HBO’s Bored To Death – CliqueClack preview

The simple version of the idea behind Bored To Death is that it’s a noir parody. Phillip Marlowe, brought to our modern times and turned on his ear. And, to be sure, there is some of that to be had. Our main character, Jonathan, is a private detective (kind of), and the show does often have a very noir feel (kind of). But that description is missing out on what makes this show so intriguing. It is just so damn strange to behold. You’re not going to tune in to Bored To Death and think, “Yeah, this feels like show x.” Or, “I’ve seen this before.” The show has a very unique style, and once you get drawn in, it’s hard to look away. In short, HBO has found the perfect compliment for Curb Your Enthusiasm.

The story revolves around Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman). As we meet him, his girlfriend has left him and he’s at a loss for what to do. Rather than put his nose to the grindstone, and get to work on his second novel, he chooses the path less traveled. He puts an ad on craigslist advertising himself as a private detective. As he notes to his best friend Ray, he’s been reading so many detective novels, he knows how to do this. Sure enough, the calls start coming in, and he starts taking cases.

The cases are fun, and the second episode’s case also offers the bonus of a Kristen Wiig guest spot. But they are rarely the focus of the story. By the third episode, the case of the week has already gone out the window, and that’s not a bad thing. The real magic of Bored To Death is in the crazy cast of characters that surround Jonathan. Most notably, Zack Galifianakis as his cartoonist pal, Ray. You’ll be hard pressed to find a role in the new TV season that is better cast than this one. Quite the opposite of Jonathan, Ray still has his girlfriend. That relationship though, is anything but healthy.

The two of them are joined by George (Ted Danson), editor for the magazine that Jonathan sometimes works at. We quickly get the picture that Jonathan’s job is much more about hanging out with George than actually working for the magazine. And things just get weird from there. It’s hard to explain just how this dynamic works without spoiling some fun story elements, so we’ll save that for after the show has premiered. For now, I’ll just say that while these characters exist in our world, it’s as if we’re watching them from the wrong angle. Everything is real, but distorted. It’s all oddly fascinating.

The only real negative I had with the first three episodes is that the pilot felt a little slow to start off. It takes a bit to get into this strange new world, and it probably could have been handled a little better. By the time we get to the meat of that first case though, the show has found its stride. And even if you’re not quite sold with the first one, I would urge you to give it a few weeks. It gets even better, and the third episode features an appearance by Jim Jarmusch that is not to be missed. The final scene is just bizarre, yet somehow feels almost normal within the confines of this show.

Perhaps the best compliment I can pay the show is that after watching the first three episodes in a row, I was ready for number four. It wins you over with it’s strange look, awkward charm, and sheer originality. The show premieres Sunday, Sept. 20th, at 9:30 on HBO. You may be able to catch an early look at the first episode, depending on geography. HBO has made it available through HBO On-Demand, iTunes, Amazon’s video on demand, and Comcast’s Fancast.

Clacked by Brett Love
on Sep 15, 2009 @ 11:00 EST5EDT