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| Left to right: Liza Lapira, Rebel Wilson, and Lauren Ash |
Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.
Closing out the coverage of ABC's latest comedies is a look at the Rebel Wilson-penned series Super Fun Night. The bizarre thing about the show is that it was the one that it was my least anticipated show from the bunch, but it delivered far more potential. While Wilson proved to be a solid supporting character in Bridesmaids and less so in Pitch Perfect, she has always struck me as more of a comedian using her body image for all of her jokes. This is most prominent in Pitch Perfect when she calls herself Fat Amy to avoid others from doing so. It may be seen as uplifting from a character standpoint, but in all honesty, fat humor is probably the laziest form of slapstick. Some jokes could work, but gone are the days when Fatty Arbuckle or John Belushi could use their size as a benefit to the joke. There's no intellect and it looks really sad in ways that tripping a blind person does.
In fact, it is hard to determine if Wilson is trying to do that. The first episode serves as the show's mantra of an awkward, clumsy lawyer who needs social skills. This is where the show has potential. Along with her two friends Helen-Alice (Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23's Liza Lapira) and Marika (Lauren Ash), she tries to build up her confidence. This involves Helen-Alice accidentally consuming Long Island Ice Teas and Marika threatening Kimmie's (Wilson) coworker (Kevin Bishop). These are all nice beats that gives the show some formation of humanity and has plenty of laughs as the moral core of the show.
I even like that the show is about trying to find confidence in yourself. The first episode involves going to a piano bar and performing songs in a competition. It is a novel idea that shows Kimmie's stages from being nervous to actually gaining some sense of self. She still may be awkward and clumsy, but the episode ends with the premise firmly solved. In fact, if that is all that this show is, I feel like it could succeed by going place to place and Helen-Alice just getting drunk wherever she goes. I miss seeing Liza Lapira on TV, and this is a nice welcome back, even if she is essentially the same as her Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23's Robin.
Then you get into the more conflicting side, which is the familiar downfalls of being fat. It may just be perception, but a lot of the jokes feel like they are at the expense of Kimmie's obesity. The opening introduction alone has many moments where she seems to be aloof. She drops a notebook in her toilet, gets her skirt caught in an elevator, and is later seen falling down. It isn't ever addressed head on, but there is a constant sense that Wilson's character has body issues. The only good side effect is that there is no attempt to turn it into gross-out humor or easy pokes. Still, Wilson must be an acquired taste that makes no sense to everyone else.
The reason that Super Fun Night succeeds where the Goldbergs or Trophy Wife fails is that it has a set-up and while not exactly the most original, has enough payoff based on the characters having fun. The ensemble feels stronger than the other ones and even if Wilson is clumsy, she definitely knows how to pull off the slow rise to confidence. Mix in a few supporting characters cracking jokes, and this show feels more like an ensemble piece than most of the new shows have felt. To an extent, this even feels like a far more successful, less irritating version of Hello Ladies.
The only issue is that it needs to get over the self-deprecating humor. There are numerous jokes in here involving some sort of spandex or women's clothing. The episode ends with Kimmie trying to remove a garment and eventually giving up. In a way, it almost would suggest that they should do an episode around checking out a gym for one "super fun night," but that is both too cruel and unrealistic for a show that looks to be predicated on the idea of women just going out and having a good time. At very least, if the show continues to show character growth through social interactions, I will be fine with that.
I also don't believe that this show will be nearly as packed with integral plot points week to week, so I feel that each episode can serve as standalone entertainment. If I am ever proven wrong, I feel like the show may be surprisingly more effective. Until then, I feel like this is a show more geared towards women, and maybe that should skew the view just a little. Even then, I like a lot of the ideas of the show, but I can't quite back Wilson's self-deprecating nature. Maybe in doses, this could turn out fun, but I don't feel like Wilson is strong enough to carry a show week-to-week. Hopefully the ensemble will get more recognition to compensate.
In an interesting twist, this show is produced by both Conaco (Conan O'Brien's company) and Michael Showalter. While Rebel Wilson's status has risen in the past few years, the production team makes me feel like I should be more assured. It doesn't. It more makes me curious as to what they saw in the show that was lucrative. Maybe it is just a bandwagon exercise, but even then, there has to be some semblance of reasoning. The only benefit so far is that it is the better new show that ABC has come up with. It may be a gimmick, but one that doesn't feel as much premeditated on stereotypes and lame gags.
Super Fun Night will probably be on my casual viewing if I ever choose to. I like enough of it to believe that it could get better. I even admire the idea that the show explores emotional improvement through the titular fun nights. It just needs to get over the larger than life personality of its lead and make it succeed where it is stronger: the ensemble. It may be a rough first episode, but sure enough Super Fun Night is an entertaining show, just not as fun as the title suggests.
The only issue is that it needs to get over the self-deprecating humor. There are numerous jokes in here involving some sort of spandex or women's clothing. The episode ends with Kimmie trying to remove a garment and eventually giving up. In a way, it almost would suggest that they should do an episode around checking out a gym for one "super fun night," but that is both too cruel and unrealistic for a show that looks to be predicated on the idea of women just going out and having a good time. At very least, if the show continues to show character growth through social interactions, I will be fine with that.
I also don't believe that this show will be nearly as packed with integral plot points week to week, so I feel that each episode can serve as standalone entertainment. If I am ever proven wrong, I feel like the show may be surprisingly more effective. Until then, I feel like this is a show more geared towards women, and maybe that should skew the view just a little. Even then, I like a lot of the ideas of the show, but I can't quite back Wilson's self-deprecating nature. Maybe in doses, this could turn out fun, but I don't feel like Wilson is strong enough to carry a show week-to-week. Hopefully the ensemble will get more recognition to compensate.
In an interesting twist, this show is produced by both Conaco (Conan O'Brien's company) and Michael Showalter. While Rebel Wilson's status has risen in the past few years, the production team makes me feel like I should be more assured. It doesn't. It more makes me curious as to what they saw in the show that was lucrative. Maybe it is just a bandwagon exercise, but even then, there has to be some semblance of reasoning. The only benefit so far is that it is the better new show that ABC has come up with. It may be a gimmick, but one that doesn't feel as much premeditated on stereotypes and lame gags.
Super Fun Night will probably be on my casual viewing if I ever choose to. I like enough of it to believe that it could get better. I even admire the idea that the show explores emotional improvement through the titular fun nights. It just needs to get over the larger than life personality of its lead and make it succeed where it is stronger: the ensemble. It may be a rough first episode, but sure enough Super Fun Night is an entertaining show, just not as fun as the title suggests.
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