"Twenty Good Years" Season One Talkback (Spoilers)

[Mr. Manager]

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Episode #1: "Pilot"
Premieres: Wednesdays, 8:30/7:30 CT on NBC

Mismatched buddies John Mason (John Lithgow, 3rd Rock from the Sun"), an impulsive, admittedly self-absorbed, thrice-divorced surgeon recently forced into retirement, and Jeffrey Pyne (Jeffery Tambor, "Arrested Development"), a widower judge who over thinks every situation, are polar opposites in every way. The one area where they seem to find common ground is the supposition that they have about 20 good years left.

I think Duke did the talkback image. Thank you.
Edit: My bad, Duke.:p

[The Penguin]

Even for premiere night, these seem awfully early, but we'll just go with it. Duke did the image, but I gave him the picture. :p

[Mr. Manager]

Even for premiere night, these seem awfully early, but we'll just go with it.It's not as early as those Toonami talkbacks. Some of those are posted at about 12:05 A.M. on a Friday night.

[William C. Maune]

It's not as early as those Toonami talkbacks. Some of those are posted at about 12:05 A.M. on a Friday night.

The Toonami Forum and the Entertainment Board have different rules regarding Talkbacks.

[Mr. Manager]

The Toonami Forum and the Entertainment Board have different rules regarding Talkbacks.I know that. I'm sorry. I'll try and make it later next time. I made it a few hours early so that I could finish the Twenty Good Years and 30 Rock talkbacks at the same time since I have to do some stuff to do. From now on, what time do you guys want me to do Heroes, etc. talkbacks?

[Discloner]

I love John Lithgow and Jeffery Tambor is likewise hilarious; so how can this show go wrong? Definetly checking it out.

This and 30 Rock will make a fantastic comedy lead-in to LOST; my Wednesday night TV list is fillin' up!

[The Penguin]

From now on, what time do you guys want me to do Heroes, etc. talkbacks?I hate to post too much more without talking about Twenty Good Years (which I am very much looking forward too), but barring some special circumstance, I find after 6 p.m. ET or so to be a good measuring stick. A max of three hours is what I usually do, but sometimes it's pretty close to show time.

[Mr. Manager]

Well alright now time to get on topic...

I'm really looking forward to it as I loved both Arrested Development and 3rd Rock from the Sun. I really hope that it does not disappoint.

[Railith]

This show is like a bad episode of Fraiser, and I really don't like it at all.

[Mr. Manager]

I was a little disappointed. It was funny here and there but I felt the laugh track was unneccisary for this show. I'll give it a chance though.

[TheMecca]

Although the laugh track is stupid, this show is brilliant, just like the other 2/3 of the half-hour comedy lineup.

*30 Rock wasn't so hot.

[Discloner]

Although the laugh track is stupid, this show is brilliant, just like the other 2/3 of the half-hour comedy lineup.

*30 Rock wasn't so hot.
^ agree with this entirely.

[Duke]

The laughtrack fits about as well here as it did on Sports Night.

Otherwise, it was pretty good, but I imagine it will get better once the two actually do stuff.

EDIT: Now, I'm not usually a big follower of John Lithgow (I never could stand 3rd Rock), but I don't think he plays both lead roles. Unless that's one of the greatest make-up jobs ever. :P

[Terminatah]

Lithgow and Tambor are both great, but this show is complete crap. A real waste of time with 2-dimensional characters and lots of lame writing. These two guys deserve a better vehicle.

30 Rock, incidentally, is really really good. But more on that in the 30 Rock talkback.

-Terminatah

[The Penguin]

I must say I found the laugh track jarring the first time I heard it. There was no laughing on the commercials obviously and I didn't think this was one that would have it. I did get used to it though, the traditional sitcom is going away (perhaps for the best), but I don't see anything wrong with having one.

The characters of John and Jeffrey were both fun and I look forward to seeing their relationship developed, it seems to be an interesting dynamic. The kids didn't seem to do a whole lot here, but it's possible they aren't supposed to.

I loved John Lithgow in 3rd Rock and even though I didn't watch Arrested Development I like Jeffrey Tambor. It wasn't as good as I was expecting all summer, but we'll see if it improves.

[Boy Wonder]

The laugh track was really unnecessary, but judging the whole show by one episode will not do it for me. I'm watching it next week. Seems like a funny sitcom with two of the best sitcom actors ever, but the writing just seems a tad flat.

[Spastic Minnow]

A preview I read for this somewhere, I forget where, said "You remember Lohn Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor fondly from other shows, you should probably just leave it at that."

the review was right, this was bad. It could be alright if they played it a a straight human comedy, instead it's all generic sitcom pauses for laughter and fumbling for the joke- punchline combo.


...Liked 30 Rock much more.

[Mr. Manager]

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Episode #2: Big Love
Premieres: Wednesdays, 8:30/7:30 CT on NBC

John and Jeffrey compete for the affections of an attractive woman (Jane Leeves) they met at a swanky nightclub, and are shocked when they discover that she wants to date them both.

[TheMecca]

There seems to be two trains of thought about each of the new Wednsday night shows:
-20 Good Years is bad, 30 Rock is good
-20 Good Years is good, 30 Rock is bad

It's almost like playing opposites. Can't wait to see them both however.

[Duke]

Eh, this episode was OK, but it kinda meandered along, especially during the final act.

[Discloner]

Excellent? No.
Enjoyable? Sure!

And really that's all I ask from my pre-LOST line-up.

[The Penguin]

I liked the pilot, but this episode was a marked improvement over last week. Now that John and Jeffrey are trying to be out there doing things, I think their adventures will be a lot more interesting.

They didn't quite make it at the end, but both guys really took some big steps in their 'double-dating' of Mary Frances. Their reaction to their kids' reaction was kind of funny, but the kids aren't "blowing my mind."

About my favorite part of the episode was the silent facial expressions between John and Jeffrey as they were trying to decide whether they could go into the bedroom with Mary. Lithgow and Tambor are comedic masters.

[The Penguin]

Samurai Quack can't be here this week so Penguin has got you covered for 20 and 30!


http://library.toonzone.net/talkbacks/nbc.jpghttp://library.toonzone.net/talkbacks/twenty.jpg"The Elbow Incident"
Wednesday, October 25 @ 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 CT on NBC
John and Jeffrey take a challenge on the basketball court!

[The Penguin]

Third episode in and I must say I am finding the scene transitions where the building is assembled in pieces to be rather annoying. It’s different I suppose, but it doesn’t feel like there is much a reason to do it that way.

Playing basketball isn’t sky-diving, but it doesn’t appear that John or Jeffrey has played much so I guess it was still something new for them. Their interaction with the two younger guys was kind of fun.

The real story of course was Jeffrey’s fear of hospitals. John worked hard in his own arrogant way to help his buddy out. A drugged Jeffrey was funny to see on the hospital camera. He almost got John in real trouble with Tuvok, but all the legal speak seemed to confuse the former Vulcan. :D

I’m not saying this is the greatest sitcom ever, but these days it seems that in order for a half hour comedy to be “smart” it needs to have ditched the laugh track. This is a fun show with a clever premise and two great actors, that ought to be worth something.

[Spastic Minnow]

The show was lazy and formulaic and it's quickly gotten what it deserved...

NBC rejigs comedy lineup, deep-sixes "Twenty" (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061026/tv_nm/nbc_dc_1)

[Mr. Manager]

Samurai Quack can be here this week, so Samurai Quack's got you covered for 30 and 20.
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Jeffrey's Choice
Wednesday, November 1 @ 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 CT on NBC
John gets jealous when Jeffrey's girlfriend wants him back.

[The Penguin]

Jeffrey falling back in with Gina was a great call back to the pilot and one of the catalysts for the adventures he and John are having. "She wouldn't throw the apple" was a cool little moment.

I stand by what I said last week, but I'm starting feel like there is a lot of missing potential here. It's like the theme song's "it's gonna get good" is a promise for the show content. I only watch four comedies; this one, How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock and My Name Is Earl. The other three (including 'Mother' which also has a laugh track) have a notable passage of time and I feel like a lot of time passes in most episodes and there is a lot of strong content. The episodes of Twenty Good Years I have seen so far feel almost incomplete, like there is something yet to come or something missing.