Jersey Shore

Is genius. I can't think of a better examination of the perils of modern day male-female relationships. The whole show is about it. Sure, it is set in the hyper-real world of east coast guidos - but the universal theme of the show is male-female relationships. This show puts mumblecore and the whole romantic comedy genre to shame. The range of emotion is extraordinary. Primitive emotions bubble to the surface, characters do foolish, inconsistent behaviors, they explore the nature of random bar/club hook ups vs. the friends with benefits vs. the long distance relationship and the pluses and minuses both emotionally and physically of each. There is status, there is jealously, there is humiliation, there is the group vs. the individual, the larger group threatening private relationships and subgroups, there are passive-aggressive behaviors undermining relationships, there are weaker people exacting revenge against stronger people, there are stronger people bullying the weak, there are hypocrites, and there are attempts at doing the right thing, guilt for mistreating one another, unexpected consequences, myopic choices, there is longing, there is lust, there is loyalty, there are competing loyalties, there is shame, there is discovery, there is hope. This show is good, man. No joke.

Analysis of JWoww and Snookie writing the note to Sammy Sweatheart: I can't figure it out. Were they trying to be good friends or trying to undermine Sam and Ronnie's relationship? A little of both? Why didn't JWoww come clean at some point? Doesn't she realize everyone knows? Is JWoww secretly manipulating Snookie as her minion? Ronnie calling his "hometown honey" was a moment of pure genius. No one could write that. It wouldn't work on the page. The unbelievable stupidity and pathetic nature of the gesture was simply too funny. A parallel was the Situation inviting over two sets of girls to the house the episode before. It was both awesome and pathetic. Both these gestures reveals something about the condition of the modern American male - these grand gestures of sexual vitality - of appearing to be a "pimp" or a "stud" - but are so clearly laced with the most pathetic and unmanly and reactionary behavior of a young child -- this fear of Girl A rejection and lining up Girl B as back up. Oh man, tragic genius, man. Tragic genius.