There are way too many talented people involved in the production of "Bob's Burgers" for the show to be so bad, but, wow, that first episode of the new Fox animated sitcom was a real stinker. I thought maybe it was going for that edgy but with heart kind of thing, but it just came off as unfunny and crude.
Even if H. Jon Benjamin was the only talented individual involved in the show, that would still be too many to waste. His voicework as Bob, family man and owner of the titular food joint, can't elevate the subpar writing. I wanted to like this, unlike my wife, who predicted that I would laugh at the show, then record it, secretly watch it, and quietly continue with it from that point on. Well, I was up front about recording it and checking it out, and now I'm up front about not wanting to give it a second week.
I can't point to one specific moment that turned me off, but at the beginning when one of Bob's children complained that her crotch was itching, I kind of got the feeling it wasn't gonna be a pleasant half-hour. The whole experience of watching the pilot is off-putting. The visuals aren't appealing, the gags aren't appealing, and even the voices aren't appealing. The plot of the first episode, in which a health inspector threatens to shut down the place amid rumors that human flesh is in the burgers, might have potential, but it isn't executed well.
It's not that I automatically dislike crude fast food humor with limited animation--I'm a Beavis and Butt-head fan, after all--but "Bob's Burgers" doesn't do it for me.
You SHOULD watch "Bob's Burgers" if:
*You think that by watching it, you'll get Joe Buck to shut up about it during Sunday NFL games.
*You have been waiting for a fast food comedy to fill a void in your heart ever since "Life on a Stick" was canceled.
*You think H. Jon Benjamin is such an awesome voice actor that he's worth listening to even if the material isn't great (You know, I'm not being facetious; this is actually a pretty good reason).
*You get a kick out of hearing males give voice to female characters.
*You think the movie "Alive" is a laugh riot.
*The notion of a half-hour block on Fox Sunday night that is NOT animated is too terrifying to contemplate.
Showing posts with label Should You Watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Should You Watch. Show all posts
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Should you watch: "Outsourced"
The good news is NBC's new sitcom "Outsourced" is not as offensive as I expected it to be. The bad news is it isn't as funny as...well, it just isn't funny.
Thursday night's premiere scored fairly well in the ratings, so many of you may have already sampled this half-hour about an American sent to a call center in India to have wacky cultural misunderstandings with them--er, train them up and run the business. But for the rest of you, here are some reasons why you should check it out:
*You think India is just a pretty damn funny country...
*And its citizens, even more so.
*You think it's about time someone set a situation comedy in the glamorous, high-stakes world of novelty toy sales.
*Ever since co-star Diedrich Bader became the voice of Batman in "The Brave and the Bold," you just find everything he says in live action funnier.
*You're determined to watch NBC each Thursday at the same time until someone goes ahead and dumps this and returns "Parks and Recreation" to the schedule (if this is you, Ivan, I'm telling you, buddy, back away from the TV, and we'll let you know when it's back on).
Thursday night's premiere scored fairly well in the ratings, so many of you may have already sampled this half-hour about an American sent to a call center in India to have wacky cultural misunderstandings with them--er, train them up and run the business. But for the rest of you, here are some reasons why you should check it out:
*You think India is just a pretty damn funny country...
*And its citizens, even more so.
*You think it's about time someone set a situation comedy in the glamorous, high-stakes world of novelty toy sales.
*Ever since co-star Diedrich Bader became the voice of Batman in "The Brave and the Bold," you just find everything he says in live action funnier.
*You're determined to watch NBC each Thursday at the same time until someone goes ahead and dumps this and returns "Parks and Recreation" to the schedule (if this is you, Ivan, I'm telling you, buddy, back away from the TV, and we'll let you know when it's back on).
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Should you watch: Hawaii Five-0
Well, this remake was pretty much what I had heard it was: loud, fast, well done for what it was. I was surprised at the extent of the overall speed of the show, though. Even simple scenes like star Alex O'Loughlin talking to Jean Smart's governor of Hawaii were staged muy rapidamente (sorry, I don't speak any Hawaiian).
It kind of scares me to imagine how slow today's youth must think a show like the original "Hawaii Five-0" is. Am I that old, or is today's TV just that fast? Maybe that's just the way it is nowadays and I don't notice it in established shows because I'm used to them. Perhaps not just the editing, but the storytelling has to be accelerated because of the 8 minutes or so less each hourlong show has to work with today. But the even scarier thing is that I'm talking about a show being so loud and fast and ADD and whatnot, and I'm talking about a SHOW ON CBS! CBS!
I thought "Hawaii Five-0" was OK, but not something worth watching each week. I wouldn't have beef with anyone who thought otherwise, though. Someone who was more enamored with the cast than I was could easily get into this one.
Here are some more reasons why you should watch the new "Hawaii Five-0":
*You've always wanted to go to Hawaii and appreciate the chance to see the island in all its tropical beauty...punctuated, of course, with gunfire, murders, and explosions.
*You're convinced "Lost's" Daniel Dae Kim is a "plant" and are determined to watch for all the clues he surely represents.
*You think there's nothing in the field of pursuing baddies a bulky, athletic guy can do that a 100-pound young woman can't do better.
*You figure if CBS is gonna keep building shows around Alex O'Loughlin, you might as well buckle under and watch one eventually.
*You have neither a DVD player nor an MP3 player nor the "Television's Greatest Hits" CD, and you have to get your fix of that theme song each week.
*You're tired of all those shows with cops that play by the rules.
It kind of scares me to imagine how slow today's youth must think a show like the original "Hawaii Five-0" is. Am I that old, or is today's TV just that fast? Maybe that's just the way it is nowadays and I don't notice it in established shows because I'm used to them. Perhaps not just the editing, but the storytelling has to be accelerated because of the 8 minutes or so less each hourlong show has to work with today. But the even scarier thing is that I'm talking about a show being so loud and fast and ADD and whatnot, and I'm talking about a SHOW ON CBS! CBS!
I thought "Hawaii Five-0" was OK, but not something worth watching each week. I wouldn't have beef with anyone who thought otherwise, though. Someone who was more enamored with the cast than I was could easily get into this one.
Here are some more reasons why you should watch the new "Hawaii Five-0":
*You've always wanted to go to Hawaii and appreciate the chance to see the island in all its tropical beauty...punctuated, of course, with gunfire, murders, and explosions.
*You're convinced "Lost's" Daniel Dae Kim is a "plant" and are determined to watch for all the clues he surely represents.
*You think there's nothing in the field of pursuing baddies a bulky, athletic guy can do that a 100-pound young woman can't do better.
*You figure if CBS is gonna keep building shows around Alex O'Loughlin, you might as well buckle under and watch one eventually.
*You have neither a DVD player nor an MP3 player nor the "Television's Greatest Hits" CD, and you have to get your fix of that theme song each week.
*You're tired of all those shows with cops that play by the rules.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Should You Watch: Louie
FX's new comedy "Louie," the brainchild of writer/director/star/producer/probably just about everything else Louis C.K., is a remarkable show. At first glance, it reminds you of some other shows...but it somehow feels unlike just about anything else on TV. It combines footage of the standup comedian in concert with "real-life" footage related to his material, but you certainly won't confuse it with the early "Seinfeld." Speaking of that show, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" brings a loose, improv feel to even the stuff that IS scripted, and "Louie" often captures a similar vibe, but it does so without replicating that experience.
Most importantly, in this era of awkward silences and comedic beats based on discomfort and embarrassment--witness, well, every other sitcom made in the last decade or so--"Louie" thrives on those moments while still creating a singular experience. You have to admire a half-hour comedy, even one on FX, that devotes large chunks of its time to, say, a freewheeling discussion about homosexuality and the use of the word "faggot" in standup comedy, as the second episode did. The setting was a poker game with Louie and his comedian pals, one of whom is gay, and the discussion was explicit, juvenile, and profound all at once. There was no pat solution--Louie showed apparent remorse when his friend explained the meaning of the word and why it is offensive, but the gay jokes resumed at the table--and it felt, for lack of a better word, "real."
Each show has two "life" segments, and some work better than others. In fact, I don't always find the series all that funny, but I do find it mesmerizing. It's a sitcom with an overriding melancholy that looms over the jokes. Louie is divorced, he's getting older, he's kind of pathetic, he gets into inappropriate situations, and it all leaves me kind of depressed. Yet through it all I always get the sense that there's truth here--truth in a fake TV sense, sure, but the kind of exploration of feelings and conditions we don't often get on television, even in today's supposedly sophisticated landscape. It's not a typical sitcom experience, nor even a typical television experience, but you really have to see it to believe it.
You should watch "Louie" if:
*Nothing cheers you up more than being depressed at the end of a half-hour comedy.
*You can relate to or at least empathize with the pressures of an aging divorced father trying to reconnect with women...and often failing miserably or succeeding pitifully.
*You long for the soothing, comforting presence of tenderhearted comics like Jim Norton and Nick DiPaolo.
*You never get tired of hearing C.K.'s bit about the rash his daughter had--well, let's say no more, but suffice to say it figured in the first episode I saw, and frankly I hope he doesn't use it again.
*You enjoy seeing comedian's material before Dane Cook swipes it.
*You haven't already heard a thousand times on the radio the old "Brother Louie" song adapted here as a theme song (I must admit that the song, though overexposed, is perfect, and not just because of the name).
Most importantly, in this era of awkward silences and comedic beats based on discomfort and embarrassment--witness, well, every other sitcom made in the last decade or so--"Louie" thrives on those moments while still creating a singular experience. You have to admire a half-hour comedy, even one on FX, that devotes large chunks of its time to, say, a freewheeling discussion about homosexuality and the use of the word "faggot" in standup comedy, as the second episode did. The setting was a poker game with Louie and his comedian pals, one of whom is gay, and the discussion was explicit, juvenile, and profound all at once. There was no pat solution--Louie showed apparent remorse when his friend explained the meaning of the word and why it is offensive, but the gay jokes resumed at the table--and it felt, for lack of a better word, "real."
Each show has two "life" segments, and some work better than others. In fact, I don't always find the series all that funny, but I do find it mesmerizing. It's a sitcom with an overriding melancholy that looms over the jokes. Louie is divorced, he's getting older, he's kind of pathetic, he gets into inappropriate situations, and it all leaves me kind of depressed. Yet through it all I always get the sense that there's truth here--truth in a fake TV sense, sure, but the kind of exploration of feelings and conditions we don't often get on television, even in today's supposedly sophisticated landscape. It's not a typical sitcom experience, nor even a typical television experience, but you really have to see it to believe it.
You should watch "Louie" if:
*Nothing cheers you up more than being depressed at the end of a half-hour comedy.
*You can relate to or at least empathize with the pressures of an aging divorced father trying to reconnect with women...and often failing miserably or succeeding pitifully.
*You long for the soothing, comforting presence of tenderhearted comics like Jim Norton and Nick DiPaolo.
*You never get tired of hearing C.K.'s bit about the rash his daughter had--well, let's say no more, but suffice to say it figured in the first episode I saw, and frankly I hope he doesn't use it again.
*You enjoy seeing comedian's material before Dane Cook swipes it.
*You haven't already heard a thousand times on the radio the old "Brother Louie" song adapted here as a theme song (I must admit that the song, though overexposed, is perfect, and not just because of the name).
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Should you watch: Trauma
OK, dude, if you want to roll with us "Trauma" watchers, you gotta feel the need for speed! See, those of us who watch this show are ADRENALINE JUNKIES, and you'd better come strong and come hard or don't come at all, brutha.
I mean, the pilot alone gave us 10 minutes of BLOWING STUFF UP before it settled into some boring scenes about the aftermath of stuff getting blown up. I hope the rest of the series isn't about feelings and crap like that because the way I see it, we could go at any minute, and so we might as well GO ALL OUT AND WATCH TRAUMA, BABY! And when we watch it, we want to see EXPLOSIONS! We want to live on the EDGE, man!
Why? That's just the way we roll, bras. If you think you can hang with us, go ahead and cowboy up and strap yourself in for some HIGH-OCTANE television. Otherwise, if you expect intelligent dialogue, characters that are more than cliches, and a general emphasis on stuff not getting blown up, then STAY HOME! Or if you are home, STAY ON CBS!
'Cause here at "Trauma," you gotta lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way, man! I'm so STOKED to watch the next episode because I LIVE FOR THIS STUFF! HOO-HAH!
I mean, the pilot alone gave us 10 minutes of BLOWING STUFF UP before it settled into some boring scenes about the aftermath of stuff getting blown up. I hope the rest of the series isn't about feelings and crap like that because the way I see it, we could go at any minute, and so we might as well GO ALL OUT AND WATCH TRAUMA, BABY! And when we watch it, we want to see EXPLOSIONS! We want to live on the EDGE, man!
Why? That's just the way we roll, bras. If you think you can hang with us, go ahead and cowboy up and strap yourself in for some HIGH-OCTANE television. Otherwise, if you expect intelligent dialogue, characters that are more than cliches, and a general emphasis on stuff not getting blown up, then STAY HOME! Or if you are home, STAY ON CBS!
'Cause here at "Trauma," you gotta lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way, man! I'm so STOKED to watch the next episode because I LIVE FOR THIS STUFF! HOO-HAH!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Should You Watch: Eastwick
I never saw "The Witches of Eastwick," never read the novel, never attended the play (was there a play? Well, I was on a roll there, and it seemed right). But I did see the first episode of ABC's new Wednesday night light drama "Eastwick."
So while I'm sure for some the "Witches of Eastwick" nostalgia is strong with this show, it reminds me more of a little number called "Charmed." 3 women with supernatural abilities, an evolving mythology, a light tone...seems like that's the deal here.
But let me tell you, "Eastwick." I knew "Charmed." I frequently flipped to
Charmed" to see what ridiculous sexy outfit Alyssa Milano was wearing in a given episode. And, 'Eastwick," you are no "Charmed."
You should watch "Eastwick" if...
*You loved Charmed, but you just wish it had been a little blonder.
*You think every troubled woman just needs a little (possibly) satanic intervention to unlock her full potential.
*Suburbia just isn't entertaining enough anymore without magical powers.
*You like "Witches of Eastwick" enough to see a TV version of it...but not enough to be offended if it's nowhere near as good.
*You see the new TV season as nothing more than a vehicle to get you ready for the real event of the fall: Halloween!
So while I'm sure for some the "Witches of Eastwick" nostalgia is strong with this show, it reminds me more of a little number called "Charmed." 3 women with supernatural abilities, an evolving mythology, a light tone...seems like that's the deal here.
But let me tell you, "Eastwick." I knew "Charmed." I frequently flipped to
Charmed" to see what ridiculous sexy outfit Alyssa Milano was wearing in a given episode. And, 'Eastwick," you are no "Charmed."
You should watch "Eastwick" if...
*You loved Charmed, but you just wish it had been a little blonder.
*You think every troubled woman just needs a little (possibly) satanic intervention to unlock her full potential.
*Suburbia just isn't entertaining enough anymore without magical powers.
*You like "Witches of Eastwick" enough to see a TV version of it...but not enough to be offended if it's nowhere near as good.
*You see the new TV season as nothing more than a vehicle to get you ready for the real event of the fall: Halloween!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Should You Watch: Mercy
Is it just me or are about 90% of the new shows on network TV this season aimed squarely at the female half of the population? I'm just saying, is all. Case in point: "Mercy," a new NBC hospital show with a core of female characters and a seeming commitment to emphasizing...feelings as much as medical action.
I wasn't impressed by the pilot episode, but you might want to check out. Here is why you should watch "Mercy":
*You just can't get enough of shows about nurses.
*Though you love shows about nurses, you don't want to see things you haven't seen before in shows about nurses.
*One hour of "Grey's Anatomy" per week just isn't enough for you.
*You look forward to spending the next couple of TV seasons agonizing over yet another "Will they/Won't they? couple. The lead, a nurse who served in Iraq, has discovered her doctor fling over there just took a job at her hospital--and she's engaged to her longtime stateside boyfriend! Hoo boy!
*You're thinking of applying to medical school, and the only way you can know for sure if the profession is right for you is to see it through the eyes of a naive, fresh-faced youngster just starting out (Michelle Trachtenberg).
*You're looking for someone just a little more cuddly than Nurse Jackie, someone who may be prickly at times but that's OK because she's an Iraq vet, man, and besides, nurses get no respect, and she deserves the chance to blow off a little steam by hitting the bar with her colleagues for a night of "You go, girl!" kind of fun.
I wasn't impressed by the pilot episode, but you might want to check out. Here is why you should watch "Mercy":
*You just can't get enough of shows about nurses.
*Though you love shows about nurses, you don't want to see things you haven't seen before in shows about nurses.
*One hour of "Grey's Anatomy" per week just isn't enough for you.
*You look forward to spending the next couple of TV seasons agonizing over yet another "Will they/Won't they? couple. The lead, a nurse who served in Iraq, has discovered her doctor fling over there just took a job at her hospital--and she's engaged to her longtime stateside boyfriend! Hoo boy!
*You're thinking of applying to medical school, and the only way you can know for sure if the profession is right for you is to see it through the eyes of a naive, fresh-faced youngster just starting out (Michelle Trachtenberg).
*You're looking for someone just a little more cuddly than Nurse Jackie, someone who may be prickly at times but that's OK because she's an Iraq vet, man, and besides, nurses get no respect, and she deserves the chance to blow off a little steam by hitting the bar with her colleagues for a night of "You go, girl!" kind of fun.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Should You Watch: The Forgotten
Of the many new shows dotting the networks' primetime schedules this fall, "The Forgotten" is...one of them. It plays like just another procedural show, albeit with the interesting twist that the people solving cold cases (and restoring peace to the "forgotten" victims and their loved ones) are volunteers, a sort of ad-hoc special crimes unit. I could buy that premise and I could buy Christian Slater as their driven ex-cop leader, but I'd have to get stories a lot sharper than what I saw in last week's pilot.
You should watch "The Forgotten" if:
*You feel it's about time that poor, struggling producer Jerry Bruckheimer finally got a break.
*You're guilty about Slater's last show, "My Worst Enemy" tanking last year, and you feel you owe him one ("Enemy" was flawed, but it was much more compelling).
*Hey, you'll watch any scripted show at 10:00 just to stick it to NBC and Jay Leno.
*You get confused and think "The Forgotten" is somehow solving real cases.
*You're so excited to see someone from "The Wire" (State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman, or rather actress Deirdre Lovejoy, appeared in a small but key role in the pilot) that you think, hey, maybe it could happen again.
You should watch "The Forgotten" if:
*You feel it's about time that poor, struggling producer Jerry Bruckheimer finally got a break.
*You're guilty about Slater's last show, "My Worst Enemy" tanking last year, and you feel you owe him one ("Enemy" was flawed, but it was much more compelling).
*Hey, you'll watch any scripted show at 10:00 just to stick it to NBC and Jay Leno.
*You get confused and think "The Forgotten" is somehow solving real cases.
*You're so excited to see someone from "The Wire" (State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman, or rather actress Deirdre Lovejoy, appeared in a small but key role in the pilot) that you think, hey, maybe it could happen again.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Should You Watch: Accidentally on Purpose
Before I tell you why you should watch "Accidentally on Purpose," a new sitcom airing Monday nights on CBS, let me tell you if you're interested, you had better do it quickly, because this is already a candidate for cancellation.
In this series, Jenna Elfman is a movie critic who embarks on a one-night stand with a much younger guy she meets in a bar (is "embarks" an appropriate word for picking up a guy in a bar?) and gets pregnant. Yay, younger guy's sperm! Complications are sure to ensue as we follow Elfman and the baby daddy, who she is letting stay in her apartment because otherwise he'd be living out of his van. You know, despite how I'm making it sound, this show is a lot more silly than seedy.
You should watch "Accidentally on Purpose" if:
*You really like Jenna Elfman. I mean, really like her. I'm talking you taped "Dharma and Greg" on WE, even though you had seen every episode, on the remote chance that maybe you'd catch one you had never seen, and even if you wouldn't, well, you'd go ahead and watch it, anyway. "Accidentally" is totally based on Elfman, and if you don't like her, don't even try it.
*The thought of a thirtysomething woman hooking up with a much younger guy makes you go, "Mm-HMM! You GO, girl!"
*You believe that the best way to illustrate a male character's youth and emotional maturity is to establish that he owns and uses a Wii.
*You're nostalgic enough for the idea of a newspaper employing a full-time film critic that you're just happy to see it be someone's occupation on TV.
*A whole week's worth of pregnancy-related reality shows on TLC just aren't doing it for you.
*You want the show to go long enough to see the inevitable stunt casting of Lauren Graham as Elfman's sister.
*You don't want to miss the cool old movie posters on Elfman's character's wall. I saw "Gilda" and a few others in the premiere.
*The new "Melrose Place" has awoken your Grant Show Fever from remission (Show is the newspaper owner who has just broken up with Elfman's character when the pilot begins).
As for me, well, the next time I see the show, it'll be an accident and not on purpose (as opposed to the Show--you never know when ol' Grant will turn up on my TV). It's not terrible, but you can see the whole thing laid out for you by just watching a few minutes, and it's not a direction I feel like going.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Should You Watch: The Goode Family
This is why I haven't done one of these posts in a while: Each time I sample a new show and think I might write about it, it gets canceled, or all but canceled, before I finish. "The Goode Family," Mike Judge's new ABC animated sitcom, has been exiled to Friday nights as punishment for its poor ratings, but though it may now be moot, I will attempt to answer the question, "Should you watch The Goode Family"?
I know I'm watching it, even if it's playing out the string right now. I like the Mike Judge style, and while this comedy isn't his best work, it's goode enough if not greate. The show is about an ultraliberal couple finding all sorts of obstacles as it tries to live the politically correct life as a family.
You should watch this show if:
*You'll give Mike Judge at least a shot on any of his projects (this should include most of you).
*You really miss David Van Driessen from "Beavis and Butt-head." See, Judge's voice for main character Gerald Goode is an awful lot like that of Mr. V.D., and their behavior and attitudes aren't that dissimilar, either. This is a good thing, as that was one of the great cartoon characters of all time.
*You believe that deep down, liberals are, if not outright hypocrites, naive types who don't understand how impractical their ideas are in the real world. I don't agree with that, but the show does mock extreme liberal ideas more than extreme conservative ones. You could argue whether or not the show is mocking or not of the Goode's basic world views.
*Hey, there's another reason to watch: You enjoy arguing whether or not sitcoms or conservative or liberal in their ideology.
*You resent the idea of Fox having a prime time animation monopoly.
*You have been hungering for a return to weekly TV of Brian Doyle Murray, who is outstanding as Helen Goode's crude, unsupportive father.
I know I'm watching it, even if it's playing out the string right now. I like the Mike Judge style, and while this comedy isn't his best work, it's goode enough if not greate. The show is about an ultraliberal couple finding all sorts of obstacles as it tries to live the politically correct life as a family.
You should watch this show if:
*You'll give Mike Judge at least a shot on any of his projects (this should include most of you).
*You really miss David Van Driessen from "Beavis and Butt-head." See, Judge's voice for main character Gerald Goode is an awful lot like that of Mr. V.D., and their behavior and attitudes aren't that dissimilar, either. This is a good thing, as that was one of the great cartoon characters of all time.
*You believe that deep down, liberals are, if not outright hypocrites, naive types who don't understand how impractical their ideas are in the real world. I don't agree with that, but the show does mock extreme liberal ideas more than extreme conservative ones. You could argue whether or not the show is mocking or not of the Goode's basic world views.
*Hey, there's another reason to watch: You enjoy arguing whether or not sitcoms or conservative or liberal in their ideology.
*You resent the idea of Fox having a prime time animation monopoly.
*You have been hungering for a return to weekly TV of Brian Doyle Murray, who is outstanding as Helen Goode's crude, unsupportive father.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Should You Watch: Life on Mars
I wanted to give this one two full episodes, but I bailed on the ABC version of the BBC cop show with a twist about 10 minutes into the second one. The pilot was OK, but I couldn't shake the feeling I had seen it already and had seen it done better. Still, I thought it merited another shot. But in that follow-up, I got so sick of the "Hey, folks, it's 1973!" references crammed into the script that I gave up.
Pretty much everything about the remake is much, much less subtle than the original: The acting, the cinematography (the whole show is shot in a haze meant to suggest the era), the storytelling, and, yes, the establishment of setting. There are ways to remind us we're in 1973 without making characters say awkward things like, "That has about as much a chance of happening as Roe vs. Wade being overturned."
You should watch "Life on Mars" if:
*You have never seen the original.
*You experience severe "Sopranos" and "The Wire" withdrawal (But while Michael Imperioli is a big part of the show, my man Clarke Peters is apparently much less so).
*You Love the 70s.
*You can't get enough of the classic rock and glam rock megahits from the era.
*You think Harvey Keitel's presence in weekly network TV is long overdue.
*You get a kick out of seeing cops beat the hell out of suspects and use questionable tactics to gather evidence (not that I don't).
Pretty much everything about the remake is much, much less subtle than the original: The acting, the cinematography (the whole show is shot in a haze meant to suggest the era), the storytelling, and, yes, the establishment of setting. There are ways to remind us we're in 1973 without making characters say awkward things like, "That has about as much a chance of happening as Roe vs. Wade being overturned."
You should watch "Life on Mars" if:
*You have never seen the original.
*You experience severe "Sopranos" and "The Wire" withdrawal (But while Michael Imperioli is a big part of the show, my man Clarke Peters is apparently much less so).
*You Love the 70s.
*You can't get enough of the classic rock and glam rock megahits from the era.
*You think Harvey Keitel's presence in weekly network TV is long overdue.
*You get a kick out of seeing cops beat the hell out of suspects and use questionable tactics to gather evidence (not that I don't).
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Should you watch: Testees, Kath and Kim
No, no, no. Don't watch either of these. Sometimes I'll take a bad show and try to get cute with some circumstances in which you should watch it, but other times, I can only warn you away. Pretending otherwise is just too difficult.
OK, maybe you loved the original Australian version of "Kath and Kim" and you feel you simply must see NBC's remake. In that case, go ahead. I didn't laugh one time during the half-hour premiere, and I'm not entirely sure where I was supposed to laugh. The title characters are played by Molly Shannon and Selma Blair, and while I'm sure they're trying, I'm not fond of either performer, and they don't seem to be bringing much to the table here.
I think that we're supposed to see this show as a satire of American culture because the ladies make comments about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie or stuff like that. Oh, and talented veteran of Chris Guest movies John Michael Higgins is here as Shannon's boyfriend, but he has nothing to do, either. From what I gather, we're supposed to laugh at him because he...really, really loves Shannon's character. Yeah, I don't get it, either.
I didn't see the Aussie edition, but I already like it better after seeing the American copy. In fact, I think more of just about every other TV show on right now after seeing this witless, lame "comedy."
Every show except "Testees" on FX, a sitcom about two guys who work as test subjects for drugs. If you didn't snicker at the title, that's fine--I'm not judging here--but in no way should you watch the actual show. It's rude, crude, and socially unacceptable--not a dealbreaker for me, really, but the problem is what it ISN'T--funny.
I delayed writing this post almost a week to see if I could expunge from my brain some of the images from the first episode. I'm talking about a man lactating, a guy peeing, and a fat dude dressed up (barely) like an infant. I don't even think these were the worst ones.
"Edgy" comedy doesn't scare me away. Before "Testees," I watched an episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" which was about poop. Literally, it was about poop. It offered bad language and shady characters, but it made me laugh many times. That's approximately, well, MANY times more than I laughed during the appalling "Testees."
To summarize: No, you should not watch either of these sitcoms.
OK, maybe you loved the original Australian version of "Kath and Kim" and you feel you simply must see NBC's remake. In that case, go ahead. I didn't laugh one time during the half-hour premiere, and I'm not entirely sure where I was supposed to laugh. The title characters are played by Molly Shannon and Selma Blair, and while I'm sure they're trying, I'm not fond of either performer, and they don't seem to be bringing much to the table here.
I think that we're supposed to see this show as a satire of American culture because the ladies make comments about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie or stuff like that. Oh, and talented veteran of Chris Guest movies John Michael Higgins is here as Shannon's boyfriend, but he has nothing to do, either. From what I gather, we're supposed to laugh at him because he...really, really loves Shannon's character. Yeah, I don't get it, either.
I didn't see the Aussie edition, but I already like it better after seeing the American copy. In fact, I think more of just about every other TV show on right now after seeing this witless, lame "comedy."
Every show except "Testees" on FX, a sitcom about two guys who work as test subjects for drugs. If you didn't snicker at the title, that's fine--I'm not judging here--but in no way should you watch the actual show. It's rude, crude, and socially unacceptable--not a dealbreaker for me, really, but the problem is what it ISN'T--funny.
I delayed writing this post almost a week to see if I could expunge from my brain some of the images from the first episode. I'm talking about a man lactating, a guy peeing, and a fat dude dressed up (barely) like an infant. I don't even think these were the worst ones.
"Edgy" comedy doesn't scare me away. Before "Testees," I watched an episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" which was about poop. Literally, it was about poop. It offered bad language and shady characters, but it made me laugh many times. That's approximately, well, MANY times more than I laughed during the appalling "Testees."
To summarize: No, you should not watch either of these sitcoms.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Should You Watch: The Tony Rock Project
Maybe I should ask CAN you watch this new sketch-comedy series, since it airs on My Network TV, an outlet whose buzz level currently falls somewhere between pro darts and Dom DeLuise.
But just in case you do have a MyTV affiliate in your area--and you can find it on your TV--let me share my experience of watching the debut episode. What follows is a list of the things that I learned from that premiere:
*Prince is a bit eccentric.
*It's funny when people of different ethnic backgrounds dance to music not traditionally associated with their own ethnicity.
*Cops sometimes pull over African-Americans without just cause.
*Guys use cheesy pickup lines.
*Gary Coleman has a temper.
*It's funny when white chicks try to "talk black" and/or "act black."
So, then, let me review what I learned so far from "The Tony Rock Project." I learned...ABSOLUTELY NOTHING because this unoriginal show offers nothing we haven't seen before--possibly decades before--and funnier.
You should watch "The Tony Rock Project" if:
*You can't afford HBO, which shows big brother Chris' specials, but you have to get your Rock fix somehow.
*You're too busy Friday nights to watch "Everybody Hates Chris," but you have to get your Rock fix somehow.
*You've never seen "The Rundown," "Game Plan", or WWE television from about 1996-2003, but you have to get your Rock fix--you get the idea.
*You've never seen "In Living Color," "Saturday Night Live," or any standup comedy routine from the last 30 years.
*You believe the absence of "Chapelle's Show" leaves a void too great in the Mocking Prince media slot.
As for me, I don't think I'll watch the second episode this Wednesday, but I'm almost curious to see if this groundbreaking program tackles such hot-button issues as rap videos with women in skimpy clothes or the quirks of Michael Jackson.
But just in case you do have a MyTV affiliate in your area--and you can find it on your TV--let me share my experience of watching the debut episode. What follows is a list of the things that I learned from that premiere:
*Prince is a bit eccentric.
*It's funny when people of different ethnic backgrounds dance to music not traditionally associated with their own ethnicity.
*Cops sometimes pull over African-Americans without just cause.
*Guys use cheesy pickup lines.
*Gary Coleman has a temper.
*It's funny when white chicks try to "talk black" and/or "act black."
So, then, let me review what I learned so far from "The Tony Rock Project." I learned...ABSOLUTELY NOTHING because this unoriginal show offers nothing we haven't seen before--possibly decades before--and funnier.
You should watch "The Tony Rock Project" if:
*You can't afford HBO, which shows big brother Chris' specials, but you have to get your Rock fix somehow.
*You're too busy Friday nights to watch "Everybody Hates Chris," but you have to get your Rock fix somehow.
*You've never seen "The Rundown," "Game Plan", or WWE television from about 1996-2003, but you have to get your Rock fix--you get the idea.
*You've never seen "In Living Color," "Saturday Night Live," or any standup comedy routine from the last 30 years.
*You believe the absence of "Chapelle's Show" leaves a void too great in the Mocking Prince media slot.
As for me, I don't think I'll watch the second episode this Wednesday, but I'm almost curious to see if this groundbreaking program tackles such hot-button issues as rap videos with women in skimpy clothes or the quirks of Michael Jackson.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Should You Watch: Do Not Disturb
A sitcom set in a big ol' hotel doesn't sound like a terrible idea, does it? In fact, a sitcom, period, seems pretty nice when compared to so much of the junk that's on the networks' primetime schedules. Unfortunately, when the sitcom is "Do Not Disturb," you get a harsh reminder that, scarce as they are nowadays, the few new comedies that make it to air can be just as junky as anything else that's on.
I wish I could explain the premise of this new series, but the first episode did such a poor job of establishing it, I got nothing. Of course, it's possible that the premise really is just, "People that work in a hotel act all horny all the time and trade innuendo and lame punchlines," because that's what the debut episode (which I don't believe is the actual pilot) gave us. Oh, what a disappointment it is to see Jason Bateman credited as a director for this show.
People like having sex. People that work in a hotel presumably are no less inclined than the general population, maybe even more so (for argument's sake). Showing that in a sitcom is OK--if it's funny.
Would you be surprised at this point to learn "Do Not Disturb" airs on FOX?
You should watch "Do Not Disturb" if...
*You're desperate for new sitcoms, even one that features a punchline ending with, "...when we saw her penis."
*You're a charter member of the Jerry O'Connell Fan Club and a member in good standing of the sub-group of Fans Who Support Television's Constant Effort to Push Jerry O'Connell as a Sex Symbol and Make Us Forget His Role in "Stand By Me."
*You like the idea of a sitcom set in a hotel, just not enough that you expect to see scenes that actually involve hotel business, operations, or situations.
*You hope that Taylor Cole, the actress who played "Tasha" in the first episode, returns (Hey, I'm not made of stone, you know).
*You want to support any comedy that puts gay men in the same ludicrous, contrived situations that heterosexual men usually get into on TV.
*You've been lulled into a Coma of Mediocrity by watching 'Til Death at 9:00 and risk injuring yourself if you move too quickly to turn the channel at 9:30.
I wish I could explain the premise of this new series, but the first episode did such a poor job of establishing it, I got nothing. Of course, it's possible that the premise really is just, "People that work in a hotel act all horny all the time and trade innuendo and lame punchlines," because that's what the debut episode (which I don't believe is the actual pilot) gave us. Oh, what a disappointment it is to see Jason Bateman credited as a director for this show.
People like having sex. People that work in a hotel presumably are no less inclined than the general population, maybe even more so (for argument's sake). Showing that in a sitcom is OK--if it's funny.
Would you be surprised at this point to learn "Do Not Disturb" airs on FOX?
You should watch "Do Not Disturb" if...
*You're desperate for new sitcoms, even one that features a punchline ending with, "...when we saw her penis."
*You're a charter member of the Jerry O'Connell Fan Club and a member in good standing of the sub-group of Fans Who Support Television's Constant Effort to Push Jerry O'Connell as a Sex Symbol and Make Us Forget His Role in "Stand By Me."
*You like the idea of a sitcom set in a hotel, just not enough that you expect to see scenes that actually involve hotel business, operations, or situations.
*You hope that Taylor Cole, the actress who played "Tasha" in the first episode, returns (Hey, I'm not made of stone, you know).
*You want to support any comedy that puts gay men in the same ludicrous, contrived situations that heterosexual men usually get into on TV.
*You've been lulled into a Coma of Mediocrity by watching 'Til Death at 9:00 and risk injuring yourself if you move too quickly to turn the channel at 9:30.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Should You Watch: Raising the Bar
Common occurrence these days: New TNT ("We know") drama debuts. I watch it. I am thoroughly unimpressed. The ratings are revealed. The new drama is a big hit. I scratch my head.
Before I tell you who should watch Steven Bochco's new legal show, let me just say this: How in the world can we have gone 60-odd years without a single television program or movie using the title "Raising the Bar"? It's just too awful a pun not to have been used. Somehow, though, Bochco is the first, and I guess in that sense, this series can be called "groundbreaking." But only in that sense.
Oh, the pilot was zippy and had some entertaining moments, but it's central conceit--idealistic young lawyer struggles with an unforgiving judge--was nothing we haven't seen before, and actually Jane Kaczmarek's judge was too villainous to be believable. Plus Mark-Paul Gosselaar's idealistic young lawyer was too, well, Zach, to be believable. And let me tell you, researching and meticulously typing those names is enough work for an entire post, so I'm not gonna bother mentioning the rest of the cast.
I'm not even sure if the show is actually that concerned with that conflict, though. The two big reveals in the pilot were A) someone is sleeping with someone and B) someone else is sleeping with someone else. Oh, I thought to myself, it's one of those legal shows.
You should watch "Raising the Bar" if:
*You assume that somehow, someway, this'll lead to Dennis Franz's return.
*You wear "Bayside High Athletic Department" t-shirts while watching football on Sunday afternoons--and not ironically.
*You're a firm believer in the virtues of nepotism (the pilot was directed by Jesse Bochco, son of Steve).
*You love TV and all, but you keep saying to yourself, "Darn it, there just aren't enough legal shows on these days."
*You just love that title.
Before I tell you who should watch Steven Bochco's new legal show, let me just say this: How in the world can we have gone 60-odd years without a single television program or movie using the title "Raising the Bar"? It's just too awful a pun not to have been used. Somehow, though, Bochco is the first, and I guess in that sense, this series can be called "groundbreaking." But only in that sense.
Oh, the pilot was zippy and had some entertaining moments, but it's central conceit--idealistic young lawyer struggles with an unforgiving judge--was nothing we haven't seen before, and actually Jane Kaczmarek's judge was too villainous to be believable. Plus Mark-Paul Gosselaar's idealistic young lawyer was too, well, Zach, to be believable. And let me tell you, researching and meticulously typing those names is enough work for an entire post, so I'm not gonna bother mentioning the rest of the cast.
I'm not even sure if the show is actually that concerned with that conflict, though. The two big reveals in the pilot were A) someone is sleeping with someone and B) someone else is sleeping with someone else. Oh, I thought to myself, it's one of those legal shows.
You should watch "Raising the Bar" if:
*You assume that somehow, someway, this'll lead to Dennis Franz's return.
*You wear "Bayside High Athletic Department" t-shirts while watching football on Sunday afternoons--and not ironically.
*You're a firm believer in the virtues of nepotism (the pilot was directed by Jesse Bochco, son of Steve).
*You love TV and all, but you keep saying to yourself, "Darn it, there just aren't enough legal shows on these days."
*You just love that title.
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