Earlier today, frequent contributer ‘CT’ took the TV Addict to task for our earlier post titled “The TV Addict to Michael Scott: REALLY?!?”
CouchTater: You know, my friend, I think it’s official. You’ve lost touch with your funny. Sorry, but I thought Michael’s taking the kid hostage was hysterical. The roomie and I laughed our butts off through that entire segment. And as silly as it was that Michael didn’t figure out the whole “chatroom” thing, you have to remember that this is a comedy… and that means we’re supposed to suspend our disbelief. And if you didn’t find the sequences in which Phyllis attempted to try a new route with Angela some of the funniest stuff on television this week, then you…
you… I don’t know what.
TheTVAddict While every TV Addict or Couch Tator for that mater is entitled to his or her own opinion, this TV Addict wholeheartedly disagree with yours. The TV Addict knows funny, and if you’re looking for ‘comedy night done right’ one needn’t look any further than last night’s 30 ROCK.
Jenna’s dilemma as to whether she should remain fat [and popular] vs. thin and lonely was as hilarious as it was brilliant. Jack McBrayer has turned what could have easily been a generic and annoying sitcom sidekick [see GILMORE GIRLS Michel] into one of the funniest performances this side of Melora Hardin’s Jan. And Will Arnett, well why he doesn’t have his own show, or a more regular gig on 30 ROCK remains a mystery.
Simply put, 30 ROCK was laugh-out-loud funny. THE OFFICE — while humerous at times, touching and emotional — was not.
CouchTater: Okay, you’ve got me at a bit of an advantage since I don’t watch 30 ROCK. I tried, and Lord knows I wanted to love it, but too much Tracy Morgan makes me break out in a rash. So after a couple episodes, I gave it up. So while I’m sure it’s very humorous (see, that’s how we spell it in America, where all this great television comes from), it’s kinda like asking a blind man to compare Jennifer Aniston’s various haircuts by holding up pictures for him to judge. I’ve read good things about ROCK this season, but that’s all I can say. I’ve agreed with you before — most recently, last week — that Michael Scott needs to be taken down a notch or two (driving into the lake was just beyond moronic), but the kidnapping incident was perfectly in keeping with his character: This is a man who acts without thinking. Even when everyone around him is saying, “The sky is blue,” he will insist it is Green. More importantly, last night was a case in which — and man, is this the rarity — I think most people could actually empathize with Michael. We’ve all been on the receiving end of some little jerk whose idea of customer service is to say “Whatever, dude.” I was not only laughing at the situation, but cheering Michael on!
TheTVAddict: While I’ll agree with you that we’ve all been on the receiving end of a bad customer service experience and that Michael Scott’s kidnapping incident was perfectly in character. There’s still one problem. It wasn’t funny. Which is sort of what ‘Comedy Night Done Right’ infers. Thursday night on NBC is supposed to let me forget about my rough day at work. These hour long episodes simply aren’t working — and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Check out what respected television columnist Alan Sepinwall said about these hour-long experiments by clicking here. 
