Category Archives: Flashback!

2011/01/20 · 6:15 pm

Flashback: Another Look at Another Look at ‘Parks and Recreation’

With Parks and Recreation making its long, long-awaited return tonight, we thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at a post we wrote in September of 2009, just before the show returned for its sophomore season.  Right now, in January of 2011, Parks and Recreation is widely recognized as one of the best, if not the best, comedies on television (which is why it was so excruciating when the series was pushed until mid-season to make room for the abominable Outsourced), but just about 17 months ago when it was coming off a lackluster, somewhat disappointing first season the story was much different.  It’s developed into one of the most reliable, warmest, funniest shows on network TV or any other channel, and boasts perhaps the deepest ensemble cast, but back before its second season the jury was still out, and it was a show very much still finding its footing.  But Jumped the Snark went ahead and asserted the potential of the show, watching the first season and finding much room for improvement but also much room for greatness.  And we think its fair to say that both this blog and Parks and Recreation were vindicated.

In that post we outlined three areas where Parks and Rec most needed to progress to reach the quality of a show like The Office, its spiritual forefather (and not only has Parks and Rec equaled its progenitor, it’s now surpassed it.  The student has become the teacher).  Let’s take a look at those recommendations and how Parks and Rec took them into consideration.

See what we got right and they got wrong. Plus, our advice for Season 3!

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Filed under Analysis, Best Show You're Not Watching, Flashback!, Good Humor, Greendale Human, Lists, Must See TV, Mustachio'd

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2011/01/13 · 10:26 pm

Gratuitous Search Term Bait of the Day: Dairy Show

It was just yesterday that we were thinking that our late 2009 blog post Dairy Burn (How ’30 Rock’ Taught Us That Stone Mountain & Long Island Are Not That Different) was one of our better works, if not for its convincing parallels between northeast yuppie suburbanites and southern redneck bumpkins, then purely for its impressive investigative journalism, tracking down the Long Island Dairy Barn that served as Fatty Fat’s Sandwich Ranch in a Season Four episode of 30 Rock. While not our crowning achievement, it’s certainly something to be proud of.  So what luck when we saw among today’s top search terms “dairy barn long island,” giving us the perfect opportunity to link to that original piece.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE POST (AND THEN TELL US IF WE HAVE A FUTURE IN DETECTIVE WORK)

And, for something new, here’s what our hometown Dairy Barn looks like.  First person to pinpoint the location of this branch wins an amazing* prize.

[It’s interesting to note that in that original post we implied that 30 Rock was the second funniest show on television, trailing only The Office.  Now, a little over a year later, we’d easily rank both of those shows behind their two Thursday night companions, Community and Parks and Recreation.  Even more, we’d have to admit that 30 Rock would now be slotted ahead The Office, but more for the latter’s decline in quality than improvement by the former.]

*”Amazing” is a relative term

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Filed under Flashback!, Gratuitous Search Term Bait, Local Flavor, Mars Investigations, Must See TV, You Decide

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2011/01/07 · 2:04 am

Gratuitious Search Term Bait of the Day: Teenage Wasteland

We’re lucky enough to post one of our all-time favorite clips today, thanks to the popular search terms “miranda cosgrove and justin bieber.”  Those words have probably brought more teenage girls and middle age men to this site than any other.  They likely realized pretty quickly that this site really isn’t for them, but we were happy to have them nonetheless.

From the wayback machine, here’s a young Justin Bieber calling out at Kanye at the 2009 VMAs:

They look SO young!

(and now we just sit back and watch the page views roll in)

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Filed under Flashback!, Gratuitous Search Term Bait, TV Killed the Music Video Star

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2010/12/30 · 9:16 pm

Winter Cleaning: ‘LOST’ Finale: The Neverending Story (And a Brief Discourse on Series Finales)

Note: We began this post the day after Lost’s series finale.  Unfortunately, do to a series of fortunate events, we became otherwise occupied, and soon a Lost finale review seemed rather dated.  But with the end on the year quickly gaining on us, we thought we’d finally finish that piece, perhaps all the wiser for having an extra half-year to let the series’ end sink in.

For most of Lost’s final season (and for the first five) we’ve offered little, if any, commentary, instead leaving the expert analysis to the experts. In fact, besides a couple of links and a few Jimmy Fallon videos we’ve only really spoken in-depth about the season premiere. However, much in the fashion of Lost, we feel compelled to call back to that post and close the circle.

However, before we delve into the finale, the series, and the nature of season finales, I think it’s necessary that we first outline our particular history with Lost. The show premiered during my senior year in college, the four-year period when I probably should have been OD’ing on television, at least on the Mr. Show DVDs, but instead foolishly focused on my studies, only making time for The Simpsons, Survivor, Friends for some reason at beginning and, thankfully, Arrested Development towards the end (talk about growing up).  Lost premiered during the fall of my Senior year, but I was far too wrapped up in my penultimate semester, and getting in as much Mario Tennis as possible, to pay it much mind (plus, it seemed like a risky venture to get involved with such an ambitious show that likely wouldn’t make it past its first season).  During winter break of that year, I did record a couple of episodes on VHS (the dark ages!), and found it interesting, intriguing and definitely full of potential.  But without the benefit of having seen the pilot, and understanding the context of those episodes, I was, in essence, lost.  So it wasn’t until the following summer when, on somewhat of a whim, I just went ahead and purchased season 1 on DVD.  And that basically changed my life.

Another 1500 words on our personal relationship with Lost, the nature of series finales and, finally, our thoughts on The End…

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Filed under Analysis, Count Bleh, Flashback!, In Memoriam, LOST

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2010/12/27 · 6:05 pm

Gratuitous Search Term Bait of the Day: Dental Hygiene

This was our first tough one: “toothbrush the state video”

Unfortunately, we’ve been thwarted in our efforts in the past to upload this State sketch to the webs.  And even if we wanted to try it again, we don’t currently have our QuickTime copy of that sketch at our disposal (snowed in!).  So, instead, we’re going to do three things:

1. A still from the sketch! (REMEMBER, this is just a screenshot)

2. A link to our fantastically popular (by our standards) list of the Top Ten The State Sketches.

3. Another State sketch in lieu of “Toothbrush.”  To keep the festive mood going through New Years, we’ve decided on “Chip’s Party.”  Enjoy!

Vodpod videos no longer available.

And this is not an excuse or a substitute, but just a few morsels to tide you over.  Somehow, Toothbrush will come back to us.

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Filed under Flashback!, Gratuitous Search Term Bait, The State, TV Killed the Music Video Star

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2010/12/27 · 11:35 am

Winter Cleaning: My (Belated) Top 10 TV Shows of the 2000s

With the snow keeping us indoors we thought it might be a good time to go through our drafts and let some of these long-languishing, somewhat unfinished posts see the light of day.  First up, our best shows of the 2000s, which we held off publishing until we could embed some video evidence.  But, at this point, we’ll put that responsibility in your hands.

My belated best TV shows of the 2000s! (in a semi-particular order)

1. LOST: For the reasons I outline here.

2. The Sopranos: The Godfather of dark, fearless cable shows with flawed central characters.  Might be responsible for killing network TV.

3. Arrested Development:  Simply the smartest sitcom of all time.  It was probably to clever for its own good.  It was basically teaching a master class in comedy while throwing out an impossible amount of sight gags, call backs and cutaways.  We should just be thankful that we got 3 seasons of this masterpiece.

4. Veronica Mars: Could have put it below Freaks and Geeks, but I give it the edge for somehow making it to season three (even if that was a neutered, watered-down version of VM).  I’d put the first season up against any season from the last decade.

5.  Freaks and Geeks: The most gut-wrenchingly accurate depiction of high school ever.  18 episodes of achingly beautiful growing pains [editor’s note: just watched much of IFC’s Freaks and Geeks Holiday Marathon, and if we revised this list today we’d be tempted to put this show at the top of this list.  It’s that fucking good].

More: 6 – 10 and Honorable Mention

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Filed under Best Show You're Not Watching, Bob Loblaw, Dillon Panthers, Discos and Dragons, Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam, Flashback!, Lists, LOST, Mars Investigations, Mr. Gaeta, Prepare for Jump, The Roaring 10s!, The State

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2010/12/23 · 11:17 am

In Memoriam Emeritus: Chris Farley

Every year here at Jumped the Snark we like to commemorate the passing of Chris Farley, who left us on December 18, 1997.  We’re a few days late marking the 13th anniversary of that dark afternoon, but we don’t think Chris would mind terribly.  He’d probably just be happy knowing that he’s still making us laugh.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Back in the late 90s when it seemed like a fun idea to customize the sounds on my Compaq Presario we used the audio from this clip as the welcome message.  Much better than the Windows 95 default greeting.

Thanks again, Chris.  We’ll be on time next year.

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2010/12/21 · 4:17 pm

Our Favorite ‘Late Night’ A Capella Group Returns: Do it again, Rockafallon!

It’s really hard to pinpoint when we fully realized the genius of Late Night with Fallon, because there have been so many brilliant moments, like the California Dreams reunion, or the Muppets dropping by to sing “The 12 Days of Christmas”, or the visit from Zack Morris, or the Lost homage “Late,” or the Parks & Recreation-assisted Glee‘d version of “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”  It’s really been an incredible twelve months for Jimmy Fallon and his team, whom we’ve  praised over and over again, and plan to keep doing so.  But, for us, there was perhaps no greater pop-culture tribute than Late Night‘s very own incarnation of the a capella legends Rockapella, which they gifted us in March of this year.  Lost, Glee, even Saved by the Bell, those are rather obvious objects of affection.  But to channel something like Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?‘s house band, well that’s truly special, and perhaps more than anything else Late Night has done that showed the depth of their knowledge, humor, intelligence, and a disturbing awareness of references from our childhood that we will go crazy for.

And, just in time for the holiday season, they’ve done it again (this time with more Jason Segel!):

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Hats off, once again, gentleman.  Brava.

By the way, did you know that Rockapella founder Sean Altman auditioned for Season 1 of NBC’s The Sing-Off with his new a capella group the GrooveBarbers?  They didn’t make the cut.  Which somehow feels like if Marcel Marceau was rejected from a mime competition.  Must have been the name.  Oh, and it sorta sounds like he’s taking credit for the success of The Sing Off.  Sure, why not?

Jimmy, let’s get this guy on the show.

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Filed under Flashback!, Good Humor, Nostalgia Corner, Talkies

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2010/12/20 · 4:30 pm

‘Survivor Nicaragua’ Finale: The Kids Are Alright; AKA For Whom the Bong Tolls

We did it guys!  We made it to the end of another season of Survivor.  And we’ll tell you what, despite what the general consensus seems to be, we found this to be a thoroughly entertaining season.  Filled with a disconcerting number of weak, unlikable players, yes.  Lacking a truly great storyline, showdown or blindside, perhaps.  Nearly ruined with the loss of Jimmy Johnson, you bet.  A total failure in attempting to change the game with the Medallion of Power, for sure.  An all-time great Sole Survivor, not likely.  But coming on the heels of All-Stars, we feared the worst.  And, thanks in part to one of the more gratifying wins in recent memory (it certainly helps make up for giving the million to Sandra), Survivor: Nicaragua restored our faith in the franchise, proving it could still entertain and astonish, even without Russell Hantz, Tom Westman, or water-based challenges.

But before we get to the finale, we need to first revisit the trend that has dominated the most recent episodes.

Read on: The creepiness continues. And we have a winner! And we’re happy! Plus, Jimmy Johnson!

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Filed under Century 21 Reality, Flashback!, Freak Out Control, Mancrush, Tribal Council

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2010/10/29 · 5:00 pm

Terry Gross Interviews Jason Schwartzman, Gets EVEN Closer to the Judd Apatow Chart

Around this time last year Fresh Air host Terry Gross interviewed directors Judd Apatow and Wes Anderson, asserting her place on the Judd Apatow Chart.  Last week she welcome Jason Schwartzman, who appeared in both films the directors discussed with Gross last fall, those being Funny People and The Fantastic Mr. Fox respectively.  Now that Gross has interviewed all three talents it’s clear now that she’s really angling to be included on our Apatow web. Well, Terry, you keep at it, and next time we do an update we’ll see what we can do.  If you could somehow finagle an appearance in one of their movies that would certainly be a big boost to your chances.

In addition to discussing his roles in Apatow and Anderson’s films, Schwartzman also talks about Bored to Death, as well as what it was like growing up in the Coppola family, so if you have 45 minutes, it’s worth a listen.

Listen to the Fresh Air Interview with Jason Schwartzman

 

And to stimulate your visual cortex, here’s a couple of our favorite Schwartzman moments:

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Filed under Flashback!, Judd Apatow, Marconi & Cheese, Team Zissou

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