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September 21, 2005

My Name is Earl

I checked out My Name Is Earl yesterday for two reasons:

1. I'm a fan of Jason Lee he's always been great at whatever he's been in and this looked like it suited him.

2. I got these wicked beer "My Name Is Earl" promotional coolers from the Dodgers game I went to when I was in California and hey that seemed like the best opportunity break one in and drink beer...on a tuesday...at 8pm...by myself...in my underwear.

Anyways the premise is pretty simple, Earl is a lowlife who after scratching a $100,000 winning ticket loses it seconds later, learns about Karma from Carson Daly and decides to change his ways. Once Earl starts to change his ways his lotto ticket finds its way back to him (Thank god! that would be ridiculously painful to have the ticket be within his grasp every episode only to have it get away from him). Earl sets out on righting his wrongs and helping everyone on he's previously wronged on a list he's made.

The episode has it's funny moments but borrows heavily from other shows trademarks. There's the lead character who also serves as the narrator, Jason Lee does a great job but obviously following the lead of other great shows, Scrubs and Arrested Development. There's also the flashback sequences (which are seriously being done to death. The only thing that is out pacing shows doing rip-off flashbacks is recent buzz of 'the bleeped swear words'...oohhh cheeky!!, thankfully Earl doesn't have that.) which are also from Scrubs(*note - not forgetting to give credit to the flashback kings, Family Guy but Earl's flashbacks are relevant flashback not bizarre non-sequiturs like Family Guy.)

Hopefully they can turn things around in episodes to come and fully exploit the talented cast and not turn so heavily to blatantly ripping-off other popular shows. I'll check it out agian.

Posted by hypnobee at September 21, 2005 6:00 AM