Christopher Guest’s gentile, no-great-shakes comedy series ended its first season last night on HBO and I’d say the first eight episodes of this show were a mixed affair. It’s no secret that Christopher Guest comedies are more for subtle chuckles than belly laughs, and his first ongoing TV show is no different. Of course, his comedies are also not 8, 30-minute long episodes and centered around a British sad-sack so passive (Chris O’Dowd, who has the anonymous hangdog posture of a man who believes nothing he does is all that important, so why should we?) we’re supposed to find him relatably charming but may find him more boring than anything else. Guest’s best comedies (Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show) are centered around characters with a real zest behind them.
The least convincing aspect of the show is surrounding O’Dowd with “zanier” characters like dates that believe dinosaurs still exist or a relative who indulges in dozens of conspiracy theories and letting O’Dowd react with bafflement. I enjoyed it much more when Fred Willard (as the world’s least likely gay neighbor) showed up to raz everyone or especially when O’Dowd’s sister (featured heavily in the promos as a woman who talks through a very insulting sock puppet) says what everyone else is more or less thinking. It’s those breakthrough moments when Guest finally stops being too polite, dry, and genial for his own good (he’s fishing for the NPR crowd) and remembers that all great comedy isn’t centered exclusively on warmth. What it really needs to be is ruthless. [And kudos on the ongoing slam on BBC’s less than impressive old sitcoms, which are beloved by O’Dowd’s dad, as well as the sexier period shows.] Grade for season: B-…Grade for Season Finale: B-
Love most HBO shows. Good review and good show.