Curb Your Enthusiasm

Lisa Kudrow has been a busy gal since she was part of the ensemble cast of Friends! She now produces as well as stars in a new concept in sitcom on Showtime Television titled Web Therapy. Kudrow is Dr. Fiona Wallice, a therapist who contrives a new therapy form in which she spends three minutes on a web cast with patients who were formerly treated to those long and overly "talky" 50 minute sessions where nothing really happened. Her idea is to abbreviate those unproductive bouts down, thus leaving out most of the irrelevant chit chat. Kip Wallice, Fiona's husband, is played by Victor Garber (Ugly Betty, Nurse Jackie) shows up occasionally and her mother Putsy Hodge is well played by Lily Tomlin (stand up comedienne "Ernestine"). Apparently her newly devised condensed version of has some therapeutic value as she works with various patients who have guest starring roles in each episode. Names like Meryl Streep, Phylicia Rashad, Courtney Cox, and Jane Lynch fill in the 30 minute situation comedy and the results are hilarious and especially innovative due mostly to the level of talent involved. Well worth catching if you have Showtime.

There are plenty of "cop" shows on television currently but one truly stands out as being totally entertaining and that one is Memphis Beat. Comedy, action, and some really good acting as well as scripts that stand out from the rest make for an hour's worth of enjoyment every week. Memphis Beat stars Jason Lee (My Name is Earl, Clerks II) as Memphis PD detective Dwight Hendricks, the self proclaimed "keeper of Memphis". He has several women in his life including his mother Paula Hendricks who is played by Celia Weston (Knight and Day, Modern Family), Memphis PD lieutenant Tanya Rice (Alfre Woodard from Desperate Housewives, Star Trek: First Contact), and an ex-wife Alex (played by Sunny Mabrey from Mad Men, Rules of Engagement) who shows up now and then. He has his hands full with each of these three women but his job seems to be a relief from personal life. Memphis Beat shows the southern charm and easy way of life of the south and even brings in some Elvis Presley music along the way. George Clooney is executive producer.

With much humor derived from some cast members of Saturday Night Live and with approval from Lorne Michaels himself, Portlandia was born. The name Portlandia refers to a sculpture with that title found over the entrance doors of the Portland Building which is situated in downtown Portland on Fifth Avenue. The show has the fast paced comedy touch that SNL is well noted for and cast members Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein help keep it moving along. With Lorne Michaels as executive producer and creative writing from Fred Armisen, Jonathan Krisel, and Carrie Brownstein the show appears to have a bright future. We see how popular restaurants along the famous Hawthorne District in Portland handle irate dinner guests when they leave rather nasty reviews on a website titled Yelp! Another episode finds how badly a one man performance can actually be at the Hollywood Theatre, a local historic building in northeast Portland. If it happens in or around Portland it might end up on the show in some fashion, most likely comedic in tone. Portlandia currently runs on the IFC (Independent Film Channel).

Benito Skinner's semi-autobiographical comedy follows a closeted ex-jock performing straightness at college while forging a messy, tender friendship. On Prime Video.

Comedian Leanne Morgan rebuilds her life after a divorce, with help from her sister, in Chuck Lorre's throwback Netflix sitcom. Streaming on Netflix.

Comedy seems to be the winning factor on late night television and among the best to be found since Carson is the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon program. The program even originates from the same NBC studio that The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was broadcast since 1982 until that show moved to California. Fallon offers a broad sense of humor that connects with his large audience including shows and skits like Pros and Cons, Wheel of Carpet Samples, Let Us Play with Your Look, Cell Phone Shootout, Hot Dog in a Hole, or Remix and Clips. In between the hilarious sketches guests come and go, often becoming part of the action or the brunt of some rather low brow activities. All is played for fun and audiences eat it up and often even get to join in on the fun. Among the celebrity guests have been Van Morrison, Robert De Niro, and Justin Timberlake. The previous host of Late Night, Conan O'Brien has appeared on Fallon's reincarnation of the show that keeps on giving to late night fans.