Clone High (2002-2003)

IMDB

This show only lasted thirteen episodes, but we've talked about this before. Almost all of the shows I love die young. There are lots of rumors why Clone High was canceled: MTV was sued over the portrayal of Gandhi, MTV just sucks, etc. The only certain thing is that this show is hilarious, if a little crude.

The premise is that the government cloned a bunch of famous people, and now those people are all in high school. Clone High makes no attempt to be believable in the science department; there are clones running around of people whose DNA we do not have. Joan of Arc and Jesus, for example.

The three main clones are Abe Lincoln, Joan of Arc, and Gandhi. They all appear in this clip from the first episode:

Season 1, Episode 1

Most of the characters are a joy to watch, and at least three of them are voiced by actors who were also on Scrubs, if that means anything to you.


This clip is from the Very Special episode (they're all Very Special episodes) about how those with ADD still deserve to live a normal life, and it features Joan of Arc's blind foster grandfather, Principal Scudworth, and JFK's foster dads:

Season 1 Episode 3

If you missed this show when it was still alive, check it out! Now that it's been dead for eight years and there's no hope for a resolution!


Today's music selection:


D-Pryde - Mr. Prizzy

   genre: fast-talkin' goofy rap
   ideal for: when you need a quick and clean injection of swag     
  Youtube
  Download his albums for free (and legally) here and here.


Teddybears - Devil's Music

   genre: rock and hip-hop's dancing baby
   ideal for: when you're afraid you might be paralyzed and will never dance again (you will know for sure after listening to this)
  Youtube

Community (2009- )

IMDB

This may seem like an odd choice to start off with. Community is a prime-time network show and most of the people I’ve asked have at least heard of it. But here’s my reasoning: the numbers are low, and I love this show.

A lot of programs will have a Halloween episode that breaks some of the usual rules of the show. This video clip might seem to be doing that, but I assure you, Community quite regularly flirts with the line between what is real and what is fantasy.

Season 2, episode 6, "Epidemiology"

Most of the shows I love die young. What do Arrested Development, Firefly, Invader Zim, and Police Squad all have in common? None of them made it past the third season. Heck, Police Squad only got six episodes. Community just debuted its third season, and I'm afraid for its life.

So here’s me, asking you to give this show a chance. I won’t ask you to stumble into the dark, however. Here’s what I think you should know:

The one-sentence summary on IMDB states, “A smarmy lawyer whose education is deemed void by the bar is forced to attend a local community college with an extremely eclectic staff and student body.”

I suppose this captures the gist of the plot, but I feel the need to emphasis the word “eclectic” and perhaps pair it with something like, I don’t know, “zany” or “quirky”. Possibly "insane". Here's a sample of Senor Chang:

Season 1, episode 2, "Spanish 101"

The show is full of fun moments that, if you’re anything like me, you’ll re-enact with the other cool people you know who watch Community. The dialogue is quick and clever, but only sometimes highbrow. This is Jeff focusing all his persuasive skills on Troy:

Season 1, episode 6, "Football, Feminism and You"

Community isn’t one of those mindless shows you can turn to fifteen minutes in and know everything that has happened previously and is going to happen next. It doesn’t play by the rules, but rather plays with them. Unfortunately, this demand for more than minimum attention may prove the show’s downfall.

Please give this show a chance. It deserves it a lot more than some of the others getting a lot more acclaim.