Oh, NBC, You Do Make Me Laugh!

Posted On October 17, 2008

I hardly ever get to watch TV shows when they’re actually aired. That’s why we have the DVR, and that’s also why we have about 13 episodes of CSI and Criminal Minds to watch from last season yet. Unfortunately, our kids have figured out the DVR as well, which is why we find that an entire season of Drake and Josh, as well as select episodes of The Wonder Pets! and SpongeBob keep mysteriously appearing in our menu of recorded shows.

However, last night, since I was tired and lazy and didn’t feel like making the kids go to bed quite yet (which usually results in ME becoming exhausted from repeating myself to “STAY IN YOUR BED!” 75 times, getting everyone 12 drinks of water, and reading until I’m hoarse), I actually sat on the couch on a Thursday evening at 7:30 and watched TV for an hour straight.

And I laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

And laughed.

NBC, what would I do without you??

First, I introduced myself to the new series, Kath and Kim. Apparently, this is an American remake of a hit Australian show. Kathy Day is a 40-something woman who has a salon in her home and a new fiancé, Phil Knight, who manages a Sandwich Island chain in the mall. Kath’s world is rocked a bit when her spoiled and dim-witted daughter, Kim (who is about as mature as an 8th grader), moves back home because after 6 weeks of marriage she decides it wasn’t what she thought it would be. (“He expects me to do stuff!”) Although, she still enjoys labeling herself as “a trophy wife.” Her husband is the sweet but also dim-witted Craig, who works in a Circuit City-esque store in the mall, as well.

If you haven’t yet caught Kath and Kim, here’s a two-minute replay of the Pilot episode.

You can watch both the Pilot and last night’s episodes in their entirety here.

Here are some of the lines from last night that made me giggle:

Kim: “F.Y. In your I.”

Kim: “So?”
Kath: “Sew buttons, Kim!”

Kim: “Mom, we’re out of Doritos AGAIN for the second time this week!”
Kath: “Kim, I’m with a client—and you’re spilling cheese dust all over the floor.”
Kim: “But what am I supposed to eat with my Hot Pocket?”
Kath: “An apple wouldn’t kill you.”
Kim: “An apple almost killed Sleeping Beauty. Read your history books!”

Craig: “I’m an electronics guy, not a yummy treats guy, Kim. You should know this!”

Kim: “Great. I can’t eat and throw up at the same time.”

Kim: “Work rhymes with jerk.”

Kim: “The flying wedge? Hello?! Isn’t this a little out of your league? . . . I’m just sayin’ that the last time you tried it was on me, and I got laughed out of the 8th grade.”
Kath: “You got laughed out of the 8th grade because you couldn’t read.”

Phil: “I’m here on official Sandwich Island business.”

Phil: “I don’t play mall politics.”

Kim: “Mom, you have to do the flying wedge. . . You can do it . . .”
Kath: “Get my Caboodle, two scrunchies, and a banana clip NOW!”

Phil: “That’s it! No one puts Kath Day in a corner . . . off to the side, next to a dumpster!”

Then at 8:00, it was The Office. Now, I missed last week’s episode and still need to go here to watch it, but after the opening scene, with Dwight giving birth to a watermelon, there was no way I could turn it off. It was kind of like watching a train wreck…disturbing, yet I couldn’t look away!

And Jan singing “Son of a Preacher Man” to Astrid (or “Astird,” as Michael called her)…
And Angela’s ugly baby photo…kind of reminds me of a CERTAIN SOMEONE’S baby photos (Mother-in-law, do you know who I’m talking about??)…
And Dwight dragging the baby stroller from the bumper of his car…
And Jan telling everyone that the after-birth floated during her “tub birth”…

I wanted to kick Jan in the teeth when she told Michael not to date Holly, even after she wanted him to fund her baby’s 529 plan…
I wanted to cry when Michael talked about how he loved holding babies but then felt cheated when he held Jan’s…
And I wanted to do a fist pump (and I believe I actually did) when Michael hugged Holly and then asked her out… Everyone deserves someone!

It’s nice to know that with all the crapola out there on TV, there are still some programs that can make you laugh and still create complex characters and situations that are surprisingly poignant. That’s what I love about The Office, and I predict that I am going to love the same thing about Kath and Kim.

So, have YOU seen Kath and Kim? What do you think?
Thoughts on The Office?