(S01E06) For a fleeting second, I thought The Class was just going to concentrate on two stories this week. For the first act, it looked like all we'd see was Richie, Duncan and Yonk in Atlantic City and Holly's adventures at the petting zoo. Yes, one of the storylines would be a Holly storyline, but I was glad that the writers decided to smarten up and rotate out one storyline per week, leaving more room for silly things like effective jokes and character development.But then I saw Lina in an FDR costume and Kat being Kat, and I just went, "oh crap."
The ironic thing is, like last week, the Kat/Ethan storyline had the best lines of all of them, even though not much is really going on beyond the development of their freindship. This time, Lina had some of the best stuff, trying to get Kat to figure out that she's going a Halloween party dressed as FDR. "What am I gonna do about World War II?" she asks as a big clue. "Will you look at that? I've got polio!" was also good.
You can tell where Ethan and Kat are going, though... even Lina sees it. Ethan holds Kat in a headlock and tries to get her to call him Superman for the entire episode (he was wearing a Superman costume... Kat was going as "snarky photographer"). Just when you think this is the dumbest plot ever, Lina lets fly that she thinks her sister and Ethan are kind of sweet on each other. Of course they are. Why would they be together otherwise? We've been watching sitcoms too long to not see this development coming a mile away.It was funny to see Yonk not get Richie's sarcasm, and it was cool to see Richie gamble for the first time. Even Duncan had a good line... when Richie tells Duncan he wants to get Lina a trumpet for their one-month anniversary, Duncan goes "I used to get them flowers... or drunk." And Richie's first reactions to gambling in Atlantic City were OK. But I really thought the show was going to go down a really dark road when Yonk, a compulsive gambler, started gambling through Richie. And when Richie, determined to get Lina that trumpet, decided to keep on gambling after he goes broke, I was thinking "Oh, crud... he's a cheater, suicidal, and now they're going to make him a gamblaholic?" Luckily, he was able to get that trumpet. The reason why Lina wanted to use it was unexpected and kind of cute.
I haven't mentioned the Holly storyline, where she kills a bunny in a petting zoo with her high heels, because there isn't much to say; it was clumsily written, and the way it forced Kyle and Aaron into the story unnecessarily was even worse. There was no reason for them to be there, especially when they went to the zoo with Holly and Gay Hubby so she can film an apology.
Interestingly, if they decided to get rid of Gay Husband (who tells Holly he's an "ass man" in the most groan-inducing line of the night), Holly might actually become a sympathetic character. You can see the humanity coming through in Lucy Punch's performance, but it's being smothered by the cartoonish story.
Anyway, this episode was a slight improvement over the last two, but not much. Strip away some storylines, or skip a story every week, and the show might actually find its comedic legs. But right now, it's too much of a mess to be a good show.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-24-2006 @ 3:21PM
Howard said...
"Can I see this bunny in a size 8" - I love this show.
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10-24-2006 @ 6:53AM
MJ said...
Okay - so apparently my boyfriend and I are the only two people at this site who like, "The Class," but (shocking confession:) we really look forward to it every week.
I'm certainly not saying that it's perfect, but we laugh out loud every week, and we're not an easy audience.
Your comments about it being uneven are probably warranted. They do seem to focus on the Kat/Ethan storyline - but Kat is really funny. Yes, she might not be the most sympathetic character (and, I'm a bit biased: I thought Lizzy Caplan was funny in Mean Girls, and expected her to succeed) - but she is really funny. Their storyline is funny - increasingly obvious, but still funny.
Perhaps it's an East-coast thing, but Kat's character doesn't seem cartoon-y. It actually seems pretty familiar.
I agree that the Holly character can be annoying, but even Holly's growing on me. The gay husband thing may be way over-played for the time being, but it's not like there aren't women who are perpetually attracted to gay men ... and, certainly, "The Class" is not the only series to comment on it. If given the time to develop the storyline, it has potential.
You write, "Luckily, [Richie] was able to get that trumpet. The reason why Lina wanted to use it was unexpected and kind of cute." That's what I love about some of the humor on "The Class." I think a lot of their ideas are unexpected - or, at least, beyond the conventional limits (e.g. the trumpet; the end of Lina/Richie's first date; Richie's background story as it unfolds; even Holly's particular, albeit, gross mishap tonight, etc.). Certainly others (e.g. gay husband lines) are becoming obvious and very expected.
I think the writers are firmly headed in the correct direction (funny, and starting to develop all the storylines...). In the meantime, at least two viewers laugh out loud each week.
I like the politically incorrect, edgy humor, and (at times)quick wit. In this day and age (of reality TV and crime dramas galore), it seems particularly refreshing. "The Class" may have some hurdles (don't many new TV shows make some changes?), but I think the writing is very very funny. If given time - it should be a great show.
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10-24-2006 @ 9:49AM
SamMalone said...
Somehow I don't mind the slowness of the plot-lines for the Ethan/Kat side of things. Their delivery is at least good and there's some chemistry there. The writers just need to develop that potential.
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10-26-2006 @ 1:55AM
ljz said...
I agree with MJ. My family and "laugh out loud" at "The Class" every week, and this past Monday's episodes was soooooo funny, I watched it twice. When I told my friend to watch after she and her husband watched she called and said "Can I see this bunny in a size 8?" and we started laughing again. I can see where they are going with this show. And I understand why Kyle and Aaron were at the house, Aaron may not care for Holly, but it has been established that in addition to the "prom date" and what happened there, Kyle and Holly were good friends, they had been friends since the 3rd grade through high school and he wanted to reconnect. I really like that Richie and Duncan have also tried to start a friendship, Nicole is the only one that seems "under-used", I mean what does she do all day and where is Duncan's Mom, they were funny together. I don't care what anyone says Sam Harris, is great, he steals every scene he is in. I hope CBS gives it a chance. I really want to see where this will end up and I want to see them all get together again at least once.
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11-02-2006 @ 2:17AM
diegoclassfan said...
I enjoy class also. I felt Lina trying to do her job with two broken legs was funny. Ethan getting the yogurt samples made laugh aan cringe (little boy w/dead dog). Waiting for Holly's husband to run away with aarons partner allowing Holly and aaron to become close again.
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