[3.4/10] On my first try, I only made it through the first ten episode of Mr. Show, and this episode reminded me why. The headline of this one is “Good Ideas. Bad Execution.” The idea of the simple act of change for a dollar requiring a byzantine series of phone calls to authorize is amusing, but having everyone hem and haw endlessly got no laughs out of me. In the same way, the idea of subverting the Behind the Music-esque rise and drug-fueled downfall narrative with someone who gets famous for being coke-snorting mess who tumbles from grace through going straight is a great one, but the sketch goes on too long and loses momentum quickly.
As much as I enjoy Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, a lot of these early characters try to get by on obnoxious or straight up dumb jokes. The heckler who harasses a priest after a dare sketch is interminable, and most of the other fourth-wall breaking bits and weak character voices get grating quickly as well.
There’s only a few bright spots in this one. For one thing, the creative transitions between sketches are entertaining. Plus, Cross’s “one-man show” is chuckle-worthy and the “incubation pants” are a nice non-sequitur gag.
Overall, an inauspicious start for this lauded series.
Shout by Dimitar NestorovBlockedParent2020-05-19T18:34:52Z
You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mkygef8_SEI
Also available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HUpAh4Ztcw