MovieChat Forums > High Maintenance (2012) Discussion > Why Not Do The Same Show And Add Funny T...

Why Not Do The Same Show And Add Funny Things?

posted 8 years ago by mistereight8888
15 replies | jump to latest

Show is well-done and interesting, and there are good moments, but why not also make it funny? It's often close to funny yet very rarely is.

The episode with the girl dancing in the audition for Stomp was funny for awhile, but the girl just danced poorly and it went on and on with no new moves. It's funny at first, then after a few minutes it's simply bad dancing by an annoying girl who completely lacks self-awareness. But we have no idea why she lacks awareness. Ends up being just random.

The scene in the episode where the guy sells weed to the muscular guy who keeps stalling on paying offers the promise of humor, or something, but ultimately it's just a highwire act two feet off the ground: no stakes, no humor, just discomfort played for discomfort, stretched out seemingly forever. The payoff is the guy leaving with a jar of coins. Ha ha!

Cringe-worthy humor is legit, but there needs to be something else with it. We can't just cringe the whole time without a laugh or a payoff.

[–] exatera 8 years ago

I am watching the first episode now, and it's very hard to get through. It's just painful to watch. Is there some kind of payoff at the end?

[–] winickj-797-80915 8 years ago

None whatsoever. HBO drops the ball once again.

[–] waitingworlds 8 years ago

I think the show is great but it's definitely not for everyone. I commend HBO putting out shows that aren't going to necessarily be loved by the average viewer. I will say though, that was a poor choice for the pilot. The show is pretty different from episode to episode and they could have picked a better story to introduce the show to a broader audience.

The great unspoken telepathy of man...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_qSGY_cefE

[–] Stillspeare 8 years ago

It's just too much of nothing going on really. If there was some continuity, maybe I'd be amused but I think I'm done.

[–] exatera 8 years ago

Actually, the show gets a lot better in the subsequent episodes. I didn't care for the pilot, but ended up being glad I stuck around.

[–] ColinInLa 8 years ago

This is not meant to please the masses; the humor is low-key and nuanced. Humor is subjective. There's room for all flavors and certainly enough shows to go around.
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Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

[–] Stillspeare 8 years ago

I know what you mean. I am a show connoisseur, to be honest. I can watch anything and everything. I like some of the episodes so far but not all of them. The lack of a continuous story line is what makes it dull and forgettable. That's all I'm saying. I have nothing against the concept, it's just the execution. I was born weird and I love these types if shows, I just like them done well. That's all.

[–] exatera 8 years ago

The lack of a continuous story line is what makes it dull and forgettable.

I couldn't possibly disagree with you more! Most of the characters, both from the HBO show and the web series, are extremely memorable.

[–] Stillspeare 8 years ago

I agree with you slightly, in the sense that they like to explore the weird stuff but so does every other 'quirky' show that comes out especially these days. I think we should let this one rest because neither of us can prove our point right now unless we were to carry out a controlled experiment. And we, I mean I do not have the power to fast forward time to ascertain whether I'll still remember and be intrigued by these characters years from now. Nice debating with you though.

[–] Sluggr-3 8 years ago

stretched out seemingly forever.

That is when I "10-sec buttoned" to the end. Boring, clueless, socially-inept stoners. And they had a room full of meth addicts whose IQ was above room temperature. When has that ever happened. By the time tweekers make it into recovery they can barely tie their own shoes.

My Chimp DNA seems to have lost its password temporarily. Sluggr-2

[–] mformoviesandmore 8 years ago

It's sort of like a high school play. It left we wondering what the people involved with making it will do when they become adults.

Understandable behaviour from teens. Boring to watch for grownups.

[–] jacobindc 8 years ago

Show is well-done and interesting, and there are good moments, but why not also make it funny? It's often close to funny yet very rarely is.

The show already has a good amount of humor in it. It's a look into the lives of everyday New Yorkers who all happen to smoke cannabis. There's no need to make it goofy and over-the-top like a Curb Your Enthusiasm. That's not this show.

The episode with the girl dancing in the audition for Stomp was funny for awhile, but the girl just danced poorly and it went on and on with no new moves. It's funny at first, then after a few minutes it's simply bad dancing by an annoying girl who completely lacks self-awareness. But we have no idea why she lacks awareness. Ends up being just random.

Is there supposed to be a reason why one lacks self awareness? They just do. She thought she was a better performer than she actually was. That was the payoff.

The scene in the episode where the guy sells weed to the muscular guy who keeps stalling on paying offers the promise of humor, or something, but ultimately it's just a highwire act two feet off the ground: no stakes, no humor, just discomfort played for discomfort, stretched out seemingly forever. The payoff is the guy leaving with a jar of coins. Ha ha!
Cringe-worthy humor is legit, but there needs to be something else with it. We can't just cringe the whole time without a laugh or a payoff.

The payoff was not the jar of coins, it was what came after. Watch it again.

[–] scorpionq 8 years ago

The show already has a good amount of humor in it. It's a look into the lives of everyday New Yorkers who all happen to smoke cannabis. There's no need to make it goofy and over-the-top like a Curb Your Enthusiasm. That's not this show.

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Is there supposed to be a reason why one lacks self awareness? They just do. She thought she was a better performer than she actually was. That was the payoff.

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The payoff was not the jar of coins, it was what came after. Watch it again.



[–] IamGOB1 7 years ago

whimsical and sub7le

[–] IamGOB1 7 years ago

whimsical and sub7le