I could spend some time describing the set-up of ITV’s new series Honest, and then spend a another paragraph telling you some of its stylistic quirks. But why bother when we have TV Maths at hand:
HONEST = SHAMELESS + ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
AT HOME WITH THE BRAITHWAITES
There. Sorted.
What’s that you say? You want me to show my working? Oh OK
Sweary dysfunctional family = Shameless
Dysfunctional family with one good son = Arrested Development
Family of criminals = Shameless
Whip-pan comic flashbacks = Arrested Development
Lots of sex = Shameless
Young female character is making a film = Arrested Development
Annoyed but friendly copper character = Shameless
At end of first episode patriarch ends up in prison = Arrested Development
However though being in At Home With The Braithwaites slot means that despite being chock full of swears and sex it still seems to have to hang around for a bit too long explaining itself, and the gags and writing were not as sharp as either of its two component shows. Indeed the concept (family of criminals go straight) seems to ignore the potential of a FAMILY OF CRIMINALS. Except clearly they are not going to stay straight, what with one of them working for Bert Kwouk’s Triad.
On the plus side: KWOUK = Awesome. The good and bad twins are played by the same bloke which I totally did not get and, hell, anything that’s a bit Arrested Development isn’t all bad. One to tentatively watch one more time.
I’m deliberately refusing to watch this, not just because it’s on ITV, but because Rob “Veronica Mars” Thomas is adapting the same Kiwi show that this is based on for US TV and his version is bound to be about a trillion times better. And it may even have Kristin Bell in it.
If you like ‘Arrested Development’, and haven’t already been watching it, then you should get started on ’30 Rock’… similar style of humour. I think of ’30 Rock’ as ‘Arrested Development’ meets ‘Extras’ meets ‘Friends’.
It was a bit like watching Going Straight if you’d never seen Porridge. Also Amanda Redman’s Asda Own Brand Judi Dench demeanour is getting tiresome. She sort of stands there while everyone else acts around her, like Little Weed though not as good.
when is kwouk not awesome!? he is the xander of human culture
tho word is he is not in the russell t. davies summer wine revamp :(
andrew ridgeley confirmed as new compo though
I don’t mind 30 Rock but its a lot more trad than its love seems to suggest, and like many show about shows, we don’t see enough of the their show to know if it is worth caring (this is of course a fine line to walk, considering we saw a fair bit of Studio 60, and man alive that stunk). But I don’t really see the Arrested Development parallels except with the cut-away gags.