AvantTrash/DeadLantern Exclusive: “David’s Situation” Pilot Review
T.J. from AvantTrash here with a “scoop” for DeadLantern! My co-author AliUptown and I went to a taping of Bob Odenkirk and David Cross’ new show “David’s Situation” tonight and are the first to review it:
It’s not very funny, sorry. The first scene that is. Sure, pilots are messy, rough, and usually need a LOT of tweaking. In this case I think they’d need to revamp the show altogether. But this snap judgment is only in regards to the FIRST SCENE which we watched 3 TIMES via Closed Circuit TV from JUST OUTSIDE OF THE STUDIO because they overbooked the audience by about 40 people. So after waiting in line for like an hour at CBS they guide us to this craft services room with a 20-inch TV of the show being taped next door. Fucking Lame.
The show’s main angle seemed to be a 4th wall breaking mockery of sitcoms, delivered a bit half-assed with sitcom cliches that have already been parodied a hundred times. Any post-modernism intended seemed to swallowed up by it’s lack of originality. Harsh, I know but it seems to be well worn territory (remember Garry Shandling’s Sitcom?). So could this indictment be because we were bitter about not getting into the actual taping? Not really. I am a HUGE fan of Mr.Show who has sung its praises and done my part to indoctrinate everyone I know about it for more than a decade, and the only thing I could think about while leaving the studio was “my how they have fallen”.
To spoil it for you the plot of the mock sitcom is that David is done with the Hollywood life and moves to “middle America” to write for an in-flight magazine and becomes roommates with stereotypical hippie Matt Besser and a flag waving old guy played by nobody. (Bob Odenkirk is featured in a very short sidebit)
Hippie Matt: “Did you know that every time you hug someone it releases positive ions into the atmosphere?”
David: “Did you know that every time you hug a hippie you kill a practical thought?”
It had a few laughs but overall wasn’t what any of the 20 or so of us watching would call funny. The highpoint of what we saw was an intro delivered as David would in his standup where he blasts Jeremy Piven and the Hollywood Scene. “And I knew that it was too much when I saw that Jeremy Piven’s dog was wearing the same Von Dutch hat as me.” We didn’t stay for any of the other scenes (they killed the feed in between scenes and we’d already waited enough today) but outside of the studio on our way out we saw B.J. Porter, Mo Collins (featured in the first scene) and Jerry Minor. Before the show when we were parking the car we saw Janeane Garofalo walking to the studio, but can’t be sure she’s in the show or not (probably not).
Btw, David, are you done with standup? I think you are due for more. The inevitable failure of this pilot just might give him the opportunity to do so.
The scene did get a little better the more they worked through it so there is a slight possibility that with A LOT more work it could be passable but I don’t think we will be seeing a Bob & David lump of coal turned into a comedy diamond anytime soon.
Filed under: TV
Ed said:
I agree the first scene was a little slow, but you should have stuck around to give an accurate review. Although, in your defense, I’m not sure I would have stayed in an adjascent room either. We got in, but arrived at 5pm to make sure we made it in for the 7pm start. It was absolutely packed and for those of us that got in we were not disappointed.
Some of what you missed: John Ennis and Zach Galifianakis in a fucking hilarious parody of “To Catch a Predator” (BJ did a great job as Chris Hanson). A second stand up set by David even better than the first. A “round table” discussion with the cast and Andy Dick who appeared in a mock video relating to the story of the episode. The mock video may have been the highlight of a great night.
Janeane Garafalo was not in the show, but was on the set with a long list of great comedy minds (Patton Oswalt, Jerry Minor, Michael Blieden, Brian Posehn were among those I saw).
Based on the reaction of the audience I can’t imagine this show will not see more episodes. Bob and David delivered as I had hoped. It was great to see them together again. Don’t judge the show by the first scene. It is not at all indicative of the show. Lump of coal? Hardly. A diamond that could use a little polishing, but a diamond none the less. If you’re a fan of Bob and David you will be a fan of David’s Situation. Anyone else see it?
T.J. said:
I replied at AvantTrash. Maybe you can’t judge a show by the first part. And HBO hardly releases a shitty project (except Bernard and Doris maybe) but then again judging a show by audience response probably would have killed Mr. Show. And did.
Dee said:
I agree with Ed, although I can see where TJ was coming from. The setup seems a bit weak (DC living with hippie dude and flag waver clinton basher dude) It was hard to see what Bob and David could do with this, especially in a pretty typical sitcom format. However, as the night went on, the scenes got more and more absurd and funny. The only bad part about watching the pilot was the studio was kept at about 55 degrees!
The basic premise of this episode was to make fun of the whole internet/scandal/sex tape/reality show instant “star” culture of today, and the predator/galifinakis bit was truly awesome. The mock video Ed refers to was as funny as anything I saw on Mr. Show. Bob and David (and the rest of the cast) seemed like they really enjoyed making the pilot and had some fun audience participation bits. I doubt Bob and David would do this at all if they didn’t think they could get a season or two of really good shows out there.
Given that HBO has greenlighted a show called “Hung” about a guy who suddenly realizes what to do with his big package, I can’t imagine HBO wouldn’t take a shot on a picking up a new series from Bob and David. Then they’ll quickly cancel it after a season like Lucky Louie…bastards!
Little David said:
Lucky Louie… that’s what makes me worry about HBO picking up this show. That was a perfectly entertaining and funny “twisted sitcom,” and it was canceled.
I was at the David’s Situation taping and I’d agree with what Dee said. Other than a couple brief video segments (including the mock music video), we didn’t get a chance to see the non-studio stuff or any location stuff. When it’s all edited together, the timing may work perfectly, but it’s hard to judge from just being in the studio audience.
I am curious about how they’re going to weave in the audience participation stuff and how DC broke the fourth wall on that one scene to rant about celebutards. They did two takes of the scene without the rant and one with it. I bet they use the standup part somehow, but it will be interesting to see how it’s edited in given the other two takes. It almost felt like a DVD extra, although they couldn’t be thinking THAT far ahead, could they?