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| Left to right: Graham Greene, Tom Bennett, Nina Conti, 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: With Bea (Nina Conti) and Pete (Tom Bennett) in town, Tom (Chris O'Dowd) decides to investigate just how much Indian he has in him by visiting the Mojave Desert.
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| Left to right: O'Dowd and Kevin Pollak |
Maybe it is just because of how much of a shock it was, but when the big reveal of the episode came, it packed a punch. Tom is not the least bit Indian. Instead, he is related to Marty, a Jewish antiques shop owner who reveals that they are related through an actor cowboy named Tumbleweed Tim. Besides being eccentric, we don't get much of an opportunity to understand his quirks, but it is still one of those great reveals that the show is really good at doing. The only question now is how much more Judaism the show will explore.
Monkey Moment: There were plenty to choose from, as they were front and center for most of the happenings. However, nothing was quite as enjoyable as listening to them go on about their flight over and how Monkey couldn't wear surgical shoes because they were too big. I must admit that Monkey and Bea doesn't quite work in a public situation. Their snide remarks can be funny, but it is in intimate reaction that what makes them work, works. Still, it was a really solid episode for Monkey and Bea and I must admit that I really enjoyed watching Monkey try on a headband and ride around on a miniature horse.
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| Ashley Walters |
Best in Fake Show: Sherlock Holmes:: The New Frontier
Out of nowhere, the fake TV show returns in the form of the Sherlock Holmes meets Star Trek parody that we saw back in the UK episodes. Here, we see the final episode with Pete ruining it for the Indians, who are watching it in an RV. Other than this, there isn't much to dissect from the use of the show within the show. Pete actually feels more bothersome than normal in this episode for some reason, if just because he is relied on to make illogical Indian stereotypes and be somewhat obnoxious. Simple jokes and he isn't yet annoying, but his involvement with the Sherlock Holmes bit wasn't all that clever, other than a funny reply from the disgruntled viewers.
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| Amy Seimetz |
Remember the woman who got into a car accident awhile back? Well, Tom finally gets to have a chat with her, and she is a rather fascinating person. She is a writer who moved to Los Angeles to hopefully be inspired. It almost feels like this is a couple in the making, as Tom seems to be on his game when talking to her. Also, the transplanted nature of their conversation just feels somewhat inspired. Whether this is just a meal to say thank you for helping at the scene of the accident or more, I kind of feel like there is a spark here. Hopefully she'll be back around next season.
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| Left to right: Bennett and Joe Lo Truglio |
Overall: 4 out of 5
I will admit that Pete may be the reason that this episode has a little bit of a dent in it. I still think he is a solid character, but his ignorance of Indian culture and being somewhat obnoxious seems like an inversion of the ignorant American stereotypes. Other than that, I thought tackling Indian culture was somewhat of an inspired premise that while it eventually turned out to be moot, revealed something more about Tom. He is Jewish! This show continues to get more twisted and I worry that it will overlap in continuity eventually, but for now, its twisted look at how bizarre the family is still manages to mix laughs with culture. There are so many small parts in this episode that amplifies the nuances to new highs, including the lady who has to pour sanitizer into her palm after shaking hands. It is inspired and I am saddened to realize that next week is the season finale already.
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