Premiere Date

Jesus... it's about time.

http://www.youtube.com/user/alphazoom
https://soundcloud.com/#carjet-penhorn

Great! I just re-watched this for first time since it came out. I was enjoying it a lot and thinking about how it has been so long--I was worried the pilot was gonna be the only episode.

I think it is very well written. Lots of lines that made me laugh. Like, The dad's "last words" when he thought he was going to die.


Or, when the douchy photographer says "..It let's me pursue my passion."
"Magic?"


Or, "We, had a good time at mini-putt, did we not?
"But, your married."
"Don't be so provincial, darling."

I think the 38yo tennis pro is a hilarious character, probably best in the show.


[Off topic rants in defense of a couple criticisms]
Some people say Red Oaks is too predictable. Mainly in regard to character relationships. Really, what is happening is viewers are successfully taking in intentional and direct foreshadowing. You are supposed to have an idea what is to come. The writers presented us with the information that the main character's relationship with his GF is not working out, and they have shown us he is interested in the club president's daughter, plus she is interested in him. They are hoping viewers, seeing this setup, will be intrigued enough to see how the young tennis pro pursues his new crush. The knowledge he will pursue her isn't predictable, it is exposition.


As for the best friend? His characteristics do seem to be the same of many other tv/film sidekicks. But, that isn't always a bad thing in my opinion. Mainly, because guys like him exist and they are kinda funny.

Character types have been reused since humans started telling stories. Great stories and crappy stories regularly make use of this convention. Really, almost all characters are a re-fashioning of previous characters, intention or not. Two of my favorite movies star Bruce Willis as pretty much the same character (Die Hard, 5th Element), and that character-type is older then I care to figure out.

I think Red Oaks does a good job with the "sidekick," so far. And, he was surprisingly succinct in his comparison of the Buddhist view of the human condition to an illusionary merry-go-round of suffering we ride by choice through fear.