The Morning After: Buy It In Bulk

It's Always Sunny used Dave & Buster's very well last week, and the product placement sort of fit in with the episode's theme of doing whatever it takes in a recession. PP works better shows have fun and crack jokes about the product (there was a line about how it's the best place to get a steak where there's also an arcade).

I love Modern Family, too. Cougar Town is nice enough but suffers greatly by comparison. I think I've been ruined by the moc-doc/improv sitcoms like Modern Fam, The Office, Park & Rec and Curb, because now everything else seems like it's trying way too hard to sell the jokes. Am I a sitcom snob?

Speaking of product placements, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia had a great one for Dave & Busters last week. It was more or less mocking D&B while being sponsored by them.

Of course, nothing can match the Burger King placement on Arrested Development. That will remain the gold standard.

[...] we're on the subject of product placement this morning, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Chipotle did not pay for their prominent [...]

If it doesn't turn the fiction into a long commercial, then a piece should have a little product placement, if it can be integrated smoothly into the show or film. If it can be made part of the plot or if it is in character for a fictional being to be drinking or eating that product. Also identifiers of our real lives indicate that the characters live in a universe if not exactly like then pretty close to our own universe. It makes the characters relatable, sometimes the art more effective, if their is commentary on our actual society, and says that maybe this crazy sitcom situation may not be so crazy and that it can actually happen in the real world. Like yesterday's Modern Family, you could totally imagine a snob shopper becoming a warehouse store addict.

Actually, that seemed the most cliched part of the show. Hasn't that been done before? The funny did come from the two talking to the camera (Casablanca!) but most of it belonged to the other stories, especially the talking session between unlikely siblings. The kid who plays Manny and the kid who plays Brick in The Middle--which is turning into a pleasant surprise-- do superlative, hilarious work.

The thing that makes me like this show so much is how well done each character is, there are no bland characters, and they're doing a good job focusing enough on most of them to develop them fully. Cameron and Phil definitely are the stars so far. The entire gym class scene last week was pure gold. "Everyone loves the Cam Show, its appointment viewing!" I agree that Phil didn't shine as much this week, but he was pretty funny towards the end "I was in a plane craaaaash"

I guess Im not sure who this show is aimed at; I had heard some good things here and elsewhere, but I tuned in (no pun intended) for a good chunk of the show and really didnt find anything I thought was very funny or entertaining.
So.. who IS it aimed at?

My only criticism is that Phil is that he IS Andy Bernard. Not similar, not influenced by, but the exact same freaking character. Even the quirks in his voice. It's the same exact character.

Other than that though the show is really really good. And I didn't even think of Costco as product placement until I read this, which I guess speaks to how well it was done.

BTW the Always Sunny crew is upset that the commercials for D&B ran during the show. That wasn't part of the plan.