Welcome back to The Character Couch, where we dust off our amateur psychology credentials and spend some quality time with fictional people who absolutely could have benefited from a real therapist at some point. Today's subject shuffled in a little late, made a joke about the waiting room being a trap, and spent the first … Continue reading The Character Couch – Eleanor Shellstrop
Sitcom
Greendale’s Quirky Courses: Exploring the Community’s Absurd Curriculum
There are community colleges, and then there is Greendale Community College. Most community colleges offer practical courses designed to help students better their lives. You might find accounting, basic biology, introductory Spanish... the kind of classes that add credentials and open doors. Greendale offers those, too. It also offers a class called "Can I Fry … Continue reading Greendale’s Quirky Courses: Exploring the Community’s Absurd Curriculum
New Girl: A Comprehensive Guide to the Show’s Unique Charm
I'll be honest with you — New Girl is not a show I've always known what to do with. There's something about it that manages to be endearing and frustrating in almost equal measure, sometimes within the same episode. The premise sounds almost too simple: a quirky woman moves in with three guys and awkward … Continue reading New Girl: A Comprehensive Guide to the Show’s Unique Charm
The Office Fan Culture: Memes, References, and Fan Theories
Here's something that probably doesn't need to be said, but I'll say it anyway: The Office never really went away. The show wrapped up its nine-season run back in May 2013. That's over a decade ago. Most television series, even beloved ones, tend to fade into a comfortable kind of nostalgia after they end — … Continue reading The Office Fan Culture: Memes, References, and Fan Theories
The Character Couch – Cece Parikh
Welcome back to The Character Couch, where we put on our amateur psychology hats and spend some quality time with characters who probably could have used a real therapist at some point along the way. Today's subject arrived looking impeccably put-together — and I mean that literally. She is a professional fashion model, so she … Continue reading The Character Couch – Cece Parikh
Character Development: How the Loft Roommates Change Over the Seasons
There's a moment in the second season of New Girl that I think captures the whole spirit of the show. Nick Miller — flannel-wearing, emotionally stunted, tax-evading Nick Miller — spontaneously kisses Jess after a rousing game of True American. It's chaotic and messy and a little bit absurd, which is exactly what New Girl … Continue reading Character Development: How the Loft Roommates Change Over the Seasons
Slap Bet: The Legend of Marshall’s Iconic Slaps
There are certain moments in television history that transcend the episode they originated in. Moments so perfectly constructed, so brilliantly executed, that they end up defining an entire series — even one that ran for nine seasons. For How I Met Your Mother, that moment arrived on November 20, 2006, in the ninth episode of … Continue reading Slap Bet: The Legend of Marshall’s Iconic Slaps
The Character Couch – Marshall Eriksen
Welcome back to The Character Couch! Today we’re putting on our amateur psychology hats to examine one of television’s most underappreciated characters: Marshall Eriksen from How I Met Your Mother—a man who spent nine seasons being the emotional backbone of his friend group while the show rewarded the louder, flashier dysfunction happening around him. Here’s … Continue reading The Character Couch – Marshall Eriksen
The Character Couch – Barney Stinson
Welcome back to The Character Couch! This is where we put on our amateur psychologist hats and examine what makes our favorite fictional characters tick. Today we're tackling one of television's most divisive characters: Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother—a man who spent nine seasons teaching us that sometimes the person shouting "LEGENDARY!" … Continue reading The Character Couch – Barney Stinson
Bro Code and Playbook: Unpacking Barney Stinson’s Legendary Rules
I spent nine seasons watching How I Met Your Mother during its original run, and like many fans, I have complicated feelings about the show's legacy. While Ted Mosby remains the worst character nine times out of ten (seriously, the guy is insufferable), and the finale still makes me want to throw things at my … Continue reading Bro Code and Playbook: Unpacking Barney Stinson’s Legendary Rules
The Confusing Middle 