David Kronke was appointed Mayor of Television after a bloodless coup in 2000. Since then, he has improved infrastructure, championed greater educational opportunities and fought for reforms that have utterly erased corruption and incompetence from the television industry. Since Mr. Kronke has ascended to power, Television is a far better place. Late-night comedy that doesn’t involve chat (or, in some instances, comedy)
I can’t shake the sense that “10 Items or Less” might be a little funnier were it on somewhere besides TBS. The show seems to have some good ideas, but they generally wind up playing kind of soft and squishy.
Take tonight’s episode: Leslie (series co-creator John Lehr) has hit upon the idea of selling “the freshest meat in town” after Greens & Grains butcher Todd (Chris Payne Gilbert) wins some cows in a poker game. Cribbing an idea from seafood and sushi restaurants, he envisions slaughtering the cows on-site for his customers’ edification and quality-assurance. (His proposed slaughtering technique: “Keep hacking ’till she stops moving.”) But they first have to get clearance through a USDA official (Allison Dunbar) who has other things on her mind. It’s thisclose to being funny, but the show isn’t quite edgy to get away with it, resulting in a fairly predictable denouement.
Meanwhile, Richard (Christopher Liam Moore) auditions for “Lord of the Rings on Ice.” “(Pop Culture Phenomenon That Would Be Ruined By Skating) on Ice” is an evergreen gag, but it’s probably time to call a moratorium on the jokes for now.
On Wednesday, Starz comedies “Head Case” and “Hollywood Residential” return with new episodes. When Starz sent out screeners at the beginning of these shows’ seasons, they seemed intentionally vague about what episodes they were offering up, suggesting that what was proffered were the best they could do and that the series overall were kind of spotty.
Well, no and yes: While Wednesday’s episode of “Head Case” is pretty resolutely unfunny (Andy Dick parodying his bad behavior is, what? about a decade-old gag?), next week’s installment has a few pretty inspired moments: Dr. Goode (the reliably amusing Alexandra Wentworth) gives a remarkably inappropriate presentation at a local high school’s career day, and Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden has some funny scenes as one of Goode’s patients, pining for a white-bread, suburban lifestyle. Goode encourages the new Joel: “Lay off the rock & roll, rent a Toyota Corolla, watch a little ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ … Don’t underestimate mediocrity.” Joel, in a bland beige suit and tie, embraces his new life, though he does allow, “It’s harder to meet women now, I don’t know why.”
As for “Hollywood Residential,” starring series creator Adam Paul as Tony King, an incompetent co-host on a celebrity home-makeover show, it’s not a bad idea but, as executed, it’s a lost cause. In Wednesday’s episode, Tony farts a lot and drops his cell phone in dog sh!t. Guest star Carmen Electra can’t even portray a spoiled celebrity convincingly, and one imagines she’s had plenty of practice in the role.
- “10 Items or Less:” 11 tonight, TBS.
- “Head Case:” 10 p.m. Wednesday, Starz.
- “Hollywood Residential:” 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Starz.