Similar to its contemporary practice, I find myself ambivalent towards the NBC comedic portrayal and am slightly on the fence regarding the pilot script, based on the 2006 independent film, co-written by 50 First Dates writer George Wing and, the film’s director, John Jeffcoat. Outsourced is the typical culture clash meets fish out of water story about an American call center director, Todd, sent to India to oversee a lovable band of misfits. Think The Office meets the Bad News Bears.
On paper, parts of the script come across as incredibly unfunny, offensive, and pandering to the lowest common intellectual denominator. Yet, after watching the pilot’s trailer, the very parts I found as terribly clichéd or hideously tasteless, appeared less so. As a result, I’m going to split my review up by looking at the script itself, then the trailer and end with random comments.
Pilot Script
While the writers of this 2007 Seattle International Film Festival best screenplay provided the script’s first draft two years ago, Robert Borden (Late Show with David Letterman, George Lopez, Drew Carey Show) re-wrote it when Kwapis suggested Outsourced to NBC as a new comedy where both Kwapis and Borden serve as its executive producers. Admittedly, I found some smart funny cultural/situation bits surrounding bricks thrown through open (or non-open) windows; holy men vs. homeless men; mocking the idea of all ethnics looking alike; and the creation of two characters who are basically variations of Dwight from The Office. Gupta serves as the avoidable fount of inane knowledge while Rajiiv is the assistant manager calling himself manager.
There are also flashes of self-awareness: Todd calls them the “Bad News Bears.” The call center employees don’t understand why Americans want useless items. And, the Lothario, Manmeet, deals with a customer angry at ordering Mid-American Novelty products from an Indian call center. (Side Note: Do operators truly lie about their location?)
What I dislike about the script is the generic nature and tendency towards obvious humor. Throwaway jokes surrounding the humor in Indian names i.e. ‘man meat,’ the international tendency to garble American idioms (and vice-versa), and the American attempt to make up words that sound like international languages, seemed trite. Also, the script takes place in ‘India,’ without indicating where. However, I live in hope the items I pointed out occurred as a result of deliberately constructed irony.
Pilot Trailer
Interestingly, the one character in the pilot script who I found wholly clichéd and one-note: the xenophobic American call center director, Charlie, came across as absolute genius when played by the awesome Diedrich Bader in the pilot trailer. Honestly, I will probably watch the pilot for him alone. There are still parts in the trailer that I found leaning towards ‘feel good’ humor a la Full House, but perhaps the show itself will rely less on writing and more on execution and timing.
Pilot Buzz & Random Comments
Part of the reason I’m ambivalent towards the show includes its marketing campaign, focusing on the ‘hilarious’ idea of East meets West. Honestly, we’ve already seen that from the World of Suzie Wong to Jackie Chan’s 1990s franchises. So, I’m not interested in “a comedy where cultural differences are a novelty” or a show where “the Midwest meet[s] the exotic East in a hilarious culture clash” (nbc.com). However, I am interested in fresh, new comedies, similar to the original film. There’s a moment in the pilot script where the workers “look at Todd, neither inviting him nor shunning him.” Ironically, this summarizes my feelings about the text. It has good parts, and broad parts, but I don’t know which part overpowers the other and the writers will have to walk a fine line to avoid either insulting people ‘s culture or their comedic intelligence.
So, as I remain on the fence, I leave it up to you to watch the trailer, pilot, and beyond to determine what you think. What are your hopes for Outsourced? Are you psyched? Do you think its post-Office time slot will help?
Clacked by An Nicholson 
on May 28, 2010 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
I may watch the first episode or two to give it a try (I nearly quit Modern Family after the not-very funny second episode, so maybe I’ll give it three weeks), but what I’m more unhappy about is that this show is bumping 30 Rock to 8:30 where it pretty much bombed a couple of years ago. Maybe CBS moving Survivor to Wednesday and sitcoms to Thursday will give it a better shot in that time slot.
*POST AUTHOR*
Exactly. I think we’ll see how it goes. I wasn’t crazy about Community, but now I love it. But, based on the executive producer/director and two of the characters, it feels like they’re pushing this as another variation of The Office (or, at least, office situational comedy). I hadn’t thought about the 30 bump, but I had expected people to point out that this new Office will push last year’s Office variation into mid-season replacement territory. But, considering I’ll still watch 30R & P & R, I don’t think Outsourced will outsource them – So, we’ll see what happens when Fall rolls around -
I found the pilot script quite promising. There is no need to over analyze the pilot it is for the most part the kind of humor I would expect appeals to most people looking for an enjoyable diversion, and that is what OS a potential hit. No matter what I felt about the marketing campaign I would not hold it against the show. There is no reason to believe “a comedy where cultural differences are a novelty” can’t be a success today. How many potential OS viewers do you think are really that familiar with Jackie Chan and/or the “World of Suzie Wong”? Yet almost all have had a call center experience.
A pilot as well cast and written as OS could if properly developed go a long way. Like any new show it just needs a chance. Following The Office on Thursday night is a great opportunity to shine.
I am looking forward to OS and have great expectations for its future.
So I guess it’s alright to watch a show that makes fun of the fact Americans are losing their jobs right?
As far as the new show outsourced, why don’t we just make a comedy of the oil crisis in the gulf, or about dying cancer patients, or how about our troops being killed in Afganastan. Seems to me the death of peoples jobs here in the states should be just as funny, right. Makes me wonder how funny this show will be to those family’s of the thousands of Americans that have lost their jobs, homes, and self worth due to outsourcing. I’m sure to the corperate CEO’s and CFO’s it will be helarious, me I just find it sad that we are selling out America.
haha .. well we can see who’s in the bad position and who’s in the good one .. so dont be hatin on us !
I have a great idea for a spin-off of this show. NBC should write a sitcom centered around the people who worked at the call center and didn’t move to India. We would see their hilarious day to day adventures like; borrowing money from friends and family, filing for unemployment, and picking up food from a food bank. The show would be a hit.
stop being so damn racist. this show is going to be ground breaking. it’s funny. open your eyes to new things. i’m sure the indians and americans can laugh at themselves. i feel bad for people who don’t have a sense of humor. it’s not india’s fault that the call centers are there. why don’t you understand that it’s the ceo’s of AMERICAN companies that want the call centers in India. that means Americans want the call centers in India.
@JohnKing who is being racist? People watch TV shows/Movies to get away from harsh realities!! Who the heck would want to watch a show about the job which they’ve lost being sent overseas? I’d think it would be strange to be laughing at a real life situation in the form of a t.v. show when a person has lost their home and is living in a shelter with their families. No one is blaming India? NO ONE.
Unfortunately because the US charges a ridiculously HIGH tax to do business here the CEO’S of these companies offset it by hiring cheap labor. OH and on a last note? TRUST me when I tell you, American’s DO NOT want call centers in India, all people involved get frustrated by the dialect/accent and language barriers.
I don’t see the logic in saying that someone is racist for not liking the premise of a show based on the current economic conditions many Americans are faced with. Everyone knows that India is blameless in this regard. Indian people are lovely. That’s not the issue.
This show is doomed because it pours salt in an open bleeding wound, that’s all.
The First episode was very funny and to the point. I am looking forward seeing more. Me myself being Indian, I liked it. The Comedy is not in the “Name”, it is what people expect and what they get.. lol…