FX comedies

The FX network as recently debuted two new sitcoms - Starved and It's always sunny in Philadelpia - to mixed reviews. When I first heard that the network would try to port the success of their edgy dramas over to a new genre I was very excited. Their last sitcom Lucky was a hilarious show mixing drama and dark comedy and was suprisingly well written and acted. That show lasted only one season but I was glad to see that FX was trying again. The first show Starved seemed to garner most of the attention early on. It was centred around four friends with eating disorders and prior to its debut the lead actor/creator made the cable news rounds talking up his new series. Time called the show one of the funniest new series but I think the thing is a pile of shit. The lead character is a forty-something narrcisist who looks date rape creepy yet manages to get a new girl every episode. I like edgy humour as much as the next guy, but a man who can only talk to his girlfriend while she is blowing him is a bit much. The rest of the cast are equally repulsive or just plain boring. Especially ridiculous is the black cop who uses his position to scam free food from a Chinese delivery man only to throw it up - on screen. These people are horrible - I guess we are supposed to feel sorry for them because they have eating disorders but I don't.

Thank God for DVD

According to Chappelle's show actor and writer Charlie Murphy, Dave has pulled the plug on the anticipated third season of his Comedy Central sketch show. Murphy dropped the bomb in interviews TV Guide and the New York Post and the story has recently been posted on yahoo. Although it looks bad for a full season Murphy said that the eight complete episodes that were completed may be released on DVD. Although this would be great, I think its doubtful that Chappelle would sign off on the releasing the shows to DVD if he was not satisfied enough to air them.