Interesting to go back and watch the first season of this show to see that so much of what is good about is in place right from the get-go. The internal thoughts of our two characters allow for an honesty that is accurate while also being hilarious in its exaggeration of reality. Jeremy and Mark live together, the former being a bit of a deadbeat artist, the latter being an uptight and awkward office worker; the series follows them as they seek relationships and anything else which they believe will give them happiness.
This season starts out pretty slow and sets up some of the relationships that will carry through all the rest of the seasons, it also establishes the "point of view" tool as a device and it pretty much works out of the box. It seems a little awkward at times but generally it makes sense and the good lines delivered in the inner thoughts mean that the whole package works. There are no weak episodes in this opening 6, although it must be said that none had me consistently rolling with laughter either – it was just a very assured and very confident start. The moral weaknesses of the characters and their different forms of social awkwardness really work and are funny but also believable. Webb and Mitchell are both really good as well – convincing in their characters and with strong timing.
Season 1 is not the high point for this show but it is impressive how well it starts itself out on the right path and does so much well from the very start.
This season starts out pretty slow and sets up some of the relationships that will carry through all the rest of the seasons, it also establishes the "point of view" tool as a device and it pretty much works out of the box. It seems a little awkward at times but generally it makes sense and the good lines delivered in the inner thoughts mean that the whole package works. There are no weak episodes in this opening 6, although it must be said that none had me consistently rolling with laughter either – it was just a very assured and very confident start. The moral weaknesses of the characters and their different forms of social awkwardness really work and are funny but also believable. Webb and Mitchell are both really good as well – convincing in their characters and with strong timing.
Season 1 is not the high point for this show but it is impressive how well it starts itself out on the right path and does so much well from the very start.