Paul Reiser is back, and he's even more quirky, nuanced, cloying, high-strung and obnoxious than he was on his previous NBC sitcom "Mad About You." That show ended when his wife- played by Helen Hunt- hung herself in their bedroom just to escape Reiser's psychotic chatter and pointless babbling. THIS show was mercifully cancelled after just TWO episodes, leaving me to wonder why the network bothered to air the thing in the first place.
How would I describe the show to those lucky enough to have missed it? It was kind of like "Curb Your Enthusiasm" except it starred Paul Reiser. And it was terrible. Paul exists in a universe to which very few people can relate. He's a wealthy retired comedian idly wandering around LA... no financial worries at all in 2011, the heart of America's Greatest Depression. Love him yet? The premise is similar to "Curb" but unlike that show- where Larry David's misanthropic nature keeps him in a constant state of awkward conflict- Paul's just a jerk. In the pilot he's asked to host a game show, and the entire situation reeks of manufactured contrivance. Paul is uncomfortable, openly-hostile toward the guests (sometimes hilariously so) but not for one second do you believe that this would actually happen. And Reiser's overly-mannered whining sinks the ship instantly.
Neuroses can be played for comic effect but Reiser has always impressed me as a man who would be more at home in a sanitarium than on stage. He is unable to truly interact with other actors/characters because all he can see is his stiflingly-limited view of the world. He is a rock... he is an island. I must admit I find the man genuinely unlikable, no matter how funny his one-liners. The pilot confirms everyone's worst fears as a blatant "Curb" ripoff when we get a guest appearance by Larry David himself. It's not fair to hate this show for being terrible- the real fault lies with the network who actually believed an audience would find anything funny about Paul Reiser wincing, twitching, frowning and mugging his way through elitist, derivative garbage.
Rest in peace, Paul.
How would I describe the show to those lucky enough to have missed it? It was kind of like "Curb Your Enthusiasm" except it starred Paul Reiser. And it was terrible. Paul exists in a universe to which very few people can relate. He's a wealthy retired comedian idly wandering around LA... no financial worries at all in 2011, the heart of America's Greatest Depression. Love him yet? The premise is similar to "Curb" but unlike that show- where Larry David's misanthropic nature keeps him in a constant state of awkward conflict- Paul's just a jerk. In the pilot he's asked to host a game show, and the entire situation reeks of manufactured contrivance. Paul is uncomfortable, openly-hostile toward the guests (sometimes hilariously so) but not for one second do you believe that this would actually happen. And Reiser's overly-mannered whining sinks the ship instantly.
Neuroses can be played for comic effect but Reiser has always impressed me as a man who would be more at home in a sanitarium than on stage. He is unable to truly interact with other actors/characters because all he can see is his stiflingly-limited view of the world. He is a rock... he is an island. I must admit I find the man genuinely unlikable, no matter how funny his one-liners. The pilot confirms everyone's worst fears as a blatant "Curb" ripoff when we get a guest appearance by Larry David himself. It's not fair to hate this show for being terrible- the real fault lies with the network who actually believed an audience would find anything funny about Paul Reiser wincing, twitching, frowning and mugging his way through elitist, derivative garbage.
Rest in peace, Paul.