Hello, everybody. This is Comedy 101. Check to see if you're in the right class. For those new to the course, what we do is show you a half-hour sitcom episode and then tomorrow I deconstruct it. This is from a series I co-created in the mid '90s for CBS called ALMOST PERFECT. It starred Nancy Travis and Kevin Kilner. She's the head writer of a TV cop show and he's an assistant D.A. The series explored their relationship. This is about episode seven or eight. Tomorrow I break it down.
Note: I have no idea how to edit these things so the title card is still there. The show starts about a minute in. It's easier for me to run a television show than learn how to use ProTools.
Ken - thanks for sharing. I have to say that I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard at the end of the episode...
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help but think Elaine and Puddy from Seinfeld and the orgasm guy as Kramer. You must've been on the same wavelength as Jerry. Not a bad thing, we're all connected!
ReplyDeleteGood comedy always holds up even when the clothes go out of style. Can't wait for tomorrow's lesson.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good episode to show becoause it highlights the show's strengths and weaknesses.
ReplyDeleteThe wacky crew at work is funny, but the relationship stikes me as weak. The boyfriend is so nice and reasonable, yet Nancy Travis is such a princess. Boo Hoo for her, her wallet is too small to hold all her $100 bills. I feel for her.
Also, being a DA in a town like LA is serious, yet it's pointed out they all make so much more money in show business. His work issues are literally life and death, yet hers are, in comparison, trivial. Not saying that she doesn't work hard and the job isn't stressful, but compared to trying to put murderes and rapists in jail and failure means real people get hurt and someone gets away with murder, it makes her work problems seem silly.
I know it's a comedy, but that's what I thought when I watched the show, and this episode highlighted that problem.
But still, a funny show.
You guys had Victor Fresco as a co-executive producer, I loved Better Off Ted, what did he do on your show?
ReplyDeleteI love how you portrayed yourself as a hot woman, are there really any female comedy writers who look like Nancy?
Noticed it's made up of 4 parts - the first one where they set-up the episode and the possible conflict, the second one where the conflict actually occurs, third one conflict resolution and fourth one actually adressing the issue.
Matt Letscher looked like Neil Patrick Harris back then. On a somewhat related note, how did you feel about Party Down vs Entourage?
Hi, Ken; If your clip is in quicktime, position your cursor below the timeline. A little symbol that looks like a paper hat will appear. This symbol is actually two markers, one to mark the new start and one for the new end.
ReplyDeleteFirst, make a copy of the clip. Work on the copy. Put the markers where you want in the clip; just click on them and drag them. Now go to edit in the toolbar, then click "trim to selection." Then go to file and "Save as..."
You're done. Good luck!
Did I hear someone say: "Come on, Senator Palin, those kids really bought that?" Who'd know those kids ended up voting for her?
ReplyDeleteGer, Rob said Senator PALEY (his character's name is Rob Paley--of course in the second season they could have called him Adam Duritz, with those white-boy dreadlocks).
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting this. I loved Almost Perfect; this was one of my favorite episodes.
ReplyDeleteHaven't watched this yet. I was on the phone with a friend who couldn't listen to explanation of another ep because it contained food (fried chicken). I also noticed your post don't seem to have tags (labels) but it could be my browser.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the ep without watching it (soon) but I do remember the bright light, so I did see it. I also remember something about Studio City, which always made me wonder, what is Studio City? is it a bad area? (been there since, i'm sure but have not lived there)