Fox axes 'Loop,' but its last gasps are darkly funny
June 8, 2007
BY DOUG ELFMAN TV Critic
The only show I'm really bummed about getting canceled this year is Fox's "The Loop." It is a stupid, stupid show, but for once that's a compliment. "Bringing Up Baby" is pretty dumb -- also hilarious. "The Jerk" -- idiotic as could be, and a classic.
"The Loop" isn't up to the level of "The Jerk" or "Bringing Up Baby" (few things are), but it's madcap and funny. It's about a Chicago airline exec in his 20s who succeeds in doinking a lot of women despite seeming like a goofy Chihuahua.
In its first season, people on this fast-paced, wordplay comedy called each other "Make a Wish" (an insensitive mental insult), "Knob Rocket," "Sex Ranger," "Ass Clown" and my favorite, "Assface Jackknocker."
Fox dumped "The Loop" for bad ratings, but it's now airing the final episodes. They're more traditionally plotted than the first season, but still funnier than most things on TV.
Sam (Bret Harrison) the young airline exec is back. He's got the hots for a secretary -- or as Sam's frienemy Derek calls her, "the new set of cans working the phones."
Derek (Ian Reed Kesler) announces his intention to compete for the secretary: "I thought I'd take your new secre-tail upstairs for a little pre-game. Maybe put my (bleep) in her (bleep)."
"The Loop" works most of the time because it was created by talented writers Pam Brady and Will Gluck. While other shows pander to be "x-treme," "hip" and all that "kids today" stuff, Brady and Gluck inhabit those things naturally, and it manifests in the characters.
The directing and acting fit their tone of actual crass irony, as opposed to the usual TV crime of attempted crass irony. So it's neither offensive nor unfunny, especially when Sam's boss orders an underling to check into a sub-Motel 6 hotel by grousing, "You're gonna be staying in a youth hostel. I hope you like rape."
Since "The Loop" is more spiritually genuine than most twentysomething shows, it's surprising it never took off in pop culture. Last season's best episodes made me laugh more than "The Office" ever has. Then again, "Bringing Up Baby" fizzled at the box office, and a lot of critics initially panned "The Jerk."
At least "The Loop" gets this swan song, with a pared-down, excellent cast of Harrison (who has moved on to this fall's CW drama "Reaper"), Kesler, Philip Baker Hall (as Sam's boss Russ), Mimi Rogers (as Sam's other, hornier boss, Meryl) and Eric Christian Olsen (as Sam's flaky brother Sully).
But it is for sure the end for one of the few places on TV (other than "Family Guy" et al.) where you can hear a line like Meryl's when she sees Sam dressed in garbage: "What happened? You look like Mary-Kate Olsen."
Sayonara, jackknockers.
delfman@suntimes.com
BY DOUG ELFMAN TV Critic
The only show I'm really bummed about getting canceled this year is Fox's "The Loop." It is a stupid, stupid show, but for once that's a compliment. "Bringing Up Baby" is pretty dumb -- also hilarious. "The Jerk" -- idiotic as could be, and a classic.
"The Loop" isn't up to the level of "The Jerk" or "Bringing Up Baby" (few things are), but it's madcap and funny. It's about a Chicago airline exec in his 20s who succeeds in doinking a lot of women despite seeming like a goofy Chihuahua.
In its first season, people on this fast-paced, wordplay comedy called each other "Make a Wish" (an insensitive mental insult), "Knob Rocket," "Sex Ranger," "Ass Clown" and my favorite, "Assface Jackknocker."
Fox dumped "The Loop" for bad ratings, but it's now airing the final episodes. They're more traditionally plotted than the first season, but still funnier than most things on TV.
Sam (Bret Harrison) the young airline exec is back. He's got the hots for a secretary -- or as Sam's frienemy Derek calls her, "the new set of cans working the phones."
Derek (Ian Reed Kesler) announces his intention to compete for the secretary: "I thought I'd take your new secre-tail upstairs for a little pre-game. Maybe put my (bleep) in her (bleep)."
"The Loop" works most of the time because it was created by talented writers Pam Brady and Will Gluck. While other shows pander to be "x-treme," "hip" and all that "kids today" stuff, Brady and Gluck inhabit those things naturally, and it manifests in the characters.
The directing and acting fit their tone of actual crass irony, as opposed to the usual TV crime of attempted crass irony. So it's neither offensive nor unfunny, especially when Sam's boss orders an underling to check into a sub-Motel 6 hotel by grousing, "You're gonna be staying in a youth hostel. I hope you like rape."
Since "The Loop" is more spiritually genuine than most twentysomething shows, it's surprising it never took off in pop culture. Last season's best episodes made me laugh more than "The Office" ever has. Then again, "Bringing Up Baby" fizzled at the box office, and a lot of critics initially panned "The Jerk."
At least "The Loop" gets this swan song, with a pared-down, excellent cast of Harrison (who has moved on to this fall's CW drama "Reaper"), Kesler, Philip Baker Hall (as Sam's boss Russ), Mimi Rogers (as Sam's other, hornier boss, Meryl) and Eric Christian Olsen (as Sam's flaky brother Sully).
But it is for sure the end for one of the few places on TV (other than "Family Guy" et al.) where you can hear a line like Meryl's when she sees Sam dressed in garbage: "What happened? You look like Mary-Kate Olsen."
Sayonara, jackknockers.
delfman@suntimes.com
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