“The Sarah Silverman Program” — Bored of the Rings
Is it wrong that my enjoyment of The Sarah Silverman Program is derived almost exclusively from the fact it happens to be really well art directed? Most comedies these days are either extremely lo-fi (It’s Always Sunny…, Curb, and to a lesser extent The Office), shot 3-camera, or generally just very boring looking. SSP, for reasons that are mostly Schrab related, looks fantastic — especially for Comedy Central. Is this a reason to watch week after week? Probably not, but it’s a start. More after the jump…
Interestingly, Sarah Silverman herself might be the weakest part of the series. The supporting cast, especially Steve and Brian, are for the most part pretty hilarious. I find her material a bit forced. If there were a gun to my head and I had to decide by the “boundary pushing” humor of Mrs. Silverman or the cast of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, I’d probably take Philly every time. For them, the “issue of the week” formula is rarely about shock so much as it’s a curious launching pad for completely asinine behavior. It’s more fun to see Mac and Dee try to get a dumpster baby a modeling contract that it is to see Sarah Silverman moderately insult the fictional character sitting next to her.
Though as I said earlier, I love the rest of the cast and find the B-stories mostly fantastic. This week was so-so (is it me, or is Dungeons and Dragons humor a little played out?), though there is no denying the comedic value of grown men in medieval costumes charging over a hill in slow motion — especially when the sky is that blue. Again, it’s all about the look. The Sarah Silverman Program has no right to be a beautifully shot as it is, and I would wager that is ultimately what makes it so appealing. It’s hard to be annoyed by a character so beautifully lit.
