Pop Culture Break

August 31, 2010

We are pop culture junkies, my husband and me, most specifically of the T.V. variety (but certainly not limited to that medium). Naturally, we love to watch the Emmys together when they're on. This year, more than any other year, we feel like our pop culture junkiness has been validated by the awards bestowed upon the shows that we hold dear to our hearts.

In the past, there have been awards given to Law & Order Whatever City and Unit, and to Survivor and to House. Good shows, I'm sure, but nothing that we watch. This year, however, praises were sung to many of our favorites. With the exception of Top Chef, our lauded shows were newcomers to the television landscape, perhaps an unexpected result of writers having time to really germinate and mull over some good ideas during the writer's strike not long before the shooting schedule began for last year's shows. Solid writing and spot-on casting have made Glee, Community, and Modern Family shows too good to be missed.

Not only are these shows a joy to watch during the regular season, but they also provided some of the best Emmy enjoyment as well. Glee's opening number was fantastic, and the George Clooney bit with Modern Family was hilarious. The cast of Community essentially did a car commercial at every break, but I didn't even mind that, since everything leading up to the fade-in on the logo was characteristically Community--awkward, ironic, tongue-in-cheek, and droll. Just my cup of tea.

Of course, one of the best reasons to watch the big awards shows is the beautiful dresses on the red carpet. My picks for the best dressed of the night were Jane Lynch, Tina Fey, and Lea Michele. All of them were stunning! It must be fun to have an excuse to get all dolled up and go to a grown-up prom every year.

On another pop culture note, the newest contestants have been unveiled for the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars. If the buzz about the internet is any indication, I am not alone in my disappointment at how loosely the title of 'Star' is being stretched these days in order to populate the dance floor. Bristol Palin? The Situation? Give me a break! Really, the only two I can really get behind this season are Florence Henderson and Jennifer Grey, but honestly, I don't know that their dim and distant stars shine brightly enough to illuminate the rest of the cast and keep my interest this season.