Nit: Armin Tamzarian.
I’ll start off by discussing two “single WORST episodes” of TV shows that I like, but by no means are my favourites. One of which, making use of the available segue, is The Simpsons. Can’t remember the episode name but it’s where, after the death of his wife (a few months or so, less than a year I’m sure), Ned meets an attractive lady (later discovered to be a famous movie star) and he dates, and eventually beds, her. (In one scene all his excuses not to sleep with her “blow away”, literally).
The other show is Family Guy. IMHO, it constantly denigrates from the pinnacle of writing that was the first season or so (before the first cancellation) into sophomoric scatological jokes, but every now and then it shows some of that clever writign and spot-on wit that I fell in love with it for. One episode that does not fall into that category is where the Griffins become a singing group, touring all over, and Meg has a major makeover in relation to this (becoming a blonde). Near the end of the episode, they go on SNL, and Meg falls for Jimmy Fallon, who eventually beds her (only to reveal her defloration was actually part of a opening skit).
The reason I hated these two episodes were what they had in common. No, not sex, although you’re close (in a way, I mean come on I like watching,l and having, sex as well as the next red-blooded male). I’m talking about a fundamental shift in a hard and fast aspect of a character’s makeup - these kind of shows continuity is often played fast and loose, and is usually done well with comedic effect (heck, my favourite Simpsons episodes are usually the Halloween and other “trilogy” ones where continuity is thrown out the window completely to tell a story), but there are still hard and fast rules that must be obeyed. Flanders is a deeply religious person who does not believe in pre- or extra-marital sex (not stating my views on it, just Flanders’). Having him do it pretty much makes him a hypocrite. Meg is an “ugly girl” (personally, I’ve always found her very cute, but the standard gag is that “she’s so ugly her momma won’t kiss her goodnight”) who can’t get a date and will always be a virgin. Even after the Jimmy Fallon incident, while I don’t think they’ve mentioned it specifically, she seems to be viewed as a virgin. Those were two rule breakings “up with which I did not put”, and was soured on both shows for a while. (It’d be like having Wile E. Coyote catch and eat the Road Runner, that kind of thing.)
Now, to my two favourite shows, Corner Gas (which recently ended its run) and Mythbusters (still on the air). Why do I like them? Well, in part because there is not a single episode I can describe as “the single WORST” episode, that’s why I like them by definition I suppose. If I don’t like an episode vehemently, like I did with Simpsons and Family Guy, it definitely won’t be my favourite show (although they never were), but I’d probably still watch.
