I think we can all be honest here and admit that campus television doesn't hold much appeal next to cable or satellite. Why suffer grainy, low-budget, poorly edited, awkwardly acted television with lazily written jokes? Why suffer alone on the edge when we, the Union of American Couch Stains, have demanded and received high-quality, eye-popping, flawless TV programming? We like our false realities seamless. When a coffee mug is mysteriously moved in the background or a joke cut off too early, we cringe at the thought that our beautiful blonde is actually just a so-so brunette. So why should we subject ourselves to the lo-fi comedy of Slice 'n Deis, now on its third episode? Well, probably because we're not going to see any jokes about Brandeis on cable TV any time soon, one episode of The Simpsons notwithstanding. In addition, supporting our campus media outlets will likely produce even higher-quality programming. Provided we get a few chuckles out of it, it's a win-win situation. Thus far, Slice 'n Deis has kept up its side of the bargain.

The latest installation in a very slowly growing series, "The Finals Countdown" follows a pack of supposedly stereotypical Brandeis students, three boys and their token female friend with whom one of the boys is in love, as they tackle (Surprise, bitches!) the ever-challenging and torturous season of finals. The plot offers helpful hints for surviving the murderous season, such as heavy drinking, bribery and furious masturbation. It should be noted that neither the Justice nor the University endorse these methods of study. Also weaving their way into the finals shtick are some other sub-plots revolving around some of our more commonly shared Brandeis experiences. One character must shake off a subtly unstable, disturbingly hairy ex-hookup while his friends search in vain for a secret society meeting of attractive Brandeisians. Along the way, they also throw a few punches at our European compatriots, ripping some one-liners about their expensive cars, sexy accents and fantastic weed.

So at this point in the synopsis, it's clear that we don't have the next Arrested Development on our hands. For all the charm of its Brandeis oriented comedy, Slice 'n Deis is still frustratingly amateurish on a few occasions. Forgivable financial constraints excuse the show's shoddy look, but good jokes shouldn't need a budget. Even on some of their sharper Brandeis jabs, it still feels like I've heard these jokes before at a lunch table in Usdan. This University is a unique one, and I'm sure these writers could find some fresh angles from which to poke fun at it.

Still, for the uninitiated, Slice 'n Deis is an enjoyable comedy, and even for the jaded elders, there's still some excitement to be had from seeing their school on the small screen. The show's core cast, Larissa Liebmann '10, Alex Gaman '10, Ted Levin '10, Josh Reuss '10 and Gdaly Berlin '10, are growing more comfortable on camera and seem to be developing a good chemistry. With the summer months free to focus on stronger writing, Slice 'n Deis could make a real impact in the coming semester.