A few weeks late, but I’ve finally got around to covering HBO’s latest comedy, the slacker-noir Bored to Death. Filling the Sunday night comedy package from September to November alongside Curb Your Enthusiasm, early signs indicate a positive future for the series. Actually, that slot has never been the most optimistic for new comedies, with Mind of the Married Man (2001-2002) in particular suffering ratings drop-offs from Larry David’s show. Still, Bored to Death is a more cautious series than the ambitious Mind, and a lot more fun. Produced by Three Arts Entertainment, who have previously developed The Chris Rock Show and Carnivale for HBO, while also containing familiar HBO/broadcast crossovers, with former comedy executive Sarah Condon overseeing alongside Louis CK regular collaborator Dave Becky, and broadcast experience from Stephanie Davis. More notably though, Flight of the Conchords exec producer Troy Miller returns to extend his extensive history in stand-up production for the network.
Conchords is Bored to Death‘s direct parallel in terms of evolving the current comedy slate, more so than the broader Eastbound and Down. Adapted from a story by novelist and journalist Jonathan Ames, Jason Schwartzman plays Ames in the pilot, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’, as a writer struggling to follow up his successful first novel. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Suzanne has moved out after becoming frustrated with his constant pot smoking and drinking. Despondent, he tries to commiserate with best friend and graphic designer Ray, while handling work for similarly pot-addicted, hedonistic boss George (Ted Danson).
Browsing Craigslist, Jonathan puts out an ad for himself as an unlicensed private eye, and quickly receives a response from a girl searching for her missing sister and her boyfriend. Donning a suit and some Raymond Chandler literature, Jonathan puts his knowledge of hardboiled PIs to the test, bribing, photocopying and generally bumbling his way into finding the girl and her boyfriend in a sleazy motel, where he has tied her to the bed in an attempt to stop her leaving. Potential drama is averted though when they discover a mutual love of pot, and after the police break in, Jonathan is let off with a stern warning.
Bored to Death is an easy show to like, and early criticism that it might devolve into a hipsterish run of insider jokes, cameos and suffocating irony seem to be premature at the moment. Yes, Schwartzman is perhaps one of those ‘love them or hate them’ actors, but is well-cast as the nonchalant, semi-stoned Jonathan. Strong turns from Danson as the manic George, and Zach Galfinakis as Jonathan’s mournful best friend also promise an appealing ensemble cast. Like Conchords, Bored is a show that is purposefully slight within its half hour, with the PI episodic plotlines off-setting wandering dialogue and some well-placed soundtracking, including Stephen Malkmus, TV on the Radio and Andrew Bird.
However, where Conchords‘ plot construction is always loose enough to move into another set-piece song, Bored‘s laidback tone is enough to reward introspection without losing momentum. It’s also noticeably harsher on adult material, from drugs to language, although usually motivated by character and situation, rather than by gratutity. The ability of the episodic case to comment on Jonathan’s serial love-life (here as variations on infidelity and dealing with break-ups) should also make for a concise balance from week to week. As shot by 30 Rock‘s Vanja Cernjul, Jonathan’s Brooklyn and Manhattan are winningly lo-fi, with understated camera movement, naturalistic lighting and occasional noir nods.
The show’s also helped by an online presence that includes multiple comic book sketches and other information on HBO.com, as well as the usual blogs, Facebook and Twitter viral presences. The pilot was also previewed online and via iTunes, echoing marketing tactics for Conchords. In short, Bored to Death is tailor-made for the 18-34 audience that made Conchords a cult, if never a ratings success for lo-fi comedy, recombined through a more realist style. Opportunities for insider reflexivity on Manhattan publishing and celebrity are also enabled through Jonathan’s workplace and party documenting, as well as Ray’s illustration within the traditional upscale Manhattan settings for HBO comedies and the broader noir reflexivity.
PI detecting and Jonathan’s mix of relationship angst and writer’s block also further contextualize the recurring use of adult appeals for marketing distinction, setting the show up as both a Sunday night counter-programmer, and as a complement/variation on the longer-term success of Curb Your Enthusiasm. It’s difficult to tell at the moment whether Bored to Death‘s slight premise will support it over several seasons, but like Conchords, it’s low-budget and flexible enough for online marketing, iTunes and DVD sales to give it a strong chance.
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I'm a PhD student from the University of Exeter in the UK, studying the history of HBO's original programming from 1972 to 2007. I review film and television at garethon.blogspot.com
Found this on Google, great post.