TV Madness Elite Eight Part 1

And then there were 8.  And by the end of this post there will be 4 6.  Can you feel the excitement?  Let's get right into it.

The Comedies

1 - Seinfeld vs. 6 - Arrested Development

On Monday night as research, I watched much of a 2-part Seinfeld from the later years (post Larry David), in which Kramer and Newman use a mail truck to ferry deposit bottles to Michigan while Jerry's Saab gets stolen by his mechanic (played by Brad Garrett), Elaine bids double what Pederman authorized for JFK's golf clubs to outduel Sue Ellen Mischke the bra-less wonder, and George struggles to perform an assignment for Wilhelm even after finding out the key is "Downtown", like the song.  If that all sounds like ridiculousness to you, it was.  And if it all sounds familiar and even leads to a little positive nostalgia (particularly the "Downtown" verses part at the coffee shop) it certainly was.  But what was shocking to me, considering how well Seinfeld held up for so many years, is just how unfunny it was on Monday night, watching for whatever nth time I've seen this particularly weak two parter.  And I probably never liked the stupid Kramer/Newman road trip even on my very first viewing, but after all these years, the show has definitely aged.  Even a recent viewing of the best two-parter in show history, The Keith Hernandez, garnered nary a chuckle, but I felt more pleasant nostalgia for it at least.  The point I'm trying to make is that at some point, all shows -- even as great as Seinfeld -- eventually hit the wall.  Cheers reached it years ago and lost in the last round to the fresher and more repeatable (at this moment in time) Arrested Development, and I'm shocked to say I am seriously considering the same fait accompli here.  And I don't even know what fait accompli means.  I guess the truth is it's pretty well impossible to compare great shows from different eras and come up with a satisfying solution on all merits.  I mean yes, Seinfeld was the greatest comedy ever for a long, long time.  But also, I would watch just about every single episode in Arrested Development's canon for the nth time than watch a single second of Kramer and Newman getting golf clubs thrown at them by Brad Garrett, or really, most Seinfeld episodes, except for a few classics -- of which Arrested Development also has had many.  I said at the beginning of this, the seeding was based on what I considered the "best" shows to be based on my viewing history with them, but because if that were the only criteria all the 1 seeds would be in the final four which would make this exercise less fun.  As it is, all the ones and two seeds made the final eight except for Arrested Development so it's time for me to buck the trend and stick with my original mantra for evaluation in the tourney -- which show would I rather watch in re-runs today?  In that case this matchup ends in no contest.  

Winner:  6 - Arrested Development

OK, still with me?  One thing that wasn't clear from the start is who would play whom in the Final Four.  I guess if I went in strict order, Comedies would play Dramas because that's the way they've been released throughout the brackets but if I were doing it NCAA-wise it would be based on top overall seeding and by any objective measure going into this, Seinfeld and Buffy in some order would be 1-2.  Probably in that order actually.  So the question is, would Curb be a higher 1 seed than David Letterman?  I'm thinking it would not have been -- Dave probably would be the 3.  So moving forward, the Final Four will be Comedies vs. Active Shows while Dramas will take on Other Shows.  OK, now that it's been somewhat arbitrarily settled, let's move on to The Active Shows, then, the winner to take on Arrested Development in the Final Four.

The Active Shows:

1 - Curb Your Enthusiasm vs. 2 - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

As Warner Wolf once said, "let's go to the videotape" (was that Warner Wolf? am I remembering that right?  is anyone still reading this whole TV madness series?)

Top 12 shows in Curb history:

1. Krazee Eyez Killa (season 3)
2. The Survivor (season 4)
3. The Doll (season 2)
4. Beloved Aunt (season 1)
5. Ben's (Stiller) Birthday Party (season 4)
6. Denise Handicap (season 7)
7. Palestinian Chicken (season 8)
8. Opening Night (season 4)
9. The Rat Dog (season 6)
10. Seinfeld (season 7)
11. Funkhauser's Crazy Sister (season 7)
12. Ted and Mary (season 1)

Top 12 shows in Sunny history:

1. Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare (season 2)
2. The Nightman Cometh (season 4)
3. Sweet Dee is Dating a Retarded Person (season 3)
4. The World Series Defense (season 5)
5. The Gang Dances Their Asses Off (season 3)
6. Mac's Banging the Waitress (season 4)
7. The Gang Gives Back (season 2)
8. Paddy's Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens (season 5)
9. The Gang Hits the Road (season 5)
10. A Very Sunny Christmas (after season 6)
11. Underage Drinking:  A National Concern (season 1)
12. The Gang Reignites the Rivalry (season 5)
13. Who Got Dee Pregnant (season 6)
14. Mac and Dennis Break Up (season 5)
15. The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention (season 5)
16. Frank Sets Sweet Dee on Fire (season 3)

Ok, as you can see, I had trouble narrowing down Sunny to even 12 episodes, while -- at least based on the titles and a brief description alone -- I didn't feel as strongly about the Curb list.  And also, wow was season 5 of Sunny great.  I had always thought season 2 -- when I first discovered the show -- was best, but 5 was clearly the apex.  And seriously, I didn't even include this past season (7) just because I had no more room.  So it looks like Sunny will move on but just for shits and giggles, let's compare the two.

1 - The Krazee Eye rap where Larry explains the two "motherfuckers" is priceless.  But when Dennis and Dee are singing "Just a Friend" on the stoop?  Wow, just wow.  And when Dennis says to the welfare case worker: "Can't you see how retarded she is?"  Oh god.  Verdict: Sunny

2 - Nightman Cometh the musical is just about the greatest thing in the history of television.  No contest.  Verdict:  Sunny

3 - This is the predecessor to the Nightman Cometh, where the lyrics and songs originally make an appearance, and in some ways it's even better here.  The Doll is great but again, no contest.  Verdict:  Sunny

4 - So many Phillies references and the great "tunnel between the Holiday Inn to the stadium" mystery?  Again, no contest.  Verdict:  Sunny

5 - I'll give it to Ben Stiller just so this isn't a total blowout.  Verdict:  Curb

6 - Denise Handicap features Rosie O'Donnell and a hell of a lot of perfect jokes, but the scene where Charlie drinks an entire 24 pack while waiting for Mac is too priceless to ignore.  Plus there's the shot of Dennis's sex videotape collection titles.  Verdict:  Sunny

7 - The recent apex of Curb gets the nod here.  Verdict: Curb

8 - Oh god, just the video they show at the convention is priceless.  Plus the kitten mittens themselves.  On the other hand, the Mel Brooks twist ending to a wonderful Curb season brings it in close proximity.  Verdict:  Tie

9 - The road trip never leaves Philly, but boy is it fucking hilarious.  Of course so is the Rat Dog episode.  Verdict:  Tie

10 - The Sunny Christmas special that came out on DVD only (too raunchy for FX) probably shouldn't count here.  The finale of the Seinfeld season was what the real Seinfeld finale should have been.  Verdict:  Curb

11 - The first season 1 episode to really show the gang's strengh.  Verdict:  Sunny

12 - Three words:  Flip-a-delphia.  'Nuff said.  Verdict:  Sunny

Final score:  7 to 3 Sunny with 2 ties and Sunny with greater depth afterwards.  About as close as I expected after I wikipedia'd so yes, Sunny moves on.

Winner:  2 - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

This post is already too long for any more brackets.  I hope to have the next matchups up tomorrow, otherwise next week.  Definitely next week will see the Final Four.  And then the Finals shortly after.  Wow, this whole process provided a lot of content but boy was it time-consuming.  Vote below.

 

Final Four - It's Always Sunny vs. Arrested Development

2 - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia 6 - Arrested Development

pollcode.com free polls

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