Nothing to be Bored About

btdEpisode Commentary: Stockholm Syndrome

Last Sunday marked HBO’s premiere of the series “Bored to Death,” which is based on a savvy and intelligent concept with potential that ultimately falls flat in the end. Similar to the main character, Jonathan Ames, the show is a semi-loveable slacker that, in the end, accidentally ends up letting people down.

However, the episode “Stockholm Syndrome” is only the first episode, and with some work this show can become a sleeper hit.

Ames (Jason Schwartzman) is helping his girlfriend move out of his place when the episode starts, and it is because of her major grievance with him due to his constant drinking wine and smoking pot. (In his defense, however, he has switched to white wine.) The first three minutes of the show are hysterical to watch and the potential is apparent, but a downhill slope begins to form.

The concept that follows is also great, because Ames decides to advertise as an unlicensed detective on Craigslist. That idea is the direct result of his love for detective fiction.

What really makes the show come alive is Schwartzman, who is able to make any character that he plays instantly charming, no matter how strange the story is. “I Heart Huckabees” and “Rushmore” have proved that Schwartzman is a great actor, and in “Bored to Death,” he is the driving force for the series. His reaction and timing are simply delightful.

Aside from the concept and the star, the other great thing about the show is the use of Brooklyn locations. A portion of the episode was filmed in Park Slope and Brighton Beach, which are utilized to create authentic characters. Not only that, but when he does his amateur sleuthing, the areas provide one great backdrop to everything.

What doesn’t work are the poor casting choices for the supporting cast. Ames’ pot-addicted boss (George Christopher) is played by Ted Danson, proving his heydays as Sam Malone from “Cheers” are long gone. This is a character that Peter Fonda could easily play in his sleep and bring a certain level of charm to it, but Danson is poorly miscast. In the two scenes that he has, all he does is whine about giving up pot and then the joys of taking it up again. He becomes a nuisance to the storyline and the initial structure set forth.

On top of that annoying character, you have Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover”) as Ames’ best friend, Ray Hueston. The problem with Hueston is that he is not funny nor interesting, creating another nuisance in the series, which slows down the pace.

What manages to keep your attention throughout is that Ames’ case is mildly interesting, as he tries to locate a missing person last seen with a methadone addict. When Ames discovers where the missing sister is and tries to confront the crazed man, it makes for one of the funniest moments of the fall season.

“Bored to Death” is a far cry from the title, but only time will tell where this show is headed. It is worth another viewing when the new episode premieres Sunday, and if that is not satisfactory, then this series may not be worth your small bit of time before returning to work on Monday mornings.

About Anthony Benedetto 153 Articles
I have always had a tremendous passion for the cinema. For me, movies provide a great escape. When done right, the characters and stories are something that I am instantly drawn into. Over the years, I’ve unintentionally become a movie encyclopedia that I often find myself the recipient of late night phone calls from my friends while at Blockbuster [One such conversation between the Editor of this site and the film “Redbelt” immediately comes to mind.] As far as my preferences go however, I love both the cult cinema and the classics. My love of film ranges from features such as “Amadeus” to “Sorority Babes in the Slime Ball Bowl-A- Rama.” I have a long range of film heroes as well that include, Michael J. Fox, Lloyd Kaufman, Robby Benson, Michael Caine and Jeff Bridges. On this site, I hope to teach people about cult cinema and have them rent films that they normally would not, turning you into the monster that I have become. Someday, I hope to be the star and director of my cult film, employing the old stop motion techniques used in films like “Flesh Gordon.”

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