I only know one other person watching this show, but it is not a bad half-hour of entertainment. Sam (Christina Applegate) lost her memory due to a car accident. The more she discovers about herself, the more she realizes she was a terrible person, so now she is trying to be a better person. Complicating matters further are her mom Regina (Jean Smart), who has shading of a suburban Lucille Bluth, her best friend Andrea (Jennifer Esposito), who wants the old Sam back, her childhood friend Dena (Melissa McCarthy), who wants to help her change, and her ex-boyfriend Todd (Barry Watson), who has started dating someone else, but with whom Samantha is still in love. It is kind of a charming little show; sweet without being syrupy, awkward moments do not devolve into unwatchable embarrassment, and aloof doorman Frank (Tim Russ) is the perfect straight-man to balance all the crazies. I like it.

Last night I had a chance to catch up with the episode that aired on Monday (the first new episode since the strike). Regina and Dena's make-over/drinking party that ended with graffiti and stolen statues was immensely funny. (Who hasn't gotten drunk and stolen a neighbor's lawn art?)

But I am a bit confused that Todd is supposed to be this really "nice" guy. I am not saying he is a bad guy, but he lives in Sam's apartment (presumably rent-free, because she owns) and he asks her if he can move his new girlfriend in. Why is Sam competing with Chloe (Kiele Sanchez) for the affection of a guy who does not recognize that having your new girlfriend live with you in your ex-girlfriend's apartment is just a kind of schmucky thing to do? It is rude, selfish, and inconsiderate to both parties. Todd's fallback position seems to be that no matter what he or anyone else does, Sam has always done something worse. While I happen to find such an attitude juvenile it is kind of understandable when you see some of the things this girl has done. But this episode shows that Sam may have been worse at times, but Todd has been better.

Shout-Outs: Little Things To Know That Make Watching Better
I could possibly be the only one who remembers this, but once upon a time on a network called The WB there was a single-season show called Related, which stared both Jennifer Esposito and Kiele Sanchez as two of four very close sisters. Even though I do not think they have shared a scene on Samantha Who? it is funny to see them in opposite camps.

The TV Girl

2 comments:

Kay Pea said...

last nights episode was entertaining. i'm slowly becoming a fan of Jennifer Esposito, despite Crash.

The TV Girl said...

I was a fan of her and the there was Crash. I am getting back to the point where I can watch her and not cringe, and the other show I was talking about, Related, helped a lot. I like her drunk selfish character, because she is so unflinchingly delusional.