Let's Join The Super Adventure Club

Okay, so I've never been a big South Park fan.

I just have never really found it to be all that funny. Clever sometimes, and definitely original, but I just don't really think it compares with the animated greats like The Simpsons. It's humor is more like the work of two twelve year olds sitting around and making fun of stuff than it is a reflection of the best and brightest comedy writers satirizing society.

But one thing I gotta respect it for - with it's ultra-quick turnaround time, South Park has become must-see viewing of late just because it is so freaking of-the-moment. And even better when the show generates external controversy, as with the recent Isaac Hayes / Scientology affair. Because everyone knew that by this Wednesdays season premiere - there would be a pull no punches response to it all locked and loaded and ready to go.

So I still find the humor to be pretty stupid, but damn if I did not enjoy last night's South Park as a pure pop-cultural touchstone, and a well deserved F-U to the lunacy that is scientology. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are not to be messed with, that's for sure.

I honestly don't get scientology. Can ANYONE out there explain to me in a non-creepy way what the deal is? Not the history, I mean - WHY would anyone join it? WHAT makes it so appealing as opposed to any other belief system? Aside from the fact that they likely find out secret info on you and force you to do their bidding, why the rush to join the cult, I mean church, or scientology?

Anyways, kudos to South Park for becoming the go-to show for timely satire of those who most need to be ruthlessly mocked. Out of sheer respect for that, and yes, out of appreciation for some scattered moments of undeniable hilarity, I'll give this episode an A.

LOST:

I really did enjoy last night's Lost, more so than I have most of this season's episodes. So see, I do not just bash the show all the time - it really can be good when it's on its game.

First of all, I always like the Jin / Sun centered episodes for the simple reason that I get a kick out of the fact that 10 million Americans are forced to read subtitles on their TV screens while watching - something that our nation's aversion to foreign films shows that many of us are usually loath to do.

Second, both of those actors are really good, and they bring a level of class to the show that some of the other characters (Ana-Lucia, Claire, etc) sometimes don't. I really enjoy their storyline, and I am intrigued by the mystery of who, if anyone, is really the father of Sun's baby. I often complain that this show uses the flashbacks as a crutch, but when they actually offer ood conflict and mystery like these ones did then I really can't find fault.

Thirdly, I haven't been that big on the Henry Gale subplot for its sheer absurdity (why would Locke allow himself to be manipulated by this guy of all people?). But, I have to admit, his closing monologue was awesome. Bringing to mind the big Ozymandius-as-villain reveal from Watchmen, that was some chilling stuff - that actor is pretty sweet who plays the guy too. Cheesy, yes, but hey I am a sucker for newly-revealed-villains-revealing-their-already-in-progress-and-seemingly-unstoppable-evil-plans moments, I guess.

Still, Henry Gale had a good point when he wondered why Jack, Locke, and company never questioned anything, ie what the nature of the hatch is, what the Dharma corp is, etc. WHY DOESN'T ANYONE EVER DISCUSS ALL THE WEIRD STUFF GOING ON ON THE ISLAND?!?! I mean, if the show itself even points out this fact, there's gotta be something wrong, right?

Otherwise, I feel like they actually may have thrown some interesting ideas into the mix with this episode, and I wonder if the guy who was teaching Sun English was not some Dharma operative or something. But I think we DO need SOME kind of inkling of why these Others are so hostile. Right now it's just sooo vague. At least tell us if they're trying to protect something or what. Give us something to get invested in plot-wise.

Continued frustrations with lazy plotting and stretched-out, decompressed storytelling aside, this was a great standalone episode with cool flashbacks and one of the best endings in a while (an for once they didn't end on a cheesy musical montage of random people doing stuff on the island!). So yeah, Lost can still get it done - let's hope the streak continues, as the previews for next week look pretty cool.

My grade: A -

- Have yet to watch last night's Veronica Mars -- I know, I should be supporting it but I'm not a Nielson guy anyway so it doesn't matter what I watch and what I simply record, right? Brian?

OTHER STUFF:

- Man, there is lots of work-related stuff I'd like to talk about, but I am starting to feel more and more protective in terms of what I talk about on here with regard to NBC-Uni stuff. I'd like to tell you what I think of Heist, or this fall's upcoming Kidnapped, or some of the other unannounced stuff we have in the pipeline, but I'm going to hold off for now ...

- Very interesting cover story in the latest Time magazine about how wired and overstimulated today's kids and teens are. And I think it pretty much applies to people of my age group as well. I think the article is a good wakeup call to get off of myspace, turn off your cell phone, shut off your Ipod, and just relax ... at least for a little while.

- Speaking of myspace, what's with people who are in their early 20's listing one of their main interest or hobbies as traveling? I mean, sure, most of us like to travel, but when are people doing all this travelling, and how? If you're 18 - 25, you should either be in school or working in a soul-crushing entry level job, and not have time or money for frequent travel to exotic locales. So once again, what person my age counts travelling as a hobby?

- Speaking of jobs, what's with people in Southern California not having them? Whenever I leave work during the day to grab some lunch, I drive past homes and see people sititng around outside, watering their plants, etc. What gives? And in my apartment complex in Burbank ... on the few occasions when I've run home during the day, it's teeming with people. But when I leave for work in the morning, and when I come home in the evening - it's a ghost town. Nobody checking their mail, nobody doing laundry, nobody coming home from work. What is the deal? Who are these people / non-people? I guess it kind of puts things in perspective that I have been able to meet so many relatively normal people via NBC when in fact so many people out here are total nutjobs who don't work and don't check mail or do laundry.

- Alright, back to work. Don't go and do anything dumb like become a scientologist while I'm gone.