I think about a world to come where the books were found by the golden ones, written in pain, written in awe by a puzzled man who questioned, "What are we here for?" All the strangers came today and it looks as though they're here to stay.

-David Bowie "Oh! You Pretty Things"

Monday, August 29, 2011

Thursday TV Tournament: Match-up 23 Results

Today's match-up is between thirtieth seed, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season Six, Episode One, "Mac Fights Gay Marriage," which aired September 16, 2010, and fourteenth seed, 30 Rock Season Five, Episode Three, "Let's Stay Together," which aired October 7, 2010. The results are in:


Originally, "Mac Fights Gay Marriage" made it into the charts because it was the only episode that aired that particular Thursday, but as the first episode of the entire tournament it sure seems to be representing. As of today, it has officially entered the ranks of the Elite Eight. Why is it better than the 30 Rock episode "Let's Stay Together"? Well, this particular episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a call-back to earlier seasons where the characters take sides on some particular issue and enact ridiculous spectacles to support their particular opinion. This one just happens to revolve around the issue of gay marriage, occasioned by Mac's jealousy that his transvestite ex-girlfriend is now married to a man. While the two episodes share little when it comes to comedy style, and thus cannot be judged easily against one another, "Mac Fights Gay Marriage" begins one of the more interesting plot arcs that I've seen on the show in a couple of years. Everything is turning up It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia today.

Tune in next time for twenty-second seed, 30 Rock Season Five, Episode Seventeen, "Queen of Jordan," which aired March 17, 2011, and sixth seed, The Office Season Seven, Episode Twenty-Two, "Goodbye, Michael," which aired April 28, 2011. As we close out the induction into the Elite Eight, there's bound to be hurt feelings. Tune in next time to see, as Steve Perry would say, "who's crying now."

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