“Eastbound and Down†isn’t your normal HBO original series, mainly because its star, Danny McBride, isn’t your normal actor.
Loud, obnoxious and equally as charismatic, the mullet-headed McBride takes the roles he performed in “Tropic Thunder†and “Pineapple Express†and turns the volume way up.
The end result is a character so offensive that he makes former Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker, known the world over for his racist remarks and disdain for city life, look like Carrot Top.
As a matter of fact, McBride’s character, Kenny Powers, is easily reminiscent of Early Cuyler, the racist father on Adult Swim’s animated cult-hit “Squidbillies.â€
Because of that, the show is a guilty pleasure that is a blast to watch.
The show’s first season, which was released on DVD last month, consists of six, 30-minute episodes and while many would immediately write the show off because of that, it’s still full of depth and fun.
Despite these strengths however, the show does have its weaknesses.
The biggest problem with “Eastbound and Down†has nothing to do with any of the acting, plot devices and writing though. It has more to do with McBride’s lack of athleticism. Despite looking the part, he throws a baseball like a five-year-old girl, making him a hard sell as a major league closer. Already forcing you to suspend belief due to the craziness of McBride, seeing him throw the way he does eliminates some of the realism the show could have had if he was a better athlete.
Nevertheless, his over-the-top personality more than makes up for his horrible arm.
That aside, the show features a wide array of characters that make the show a wild romp.
Excluding the sound performances of guest stars Will Ferrell and Gina Gershon and regulars Steve Little and Andrew Daly, the leading lady of the series, Katy Mixon, for example, is a great pick as McBride’s love interest because aside from being completely out of his league physically, she possesses the compassion, common sense and selflessness that McBride’s character lacks. The fact that she still ends up falling for him shows just how charismatic McBride is, making him a hero to every loudmouth jock who has fallen on bad times and a laughing stock to any rational working man.
Either way, you’ll love every one of his antics and beg for more.
It’s not as sexy as “True Blood†or “Dexter†and lacks the wit of “Hung,†but on its own merits, “Eastbound and Down†is hilarity personified and a show worth watching for anyone looking for a taste of reality and Southern comfort.
McBride will bring out your inner-loudmouth and you’ll love every second of it.
“Eastbound and Down” is breaking new ground in what television audiences might expect in the future. Instead of giving them a noble hero to admire, we are presented with a miserable failure to root for. The reason the show excels where few have attempted before rests solely on the shoulders of its extremely likeable star, Danny McBride. He plays a jerk so well, that one can’t help but be drawn in.
The proof is never more alive than in the fifth episode of the series after a traumatic accident to a minor character, you are instantly drawn back to McBride’s Kenny Powers character. Not only that, but you manage to be simultaneously uplifted by a Kenny Rogers song, totally ignoring the trauma that just happened. To top it all off, Powers doesn’t even check to see if the person is OK. He just doesn’t care. And as a result, neither do you. Having that kind of control over an audience is an amazing thing.
This series feels like something from British television because of its unique approach to humor and how it deals with an offbeat and original main character. You basically find yourself laughing at moments that shouldn’t be funny because if you ever met anybody like this in your life, you would hate it. But this show allows you to watch Powers’ family and friends deal with a jerk from the distance of your living room.
That distance is what makes it so funny.
-Anthony Benedetto
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