In the second of today's three columns (counting the Emmy recap), I review CBS' "Worst Week," which I found mostly amusing in the pilot, but which I wonder about the longevity of. Mostly, the column's an excuse for me to muse on the foreign adaptations trend that's so big this season.As with the pilots for most new shows, I'm not going to do a separate post for after the episode airs, so feel free to discuss it here tonight.
I tried watching the original British version several times, because on the academic side of theatre, farce is one of my specialties. I never could see the appeal of the show--it broke one of the cardinal rules of good farce by featuring people who were too stupid to live.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of Frasier's farces was that we were seeing smart people trying to be clever and outsmarting themselves. (It also didn't hurt to have Joe Keenan on the writing staff; check out any one of his three novels, but especially Blue Heaven, which is laugh out loud funny at times and builds to a smashing ending.)
So I'll give this version a try, but I'm dubious. Then again, the original didn't have Kurtwood Smith, which already means it's improved...
ok, i'll try it. since you laughed. i may also check out ep 2 of The Office. I just retried
ReplyDeletethe pilot, and endured longer than the first try, but still only 2/3rds of the way thru - it was just torture.
I guess pressing override on an inactive recording schedule doesn't actually cause anything to actually *record.*
ReplyDeleteoh well.
Big Bang was good and so was HIMYM.
I thought it was pretty funny. I definitely could see how it could get real stale real quick, but I think I'll stick around for the next few episodes to see how it goes.
ReplyDeleteSam is likable enough to root for him and everything that happens seems to be a genuine accident and not solely stupidity.
I love farce. Caveat: I love farce that starts from a solid foundation. "Noises Off," "Lend Me a Tenor," yes. "Boeing-Boeing," no. (Too much, too soon.)
ReplyDeleteLots of great critical buzz from Alan and others, so I was looking forward to this. But the cracks developed early and often:
1. Why did he have to take his colleague in the cab instead of tossing her in the back seat and giving the driver some money?
2. Why didn't he just call for another cab after they got thrown out of the first one?
3. (You pick) Whose bathroom has no towels in it? / Who doesn't notice there are no towels in a bathroom?
4. Even in a blackout, how does he mistake the kitchen for the bathroom?
Click.
Yes, Smith and Lenehan were funny, but neither of their characters was different from those on "'70s" and "Earl." My sympathies to the actress playing the daughter, whose character would be right at home on any hour-long dramedy, but here -- not so much.
Remember not all shows start out rockin!! This one made me laugh so I'll watch more
ReplyDelete