Well-written, well-acted 'Aliens in America' worth your viewing time
November 25, 2007
BY DOUG ELFMAN Television Critic
It's a little baffling to see a very good comedy like "Aliens in America" dragging the bottom of the ratings. It's the best TV show you're not watching.
It's funny. It's written, directed and acted compellingly. And "Aliens in America" -- the story of Wisconsin high-schoolers and their family -- can appeal to fans of offbeat comedy without majorly upsetting the "family"-viewing crowd.
The show isn't prudish, yet the most risque thing I've heard on "Aliens" came when high school junior Justin saw cheerleaders frolicking in short skirts.
"It looks like a tampon commercial," Justin said as he eyed them approvingly, then added calmly in voice-over narration: "Just in case you don't know, tampon commercials are awesome."
Justin (Dan Byrd) is a stringbean dork whose hot sister was named by her peers as one of the most do-able girls in school. Justin was also named one of the most doable girls in school. That's how much kids bag on him.
Justin's best friend is Raja (Adhir Kalyan), the Pakistani exchange student his parents took in for the money, though they quickly warmed to his polite manners, smart demeanor and British-y accent.
Last Monday, awkward Justin vomited in Raja's backpack while Raja was wearing it, because it was the only thing nearby to boot into.
"Why?" confident Raja said, sounding as relaxed as a therapist and looking at the vomit with reserved disappointment. "Why in my book bag?"
Little moments like that work because Byrd and Kalyan have phenomenal presence, striking the exact right tone for natural comedy. The rest of the cast is strong, especially Lindsey Shaw as Justin's sister Claire and Amy Pietz as his mom Franny. Scott Patterson goes a bit too broad sometimes as the dad.
The actors get to play on efficient scriptwriting, like when Justin's mom cluelessly explained a falling-out with a friend: "Apparently, I said something to offend Audrey and her black husband."
Each week's story is just odd enough not to be sitcom-stupid. Monday, Justin and Raja get roped into doing their school's underground "junior prank," a practical joke that borders on being a felony. Raja is the voice of reason.
"You people are barbarians," he tells the other pranksters, who process this insult with their "Punk'd" minds, and decide it's a such a compliment they high-five each other and scream, "Yeah!"
The writing staff has been, of late, on strike with the rest of the Hollywood pens. But the good news is "Aliens in America" is deep into its 22-episode production schedule. That means while your favorite shows are in reruns because of the strike, "Aliens" will be running new episodes through the winter and maybe early spring.
I hope you give it a chance now and then, even if it is on the CW. As I've written before, whenever someone asks me for TV advice, I mention "Reaper" and "Aliens." They usually have no idea what the CW is. The network really should have retained the moniker the WB, or called itself something memorable, like Angry Bearcats on Fire. Anything would be better than "CW."
Yet, part of the reason "Aliens" is as good, is because it's on the CW, where less-demanding ratings pressures allow offbeat series to exist and develop. If "Aliens" with its viewership numbers were on CBS, it would have been canned 30 minutes after Raja said hello in its fall debut.
When it premiered, it earned more positive reviews than any new show except "Pushing Daisies" and "Reaper," according to Metacritic.com.
I'm not saying we critics are always right. But in this case, you could do much, much worse than to check out a funny little show that's won all of us over, but goes undeservedly unnoticed in living rooms around the country.
delfman@suntimes.com
BY DOUG ELFMAN Television Critic
It's a little baffling to see a very good comedy like "Aliens in America" dragging the bottom of the ratings. It's the best TV show you're not watching.
It's funny. It's written, directed and acted compellingly. And "Aliens in America" -- the story of Wisconsin high-schoolers and their family -- can appeal to fans of offbeat comedy without majorly upsetting the "family"-viewing crowd.
The show isn't prudish, yet the most risque thing I've heard on "Aliens" came when high school junior Justin saw cheerleaders frolicking in short skirts.
"It looks like a tampon commercial," Justin said as he eyed them approvingly, then added calmly in voice-over narration: "Just in case you don't know, tampon commercials are awesome."
Justin (Dan Byrd) is a stringbean dork whose hot sister was named by her peers as one of the most do-able girls in school. Justin was also named one of the most doable girls in school. That's how much kids bag on him.
Justin's best friend is Raja (Adhir Kalyan), the Pakistani exchange student his parents took in for the money, though they quickly warmed to his polite manners, smart demeanor and British-y accent.
Last Monday, awkward Justin vomited in Raja's backpack while Raja was wearing it, because it was the only thing nearby to boot into.
"Why?" confident Raja said, sounding as relaxed as a therapist and looking at the vomit with reserved disappointment. "Why in my book bag?"
Little moments like that work because Byrd and Kalyan have phenomenal presence, striking the exact right tone for natural comedy. The rest of the cast is strong, especially Lindsey Shaw as Justin's sister Claire and Amy Pietz as his mom Franny. Scott Patterson goes a bit too broad sometimes as the dad.
The actors get to play on efficient scriptwriting, like when Justin's mom cluelessly explained a falling-out with a friend: "Apparently, I said something to offend Audrey and her black husband."
Each week's story is just odd enough not to be sitcom-stupid. Monday, Justin and Raja get roped into doing their school's underground "junior prank," a practical joke that borders on being a felony. Raja is the voice of reason.
"You people are barbarians," he tells the other pranksters, who process this insult with their "Punk'd" minds, and decide it's a such a compliment they high-five each other and scream, "Yeah!"
The writing staff has been, of late, on strike with the rest of the Hollywood pens. But the good news is "Aliens in America" is deep into its 22-episode production schedule. That means while your favorite shows are in reruns because of the strike, "Aliens" will be running new episodes through the winter and maybe early spring.
I hope you give it a chance now and then, even if it is on the CW. As I've written before, whenever someone asks me for TV advice, I mention "Reaper" and "Aliens." They usually have no idea what the CW is. The network really should have retained the moniker the WB, or called itself something memorable, like Angry Bearcats on Fire. Anything would be better than "CW."
Yet, part of the reason "Aliens" is as good, is because it's on the CW, where less-demanding ratings pressures allow offbeat series to exist and develop. If "Aliens" with its viewership numbers were on CBS, it would have been canned 30 minutes after Raja said hello in its fall debut.
When it premiered, it earned more positive reviews than any new show except "Pushing Daisies" and "Reaper," according to Metacritic.com.
I'm not saying we critics are always right. But in this case, you could do much, much worse than to check out a funny little show that's won all of us over, but goes undeservedly unnoticed in living rooms around the country.
delfman@suntimes.com
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