HANK and MODERN FAMILY
manitou
last week's pilot. Mainly, the writing was much less forced and
sometimes even a tad witty.
And the garage sale enabled a chance to add characters, some of whom
may become regs (I don't know, obviously).
KG's 'Hank' is a lot like Frasier when he was unemployed at the start
of season 6.
Anyway, I'll keep with the show for a while.
Also watched "Modern Family". Managed to stay to the end this week.
I do find the show has a kind of edgy absurdism, slightly recalling
Seinfeld, but a bit more arcane at this point.
CPJ
Les
> Just wanted to mention I thought the second ep a big improvement on
> last week's pilot. Mainly, the writing was much less forced and
> sometimes even a tad witty.
>
Thanks for posting this. I'll give it another look. I had given up on
Hank based on the 1st episode.
...
>
> KG's 'Hank' is a lot like Frasier when he was unemployed at the start
> of season 6.
>
which I hated the first half season of when it aired but grew on me
upon rewatch
years later.
manitou
> > KG's 'Hank' is a lot like Frasier when he was unemployed at the start
> > of season 6.
>
> which I hated the first half season of when it aired but grew on me
> upon rewatch years later.
I also found that stretch a real downer when it first aired. Perhaps
because I've had my own spells of unemloyment, it just was't a
scenario I could enjoy. And, on a one-per-week basis it _really_
seemed to go on forever back in 1998.
Did find, watching the DVDs more recently, that the dragging on was
less bothersome when you could watch all the eps quickly, then move
on.
Charles
Les
> Just wanted to mention I thought the second ep a big improvement on
> last week's pilot. Mainly, the writing was much less forced and
> sometimes even a tad witty.
>
> And the garage sale enabled a chance to add characters, some of whom
> may become regs (I don't know, obviously).
>
Finally watched episodes 2/3 and it is getting better. Most of the
jokes landed and adding characters has helped, including the off-
screen on-the-internet NY boyfriend of his daughter.
As far as I can tell, it is universally being panned by critics.
For example, USATODAY's Robert Bianco is a huge Frasier fan who never
fails to mention that show when asked for his all-time favorites. Even
he is praying for a quick cancellation.
Hey, I thought that Back to You was a very good show towards the end
of its run. i will keep on watching this.
pro.inbox56
I have seen much discussion of the overall unpopularity of the Frasier
unemployment story arc. The most common reason I have seen cited for
finding it uncomfortable to watch is that too many people have lived
through stretches of unemployment to find the subject matter suitable
for comedy. But then I have to ask, have you ever gotten hurt in a
love relationship? Have you ever sabotaged a promising relationship by
doing some dumb thing that loused it up for you? Have you ever been
embarrassed or even publicly humiliated? Have you ever really stuck
your foot in it good?
All of the above were the staples of Frasier comedy. The show won
Emmys and made its cast and creators famous and fabulously wealthy for
taking the goof ups and foibles of everyday life and making high
comedy out of them through the silly experiences of Frasier and his
family and friends. Just about everyone in the world has had a brush
(or a much more "involved" relationship) with unemployment. Few of us
would disagree that it's not much fun. Personally, I adore taking
something that's demoralizing and even depressing and finding the
humor in it. Maybe it's because I have gotten so good at this in my
own life that I can really appreciate it when I see this exemplified
in high-quality comedy.
I didn't feel the unemployment arc dragged on too long. Rather I am
quite impressed that the writers got the mileage out of it they did,
not to mention having the courage to allow the arc to survive beyond
one ep. like 99% of Frasier's failed romances, for example. For me,
the arc ran just long enough to produce some of the funniest and
cleverest episodes of the entire series, such as "Good Grief",
"Frasier's Curse", "Dial M for Martin". "Hot Ticket". "The Seal Who
Came to Dinner" and "Roz, a Loan".
Other ep. in that arc had no real connection to Frasier's
unemployment...the events that transpired in those eps could happen w/
Frasier working or not working.
My only real criticism of that period is that it makes no sense that
all the regulars from KACL got their jobs back...after all of them
except for Frasier and Roz got other (in most cases better) jobs in
the interim. But I will cut them slack for a little disconnect in
exchange for the fine material given the audience.