Attn: Judd Apatow fans by Hjermsted

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Attn: Judd Apatow fans

POSTED BY: HJERMSTED
UPDATED: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 23:43
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Wednesday, August 17, 2005 6:51 AM

American TV is a cruel place for brilliant writers with great concepts. Just ask Joss Whedon, Tim Minear and Marti Noxon.

Outside of Mutant Enemy, no one knows this cruelty better than Judd Apatow. Two of his critically praised series (Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared) never saw second seasons and are destined to live on - undeservingly - as mere cult shows available on dvd. Both are shows that in a perfect world would have lasted several seasons at least.

Like Whedon, Apatow has left TV in disgust. Moving on to films, he co-produced a couple Will Farell films (Kicking & Screaming and Anchorman). Apatow's new movie, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, hits theaters this Friday. This is his directorial debut.

I saw a screening of Virgin last night and am here to report that it is a hilarious film that is equal parts smart, raunchy and sweet. It certainly earns its R rating (and then some) but there is a lot more happenning in this film than gross out gags. Steve Carell plays the title character as an almost monk-like nerdy man-child but it is obvious he has a great deal of respect for the frutstrating situation that character finds himself in.

For those of you put off by the title or by the creepy poster (and I know you're out there! I had an extra pass that I could not even give away!!)... have no fear. This film will not give you strange Steve Carell cooties. In fact, you will leave the theater a new Carell fan wanting to run out and rent Anchorman to see his scene-stealing weatherman OR tuning your telly to Comedy Central hoping to catch one of his all too rare appearances on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (where his career received a tremendous boost).

Check out the 40 Year-Old Virgin!
I think you'll like the film a lot.

Let's hope this film does very well, after all we should be rooting for ALL brilliant small screen-abused writer/directors making their big screen directorial debuts, shouldn't we?

mattro

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005 6:57 AM

NAKEDANDARTICULATE

Seeing it this sunday--can't wait!!!!

"Hamsters is nice."

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005 10:00 AM

ODDNESS2HER

I'm with you in Apatow appreciation! He was also behind Ben Stiller's short-lived sketch show in the very early '90s! Hopefully, he won't be underrated for much longer!

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005 11:36 AM

NEEDY

The road to Hel is paved with good intentions

I had no idea that it was Apatow's film! I've seen the posters of "40yov" but didn't know he as behind it - if I did, I would have been a bit more excited. I liked Anchorman, though not as much as I liked other Will Ferrell appearance such as Zoolander. Still it had some hilariously funny moments - such as the battle between the news reporters

I'm a huge fan of Freaks and Geeks though. I bought the set after hearing so many good comments about it (and *whispers* downloading the pilot)

I'm thinking of buying Undeclared too. Any ideas what it's like? Is it as good as "Freaks"?

Talking of Freaks, I recently bought "Kick Me", an autobiographical account of Paul Feig's life in high school (which inspired the show's creation). I haven't yet read it though

Getting back to the subject though, I must get round to watching 40yov when it is released here

Needy. Male Companion a.k.a. First Boy Whore of Destiny

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005 12:03 PM

HJERMSTED

It's been awhile since I've watched Undeclared but I remember enjoying it thoroughly and thinking the 30 min format was just too damned short!

Undeclared feels like the kind of show you'd get if you graduated the high school kids from Freaks & Geeks, sent them to college in the late '90s and presented their tales not at all unlike the way Scrubs is presented.

I am renting the series this weekend to see if my memory serves me!

mattro

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005 1:05 PM

NEEDY

The road to Hel is paved with good intentions

I had no idea it was only 30 minutes long! That is too short, for a sitcom maybe, but for a dramedy (which I'm assuming it is), it's just not enough

Scrubs may pull it off, but that's more sitcom than dramedy. I love that show btw

Let me know if it still stands the test of time, because I really would like to see it

Needy. Male Companion a.k.a. First Boy Whore of Destiny

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005 7:28 PM

HJERMSTED

I got a hold of the Undeclared set and get to enjoy it for a week.

I've watched three episodes already and my memory does indeed serve me well: this is a great show! It has believable and interesting characters, great writing and possibly even some inspired improvisation (mostly by riffmaster Seth Rogen). All the actors seem to be the same age as the characters they are playing. Thus far, the show is hilarious but nothing is out of context for first year college kids living in dorms. Real college issues are dealt with humorously and realistically: the insanely jealous off campus long distance boyfriend; a parent dealing with empty nest syndrome; and, of course the excitement of new freedom coupled with raging hormones. However, Undeclared does NOT try to be outrageous like Animal House which is actually a good thing for this premise.

The show is less like Scrubs than I originally thought, though... there are no trippy flashbacks nor any strange non-sequitors. I think Undeclared felt like Scrubs due to the 30 minute length and the ABSENCE of a laugh track (boo! and yay! respectively).

There is a "director's cut" of one episode and an entire disc of extra features that I have yet to get to.

More later...

So, update your "to watch" list accordingly:

1. Freaks & Geeks (on dvd)
2. Undeclared (new on dvd this week)
3. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (in theaters Friday 8/19)

mattro

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Wednesday, August 17, 2005 11:43 PM

NEEDY

The road to Hel is paved with good intentions

Thanks. I'm definitely going to be getting this set then.
That was one of the things I liked best about Freaks & Geeks - it ws realistic. I mean, shows like The OC are entertaining, but I don't ever remember high school being like that (maybe it is for those living in california, but not me here in England). Freaks told it exactly how it was, which actually helped made it funnier, because we as an audience could relate to all the issues rather than "oops, a girl has overdosed and is now lying face down in our parent's pool".

So hopefully I'll get my hands on this set a.s.a.p.
Its a shame though that the set's not released over here (in fact I dont think it was even shown on tv over her). Same with Freaks and so many other shows. So I have to buy them from amazon or a similar site - renting isn't an option

Quote:

So, update your "to watch" list accordingly:

1. Freaks & Geeks (on dvd)
2. Undeclared (new on dvd this week)
3. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (in theaters Friday 8/19)

1. Done
2. Working on
3. Waiting for

Needy. Male Companion a.k.a. First Boy Whore of Destiny

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