Avenue 5: He's Only There to Stop His Skeleton from Falling Over
February 18, 2020 8:48 AM - Season 1, Episode 5 - Subscribe
Leaks are closed, heroes are celebrated (and ignored), and a comedian is anxious. It's the halfway home party! Well, it would be, if ....
Official synopsis: Billie seeks her moment in the limelight after stepping in to help Ryan during the ship's newest crisis. Iris vets comedian Jordan Hatwal's material for the Halfway Home Party, which Judd has decided should go on as planned. Doug tries to get in the way of Mia's newfound sexual freedom.
Avenue 5 Season 1 Episode 5: ‘He’s Only There to Stop His Skeleton From Falling Over’ Review (Nathaniel Muir for Adventures in Poor Taste)
Official synopsis: Billie seeks her moment in the limelight after stepping in to help Ryan during the ship's newest crisis. Iris vets comedian Jordan Hatwal's material for the Halfway Home Party, which Judd has decided should go on as planned. Doug tries to get in the way of Mia's newfound sexual freedom.
Avenue 5 Season 1 Episode 5: ‘He’s Only There to Stop His Skeleton From Falling Over’ Review (Nathaniel Muir for Adventures in Poor Taste)
Avenue 5 has done a great job of focusing on how the people aboard the titular vessel are feeling. Naturally, there is a lot of tension that has been leading to frustration and finger pointing. Predictably, there have been those who have refused to assess the full danger of the situation. Episode five takes a look at another side of the spectrum by looking at the various ways the passengers need to vent.
Yeah, I feel like there's a competent and interesting story hiding in here, somewhere. As presented, it feels like something that would A) better exist somewhere other than HBO, or B) get put on a streaming platform to binge.
In other words, it's not strong enough, in my view, to exist as a weekly HBO program, but I might be elevating everything that HBO does based on what I've seen from HBO. Strike that, reviewing the list of programming, this isn't the same level as Barry or The Righteous Gemstones.
I'll keep watching, out of hope for things to improve, and because it's only 30-some minutes. (Yes, I could be reading, or writing, or doing something else.)
posted by filthy light thief at 10:58 AM on February 18, 2020
In other words, it's not strong enough, in my view, to exist as a weekly HBO program, but I might be elevating everything that HBO does based on what I've seen from HBO. Strike that, reviewing the list of programming, this isn't the same level as Barry or The Righteous Gemstones.
I'll keep watching, out of hope for things to improve, and because it's only 30-some minutes. (Yes, I could be reading, or writing, or doing something else.)
posted by filthy light thief at 10:58 AM on February 18, 2020
I found it amusing, but the tequila definitely helped.
posted by Marticus at 12:58 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Marticus at 12:58 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
Metafilter: I found it amusing, but the tequila definitely helped.
posted by Paul Slade at 9:31 AM on February 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Paul Slade at 9:31 AM on February 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
I'm been watching but remain confused as to how this got show got produced. It's not funny, reaches new heights for boredom and the premise is underwhelming.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:54 PM on February 20, 2020
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:54 PM on February 20, 2020
Reading comments here, the awkward/ unskilled/ workshopped-to-death comedian feels a bit on the nose for this show.
posted by filthy light thief at 6:59 AM on February 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 6:59 AM on February 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
The call (for help) was coming from inside the writers' room!
posted by filthy light thief at 10:43 AM on February 21, 2020
posted by filthy light thief at 10:43 AM on February 21, 2020
Wow, I don't think this show is terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but this episode was dark as hell! I realize that's kind of the Iannuci shtick, but between the angry crowd trying to throw the dude out of the airlock for no reason; the comedian's slow torture and the brutal way that the captain gets dumped it was just depressing and not that funny. Maybe I'm too sensitive for this show.
posted by zeusianfog at 11:07 AM on February 21, 2020
posted by zeusianfog at 11:07 AM on February 21, 2020
I'm guessing from the lack of episode posts that I'm the only one who is still watching & enjoying this show. I don't think it's good and I'm sure there are better ways to spend time, but it has made me laugh out loud (literally) at least once per episode, which is kind of amazing since I tend to watch comedy silently.
posted by betweenthebars at 5:37 PM on March 3, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by betweenthebars at 5:37 PM on March 3, 2020 [1 favorite]
I am still watching! It's amusing, but it's sure disappointing compared to "The Thick Of It" or "Veep". I'm not quite sure what's missing. It's a funny premise. The cast is good. There's just something about it that doesn't land. But I'll watch the rest of the season at least.
posted by chrchr at 6:07 PM on March 3, 2020
posted by chrchr at 6:07 PM on March 3, 2020
For me, there is no better mirror for our present reality than watching Avenue 5's ship full of craven, greedy morons steer into their own extinction. I understand that people's interest for this might vary! But if you have high tolerance for existential horror, you should stick with this season.
posted by grandiloquiet at 9:47 AM on March 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by grandiloquiet at 9:47 AM on March 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
It's getting better, though only slowly. I do like the halo of shit.
posted by InfidelZombie at 3:11 PM on March 12, 2020
posted by InfidelZombie at 3:11 PM on March 12, 2020
I love Zach woodd's good-hearted nihilist, joyfully thriving in chaos.
posted by whuppy at 12:58 PM on March 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by whuppy at 12:58 PM on March 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
It's possible I've never empathized with a character harder! He's just this perfect mix of well-meaning and damaging. He's got a deeply stupid job...that he's actually works pretty hard at!...and uh [redacted for spoilers], but damn, if that character is such an interesting evolution from the young striver characters on VEEP.
posted by grandiloquiet at 3:20 PM on March 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by grandiloquiet at 3:20 PM on March 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
> it has made me laugh out loud (literally) at least once per episode, which is kind of amazing since I tend to watch comedy silently
Hello, I am watching! It's a year in the future from when you wrote that and things are just as bad if not worse in many ways, and so a mindless comedy series -- with Hugh Laurie! -- is just the thing for me. And I'm also laughing out loud more than I usually do.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:21 PM on January 29, 2021
Hello, I am watching! It's a year in the future from when you wrote that and things are just as bad if not worse in many ways, and so a mindless comedy series -- with Hugh Laurie! -- is just the thing for me. And I'm also laughing out loud more than I usually do.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:21 PM on January 29, 2021
I also really enjoyed this. Super late to the party, but maybe its better as a binge? I didnt think the set design was that terrible to be commented on. And if you lean into the ridiculousness, I really enjoy it. Billie and the passengers/fake crew really make the show for me.
I also really love Zack Woods's character! He plays such a good sad and at the same time joyful weirdo!
Someone mentioned before that it feel like a Fox show, and it does, but better? I dont generally like most of the comedies coming out of the networks, but this one feels like a network show.
posted by LizBoBiz at 7:12 PM on August 2, 2023
I also really love Zack Woods's character! He plays such a good sad and at the same time joyful weirdo!
Someone mentioned before that it feel like a Fox show, and it does, but better? I dont generally like most of the comedies coming out of the networks, but this one feels like a network show.
posted by LizBoBiz at 7:12 PM on August 2, 2023
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posted by Frayed Knot at 9:01 AM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]