In today's column, I review HBO's new comedy
"Eastbound & Down," which I didn't love:
It's easy to see why Will Ferrell and writer/director Adam McKay wanted to work with actor Danny McBride, who co-created and stars in HBO's Ferrell & McKay-produced new comedy "Eastbound & Down." In his movie roles -- most recently in scene-stealing turns in last summer's "Pineapple Express" and "Tropic Thunder" -- McBride plays the sort of aggressively self-unaware characters that Ferrell and McKay love to create, and he plays them with as much gusto as Ferrell brought to characters like Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby.
Actually, no. McBride plays these morons with even more gusto, which is fine in a small role but problematic when he's the main attraction.
To read the full thing,
click here. I don't think I'll be doing a separate post-mortem for the pilot episode, so feel free to discuss it here on Sunday night.
In today's column, I review HBO's new comedy "Eastbound & Down," which I didn't love:
Alan, I don't think that link works.
ReplyDeleteLink is fixed now. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI feel like a minority with my love for Danny McBride humor.
ReplyDeleteI watch Hot Rod repeatedly for his one-liners, and I greatly anticipate seeing this show.
I've seen "The Foot Fist Way," and had the same problem with it that you seem to have with this show. McBride's characters are funny in small doses, and insufferable after more than maybe 30 minutes.
ReplyDeleteWatch it again. It's the funniest pilot I've seen of anything.
ReplyDeleteI think people are so ingrained to root for a likable protagonist that I think it jars the senses when your main character is a complete and utter douche bag. With that said, Powers does sort of bring a message about not giving to his students that, while laced with profanity, does have some merit.
ReplyDeleteI think people are so ingrained to root for a likable protagonist that I think it jars the senses when your main character is a complete and utter douche bag.
ReplyDeleteI've liked plenty of shows with unlikable protagonists. Curb Your Enthusiasm, for example. But the main character has to have some kind of redeeming feature -- maybe not morally redeeming, but something that compensates me as a viewer for spending time with him or her being an ass -- and McBride's character in Eastbound doesn't provide enough compensation.
I was a big foot fist fan. It wasn't until my second viewing that I really enjoyed it however. I saw the East Bound pilot for the first time last May and have probably seen it five or six times since. I really think its one of the funniest pilots I have ever seen. I hope the rest of the series lives up to my high expectations.
ReplyDeleteThree cheers for my employer getting a brief cameo during that opening montage.
ReplyDeleteHave watched it twice already. Hilarious!
ReplyDeleteyour all retarded this show is the first thing in a long time that has kept me going. and McBride isn't the only thing to watch. Katy Mixon is hot as hell, and the retard that is his assistant is crazy funny, last but not least if you dont think this show is funny then go live life cuz the character kenny powers has and he starts realizing whats important this show has a lot of potential and im think Katy Mixon is good enough to watch and that sexy little accent. now for all the poeple who dont like this show. Piss Off!!!
ReplyDelete