Change Your Image
jennifer-baum
Reviews
Bupkis: Do as I Say, Not as I Do (2023)
Unexpected
I'm not sure exactly what I thought a Pete Davidson series would be like, but - the first episode made me laugh aloud and the second has brought tears to my eyes.
It's surprising how much heart is in Davidson's work - and the level of commitment by each actor sort of plants the characters in your head, so that you can't just turn your mind to other things once the show is over. AMAZING cast lists, by the way - Edie Falco, Bobby Cannavale, Joe Pesci, Steve Buschemi, Jane Curtain, Brad Garrett - and, of course, Pete Davidson, always funny but never hesitating to stand back and letting them all work utter magic - honestly, I'm speechless. Impressive, appealing work.
History of the Sitcom (2021)
Interesting Exploration of How Television Both Reflects and Influences Evolving Society
This is an excellent and thorough examination of many of the most popular sit-coms and how the medium - unique in its widespread influence - interacts with society. The episodes are watchable and light, due to the presentation consisting of quickly interspersed clips of the sitcoms themselves, news clips showing life outside the TV, and interviews with people who have devoted their entire lives to the industry (sometimes from childhood).
I appreciate how it looks at the whole history within each episode, focusing on a particular facet of society (family, work, sex, race, etc.). The viewer is able to join actors, writers, producers, and critics of the shows we've all grown up with and hear stories explaining how the paths of shows were forged and how current entertainment is related to the very different earliest shows of 70 years ago.
People who don't like the diversity being explored in society today - and therefore within up-to-date popular culture - might not appreciate the value of this. This documentary series is acknowledging the ways our world has changed, not politicizing (unlike many of the reviews listed here). It's a valuable contribution to the history of popular culture.