10.18.07

Episode 1.3: “The Fun in Funeral”

Posted in Reviews at 11:31 pm by Administrator

Written by Bryan Fuller
Directed by Paul Edwards

Two stray thoughts come to mind after viewing this episode. In truth, there were many, many more, but two of them rush to the top of the list. Two more reasons why this show is working so well for me and those with similar tastes (or so I would hope). Both thoughts are good thoughts, which is more than I can say for some other new shows on the schedule.

First there is a clear sign of continuity, which is always something to look forward to, especially when a series can stray from a center path without penalty. I wasn’t expecting them to return to the funeral home at all, so using that previous calamity as a means of complicating Ned and Chuck’s relationship is a nice touch. It also reinforces one of the ideas early in the episode: the metaphorical connection between butterflies and hurricanes.

Second, there is the under-appreciated narrator, who continues to inject the perfect amount of sarcastic wit to each and every story. Not nearly so smarmy as the voiceovers on “Desperate Housewives”, the narrator is a closer cousin to the style found in “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” (in book, audio, and video forms), fleshing out aspects of this strange little world that wouldn’t be nearly so fun without it.

Beyond that, I can only say that the first three episodes have been very consistent, and that it’s a joy to have one hour of pure positive absurdity each and every week. It can be a bit too sweet for its own good, but I suppose that’s how it always goes with pie. The last great show with an obsession with pie started off strong as well; I only hope that this show finds its niche, and a large enough audience, to keep it around for a while.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Permalink