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Detroiters - General Discussion

Primetimer

By Primetimer
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zxy556575

zxy556575

(edited)

There was maybe a little too much junior high jinx and throwing crap trying to break a window. I wondered if the desk falling apart was on purpose -- if not, the actors stayed in character really well.

The relationship between Sam and Tim was the best part of the show for me.

So it wasn't an automatic no. I'll see how it goes.

Edited by Lord Donia
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vousviou

vousviou

To be honest, I wasn't expecting a lot out of this show, but the pilot was really funny.  I'm a fan of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and there are notable similarities in tone and style, although this show isn't as crude and the main characters are more screwups than awful people.  But I can see a lot of potential for the premise -- you could see a lot of funny pieces arising from their interactions with clients like the Hot Tub King of Detroit.  They did a good job too with most of the satellite characters like the art student and the bartender, although the confused secretary joke seems like it could get overdone.  Robinson and Richardson do a great job as the leads and their brainstorming session that turns destructive was hilarious.  I could see how it might stop being worthwhile if they stand pat, but it definitely has a lot of promise and a lot of opportunities to develop characters and go interesting places.

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Rinaldo

Rinaldo

I'm enjoying the show a lot (the actors are engaging and the premise makes it a bit different from other series), but based on the most recent episode I have the feeling that maintaining a consistent level of reality will be one of their biggest challenges. Is it a crazy farce where anything goes? a delivery system for sketch-comedy vignettes? a semi-realistic (if comedic) look at daily life for two guys struggling to make it in a struggling city? Any of those is fine, but I don't think it can be all of them at the same time.

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biakbiak

biakbiak

15 hours ago, Rinaldo said:

I'm enjoying the show a lot (the actors are engaging and the premise makes it a bit different from other series), but based on the most recent episode I have the feeling that maintaining a consistent level of reality will be one of their biggest challenges. Is it a crazy farce where anything goes? a delivery system for sketch-comedy vignettes? a semi-realistic (if comedic) look at daily life for two guys struggling to make it in a struggling city? Any of those is fine, but I don't think it can be all of them at the same time.

See I think it can be all of those at once. It's kind of what I assume from a CC sitcom. As long as it continues to be funny and engaging I don't mind mixing it up.

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Dewey Decimate

Dewey Decimate

The first two eps were good (my favorite was their reaction to the portraits lovingly painted on the side of the van), but the last one really got me hooked. The leads are so good with each other, and wonderfully awkward to watch. The singing through the street part, tipping the performers and such, adds a slightly surreal element I enjoy. (Unless that kind of thing actually happens a lot in Detroit?) And I'm not even a beer drinker but am also wondering what iconic bottle that is!

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possibilities

possibilities

Sam Richardson was on Off Camera with Sam Jones this week, and he says the friendship and Detroit love are taken from the real lives and relationship between him and Tim Robinson, and that they are very committed to representing Detroit in a positive light, and drawing on stories from their real friendship. However, I don't know where the real stuff ends and the artistic license begins. I'm sure that they just use the real stuff for jumping off points and the actual show is fantasy and imagination. Neither of them are ad execs either, so....

I am liking the show so far. Hoping to start loving it soon.

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EtheltoTillie

EtheltoTillie

On 3/8/2017 at 10:06 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

What's the difference between the Hustle and the Electric Slide?

I just watched this. I'd call what they were doing the Electric Slide. The Hustle is a partner dance, like in Saturday Night Fever. Maybe it was a Detroit regionalism. 

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biakbiak

biakbiak

22 hours ago, GussieK said:

I just watched this. I'd call what they were doing the Electric Slide. The Hustle is a partner dance, like in Saturday Night Fever. Maybe it was a Detroit regionalism. 

It is, it's even called the Detroit Hustle.

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Trees

Trees

I am crazy about this show.  Every episode is hilarious.  6 shows so far and my favorite bit has been "Ned" the security guard and his ideas for commercials.

A few days ago, Elvis Mitchell did a fantastic podcast with Sam and Tim as guests. Elvis is also from Detroit and remembers all those old ads. 

I normally don't like Comedy Central type shows, however, it's the true and warm friendship between the 2 guys that gets me.  They seem so real.  They're nice guys you'd like to meet and hang out with.

  • Love 3
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MarcusBrody

MarcusBrody

I watched the 4 episodes available on Sling per Tara's recommendation from EHG, and I loved it. Plus, I was thrilled to see Amber Ruffin appear in the Birthday episode. She is always a delight on Drunk History and Late Night. Go Detroiters!

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Tara Ariano

Tara Ariano

49 minutes ago, MarcusBrody said:

I watched the 4 episodes available on Sling per Tara's recommendation from EHG, and I loved it. Plus, I was thrilled to see Amber Ruffin appear in the Birthday episode. She is always a delight on Drunk History and Late Night. Go Detroiters!

Hooray! Also, if I recall correctly, Ruffin wrote that episode.

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Irlandesa

Irlandesa

The concepts weren't new in this episode but damn they were funny. From the various forms of drawn dicks being stuffed into Keegan Michael Key's mouth to the way the boys reacted with sadness, desperation and anger when they were "broken up" with.  And especially Doris with her pre-teen fantasies.  It made how their original ad made it onto the air.  The teen's boner was a feature, not a drawback. 

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Trees

Trees

Yesterday's episode was the least funny, IMO.  Also, I was disappointed in the mean-spiritedness they showed.  Up til now, they're nice guys.  All that revenge stuff towards Doris and her hubby - it was out of character.

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Joimiaroxeu

Joimiaroxeu

(edited)

I kept waiting for Keegan Michael Key's character to go off like the Obama translator.

Quote

All that revenge stuff towards Doris and her hubby - it was out of character.

Yeah, I thought it was way over-the-top. I guess the intended funny part was that the couple seemed so kindly and innocent but to me it gets iffy when comedy starts punching down instead of up.

Edited by Joimiaroxeu
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Rinaldo

Rinaldo

23 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

I guess the intended funny part was that the couple seemed so kindly and innocent but to me it gets iffy when comedy starts punching down instead of up.

That was saved (for me) by the way their "revenge" turned out to be so short-lived and nonexistent -- literally nothing came of it and status quo was restored within days. But other aspects of the episode did seem "off" to me. The whole aspect of Doris's focus on "complicated" teen sexuality and building ad campaigns around it... it never quite got nailed down in the writing enough to make it either satirically dark or goofily lightweight, it was just puzzlingly weird. And Doughnut's routine, again I could see the idea behind it without feeling they'd really captured it.

But all was redeemed (again, for me) by Keegan-Michael Key's performance, and most especially his reactions to the ape suit. Rather than wearing out its welcome after we get the idea (which is what usually happens), the bit kept getting funnier each time, time after time after time. I wonder if our star-creators knew that Key was especially brilliant with that sort of reaction, and dreamed up the whole premise to showcase it. If so, good move.

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Irlandesa

Irlandesa

On 3/22/2017 at 10:36 AM, Joimiaroxeu said:

I guess the intended funny part was that the couple seemed so kindly and innocent but to me it gets iffy when comedy starts punching down instead of up.

IMO, the comedy was punching "up" if anyone could be seen as "up" between these two.  Sam and Tim acted like lovers being broken up with by showing extreme hurt, anger, neediness...etc.  Irv and Doris were unfazed by their drama.  They were in control.  Tim and Sam were the butt of the joke in both this scene and later on in their split with Keegan Michael Key's character.  Doris and Irv weren't the butt of the joke until Doris talked about her teenage incestuous fantasies at the end of the episode.

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biakbiak

biakbiak

5 minutes ago, Trees said:

Anybody know which old ad they were spoofing in this latest episode with Keegan Michael Key?  I thought back and have not been able to come up with one.

I didn't grow up in Detroit but it totally reminded me of ads from an Jack Roberts an appliance store owner in Seattle.

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Trees

Trees

On 3/17/2017 at 8:20 PM, biakbiak said:

It is, it's even called the Detroit Hustle.

Some people call that Stevie Wonder song (My Eyes Don't Cry) "The Detroit Hustle".  I remember leaving Comerica Park after a Tigers playoff game a few years back and they played it as everyone walked out after the game.

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SmithW6079

SmithW6079

I was watching the end of "Futurama" on Comedy Central, which overlapped into this show. I was kind of intrigued, so I watched a bunch on demand. Eh, it's funny in spots, but some of the bits go on way too long, and I'm not a fan of all the swearing. Plus, what is it and these guys' obsession with defecation? At least three of the six episodes I watched had scenes in them with people popping or about to poop or having just finished pooping.

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