TV Round Up

Since having broadband installed, I’ve been managing to keep up with a number of US TV shows we won’t be getting here for a while, so here’s a preview of a few of them.

I’m pretty much caught up with Arrested Development, which is about half way through its season 2 run here.

For anyone following the madcap adventures of the Bluths, the rest of the season just keeps getting better and better and is full of hilarious twists and guest appearances.

The same applies to season 3, which again features a few of the famous guests who appear to be cueing up to be in the show.

In particular, look out for Scott Baio; not so much for his performance but for his hilarious character name. Also, Tobias’ business card nearly made me fall off my chair laughing.

I really hope Arrested Development gains the audience it deserves. It’s the best US comedy since Seinfeld.

Also very funny is Chris Rock’s show, Everybody Hates Chris.

You may recall me suggesting a few weeks ago that I felt this would be standard fare at best but I am pleased to report that I was wrong.

The format is very similar to that of “The Wonder Years”, with Rock himself narrating the stories set in 80’s Brooklyn.

Star of the show for me so far has been Terry Crews as Julies, his penny-pinching befuddled father, permanently exhausted by his multiple jobs, his kids and his firecracker wife, who is also excellently portrayed by Tichina Arnold.

This show has a real warmth to it, which is blended well with Rock’s hilarious observations about the bleak backdrop of the area he grew up in.

Another winner if more of a slow burner is Jason Lee’s My Name Is Earl.

This is a more “high concept” show which features Lee as a waster who realises that his life will never get better until he starts being a better person himself. Embracing Karma after a car accident immediately succeeds a large lottery win, Earl makes a list of all the bad things he’s done and each show sees him attempt to right one of these wrongs accompanied by his idiot brother Randy and Latino love interest Catalina. All is not plain sailing however as he is being vigorously pursued throughout by his white trash ex-wife Joy who is determined to get her hands on his money.

My Name Is Earl is funny and once again has the kind of warmth you’d expect from a US sit-com. It’s nice to see a show about a character trying to be a better person, flying as it does in the face of grab-what-you-can, dog-eat-dog reality TV, but I feel this is a grower, yet to really hit it’s stride after the 3 episodes I’ve seen so far.

Family Guy, which I think I’m right in saying is the first show in US history to be “un-cancelled”, is just getting into its 5th season. And hilarious it is too.

Seth McFarlane has had to deal with a lot of criticism for ripping off The Simpsons, and a lot of it has been justified, but the bottom line is that Family Guy holds it’s own in terms of funny with the greatest show ever made and the newer shows are no exception.

Stewie, the main character’s malevolent infant son for example has been developed to the point where he is now one of the all time great comedy characters.

Also from the McFarlane stable is American Dad, which looked very funny as well in the one episode I’ve seen so far.

I can’t sound off without mentioning Curb Your Enthusiasm.

I’ve just finished watching the 4th season and it was a terrific return to form after what I considered to be a slightly disappointing 3rd season (with the obvious exception of the “Crayzee Eyes Killa” episode).

Larry David has a remarkable ability not only to make you laugh but to create comedy that absolutely delights.

Hilarious moments in this season involve Larry’s feud with a weatherman over bogus weather predictions and his manager Jeff’s admission that he used Larry’s wife Cheryl in his masturbation fantasies. Also, Larry’s jaw-droppingly cringe worthy attempts to have a dalliance with another woman throughout the series were consistently funny.

It was the series finale however that offered up some of the most brilliantly conceived and written comedy I’ve ever seen. I wailed with laughter for what seemed like 20 minutes solid. I won’t spoil it if you haven’t seen it, but its stuff only David could have come up with and is a remarkable example of him at his brilliant best.

I’m now looking forward to the launch of More 4 tonight on freeview which will allow me to keep up with Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show – a good thing considering this will involve me watching a TV show having actually switched on my TV.