Reviews

I enjoyed watching seasons 1 & 2. Not nearly as good as the original, but what can be? It is near impossible to bring back the magic after the original is over (e.g., Arrested Development, Will & Grace, Netflix TPB, etc.)

I won't say that I hate this series, as I found it amusing, especially season 2. However, the one thing that kills this for me is the guy from SwearNet that is in charge of giving The Boys their tasks. Tom Mayhue? Not sure of his name. However, he is such a rank amateur, and such an a**hole, that I find myself having to fast forward through any parts that he is in. And this is not just because he is an a**hole to the boys. He's just the type of guy that has a most punchable face. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why The Boys have not beaten him to a bloody pulp. I would seriously rather have Cyrus giving them their tasks.

Only 10-15% of films from the silent era are still around. Why did this have to be one of them?

Mack Sennett's Keystone Films were known for slapstick. This film is a good example of the over the top acting and overtly unfunny nature of the films coming out of that studio. In what is perhaps the worst acting on film, Director/Lead Actor Ford Sterling tries to carry his performance throughout the entire film by jutting out his lower jaw and moving his mouth up and down as though he were channeling a drunken Muppeteer. "Gosh, my performance will be even funnier if I roll my eyes and throw my arms up every 22 seconds. MAKEUP! Make my hair go even higher!" Not even the addition of a young Harold Lloyd (in one of his 28 film appearances of 1915!) can save this film.

If you love silent film comedies, don't watch this one. It might just change your mind.

There are some great bits mixed in here with some tired old ones. Mostly, this short seems to lay the groundwork for some of his later work. You can see the beginnings of bits for everything from Steamboat Bill Jr. to College to the Twilight Zone.

Some of his most famous bits are in this short, including the walk on the steamboat wheel (I can't tell which is funnier...watching it forwards or backwards.)

Notably, if you are a fan of his work on the Twilight Zone, you'll notice he does the stolen pants bit in this short. Minor variations of it are seen in the Twilight Zone, but it's the same premise. I can only assume that the missing bits are some of his finest, and were cut to use elsewhere.