With TNT leading the way and networks like AMC, A & E and the like successfully entering into the field of  serialized programing Spike TV has decided to give it another go as well. Having failed badly in the past with a decent but poorly received TV series version of Blade, it is understandable that the network would be cautious when entering the waters again. With guaranteed ratings support coming on a weekly basis from the UFC and TNA Wrestling the time seemed right for Spike to once again throw their hat into the ring and vie for a chunk of that ever lucrative market share. Here enters Blue Mountain State, a comedy series the likes of which cable television has never seen.

At it’s core it is an unapologetic America Pie rip off, very Van Wilder like in nature. This is both great and terrible at the same time. Great because who doesn’t love unabashed, over the type raunchy humor? Bad because like like those movies sometimes the writers don’t know when they’ve gone too far and transitioned from gross humor to just plain gross and disgusting trash. Case in point the team passing around a pocket pussy (I’m not being vulgar, the title of the episode was actually “Pocket Pussy”, seriously) and contracting team wide syphilis, while the owner of said pocket pussy regaled over the tale of it’s Bosnian origin was hilarious; while on the other hand, Sam Jones digging through a pile of human fecal matter to retrieve a promise ring he lost in a strippers tunnel of love, which was then accidentally swallowed by his friend, digested and excreted onto Sam Jones coffee table after a staged burglary, not so funny.

The show is entertaining but it’s far from Curb Your Enthusiasm. This is actually the main gripe I have with the show. Pairing Entourage before it makes little to no sense as the shows are light years apart and are skewed at two completely different demographics. Entourage is adult comedy that’s more often than not more drama than comedy. Blue Mountain State on the other hand is without a doubt aimed more at the younger teenage audience. So in placing Entourage, a show with extremely high production value and top notch writing and acting target at a more sophisticated level of viewer before a show which closely resembles one of the direct to DVD American Pie movies is a bit of a head scratcher.

Not to seem like I’m ragging on the show or bad mouthing it in anyway because it delivers the goods as advertised. It is exactly what it tells you it is and if you’ve seen the previews and say to yourself that looks like my kind of show than it won’t disappoint. All I’m saying is don’t expect any Emmy nod’s in the shows future because it’s not that kind of comedy. If you have 30 minutes to kill and want to get in a few cheap laughs than there is allot of fun to be had here. But if your weekly TV watching time is limited than there are far more deserving comedies out there to fill your DVR with.

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