“Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show: Great Job†is a show on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, like “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,†“Squidbillies†and “Moral Oral†that manages to get big time laughs in spite of a 12-minute run time and poor production values. Different in the fact that it’s a live-action show, rather than an animated sitcom, it always finds itself hovering on the insane and over the top, making for some interesting television that is unlike anything else on the air right now.
Think “Kids in the Hall†meets “The Whitest Kids You Know,†with an extra strength prescription of vicodin to get you relaxed and an extra large cherry flavored-slurpee for flavor.
The show’s hosts, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, are weird in every sense of the word and go out of their way to make sure they embarrass themselves in every episode. It’s an eccentric mix to say the very least, but it works in the sense that they can consistently make you laugh at their misfortunes.
Not a way to cement a career, granted, but it is a way to establish one’s own comedic niche.
That is exactly what happens here. While it is nowhere as revolutionary as something like Monty Python, it’s funny in its own right.
However, in spite of its off the wall antics and weird premise, it isn’t for everyone, as some may even be turned off by its lack of structure and bizarre nature.
Nevertheless, the show’s first season is a great place to sample the comedic stylings of the pair, as it is their best to date.
Consisting of 12 episodes on one DVD, the first season of the show can be watched in a few hours. It is here where some of the show’s best skits, ranging from phony commercials, prank phone calls and even music videos are featured, highlighting the absurdity and no-holds barred comedy the show is known for.
Because of its unique style, the show has attracted a wide range of celebrity guest stars, ranging from John C. Reilly, who serves as the nervous Dr. Steve Brule in a reoccurring role and David Cross who explains to a buxom chick, who wants some “sausage†that she can pleasure him in other ways besides using her mouth. Zach Galifianakis, also does a pretty job job explaining the importance of gravy stealing, that is also extremely entertaining.
It’s moments like these that make the show as daring as fun as it needs to be, but in the end, it is the wacky performances of the show’s hosts that give the show the strength and appeal it needs to be successful.
Sure, it doesn’t exactly make sense at times.
Sure, it may be disgusting too.
But it works.
Sometimes, appreciating a show means looking past obvious faults and finding hidden strengths. With wit, charm and passion, Wareheim and Heidecker have masked their obsession with their own shortcomings, immaturity and peculiarity.
That makes their show a hit and something worth watching.
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