The students are back and Athens is bustling again.
With their return will come more of the artist profiles I enjoy bringing you in this column. Next week, we’ll feature Lauren Key, a journalism major with the voice of an angel. And after that, we’ll go behind the scenes of a beloved Athens tradition, Open Mic night at Donkey.
In the meantime, I wanted to share the following response to last week’s column, “Share your best with me,” in which I invited readers to weigh in on what they consider the ultimate in a variety of entertainment genres.
David, an online reader in the Kansas City area, came up with some categories of his own, and really knows how to sell ‘em. Here’s his response in its entirety:
Trying to ensure the assignment is completed as requested — it’s important (to me) that we differentiate between best and favorite. For example, my favorite movie is “Blazing Saddles” but I would never argue it is the BEST movie (that would be “The Godfather”) Best things can be argued. Favorite things cannot. With that in mind, here are a few bests:
Best Episode of a TV Show – “Two Cathedrals,” Season 2, Episode 22 of “The West Wing” This features great acting intersecting with great writing better than any television episode I can think of, though the Ozymandias episode of “Breaking Bad” sure comes close. Martin Sheen as President Bartlet — a devout Catholic — literally stands in a church and argues with God about recent tragic events.
That monologue by itself would get this episode into the top 10 of all time, complete with its nearly perfect final punctuation. The rest of the episode requires some run up from the season that preceded it, but it is pure perfection within the context of the entire series.
Best Sketch Comedy Show – “Key and Peele.” Sketch comedy is, by its very nature, hit and miss. Even your favorite is going to have sketches that miss the mark for you individually. Key and Peele is no different. Where they shine is on their best of the best. I would put their top 10 or 20 sketches up against any other sketch show — including the long history of SNL. When you have sketches as amazing as East/West All Stars, Substitute Teacher, Old Timey Catcalling, Gay Wedding Advice, and so many more, you’re in a class by yourself.
Best Classic Game Show – “$25,000 Pyramid.” Dick Clark is the best game show host of all time (except maybe Alex Trebek). His blend of likeability, rooting for the contestant, and calm navigation of the game itself cannot be matched. The format is great — less dependent on luck than most game shows of its time while also being super dependent on your celebrity partner. It’s not straight trivia, but you could not be unintelligent and win.
The prizes escalated very well from most people doing okay with the winnings to life changing money if you kept winning. You’re also not gonna find a better game show theme song from the classic era. If you have Game Show Network, you should “go to Egypt” as my former roommate and I would say as we watched DVR’d episodes of a 25-year old game show.
Thank you, David! If other readers want to weigh in with their “bests,” please contact me at bhart@athensnews.com.
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