Friday, August 02, 2002
The Rerun Show
NBC launched a rather unique sitcom last night. The concept of "The Rerun Show" is that they take classic shows from the 70s and 80s and have an ensemble cast recreate the episode using the exact original script, but with additional sight-gags or "reinterpretations" of the dialog thrown in.
What could be more fun than that?
How about a trip to the dentist.
It is embarrassing how awful this show is. It plays out like a bad sketch on In Living Color or Mad TV. Broad, overplayed acting can work in 5-minute bursts, but it's just plain annoying over the course of 30 minutes. The original scripts aren't funny, and the added stuff seems to come from the minds of drunken high school football players. In other words, everything is about sex. Willis has sex with Arnold's study partner: Ha Ha Ha. Keith stuffs towels down his pants: Ha Ha Ha. Mr. Drummond touches his sons inappropriately: Ha H- no wait, that's just disturbing.
There are a few funny moments, like watching a grown man playing 5 year old Tracey Partridge as a demented tambourine banger. Or having "Arnold" carry super-sized props to jokingly make him look shorter. But the gimmick will grow real old, real fast. Let's just hope that it won't last long enough to show Rerun reruns.
I give "The Rerun Show" one slice of cheese. (out of five)
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NBC launched a rather unique sitcom last night. The concept of "The Rerun Show" is that they take classic shows from the 70s and 80s and have an ensemble cast recreate the episode using the exact original script, but with additional sight-gags or "reinterpretations" of the dialog thrown in.
What could be more fun than that?
How about a trip to the dentist.
It is embarrassing how awful this show is. It plays out like a bad sketch on In Living Color or Mad TV. Broad, overplayed acting can work in 5-minute bursts, but it's just plain annoying over the course of 30 minutes. The original scripts aren't funny, and the added stuff seems to come from the minds of drunken high school football players. In other words, everything is about sex. Willis has sex with Arnold's study partner: Ha Ha Ha. Keith stuffs towels down his pants: Ha Ha Ha. Mr. Drummond touches his sons inappropriately: Ha H- no wait, that's just disturbing.
There are a few funny moments, like watching a grown man playing 5 year old Tracey Partridge as a demented tambourine banger. Or having "Arnold" carry super-sized props to jokingly make him look shorter. But the gimmick will grow real old, real fast. Let's just hope that it won't last long enough to show Rerun reruns.
I give "The Rerun Show" one slice of cheese. (out of five)
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