Yesterday I presented the pickle we were in trying to figure out how to break up Nancy Travis & Kevin Kilner in one episode on ALMOST PERFECT. Here's another one of my little blog experiments. Today I will show you the episode. Tomorrow I will discuss the thought process that went into it. So yes today is homework but hopefully enjoyable homework. And it does have my favorite joke from the series.
19 comments :
Well done.
By having break-ups as the theme of your episode, you put the leads in the correct frame of mind. And the revelations of hitherto un-guessed at cracks in the perfect love affair comes naturally and, more importantly, is totally believable. And the break-up itself is nicely handled with the correct amount of poignancy.
So: good episode, though obviously not good for your series as a whole...
I think this is where I stopped watching. It's not that I didn't think this was a great episode (given what you had to do) but I find Nancy Travis annoying (she has a nasal tone to her voice and I find that she shouts in her sit-com work. I know you love her, and I am sure she's a very nice person...and I've seen her on stage and in dramatic work and she's great, but I find her sitcom work unwatchable) and Kevin Kilner was the right balance to her. Once Kevin left there seemed no point to continue to watch.
In addition to what wout thielemans said, you used the break between seasons to your advantage, as part of what revealed the (hitherto-unguessed) problem -- very appropriately, as the characters work on a TV series. So the "how come there's a fatal flaw now, when there wasn't one last season?" question was nicely dealt with... at least, as well as possible given the assignment. They actually discovered it because there was a hiatus.
Cleverly worked out.
In my humble opinion...
I think a breakup of that magnitude might work best in a two-part episode. To have a lead in, a fight, and resolution all in ones episode rushes the actual story of what's going on. It seems like, for something this BIG, a little more time needs to be given to make the storyline credible. I was hoping that the solution would just be to shift to her work and social life, and the husband would only get on screen a couple minutes per show.
BUT: What the suits demanded was unreasonable, and there was no 'good' way to go from there.
-Love the blog, thanks!
I have to agree, one episode wasn't enough to undo the relationship that had been built from the first episode, a two-parter or a one hour episode might have been able to make it work better. The five sentence rule was a clever idea (as was the physical comedy that ensued from the marble staircase) to work with, but it still didn't seem completely organic or real within the universe created by the show for me. Regardless, it was a bone-headed decision by the network that pretty much ended the show. It only lasted three weeks after this before being yanked off the air for good.
By the way, Rinaldo is very wise for figuring out the clever inside joke in the episode, one I missed on the first viewing.
"It only lasted three weeks after this before being yanked off the air for good."
IMDb lists 10 episodes for Season 2, airing from October through December.
Rinaldo: They made ten episodes, but only four of them aired before the show was pulled off the air at the end of October.
Worked for me. The time-compression of the half-hour format, aided by the set-up joke (five sentences) made the turnaround plausible (in a sitcom kinda way).
I like Nancy Travis…she is enthusiastic among the bored…and she makes it seem genuine.
Also cool to see Lisa Edelstein before she graduated from medical school and joined "House."
Not bad, the setup made it work I think. If I knew more about the show I think I would have more to say.
Still, I did kind of like the dynamic we saw in the first act. That things wern't all wine and roses. I'm not sure if it would have kept with the overall theme of the show, but it seemed to fit the actors well.
Not sure what your favorite joke of the whole series was, but "the way to grasp the divine... which you know is kind of a hobby of mine" takes some beating.
Great writing, and I totally bought the five sentences. But kind of rough to watch from the working woman's perspective. She's supposed to be able to have it all (on TV). So realizing in five sentences that even this great guy has always had trouble with her having a career is a bit of a downer for me.
But well done. And I loved the Xena references.
Lisa Edelstein. Sigh.
For some reason I actually remembered the whole "If that's the way you really feel..." thing even when reading about this the other day. Sometimes these things stay with you. Giving allowances for how awkward it must have been to squeeze all this into one episode, I think it actually worked really well, better than I even recall.
My guess on the favorite joke would be, "That would be what, reform?"
Very nicely done. But seeing this reminded me how much I disliked David Clennon's character. It wasn't the writing, it was that I could never buy him in that role. Unfortunately, I always saw him as his thirtysomething character. He never seemd to have the looseness the part required. Always liked the show, though.
You old relationship breakup/stairway pratfall foreshadower, you. Make that two votes for "That would be what, reform?"
Liked the ghost-written vows and comeback. Always wanted to do something with a Los Angeles nuptial ceremony where the couple exchanges vows written for them by their children from previous marriages.
The $50-thou also reminded me of a series competitive New York weddings, each trying to outspend the previous in wretched excess. One with filet mignon where, so help me God, the couple descended from a revolving replica of Mt. Sinai, and another with lobster (which to the best of my knowledge isn’t even allowed Hebraically speaking), and both with endless champagne, Godiva Chocolates, Cuban cigars, and fabulous take-home gifts. I speculated that to top this, the next wedding entrée would have to be mink – likely inedible but undoubtedly the most costly meat on the market. As going-home favors the father of the bride would just hand out cash.
Speaking of Carlsbad Caverns, why is it that the floor of every cave you see on television is so perfectly flat and level, you don’t even have to lay down tracks for a walk and talk? Also whatever happened to Gary? Seemed like the perfect writer’s character.
Three votes for, "That would be what, Reform?"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRkv-BHcEwA
Off topic--Broadway Loves the 80s featured Bway stars singing to raise money for Iowa flood victims. Check out the TV theme song medely...
As a network peon in those days, I remember the show being yanked off the air... and the network execs dis-invited to the last taping. Fortunately, being a peon, my invite was still good. What a great group of talent! Hopefully there will be a dvd someday.
and the only one who ends up with a date is the rabbi? as a single female reform rabbi, would you guys please write the script for my life?
:-)
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