David Cross pens C4 pilot

[Velveteen Ballsac]

I've got an advance copy of the book on its way to me presently....been dying for it.

I'm going to go see the shit out of him when he comes on the book-tour (provided he comes to Toronto...). Just checked Ticketmaster...nothing there...

[BillBrasky]

"The Increasingly Poor Decisions Of Todd Margaret" finally has an air date....

Friday, November 27th on Channel 4 in the UK.

http://www.comedy.org.uk/guide/tv/poor_todd_margaret/

[onelinedrawing]

At last it pays to be Irish!!!!

[Hostile]

That's an increasingly poor title for a show.

[onelinedrawing]

Hey guys, just got to see the show.

First of I will start by repeating that I think its very hard to judge a TV show by its pilot, and even harder when its unclear if there will be more episodes. Community (which shares directors with this project) only really hit its stride around episode 6 or 7.

I had been waiting to see this for ages, I thought it was an interesting idea to try and merge two kinds of comic sensibilities. In short my expectations were very high.

I am sorry to report that the show didn't even come close to meeting these expectations. It seems to be willfully old fashioned in its humour (nothing wrong there) and shot in a quite polished even detached style.

To my eyes it falls between two stools, we can all agree that British and American comic sensibilities are very different, here in Cross we have a very strong omic actor, but who just seemed to be shoe horned into the show (I know this is not actually the case, this is just how it appears).

The laughs were few and far between, and its a shame because I am a big fan of a lot of the talent, sadly the episode played as awkwardly as the title.

I hope you guys get to see it soon, if I had any idea how to I would try torrent it.

[scamboogah]

Falls between two stools? Is that some kind of Irish saying?

[darrylduffy]

That's what they call Zach Galifianakis' web series in the U.K.

'Between Two Stools' with Zach Galifianakis

[onelinedrawing]

I thought it was an international phrase, it means it tries to incorporate two different things, but ends up satisfying neither.

And yes its the name of Zach's show on humourous or die.

[onelinedrawing]

If you google blog search for the title of the show and narrow your results to posts made today you will be able to watch this show.

[funnyclown]

That was kind of weird. It almost works, but not quite. It was shot a little too slick for comedy, I think. "Detached" is definitely a good word for it. The biggest problem I had, though, is that the characters don't seem to have been thought out at all. Will Arnett's character was a cliche. Dave, the co-worker, was such a sadist that it was distracting and unpleasant. More importantly, Todd doesn't seem to be anything. He's a 40-something temp, but is he a loser, exactly? It's unclear if we're supposed to root for him or look down on him or neither or both. I thought it was watchable, and on talent alone I hope it gets picked up, but it's hard to see where they can really go with the premise.

(Also, the only thing that made me laugh out loud was the advertising poster that said "Like Drinking 10 Lightnings!", though I can't complain about the final shot.)

[onelinedrawing]

The ten lightings was the best thing in the episode for me too!

I kind of see what they were going for, contrasting the gaudyness of the product with the dradness of the surroundings, but it ends up tripping itself up in execution.

I really hated the co worker character, there was no reason given for his cruelty.

[JuanCarlos]

I thought it was an international phrase, it means it tries to incorporate two different things, but ends up satisfying neither.

And yes its the name of Zach's show on humourous or die.

Don't worry, it was a 100% clear to me and English isn't even my first language.

Thanks for the review and the tip!

[BillBrasky]

I wonder if the appearance of Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler was intended to be a crossover between this and the "Penelope: Princess of Pets" pilot, which is also a Channel 4 Comedy Lab thing, although not part of this particular series (It's supposed to air sometime next summer).

Incidentally, next week's Comedy Showcase pilot is called "The Amazing Dermot" and stars Rhys Darby as a failed magician trying to get his career back on track.

[onelinedrawing]

I noticed them and thought it was a plant for a later episode... but this cross over makes sense too, plus it seems to have been pushed forward to winter now.

[wetandwild]

David Cross is falling down the hill at breakneck speed.

[MikeDinosaur]

Yeeeeikes. I was really looking forward to this, but it is a hot mess. Situations go from zero to WACKY in no time at all. Cross is giving a pitch for his energy drink, then has some of it, and I guess it's made out of PCP? His pitch immediately goes from inoffensively stupid to a Day The Laughter Died-style sexual haranguing of his audience. He's like Homer Simpson but a lot dumber.

[nadsat droog]

I guess it was my lowered expectations but I didn't think it was THAT bad. I'd like to see how much worse the bad decisions get if this goes to series. I think it could be more interesting if it got really strange because of that. But that probably won't happen.

[kevin]

doesnt look like people are having a difficult time tracking this show down.

i'll make it even easier with this:

http://aspecialthing.com/forum/f42/f...00/#post106914

[BillBrasky]

This is strange, but according to the Comic's Comic site , the pilot for “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" is being reshot due to a cast change, but it doesn't say which cast member was replaced. The reshot pilot will air on IFC in October.

[funxnotdead]

I hope it's not David Cross.