Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
10.00 Andy Richter Controls The Universe
10.30 Arrested Development
11.00 Are You Being Served?
Andy Richter Controls The Universe. Episode 1. "Pilot" Andy is forced to share his office with a new guy called Byron and he schemes to get Byron fired...
Hilarious.
The first episode is a comedy treat. One of the funniest pilots I have ever seen. For instance, it makes a better/funnier first impression than the pilot of Arrested Development. Since so much of the humour in that show comes from knowing stuff that happened in previous episode. Andy... is a self-contained treat week after week. The high concept of the series (Andy imagines things and we see them) is quickly/cleverly/cleanly established before the credits have rolled.
Even so, the Andy... pilot has a few elements that are not part of the series as a whole. Andy has a huge crush on Wendy in this episode (and the next) and that's something that they didn't carry forward into the series. Also, while Keith and Andy are friendly there seems to be a lot of hidden resentment (on Andy's part) that is - wisely - forgotten as the series goes forward. From the third episode onward the show is about a group of five friends and there's no hidden conflicts/subplots between them.
All five regulars make a great impression here. Jonathan Slavin comes closest to stealing the show out from under Andy Richter. But he doesn't succeed. C'mon, it's Andy Richter! He's always going to be the funniest one in the room.
Arrested Development. Epispde 13. "Beef Consommé" George Sr. has his day in court.
Being the 13th (and final) episode of the series original order from Fox, this could well have been the last-ever episode of the show. As such, it would have served as a fitting finalé. The Marta storyline is concluded, George Michael finds out that Maeby isn't really his cousin, and Tobias is finally free of his Never-Nude disorder. Whew!
Michael Paul Chan (of The Closer) makes his first appearance as Judge Ping and Henry Winkler gets the biggest laugh (for me) when he enters as their lawyer and tells the Bluths that he's been delayed because he had another hearing but, good news, he thinks he'll get off.
All three brother lose Marta in the end, but - rather than being a downer - this conclusion serves, in an odd way, to unite the Bluth boys as never before. Had it been the ending, it would not have been a totally awful place to leave it.
Are You Being Served? Episode 1. "Are You Being Served?" A reorganisation withing the store means the Men's Department has to share a floor with the Ladies' Department for the first time ever...
Delightful opening episode, with a hilarious performance from Mollie Sugden, lots of double entendres and lots of natural conflict built into the premise.
The first episode zips along very nicely as the characters adjust to their first morning sharing a floor together. It's a strong cast and each one nicely carves a niche for themselves as the action moves rapidly from squabble to squabble.
Mollie Sugden makes the best impression. She's wonderfully pompous and larger than life. And very funny. John Inman (the other huge star of the show) is somewhat subdued in this first outing.
The dialogue is peppered with references to removing trousers and putting bras on display as the show quickly finds it's feet with regard to the type of humour it wants to employ.
The concept has lots of in-built conflict. Mrs. Slocombe and Miss Brahms are new to the floor, a floor with has always been exclusively for the Men's Department. Therefore there's a battle for control of the floor space between Mrs. Slocombe and Mr. Grainger (head of the Men's Department). Grainger's underlings, however, aren't exactly full or respect for the old codger. Mr. Lucas (always my favourite character in the show) is full of disrespect for everything and everyone, and Mr. Humphries is the only character in the whole series with a realistic world-view. Humphries doesn't openly disrespect the absurd status quo of his workplace, but it's clear from his subtle comments that takes nothing very seriously.
Two superiors are added into the mix (Peacock and Rumbold) and the concept is complete. The show's staff hierarchy can also be seen as parody of the British class system.
Highlight? Arrested Development (a sort of ending)
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Andy Richter Controls The Universe, Arrested Development, Are You Being Served?
