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‘You’re the Worst’ Is the Best Show You’re (Probably) Not Watching

Over the last few years, many writers and critics have posited that we are currently living in a “television renaissance” and I certainly believe that to be true. While this can be seen as a great thing by avid television watchers such as myself, there are also some definite drawbacks. With so many great shows on TV and online, it can be easy for smaller, equally great shows to get brushed under the rug and ignored. One show that I firmly believe hasn’t received the attention it rightfully deserves is FXX’s “You’re the Worst.” Luckily, FXX just picked it up for a third season that will reportedly premiere in summer of 2016. In the meantime, I suggest that you catch up on this show. Because, seriously, “You’re the Worst” is the best.

Created by Stephen Falk, the show focuses on Gretchen (The Mindy Project” and USA’s “Playing House” for further evidence).

Continuing with the romantic comedy theory, Gretchen and Jimmy have their respective sidekicks, Lindsay (Kether Donohue) and Edgar (Desmin Borges). Unlike in a romantic comedy though, these characters too have fully fleshed out lives and backstories. Lindsay struggles with finding a balance between her party-girl ways and the adult life she believes she needs to be living, and Edgar battles PTSD from being an Iraq War veteran. They’re not simply there to play yes men to the main characters, and it creates a much more colorful and interesting world for the show to live in. Other highlights from the show’s particularly brilliant cast include the Odd Future-esque rap group that Gretchen reps as a PR Executive and Lindsay’s dopey brother-in-law, who is somehow a doctor.

Another thing that’s great about “You’re the Worst” is that as a comedy it doesn’t stray away from the more difficult parts of life. As I mentioned earlier, the show has already thoughtfully dealt with the struggles of PTSD, and in its second season has done a great job of showing what life is like with clinical depression. Through Gretchen’s experiences we see that it’s much more complicated than many films and TV shows like to portray it. It’s unflinching in a sense, but the show’s writers always seem to find a way to make us laugh, even if it feels a little wrong to do so. In fact, that’s probably the best way to describe “You’re the Worst:” so wrong, but so completely, totally right.

There are still two episodes left in “You’re the Worst’s” excellent second season, so now is as good of a time as any to get on board. If you’re more interested in watching from the beginning (as you should be) then catch up on either Hulu or Amazon. Either way, just watch this show. When it finally gets all of the love and attention that it deserves, you can be the cool one in your friend group who saw it first. And isn’t that really what we all want out of life?

Jenn Murphy is a journalism student at Columbia College Chicago and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!
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December 3, 2015
CBS’s ‘Supergirl’ Is the Super-Powered Show We’ve Been Waiting For

A new hero debuted on CBS Thursday night. A hero who has extraordinary, Earth-saving abilities. A hero with a unique perspective on what it means to have superpowers. A female superhero. “Supergirl” to be exact.

The one-hour pilot, starring Glee,” did not disappoint. The excitement and badass charm displayed by Benoist as Kara Zor-El, cousin of Clark Kent (aka Superman), is infectious.

Just like her cousin — who I truly am trying to avoid bringing up in comparison — she hides her abilities as an assistant to media mogul Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart). But once she feels the adrenalin of having saved a plane that carried her foster sister Alex (Chyler Leigh), she knows it’s time to be more than just an assistant.

So that’s what she does. She goes up, up, and away to save National City from Vartox, the first criminal alien of many to come from the crashed Phantom Zone prison, Fort Rozz. She struggles in all aspects, emotionally and physically, but rebounds with the guidance of her sister, Alex.

The ending did have an unexpected twist. Be warned: SPOILERS BELOW.

The big-bad villain is her mother’s twin sister, Astra (Laura Benanti).

The premiere of “Supergirl” is a huge step forward; it’s a television show centered on a powerful female superhero airing in primetime on a broadcast network. And the show’s creators didn’t go for subtlety in showing that women can handle their own. At the start of the episode, we see shy Kara apologize to a guy she accidentally bumps into, and, by the end of the hour, she’s towering over the villain she’s just stopped from destroying National City. Throughout the ups and downs of the premiere, Kara is portrayed as fully dimensional, expressing her emotions and fighting the tough fight.

At one point during Kara’s battle with Vartox, while the Department of Extranormal Operations watches the action go down from the safety headquarters, Alex and Hank Henshaw (David Harewood) engage in a telling exchange:

Hank: “She’s not strong enough.”

Alex: “Why, because she’s a girl? That’s exactly what we were counting on.”

Boom. The whole show in one sentence.

“Supergirl” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Khalid Moalim is a student at Ohio State University and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat.
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October 27, 2015
‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ Is a Musical Lover’s TV Dream

Within the first 15 minutes of The CW’s newest series, the main character breaks into an elaborate musical number complete with backup dancers and a giant soft pretzel. Normally, a plot point like this would be met with cringes and a quick change of the channel, but in the case of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” the series in question, the whole thing, somehow, surprisingly works.

This is the magic of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” It finds a way to take things that would otherwise be uncomfortable and unsettling and makes them entertaining. Take, for example, the show’s plot. Our heroine, Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), a high-powered lawyer, moves from New York City to West Covina, California, after a chance encounter with her long-lost ex-boyfriend, Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III). The whole idea of a girl moving across the country for “love” (only to find out that “love” already has a girlfriend) isn’t entirely new, but the way that the show plays it feels fresh. Rebecca isn’t portrayed as a flighty, come-what-may gal with her head adorably in the clouds; she’s portrayed a mildly unstable, slightly stalkerish woman with clear delusions of grandeur. This could get dark fast, but Bloom’s performance keeps things lighthearted and fun with a dark undertone that stops it all from becoming too goofy.

Another thing that isn’t goofy: the musical numbers. The pilot has two big ones and neither suffers from the artificial sound that plagued many of “Glee’s” big (and way too obviously pre-recorded) numbers. When Rebecca breaks into song, it feels genuine and right. Maybe it’s because we already know she’s a little off her rocker, but it also has a lot to do with Bloom’s Broadway-caliber voice and presence. None of it feels forced, something that many other television shows with musical numbers in them seem to have struggled with.

While Bloom understandably steals the show as the lead, the supporting cast is equally great. Darryl, Rebecca’s new, slightly racist boss at a West Covina law firm, is played endearingly by Pete Gardner. Actual Broadway vets like Donna Lynne Champlin and Santino Fontana (also known as the voice of Hans in everyone’s little sister’s favorite movie, “Frozen”) round out the cast, as Rebecca’s new co-worker and Josh Chan’s friend (and potential love interest for Rebecca), respectively. Fontana is particularly charming, which is no surprise given that he actually played Prince Charming in the most recent Broadway production of “Cinderella.” Here’s hoping there’s a sweeping musical number in his character’s future.

Much like its lead character, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” could easily go off the rails and fall into cheesy, overly campy territory, but if the pilot is any indicator, it doesn’t seem likely. Between Bloom’s clear talent and the show’s overall heart, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” looks like it could be the next great comedy -– one that just happens to have a musical flair.

Jenn Murphy is a journalism student at Columbia College Chicago and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!
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October 13, 2015
‘The Perfect Guy’ Is a Perfect End-of-the-Summer Thriller

“The Perfect Guy” is the end-of-summer, edge-of-your-seat thriller that had grown men in the theater screaming and cowering in their seats. Starring Sanaa Lathan, Michael Ealy, and Morris Chesnut, the all-star cast didn’t save the “drama for yo mama” — they brought it to the screen!

We’ve all heard stories about bad break-ups, but damn. This movie takes it to the next two levels. Lathan, not new to the game, who’s starred in “Love & Basketball” and “The Best Man,” plays a nice, sweet, highly successful working woman who breaks up with her live-in boyfriend and starts dating a new guy, which turns out to be a big mistake. The new guy turns out to be a violent, psycho stalker who makes her life a living hell once she decides to dump him and get back with her ex.

Ealy is an acting veteran who’s starred in movies like “Barbershop,” “Barbershop 2,” ‘”2 Fast 2 Furious,” “Think Like a Man,” “For Colored Girls,” and, my personal favorite sci-fi police drama, “Almost Human.” In “The Perfect Guy,” he plays the psycho, stalker ex boyfriend of Lathan, and, of course, he is the “nicest guy” in the beginning then flips and starts hiding under beds, stealing cats, causing car wrecks, and a lot worst. One minute he is flashing that Hollywood smile and the next he’s as mad as Cujo.

Chesnut is one of my favorite actors from way back in the “Boyz n the Hood” days. He also starred in “The Best Man,” “The Best Man Holiday,” and “Not Easily Broken.” In “The Perfect Guy,” Chesnut plays Lathan’s boyfriend and goes to battle trying to keep her safe from Ealy’s psycho stalker.

“The Perfect Guy” is a top-notch thriller that doesn’t rely on blood and guts you see in most scary movies nowadays, which made me like it even more. The diverse movie crowd was into the whole movie, and even gave a round of applause when it was over. This is one of the best thrillers of the year — so go see it!

Wendell Escott is a student at El Camino Community College and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!
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September 13, 2015
5 Hidden Gems on Netflix You Need to Watch Right Now

As someone with a serious binge-watching addiction and access to a Netflix account, I have watched my fair share of movies and television shows; many of which I would not have seen otherwise. It’s always a nice surprise when you click on a movie you’ve never heard of, and it turns out being amazing. If you haven’t watched any of these, then do yourself a favor and jump onto Netflix right now. (Well, after you finish reading this). I have hopes that you will be happily surprised like I was!

1. “The Way He Looks” (2014)
Let me start by saying THIS IS SUCH A GOOD MOVIE. This might be in my top 10 favorite movies ever. It tells the story of a young boy in school who is blind, and another boy who is new in town and just started at the school. The two of them become friends, and together deal with jealousies and bullies. It’s a beautiful story about friendships, independence, and first loves.

2. “Sleepwalk With Me” (2012)
If you have ever watched any of Mike Birbiglia’s standup, this movie may seem a bit familiar. He wrote and directed it, and plays a character very much based on himself. His character feels pressured into marrying his long-time girlfriend, which surprisingly helps his almost nonexistent career as a standup comedian. Oh, and he also sleepwalks a lot. Hence, the name of the movie.

3. “The Giant Mechanical Man” (2012)
I initially watched this movie because it was starring Jenna Fischer (a.k.a. Pam, from “The Office”). She plays a woman who is very much lost in her life. She doesn’t have a steady job, she doesn’t have a significant other, and she is unsure of who she is. She ends up meeting a street performer who is in a similar place in his life. It is a sweet, quirky love story (my favorite kind) about finding the one person who “makes you feel like you belong”. (Awwwww).

4. “The Boxtrolls” (2014)
If you’re like me, you may have seen commercials for this movie and thought it looked weird as heck. It’s about a little boy who was raised by trolls that wear boxes and live underground. I went into this movie with a lot of skepticism, but was so happily surprised with it. It is such a warm, loving story about identity, family, and good triumphing over evil. If this movie were a feeling, it would be the feeling of warming your feet by a fire after a cold day, surrounded by people you love. That’s cheesy, I know, but it’s also completely accurate.

5. “They Came Together” (2014)
I actually don’t know if this counts as a “hidden gem,” because I have no idea if people know of it or not. However, if you have not seen it, you should change that immediately. It’s a parody of romantic comedies, and it stars Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd. I know, it sounds too good to be true. If you need to be cheered up or just have a laugh, you’re welcome, because this is the movie for you.

Abigail Drueke is a telecommunications major at the University of Florida and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!
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September 9, 2015
6 Reasons Why You Should be Watching ‘The Carmichael Show’

On a Wednesday night normally dominated by “Big Brother” and “America’s Got Talent,” 4.8 million viewers tuned in at 9:00 pm to watch “The Carmichael Show,” a solid comedy starring Jerrod Carmichael, David Alan Grier, Loretta Devine, Lil Rel Howery, and Amber Stevens West. The show opened with the highest total-viewer tally of the last 12 comedies to premiere during summer since 2007. But strong viewership isn’t the only reason why you should watch. Here are six more:

1. Jerrod Carmichael
Carmichael, a stand-up comic originally from North Carolina, both stars and executive produces this series, inspired by his life and stand-up routine. I had a smile on my face and was laughing the whole time the show was on, and I’m a tough critic of comedies.

2. Loretta Devine
Devine brings a new funny side to her character I never knew existed. She flips out because her son says he was thinking of registering Republican and she tells him, “We didn’t raise you that way!” After he confesses to moving in with his girlfriend, Devine tells him he’s living in sin. She also take away her husband’s plate of ribs after he admits to voting for Bush in 2007. Too funny!

3. David Alan Grier
We all know Grier from way back in the “In Living Color,” days, and he had me on the floor laughing here.After having triple bypass heart surgery, Grier’s character walks into the room with a plate full of ribs, stating that the ribs help him forget how hard life is and he’ll fight whoever tries to take them away. His son’s girlfriend brings a bottle of white wine as a gift and asks the family, “Do you like white?” Greir shoots back with “Not as much as yo daddy!” OMG, I don’t think you can get any funnier with this keepin’ it real comedy line-up.

4. Lil Rel Howery
Howery stars as Carmichael’s hustling brother. Howery has been on the comedy circuit many years, with appearances on “Chelsea Lately,” “Shaq’s All Star Comedy Jam, “Last Comic Standing,” and “Russell Simmons Presents Stand-Up At the El-Rey,” just to name a few. And his comedy special is also very funny. In “The Carmichael Show,” he still lives with his ex wife and tells a story about how he came home one day and found her boyfriend naked on the couch watching TV. He was also trying to demonstrate how to cut a penny in half with a knife. His deliveries had me laughing in every scene.

5. Amber Stevens West
West (“22 Jump Street,” “The Amazing Spiderman”) plays Carmichael’s girlfriend in the show. She had me laughing in a scene that involves a hilarious dance that she does to a Biggie Smalls song. She then proceeds to ask if the song was new. The next funny thing she does is goes out to a “black lives matter” protest with wedged shoes on, and then later comes home happy and excited that she got arrested.

6. It Is Funny, Funny, Funny, Baby
“The Carmichael Show” is a blast to watch; it had me smiling and laughing the whole hour. The whole cast is funny in pretty much every single scene. While writing this review, I rewatched both episodes and it still had me laughing.

Wendell Escott is a student at El Camino Community College and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!

August 28, 2015
Psychological Thriller ‘The Gift’ Shows Karma Is Alive and Kickin’

SPOILERS AHEAD! Don’t read this unless you want the twist revealed.

“The Gift,” a mystery-thriller released August 7, stars Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, and Joel Edgerton, who also steps in as first-time director. No blood and guts in this flick, one of the many positives about the movie, which kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I watched it.

Jason Bateman plays a successful family man who moves to California with his wife, played by Rebecca Hall, after landing a new job there. Everything seems fine, life is great — and getting better! — until an old high-school acquaintance shows up. Unbeknownst to us, Bateman was a bully in high school and spread a nasty rumor he made up that caused Edgerton to suffer mental and physical abuse at the hands of his own father; 25 years later Edgerton comes for payback.

What I really liked about this psychological thriller is the karma aspect of it. Bateman, as an adult, was a successful salesman with a beautiful wife who made moves up the corporate ladder, but, 25 years ago in high school, he was a bully who put his victim through hell. Instead of peace in their new home, Edgerton is popping up un-announced several times, causing Bateman’s wife extreme anxiety and sleepless nights. Things really start to unravel for the couple as Bateman’s wife learns of his past horrible deeds and starts to question who she married. Bateman’s new friends find out how low he’ll go to get what he wants. He loses his job and has to question the paternity of his new child. Karma at its best!

“The Gift” is a great psychological thriller and mystery movie that, in my opinion, should be watched by high school and adult bullies alike. It really shows how a person’s actions, and how we treat others — even as kids — can have lasting and sometimes devastating effects on others; even to the point where they carry that hurt around and seek revenge years later.

Bullying is a real problem in middle school and high school, and “The Gift” puts a nasty little spin on how karma loves to visit when you least expect it. Nice job, Edgerton. Me likey.

Wendell Escott is a student at El Camino Community College and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!

August 17, 2015
Here Comes NBC’s ‘Mr. Robinson’!

“Mr. Robinson,” starring Craig Robinson, made its debut Wednesday, August 5th, on NBC. It’s about a part-time musician who gets a job as a part-time music teacher, all to reconnect with an old high school flame he stood up at his prom.

I liked the concept of “Mr. Robinson,” which shows a new high school music teacher (Robinson) who is more of a friend to the students than a teacher or disciplinarian. In one scene, he catches a kid on the school yard with a joint, but instead of having him expelled he takes the joint, chastises him a little, then dismisses him with a “now get yo little ass outta here.” Parts of the show were fun and funny and made me laugh (like that joint scene), but others (for those of you who had biology class) were about as fun and funny as watching fungi get freaky.

“Mr. Robinson” had its funny moments in the two episodes that aired but, it really needs to be funnier if it’s going to last. That said, I’m ready to tune in next week. This comedy has heart, and it’s fun to watch with the whole family. Kids will really like it and, perhaps, relate better to it than the adults in the room.

The premiere of “Mr. Robinson” drew NBC’s best summer comedy viewership since 2007, with 4.6 million viewers, and internet buzz says NBC ordered six episodes of Mr. Robinson. I hope we get to see episode 7, 8, and 20. Congrats, Craig Robinson!

Wendell Escott is a student at El Camino Community College and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!
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August 10, 2015
RIP, ‘Knock Knock Live’: The Pros and Cons of Fox’s Quickly Canceled Show

“Knock Knock Live” vanished faster than the lions in Africa.

After just two episodes, the show has been canceled. The concept was great; they show up to unsuspecting people’s homes, give them cash and prizes (and sometimes their neighbors get cash and prizes), all with a celebrity host, Ryan Seacrest, they never dreamed they’d meet. But the show was far from perfect. Here are some things I loved (and hated) about Fox’s “Knock Knock Live.”

In just two episodes, “Knock Knock” had me crying. I’m an intimidating, muscle-bound black man; I look so tough when I walk in a room… the plants curl up and die! But still, “Knock Knock” had me crying. David Beckham and Justin Bieber were in the two episodes; Bieber gave a sick girl and her family $50,000 and Beckham gave an even bigger and deserving struggling family $100,000. In both cases, you could feel and see the tears of joy streaming down their faces. In this economy, where so many are struggling to survive, there is no better gift you could give a hard-working family than cold hard cash. I loved it!

My other favorite part of the show was when they blew $25,000 out of a cannon and let the neighbors participate in the windfall of loot flying all over the place. “Knock Knock” gave them huge purse-like bags to stuff with as much cash as they could grab. What a wonderful gesture to include the neighbors in that.

The part of “Knock Knock Live” that I didn’t care for was seeing the crew show up at a nice-looking house in a nice-looking neighborhood. The first thing that would pop in my head was, Why are they at that nice house and in a nice neighborhood? These people don’t need any gifts or money, they should only go to low-income areas. When they went inside some of those houses it looked like the people living there were already ballin’ and out of control. It looks so much better for the show, and is so much more well-deserved, when people who are struggling to make ends meet got knock knocked.

While “Knock Knock Live” had its pros and cons, I liked it more than I disliked it and was surprised to see it canceled so quickly. Perhaps income inequality is the blame. Maybe so many people are struggling to survive nowadays that anyone in that boat isn’t interested in watching a bunch of people hit the lotto.

RIP, “Knock Knock Live.”

Wendell Escott is a student at El Camino Community College and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!
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August 5, 2015
6 Reasons You Should Be Watching ‘Black-ish’ Right Now

I’ve been waiting and debating for oh-so-long for a comedy show that is actually funny; and when I say funny I mean leg-slapping, foot-stomping, my-head-is-hurting funny! Well, to my surprise, ABC has delivered a new side-splitting comedy called “Black-ish,” about a successful, black family man who struggles to find some cultural identity while raising his family in a predominately white, upper-middle class neighborhood. It stars Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, and newcomers Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, and others. Here are six reasons why you should watch:

1. Anthony Anderson Is Executive Producer
Anthony Anderson was born in Compton and is the current host of Food Network’s “Eating America,” and formerly a member of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning drama “Law & Order.” Anderson played Detective Kevin Bernard opposite Jeremy Sisto’s Detective Cyrus Lupo. He’s also appeared in more than 20 films, including the comedy blockbuster “Barbershop.” Now, he’s starring in and executive producing “Black-ish,” which airs Wednesdays on ABC and starts its second season this fall, and Anderson takes his keepin’-it-real comedy know-how to new heights on the hit show.

2. Marcus Scribner Knows How to Play the Dozens
Marcus Scribner is only 15 years old, but he’s already added his voice to Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur,” and appeared in episodes of “Castle” and “Wedding Band.” Now that he’s one of the young stars of “Black-ish,” this kid is on his way to the top. What took me by surprise with Marcus was, in Episode 6 (“The Prank King”), where he was instructed to roast a school mate to get the boy to stop bullying him. He was great! For me, growing up — and even to this day — my friends and I love to roast each other. “Roasting” is also known as “playing the dozens”and “bagging.” Young kids will really relate to him.

3. It’s Funnier Than ‘The Cosby Show’
“Black-ish” is funnier than “The Cosby Show” — even without sedatives slipped in your drink. (Too soon?)

4. Donald Trump Hates It!
When Donald Trump heard about “Black-ish” he sent out a Tweet stating “How is ABC Television allowed to have a show entitled “Blackish”? Can you imagine the furor of a show, “Whiteish”! Racism at highest level?”

5. Kenya Barris Is the Show’s Creator
He is known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” hit series “The Game” and “Girlfriends,” and the films “Are We There Yet?” and “Barber Shop 3”; with these hit shows and movie under his belt, you already know “Black-ish” is poised to be one of the top comedies on television.

6. Tracee Ellis Ross Is Back and Funnier Than Ever
Ross is an actress, model, comedian, and producer; she is also the daughter of legendary singer Diana Ross. She’s starred in a number of films and television shows, like “Girlfriends,” “Reed Between the Lines,” “Daddy’s Little Girls,” and “Life Support.” The funniest show I’ve seen her in is “Girlfriends,” and she’s injecting that knee-slapping comedy into “Black-ish.”

Wendell Escott is a student at El Camino Community College and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!
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July 28, 2015