Props for The Carell Corral (and The Colbert Report)

Yesterday, I gave props to The Daily Show for its ridiculous and great Michael Steele Muppet. However, I'd be remiss if I didn't also praise its counterpart, The Colbert Report. (Also, I'm not really sure what "I'd be remiss" means, but I've also heard it used in this context. So, I'm going to assume I'm using it correctly. As Lt. Frank Drebin from Police Squad would say, like a blind man at an orgy, I'm feeling my way out.)

Wednesday's episode was the highlight of the past couple weeks for me. The show opened with a fake dream sequence seen above. Steve Carell was the guest, and mocked Colbert throughout the segment, until Colbert realized that it was all a dream, and that he hadn't lost his show, or his hand to a hoof... OR DID HE???

It was a bit of a flashback show because of Carell's presence, since they're both former Daily Show staffers. Instead of a straight interview for the final segment, they re-did a bit from their Daily Show days - Even Stevens. This was bitter, angry and confrontational, which made it awesome, and the cameo by Jon Stewart at the end helped too.

In terms of overall quality, The Colbert Report is definitely not as consistent as The Daily Show to me, but I think its highs tend to be higher. I also like the philosophical bent of the show more - Colbert is clearly playing a character, which makes him a bit more immune from the type of criticism Stewart normally gets, since Stewart is a slightly left-of-center person and broadcaster. I still agree with Stewart that if douchenozzles like Tucker Carlson want to call him a political commentator, they do so at their own peril, since he has at times followed a show with puppets making prank phone calls.

(p.s. By the way, did you know Carell is leaving The Office? I think this could be good for the show, which definitely lost some heat off its fastball this past season. I hope they give him a happy ending, and have him quit his job to be with Holly, but I realize with the spotty writing of this past season that they would probably make even this tender moment some ridiculous, farcical situation.)