Review: Mission Hill - 6/25
Eric S.
producers (seasons 4-6/7-8) has come back for a summer run at 9:30 Sundays
on the WB. From what I've heard the WB will be airing all the existing
episodes, but not bringing the show back after that. It's a tragedy,
because this is the anti-"Friends" television comedy needs coming out of
the '90s, just as "The Simpsons" was the perfect satirical answer to "The
Cosby Show" era of the '80s.
I missed the first two episodes when they aired last fall, but saw the show
for the first time last night. It was surprisingly entertaining, very
laugh-out-loud funny at times, and nicely character driven. Like Futurama,
the characters are much more attuned to the 20-something generation than on
The Simpsons. Especially now, since The Simpsons barely resemble
recognizable human beings at all anymore. 20-somethings used to identify
with Bart and Lisa before the sense of comedic style was sucked out of that
show and they were dumbed down to the level of actual schoolchildren.
I figured Mission Hill would be a respectable production, since it is
helmed by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, the fantastic, legendary
contributors during The Simpsons prime in seasons 4-8, but I didn't think
it would be as on-target and accessible in its cultural satire as it was.
The sci-fi and Star Wars gags in this episode were incredible, probably
more extensive than in any episode of The Simpsons or even Futurama. The
scenes with the conventioneers oohing and ahhing over George Lucas and
questioning the Ewok guest speaker were priceless! This satire on Star
Wars and its fan base was far more pointed and informed than the infamous
Mark Hamill season 10 Simpsons episode.
At the same time, unlike weaker confections like "Family Guy," an
emotionally involving plotline, concerning the characters' competing
affections for an attractive girl, gives this episode the grounded center
it needs to keep the absurdity from derailing into wackiness. The
supergeek kid and his hipper older brother form an ingeniously modernized
take on the classic "odd couple" formula. The subplot about the guy with
the knife in his head was a little weirder, but still fueled by good
character contrast. I like that they pitched he series at a level of
reality where they can sometimes go for that kind of surrealism. Other
characters like the big, dull-brained roommate and the svelte New Age chick
(voiced by the always wonderful Vicki Lewis of Newsradio) seem
extraordinarily promising. Also unlike other recent cartoon comedies, this
one is well-rounded enough to place its bullseye on the culture at large,
not just pop culture.
I hope they re-air the previous two episodes (as well as the mouth-watering
one that was supposed to air last fall, but seems to have been shelved,
where Andy infiltrates MTV's The Real World), and that some other network
picks Mission hill up if the cancellation rumors are true. I think this
show could get by on a low animation budget at a network like Comedy
Central or The Cartoon Network, since the style is more economical than
that of Matt Groening's shows, yet not obnoxiously crude in its character
expressions the way South Park is. Any network should be proud to have a
show this intelligent, observant, timely, and reative on its schedule.
-Eric S. (eas...@psu.edu)
"What I'm trying to communicate is that I'm willing to do nudity, no
extra charge!" -Bill McNeal, Newsradio, 1998
--->
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Eric S.
Television Comedy with 'Mission Hill'"
Mission Hill, the animated satire of the 20-something generation (despite
the title, not a spin-off of Mission:Impossible and/or King of the Hill),
created by former Simpsons writers/executive producers Bill Oakley and Josh
Weinstein (seasons 4-6/7-8) has come back for a summer run at 9:30 Sundays
on the WB. From what I've heard the WB will be airing all the existing
episodes, but not bringing the show back after that. It's a tragedy,
because this is the anti-"Friends" that television comedy needs coming out
of the '90s, just as "The Simpsons" was the perfect satirical answer to
"The Cosby Show" sitcom era of the '80s.
I missed the first two episodes when they aired last fall, but saw
the series for the first time last night. It was surprisingly
entertaining, very laugh-out-loud funny at times, and nicely character
driven. Like Futurama, the characters are much more attuned to the
20-something age group than The Simpsons'. This is especially true now,
since The Simpsons barely resemble recognizable human beings at all
anymore. 20-somethings used to identify with Bart and Lisa before the
sense of comedic style was sucked out of that show and they were dumbed
down to the level of actual schoolchildren.
I figured Mission Hill would be a respectable production, since it is
helmed by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, the fantastic, legendary
contributors during The Simpsons prime in seasons 4-8, but I didn't think
it would be as on-target and accessible in its cultural satire as it was.
The sci-fi and Star Wars gags in this episode were incredible, probably
more extensive than in any episode of The Simpsons or even Futurama. The
scenes with the conventioneers oohing and ahhing over George Lucas and
questioning the Ewok guest speaker were priceless! This satire on Star
Wars and its fan base was far more pointed and informed than the infamous
Mark Hamill season 10 Simpsons episode.
At the same time, unlike weaker confections like "Family Guy," an
emotionally involving plotline, concerning the characters' competing
affections for an attractive girl, gives this episode the grounded center
it needs to keep the absurdity from derailing into wackiness. The
supergeek kid and his hipper older brother form an ingeniously modernized
take on the classic "odd couple" formula. The subplot about the gay
roommates' (one untraditionally, unrecognizably so) conflict over the knife
stuck in one's head was a little weirder, but still fueled by good
character contrast. I like that they pitched the series at a level of
reality where they can sometimes go for that kind of surrealism. Other
characters like the big, dull-brained roommate and the svelte-to-gaunt New
Age chick (voiced by the always wonderful Vicki Lewis of Newsradio) seem
extraordinarily promising. Also unlike other recent cartoon comedies, this
one is well-rounded enough to place its bullseye on the culture at large,
not just pop culture.
I hope they re-air the previous two episodes (as well as the mouth-watering
one, where Andy infiltrates MTV's The Real World, that was supposed to air
last fall, but seems to have been shelved), and that some other network
picks Mission Hill up if the cancellation rumors are true. I think this
show could get by on a low animation budget at a network like Comedy
Central or The Cartoon Network, since the style is more economical than
that of Matt Groening's shows (it is animated by the versatile Film Roman,
who have done The Simpsons since season 4, among various Saturday morning
fare), although not so much as to be obnoxiously crude in its character
expressions the way South Park is. Any network should be proud to have a
show this intelligent, observant, timely, and creative on its schedule.
Upcoming Episodes:
Sunday 7/2/00
9:30pm WB Mission Hill - Kevin vs. the S.A.T.
Description: Kevin tries to outfox the SAT, while Posey places a misleading
ad for her services as a masseuse. Voices of Wallace Langham, Scott
Menville, Brian Posehn and Vicki Lewis.
Rating: TV-14
Sunday 7/9/00
9:30pm WB Mission Hill - Andy Gets a Promotion
Description: Andy forgets his long-cherished dream of becoming a cartoonist
after he is promoted to assistant manager at the waterbed store. Voices of
Wallace Langham, Scott Menville, Brian Posehn and Vicki Lewis.
Rating: TV-14