Tonight’s TV Spotlight – Apatow Edition…March 7, 2009

Saturday night is movie night! Well, at least by default since our regular primetime shows have the night off.  So for tonight’s TV spotlight I’ve decided to focus on a true visionary, a voice for our generation. A man whose movies have inspired us to find our inner McLovin, to empathsize with Katherine Heigl, and to be ok with seeing Jason Segel’s penis over and over again.  Tonight is all about The Apatow.

Of course as these fine flicks are on cable, not everyone will be able to watch them.  But perhaps a little run to Blockbuster is all that’s stopping you from watching along sans paid cable.  (Wait, does Blockbuster even exist anymore?)

Superbad | 8pm on Encore
Michael Cera and Jonah Hill star in this comedy about  two co-dependent high-school seniors who hope to score booze and babes at a party all while dealing with their impending separation at college. [GMMR: Great flick. You can never go wrong with McLovin.]

Knocked Up | 8:30pm on HBO Signature
A rising entertainment journalist and an irresponsible slacker ponder their future after a boozy one-night stand results in a pregnancy. [GMMR: The movie that put Seth Rogan on the map and let Katherine Heigl believe that we actually liked her as a leading lady.  We don’t. This was an Apatow movie – it would have worked with anyone in her role.  Sorry, I’m a little anti-Izzie Stevens these days.]

Forgetting Sarah Marshall | 10pm on Cinemax
In Hawaii struggling to get over a bad breakup, a musician (Jason Segel) encounters his former lover  (Kristne Bell) and her new boyfriend (Rusell Brand). [GMMR: I love this movie! You’ve got Kristen Bell – and normally that alone would be worth the viewing, but then there’s Jason Segel and his aforementioned penis, the U.S. introduction of Russell Brand, the Muppets theme song and singing vampire puppets.  Oh and Jason Segel naked.]

For more on the Apatow crew and other new comedy legends like Jason Batemen, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett and others, check out the latest issue of Vanity Fair.  And click here for some inspiring pictures from inside the magazine.