 |
| Left to right: Nina Conti, Michael McKean, Lisa Palfrey, and Chris O'Dowd |
Every Thursday, join us as we join Chris O'Dowd in the Christopher Guest show Family Tree as he discovers just how bizarre his family can get. With the king of mockumentaries finally entering the TV world, we all must wonder how he'll manage to adapt to a universe that has been getting rich off his influence for over a decade. Still, is Guest's introduction to the TV universe one worthy of excitement? Follow us every week as we look at the HBO show and recount the highs and lows, including favorite family members, Monkey's best moments, and if Guest is really the best.
Plot: Tom (Chris O'Dowd) and his family decide to take a trip to the farming side of family only to discover that they have a weird sense of humor and that Harry Chadwick may not be somebody's real father.
 |
| Left to right: Adam James and O'Dowd |
One of the more disturbing things about this episode is how many people end up with their hands shoved up an animal's rear end. Pete (Tom Bennett) spends his entire role doing just that. There's Ronnie, who is a farmer in all sense of the word. He even partakes in a sense of farming humor that involves gross gestures like pretending to castrate a goat. He is definitely odd and while somewhat repulsive, leaves the strongest impression of the farming family, if just because after you meet him, you'll wish you never made it out there.
Monkey Moment: While she was prominently featured, there wasn't a lot of memorable moments for Bea (Nina Conti) or Monkey. However, the car ride did provide an interesting sight gag, if just because the person driving only has one hand available. Also, with Monkey complaining about people farting, it does make the trip even more uncomfortable to the point that when Luba (Lisa Palfrey) has to exit to go to the bathroom, they call her a primitive woman. Sadly, the episode lacks a great Monkey moment on part with the performance piece of the previous episode.
 |
| Jim Piddock |
This seemed to be an easy week to pick non-relatives, as it was to either Pete or Mr. Pfister. In a very brief scene, Mr. Pfister is seen having Tom try on really old clothes. He doesn't say anything until the very end when Tom asks how he looks. The blunt honesty gives the scene a great moment of humor and makes me hope that as the show decides to head to America that we'll somehow manage to get the deadpan shopkeeper to tag along.
 |
| Elliott Jordan |
I know that I complained last week about the series reaching a tedium with shows and just rehashing old bits. Still, it was tough to choose between "Sherlock Holmes: The Final Frontier" and the familiar favorite of Keith (Michael McKean) show "Move Along, Please." This show essentially won for the way that it managed to bond him with someone. This only backfires when discussion of the police system causes them to disagree and creates tension for the rest of the episode. It is a subtle, brilliant thing that may often be associated with nerd culture, but it is nice to see it done by two older men who should be more mature than that.
 |
| Susan Earl |
It is tough to really love this episode, as it seems to be established under the basis that you are fine with bizarre farm humor. For the first part of the episode, it felt like that was all that this episode was going to be. However, as it moved on and these characters began to make more sense, I really enjoyed the awkward humor that Tom had as he had to come face to face with people that almost seem to be from a different world. While there is nothing worthy of mentioning about Pete, we do get a sense of what the other half of the season is going to be. I cannot wait to see how the show drastically changes as it takes on American culture. However, the twist that Harry's partner mixed in some Bertolucci blood and created red heads is a small touch that while a little trashy in an episode that seems predominantly that, kind of keeps the Harry Chadwick lunacy afloat. Anyways, cannot wait to see what America via Christopher Guest will be like.
Comments
Post a Comment