This Week in Television - Apr. 11-15, 2011

Survivor: Redemption Island
I liked David's attempt to make his vote count as four. After Phillip's complaining that Rob gets special treatment and Rob doesn't trust him, he was way too happy about having earned Rob's approval. What a sucker. Looks like it will be a three-way challenge at Redemption Island next week.

Community
Wasn't really a fan of the Troy storyline because Curb Your Enthusiasm already did the gag about making up an uncle molestation story (and they did it funnier), but it was cool to see "Professor Professorson" back and interesting that the writers decided to create sparks between Troy and Britta. Abed's storyline was a little commentary on extreme nerd fandom and reading way too much into simple entertainment, the point being that the professor did not consider himself a fan and only studied Who's The Boss analytically, and Abed being a fan was the trump card because he actually enjoyed the show while also studying it analytically because it's his nature to approach things that way anyway. The fake-out at the end was kind of funny, but to me it would have been funnier if the professor had shot himself over it. I think giving Pierce a love interest (assuming she'll be around for a bit) may be the right step toward him being less of a villain and the group forgiving him for being a douche. The tag with Troy in "Fiddla Please" was hilarious.

The Office
Will Ferrell's character wasn't so much funny as everyone's reactions to him were funny. Really enjoyed Andy stuck trying to fit into the "funny guy" role and having to resort to painful, undignified slapstick. I'm not entirely sure about the Michael side of this episode, though, because after all of the growing he's done, the petty jealousy and the disdain for being outshined just makes him seem like old Michael again. Or maybe it's just because, when it seemed like they finally cared about him, his co-workers are not making a big enough deal about him leaving.

Parks and Recreation
This might go up there as being one of my top favourite Parks and Rec episodes. A lot of really funny moments, a few sweet ones, and every single character being awesome at some point. The subject matter walks a fine line, though, that I fear not everyone will get. Personally I think young, impulsive marriages are a bad idea that often end in divorce and/or the conceiving of children that probably shouldn't be raised by such parents. This episode appears to glorify that, but I think it is only being applied to the specific case of April and Andy. Leslie was right in her opposition and her assertion that they should think it through, but they didn't need to think because they knew. Most young people will think they know that soon, but they don't. And I don't expect them to divorce during the course of the series, because this show is not a soap opera where no couple ever stays together forever.

30 Rock
Loved the Owl Creek Bridge plot twist in Pete's storyline, and how, just like the Janis Joplin biopic, Jenna's torture porn movie kept getting worse. This episode had a lot of really good jokes - for instance, the translucent candy safe ("The worst part is being able to see the candy!") and how easy it was to obtain customer information at that pizza place under the guise of being from the "New York Pizza Academy".

Fringe
That was a trippy one. Olivia's subconscious started off like The Matrix (trenchcoats and shades, walking through a crowded street in the establishing scene, sterile white hallways) and then became A Scanner Darkly (rotoscope animation). Keanu Reeves much? Maybe we can also throw Johnny Mnemonic in there because it involves something being trapped in her brain. Broyles on LSD was funny but also a tad creepy, and Astrid is awesome for calling Walter "Wally" as payback for always getting her name wrong.

Hero of the Week: Tom from Parks and Recreation, for the way he made fun of Jerry's shirt, fainted at Ron's tooth, and tried to be the best Best Man.

Douchebag of the Week: Deangelo (Will Ferrell) from The Office. Making Andy drink the soap was going too far... Though still funny.