Re: POLL (Part II) - (Returning) Shows Premiering on 09/19
- From: "WQ" <wq@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 20 Sep 2005 11:07:16 -0700
David wrote:
> On 20 Sep 2005 10:18:23 -0700, "WQ" <wq@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >
> >David wrote:
> >> Maureen Goldman wrote:
> >> > >David <dimlan17@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > >I jusdt finished rewatching season 2. What a brilliant,
> >> > >endlessly-inventive series. People, you gotta watch! In 50 years
> >> > >you'll be kicking yourselves.
> >> >
> >> > You promise that I'll be kicking myself in 50 years for not watching
> >> > the show? (I'm 61 - this gives me considerable incentive to continue
> >> > to avoid Arrested Development.)
> >>
> >> Oh sure, if you prefer to live a long life devoid of laughter...
> >
> >
> >--- Some people like their laughter strained, others like it
> >free-flowing. I always did get the feeling you were a bit on the
> >strained side, David.
>
> I prefer my comedy to be witty, intelligent, multi-layered and
> off-the-wall irreverent, plus rewarding to long-time viewers and
> multiple views. Knowing how frequently you bail out of shows 15
> minutes in I'm guessing that you were too lazy or impatient to give it
> a chance (hey it took me a few episodes to get to understand the
> characters and the flow of the show too).
--- Yeah, just like I said, you like your comedy strained. Here's a
little extract from my Monday Night Reviews that I think hits the nail
on the head as to why "Arrested Development" doesn't work.
-> And I'm talking a zaniness that works, not one that screams zaniness
like
"Malcolm in the Middle." In fact, "Kitchen Confidential" succeeds
where another supposed zany sitcom, "Arrested Development," fails. It
zips along effortlessly and naturally without any self-conscious
attempts at being anything other than what it actually is. "AD," by
contrast, just plods along from one set-up to another, painfully trying
to extract humor out of its characters and situations where none
actually exists. <-
And yes, I know, humor is subjective and we can have a longwinded
debate about what really is funny and what isn't. "AD" may have its
moments, but they're too few and far between, with a lot of struggling
along in that in between to get to whatever can be viewed as actual
laugh material. The show's main failing, I guess, is in its execution,
which is that it looks forced and contrived in a very conscious way, as
if everybody sat around one day and said, "Hey, let's make this witty,
intelligent, multi-layered and off-the-wall irreverent, plus rewarding
to long-time viewers and mutliple views type of sitcom," [and if that's
not a strained description, I don't know what is], rather than, "Hey,
here's something that can work, let's just fly with it." Again, the
difference between "AD" and "Kitchen Confidential." Another thing is
comedy doesn't work when it *tries* to be "smart." Comedy can be
smart, but it's not comedy when it labors to that end, which is what
"AD" strains very hard at. Comedy hits the mark more often and better
when it's effortless and natural, regardless of what kind of it is,
smart or not.
.
- References:
- POLL (Part II) - (Returning) Shows Premiering on 09/19
- From: Ian J. Ball
- Re: POLL (Part II) - (Returning) Shows Premiering on 09/19
- From: David
- Re: POLL (Part II) - (Returning) Shows Premiering on 09/19
- From: Maureen Goldman
- Re: POLL (Part II) - (Returning) Shows Premiering on 09/19
- From: David
- Re: POLL (Part II) - (Returning) Shows Premiering on 09/19
- From: WQ
- Re: POLL (Part II) - (Returning) Shows Premiering on 09/19
- From: David
- POLL (Part II) - (Returning) Shows Premiering on 09/19
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