Article published October 06, 2008
NBC's 'Kath & Kim' has one note, and that note is whiny
By MIKE KELLY
SPECIAL TO THE BLADE
Which is funnier: an anorexic 40-something woman who obsesses over her body and tries desperately to act like someone half her age, or a dim-witted 20-something woman who acts like a petulant 6-year-old?
If you're unlucky enough to watch NBC's newest sitcom, Kath & Kim, you'll know the answer to that question.
It's neither.
The series, which premieres at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, is a remake of a popular Australian comedy program, but if stuff like this is considered funny Down Under, folks there probably think that Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe, and Hugh Jackman would make a terrific lineup for an updated version of the Three Stooges.
Of course, there's always the chance that something major was lost in translation during the remake of the Aussie series.
In the premiere episode of the series, we meet Kath Day, a middle-aged divorcee who is played with manic good cheer by Molly Shannon, a former Saturday Night Live cast member. Now that she finally has time for herself, Kath fills her days by exercising constantly to make herself appear younger in hopes of finding a man.Her hard work seems to be paying off, because she's in a serious relationship with an adoring sandwich shop owner named Phil Knight. When asking Kath to marry him, Phil comes up with the painful line, "Will you turn Day into Knight?" then proceeds to use it again … and again … and again, until you want to jam one of Phil's three-meat combo sandwiches right down his throat.
But Kath thinks it's all good, until her blissful life is suddenly interrupted when her self-absorbed daughter, Kim, who has walked out on her husband of six weeks, shows up on Mom's doorstep. Kim is portrayed by Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions), a young actress who bears a striking resemblance to Katie Holmes but is a few notches below Mrs. Tom Cruise in acting skills.
Blair is appealing enough, at least until she opens her mouth. If the idea is to portray her character as a complete dunce, it's mission accomplished. Upon entering her mother's house with her suitcase, Kim announces in a whiny voice, "I'm getting a divorce. It's over, O-V-U-R."
When her mother asks why, Kim has an explanation that's as simple as she is: "I didn't sign up for cooking dinner or being interested in how anyone's day was," she pouts. "I'm a trophy wife, like Melania Trump and Mrs. Larry King Live."
Back under Mom's roof, Kim is ready to do nothing but lounge around on the couch, feel sorry for herself, and be taken care of, as if she were a little girl again. The fact that Mom has a guy with whom she likes to get physical makes Kim nauseous, and she tells her mother she's simply too old for such foolishness.
When Kath falls into a funk, even a lunkhead like Kim can sense it, and she does her best to cheer her up. "Would it make you feel better," she coos, "if you got up and made us some nachos?"
Blair's whiny, one-note performance wears thin in short order, and it falls to Shannon to do most of the comedic heavy lifting. Too bad she's not up to the task. Her character is no more likable than Blair's, and more often than not, her delivery is forced and unfunny.
With time-slot competition like CBS's Survivor: Gabon and ABC's Ugly
Betty, Kath & Kim's chances for success aren't very good. But truth be told, it wouldn't be worth your time if it were the only show on.
This week marks the return of USA Network's The Starter Wife, which started last year as a six-hour miniseries. There were no plans to convert the program to a series, but when it drew more than 5 million viewers and earned 10 Emmy nominations, the plans suddenly changed.
The comedic drama stars Debra Messing (Will & Grace) as Molly Kagan, the 41-year-old ex-wife of a powerful Hollywood studio boss who must build a new life as a single mother after her husband leaves her for a younger woman. Because of Messing's great likeability and solid comic instincts, her unsinkable Molly is someone whom viewers can laugh with and ultimately root for.
The miniseries was surprisingly watchable, and there's no reason to think the series won't be as well. It debuts at 9 p.m. Friday.
Permanent Link
|
|
 |
|
Search
advertisement
