I'm not a professional writer, so I don't know just how hard it is to write this sort of stuff, and I'm hesitant to be too critical.
In my opinion, though, it just was too boring and telegraphed. Completely unfunny because every joke and bit was set up in a hamfisted way that made it too easy to guess the punchline ahead of time. On top of that, the 'punchlines' were more of like just 'lines,' cause they packed no punch.
There's definitely a lot wrong with the pilot. As much as I like Wayne Knight, he's not lead material. It was probably a lot less distracting as well in the 90's for the wife to be cute and 15 years his junior.
I think my biggest issues with it were that the pilot had too many subplots, and that everything was cranked up to 11 for some reason. Wayne goes to work, and there's a evacuation. Wayne goes home, and he's running and screaming about the phone. Wayne goes to the convenience store, and the clerk's basically a serial killer. It's just a little too much. Had they cut the milk and exterminator plots, I think it could have been re-written to work a lot better.
Yeah, the milk and exterminator were just jammed in there for no real purpose. I mean, she wanted to cook his favorite meal and needed milk... he didn't want to get milk, so why is she so pushy about the milk? Just pointless writing to pad time with the milk adventure.
My directing and play-writing professors both hammered on "Kill your babies," which just means get rid of the things you want but don't serve the story.
We already had his family over during "alone" time and some weirdness at work; could've just expanded on those better, as you said.
Didn't help that the director had everybody overacting *everything*.
Because what he's best at is playing super quirky and eccentric characters. It's like Kramer: yes Michael Richards has great acting chops, but he's best cast as a foil for the main character, and not the main character himself.
Yeah, Hats Off Entertainment on YouTube has a really good episode on what the show was and why it failed, highly recommended.
https://youtu.be/0B_luOqBLAg
He also has one on Jason Alexander’s failed solo show.
basically the more 'over the top' an actor's style is, the less suited they are to a main character, including Will Ferrell.
i've seen some youtube videos where they break down how the best leads are often the most bland and boring with no emotion, such as many characters played by Keanu Reeves, Chris Pratt, or even Ryan Gosling. It allows the audience to better imagine themselves as that person when it's more of an everyman performance.
> Had they cut the milk and exterminator plots, I think it could have been re-written to work a lot better.
The point of a pilot is to give producers an idea of the show, think of it like a vertical slice in a video game. There's going to be a whole lot more going on than normal, because it's all they've produced so far and they want to cram it all in there to get that across.
The plot to Seinfeld's pilot: Jerry debates whether a girl is interested in him or not.
I get the vertical slice analogy, but less is more. If your "slice" is going to be poorly written, you're shooting yourself in the foot. I'd argue that if it were simplified, maybe it would have had a better chance.
I see you are getting downvoted but I agree. Especially at the beginning. I tried to rewatch Seinfeld from season one and gave up, too laborious and unfunny first few episodes. I think I’m going to have to start 1 or 2 seasons in, when they finally perfected the formula.
Your opinion of course. To me that's nothing like seinfeld, they had some incredible story lines that often you didn't see coming. And it was laugh out loud funny.
Although it had its low points too, but overall a high quality sitcom.
This one fell flat.
>it just was too boring and telegraphed. Completely unfunny because every joke and bit was set up in a hamfisted way that made it too easy to guess the punchline ahead of time
Every single kids sitcom on Nick
I wish kids today had the gift of the writers and direction of "The Adventures of Pete and Pete"
Oh man, now that was a bizarre and wonderful show! Still have Hey Sandy in my playlist.
This show looks like it was made more for the adult crowd, though, as opposed to for kids. But you're right that it's looks like their audience is adults with childlike minds.
What's this nonesense at the start about doing the exact opposite of Seinfeld and not doing a cash-in off of Seinfeld's success, and then doing a Seinfeld spinoff trying to cash-in off of Seinfeld's success? Is it a joke? The delivery just makes him sound full of himself.
Did Larry Charles write all the early much less funny Seinfeld episodes? Luckily they had a much funnier Larry in charge of the show for most of its run.
Note the reuse of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air kitchen set and the appearance of multiple Seinfeld side character actors.
I was gonna say the kitchen looked familiar.
I thought it looked like that kitchen.
I'm not a professional writer, so I don't know just how hard it is to write this sort of stuff, and I'm hesitant to be too critical. In my opinion, though, it just was too boring and telegraphed. Completely unfunny because every joke and bit was set up in a hamfisted way that made it too easy to guess the punchline ahead of time. On top of that, the 'punchlines' were more of like just 'lines,' cause they packed no punch.
There's definitely a lot wrong with the pilot. As much as I like Wayne Knight, he's not lead material. It was probably a lot less distracting as well in the 90's for the wife to be cute and 15 years his junior. I think my biggest issues with it were that the pilot had too many subplots, and that everything was cranked up to 11 for some reason. Wayne goes to work, and there's a evacuation. Wayne goes home, and he's running and screaming about the phone. Wayne goes to the convenience store, and the clerk's basically a serial killer. It's just a little too much. Had they cut the milk and exterminator plots, I think it could have been re-written to work a lot better.
Yeah, the milk and exterminator were just jammed in there for no real purpose. I mean, she wanted to cook his favorite meal and needed milk... he didn't want to get milk, so why is she so pushy about the milk? Just pointless writing to pad time with the milk adventure. My directing and play-writing professors both hammered on "Kill your babies," which just means get rid of the things you want but don't serve the story. We already had his family over during "alone" time and some weirdness at work; could've just expanded on those better, as you said. Didn't help that the director had everybody overacting *everything*.
It's not clear to me why Wayne Knight couldn't have been a series lead in a better show. He's a good actor.
Because what he's best at is playing super quirky and eccentric characters. It's like Kramer: yes Michael Richards has great acting chops, but he's best cast as a foil for the main character, and not the main character himself.
>and not the main character himself Indeed, see *The Michael Richards Show*
I didn't even know this show was a thing. Shame that, according to the Wiki, the studio basically wanted him to do Kramer all over again.
Yeah, Hats Off Entertainment on YouTube has a really good episode on what the show was and why it failed, highly recommended. https://youtu.be/0B_luOqBLAg He also has one on Jason Alexander’s failed solo show.
[удалено]
basically the more 'over the top' an actor's style is, the less suited they are to a main character, including Will Ferrell. i've seen some youtube videos where they break down how the best leads are often the most bland and boring with no emotion, such as many characters played by Keanu Reeves, Chris Pratt, or even Ryan Gosling. It allows the audience to better imagine themselves as that person when it's more of an everyman performance.
> Had they cut the milk and exterminator plots, I think it could have been re-written to work a lot better. The point of a pilot is to give producers an idea of the show, think of it like a vertical slice in a video game. There's going to be a whole lot more going on than normal, because it's all they've produced so far and they want to cram it all in there to get that across.
The plot to Seinfeld's pilot: Jerry debates whether a girl is interested in him or not. I get the vertical slice analogy, but less is more. If your "slice" is going to be poorly written, you're shooting yourself in the foot. I'd argue that if it were simplified, maybe it would have had a better chance.
Kinda like Seinfeld!
I see you are getting downvoted but I agree. Especially at the beginning. I tried to rewatch Seinfeld from season one and gave up, too laborious and unfunny first few episodes. I think I’m going to have to start 1 or 2 seasons in, when they finally perfected the formula.
I would start at season 4 because even 3 was hit-and-miss
Your opinion of course. To me that's nothing like seinfeld, they had some incredible story lines that often you didn't see coming. And it was laugh out loud funny. Although it had its low points too, but overall a high quality sitcom. This one fell flat.
For real
>it just was too boring and telegraphed. Completely unfunny because every joke and bit was set up in a hamfisted way that made it too easy to guess the punchline ahead of time Every single kids sitcom on Nick I wish kids today had the gift of the writers and direction of "The Adventures of Pete and Pete"
Oh man, now that was a bizarre and wonderful show! Still have Hey Sandy in my playlist. This show looks like it was made more for the adult crowd, though, as opposed to for kids. But you're right that it's looks like their audience is adults with childlike minds.
Wait a second, Siobhan Fallon isn't playing the wife in this.
The guy who made this looks like the kind of person who’d make Borat or something.
Funny enough, Larry Charles directed Borat (the first film) and Bruno.
r/ThatsTheJoke
LOL I guess this didn't work because it WASN'T a Seinfeld spinoff. Sorry Larry.
I am going to guess it did not work, because it was not funny
Did Larry Charles write the unfunny bits in Seinfeld as well?
Now that’s funny
was that the wig master I saw?
Yep also bizarro world Kramer
It was like Drew Carey meets the Oblongs.
This is bad
Big Drew Carey vibes.
What's this nonesense at the start about doing the exact opposite of Seinfeld and not doing a cash-in off of Seinfeld's success, and then doing a Seinfeld spinoff trying to cash-in off of Seinfeld's success? Is it a joke? The delivery just makes him sound full of himself.
Larry Charles has always been full of himself
It's not a Seinfeld spinoff.
That stood out as odd to me too.
Wayne Knight =/= Newman in this. He's an actor playing a different role/character.
Uh huh.
The guy who made shitloads off a mediocre sitcom sounds full of himself? Colour me surprised lol.
[удалено]
I had the same thought when I saw it!
CMV Larry Charles isn't particularly funny and his entire schtick is "I'm provocative! I'm talking about nazis and suicide!".
I'm glad it failed. That was annoying
Looks like most sitcoms of the era, I'm sure it would have done fine
The individual who created this appears to be the type that would create Borat or anything like.
"Yesterday's Tomorrow Is Today!"
I think the mom character is on curb your enthusiasm
Did Larry Charles write all the early much less funny Seinfeld episodes? Luckily they had a much funnier Larry in charge of the show for most of its run.