The TV Set Review (Very Good)

Monday, December 10, 2007
M.I.A.

THE TV SET

Satire is very easy to botch. Just ask the producers of American Dreamz which was one of the most pitiful attempts at satire I have seen in a very long time. Yove either got a good foundation, or you dont, and thats the difference between good satire and bad satire. Luckily, for The TV Set its foundation is rock solid and writer/director Jake Kasdan has assembled a top-notch cast and crew to make his vision a reality. The TV Set was released in early-2007 to very minimal critical and commercial acclaim, but Kasdan's next film, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story; will probably end up as one of the most successful comedies of the year. My, what a difference a year makes. The TV Set made me laugh in interesting ways throughout and it never failed to keep me smiling.

The film stars David Duchovny as Mike Klein, the creator of the television show The Wexler Chronicles which he hopes will get picked up as one of the Fall pilots for a major television network. The film follows the television show through the developmental stages, as it is picked apart by the network executives, led by a fierce Sigourney Weaver as Lenny, the head of broadcasting and her new British henchman, Richard (Ioan Gruffudd). Mike has a specific vision for the show that isn't shared by Lenny and the guys at the studio. The TV Set basically follows Mike's struggle to get his show made, despite the mounting obstacles from the network. The film is a satire of the pilot process and it uses what the audience probably doesn't already know to its advantage. The truth is that audiences know very little about how their favorite shows made it to the air. The TV Set ruthlessly sheds new light on those previously dark areas.

The highlight of this film, for me, was Sigourney Weaver, who is having all the fun in the world as Lenny, whose life is nothing but television. She relates everything to ratings. Weaver is filled with zeal and energy in this role and I dare say she deserves a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her work here. It's insanely fun. Also excellent here is David Duchovny, who always makes the most of these kinds of roles it's a perfect fit for him. Judy Greer shines in yet another fine supporting performance, as does Willie Garson in a small, but memorable role as a director. Is The TV Set totally accurate in its depiction of television politics? Probably not. Is the path The Wexler Chronicles takes probably the same path that all pilots take? Probably not. Do we have fun amidst the confusion Hell yes. [b]This was one of my very favorite comedies of the year, and I can't wait to see Walk Hard to see Jake Kasdan hit 2/2 for 2007.

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