Hello Tomorrow!: A Traveling Salesman Travels
February 20, 2023 4:25 AM - Season 1, Episode 3 - Subscribe
Funny how doing what's best for those we love sometimes means saying goodbye to them.
I really want to like this show but it isn't working for me so far. I think the trouble is, when you strip away the amazing stylistic touches... it's so NORMAL.
A guy is running a scam and I assume the whole thing will come crashing down. But that's it? The style of the world makes me expect something super-bizarre like "Severance" or a rug pull into sci--fi like "Wandavision" or something funny. It's listed as a "comedy-drama" and the ridiculousness of the world makes me expect comedy but it's so... square so far.
I'm still watching hoping for a Philip K. Dick ending or some really good comedy.
A couple of notes:
- I get the impression it's supposed to be hilarious every time Hank Azaria gets beat-up by a loan shark's henchman, but it doesn't come across as funny to me. The comical misunderstandings by Eddie and Betty when Myrtle was in Herb's room were kind of good though.
- This episode appears to confirm that there ARE people living on the moon (the rocket in the sky and a sales call from someone whose son lives there) so I guess that isn't part of the scam.
- I love Alison Pill but she's overacting like she's in the zany comedy I wish this show was.
posted by mmoncur at 10:41 PM on February 20, 2023
A guy is running a scam and I assume the whole thing will come crashing down. But that's it? The style of the world makes me expect something super-bizarre like "Severance" or a rug pull into sci--fi like "Wandavision" or something funny. It's listed as a "comedy-drama" and the ridiculousness of the world makes me expect comedy but it's so... square so far.
I'm still watching hoping for a Philip K. Dick ending or some really good comedy.
A couple of notes:
- I get the impression it's supposed to be hilarious every time Hank Azaria gets beat-up by a loan shark's henchman, but it doesn't come across as funny to me. The comical misunderstandings by Eddie and Betty when Myrtle was in Herb's room were kind of good though.
- This episode appears to confirm that there ARE people living on the moon (the rocket in the sky and a sales call from someone whose son lives there) so I guess that isn't part of the scam.
- I love Alison Pill but she's overacting like she's in the zany comedy I wish this show was.
posted by mmoncur at 10:41 PM on February 20, 2023
A guy is running a scam and I assume the whole thing will come crashing down. But that's it?
That’s what I’ve been thinking, but I’m also thinking it can’t be that simple. You can’t just make a show with a log line of “a Ponzi scheme but the cars all hover instead of roll”.
posted by Etrigan at 8:58 PM on February 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
That’s what I’ve been thinking, but I’m also thinking it can’t be that simple. You can’t just make a show with a log line of “a Ponzi scheme but the cars all hover instead of roll”.
posted by Etrigan at 8:58 PM on February 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Well, and the whole father and son dynamic, and various other plates being spun that you just sort of expect to come to a conclusion? But yeah, at this point it's pretty and well executed but the story is just kind of not managing to have enough of a hook.
Frankly, Allison Pill's character is reacting entirely appropriately and is the only bit of this that _doesn't_ make me go "oh god just get on with it already"....
posted by Kyol at 7:28 AM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
Frankly, Allison Pill's character is reacting entirely appropriately and is the only bit of this that _doesn't_ make me go "oh god just get on with it already"....
posted by Kyol at 7:28 AM on March 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
Well, and the whole father and son dynamic, and various other plates being spun that you just sort of expect to come to a conclusion?
Sure, but what I mean is that the retrofuturism has to be something more than just a pasted-on setting. At the moment, this show would be exactly the same if you replaced "Moon" with "Vaguely-Polynesian-Name Island" and "rocket" with "boat".
posted by Etrigan at 8:39 AM on March 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
Sure, but what I mean is that the retrofuturism has to be something more than just a pasted-on setting. At the moment, this show would be exactly the same if you replaced "Moon" with "Vaguely-Polynesian-Name Island" and "rocket" with "boat".
posted by Etrigan at 8:39 AM on March 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
Oh, _absolutely_, no argument here. I'm not at the hate watch point yet (although I'm slipping into Mastodon Watching territory), but I expected more than quirky quasi-retro-futurism in what's otherwise kind of a pedestrian show.
posted by Kyol at 8:48 AM on March 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Kyol at 8:48 AM on March 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
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