Z NATION Not One to Visit

Article first published as Z NATION Review on Seat42F.

With The Walking Dead being the most popular show on television, it’s surprising that it’s taken this long for another network to try to bank on the success. This week, SyFy becomes the second channel to tackle zombies in their new hour-long series Z NATION. The world has been overrun with the undead and a small group of survivors come together to try to find and distribute a cure.

As a TV reviewer, I watch a TON of television. It’s always been hard to pick one favorite show with all of the great content currently running, but for the past year or two, I’ve been able to say that The Walking Dead is first in my book. The reason I, and I believe so many other people, like it is not for the zombies themselves; I myself cannot stand zombie films unless they are comedies like Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland. No, it’s the complexity of the characters and the deep questions of ethics and morality that make the show so enticing.

Unfortunately, Z NATION doesn’t even attempt to maintain that aspect of The Walking Dead, to the point of having one character say out loud that he hates moral dilemmas in the pilot episode. Instead, the new drama follows the path of most zombie movies. There’s really bad destruction and fast-moving, murderous monsters everywhere. Strangers form in a tribe purely by coincidence, and their purpose is large-scale, possibly world-saving. This makes it even more unrealistic than just have zombies in the program does, and far less enjoyable.

Z NATION is entertaining, I will give it that. Many a scene will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, biting their nails. Lots happens in a short span of time, and a number of individuals die, including one I really did not expect yet, based on the press for the show and the story structure. It’s definitely going to be a gory series with shock-factor scenes, including one involving an infant, and one primarily concerned with pumping the adrenaline of both the characters and the audience.

Z NATION just doesn’t have depth. The plot is extremely simple to understand and so are the characters. Motivations are stated out-right, and there really isn’t anything that sets it apart from films in the genre. Being on a television budget, it can’t reach the special effects levels of a theatrical release, so it’ll always be destined to be inferior, making one think twice before sitting down to watch it.

There is also a lot of cheese. One of the main players, Citizen Z (DJ Qualls, Legit), is in a government base somewhere with access to radio and computer equipment. For much of the pilot, he’s concerned with making contact with Lieutenant Mark Hammond (Harold Perrineau, Lost), who is charged with the important task of protecting the one man who seems immune to zombie bites, Murphy (Keith Allan, Rise of the Zombies). This makes sense, giving Citizen Z an important purpose. But suddenly, at the end of the hour, he slips on some sunglasses and goes into radio disc jockey-mode. Isn’t that taking things a little too lightly? And doesn’t he have any co-workers left to put a stop to the nonsense?

Other than these three, the rest of the players seem like zombie chow. Charles Garnett (Tom Everett Scott, Southland) is a typical leading man, so maybe he’ll stick around for a bit. But there is little to distinguish the other supporting players, and given the structure of Z NATION, it seems likely a number of them will be killed off in the coming weeks. One or two may become fan favorites, but most will probably wind up dead.

Thus, Z NATION is not a great show. In a crowded television landscape, and with a much better product on AMC, I don’t know why this series would gain a big following, but I guess we’ll see when Z NATION premieres this Friday at 10 p.m. ET on SyFy.

"Love" LEGIT

Article first published as LEGIT Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

LEGIT’s second season begins on FXX this week with “Loveline.” It’s as much a continuation of the first year as it is a fresh tale. Jim (Jim Jefferies) appears on the radio show Loveline with Dr. Drew Pinsky (himself). During and after this appearance, past girlfriends haunt him, while Dr. Drew attempts to convince Jim that he has a sex addiction and should seek help.

I love that LEGIT goes this route of continuation, rather than starting over. It provides a cohesion and through-line between the two seasons, and even if you didn’t see the previous episodes, or your memory is a little fuzzy about them, there are still plenty of jokes that can be enjoyed with no background. It’s not the type of show to really do long arcs, but the inclusion of Peggy (Ginger Gonzaga) and Jenny (Bre Blair) are still able to hail back to the previous installments.

Even more of a connecting tissue is the movie that Jim got fired from after his highly inappropriate, but very funny, rape misunderstanding last season. The film is now in theaters, and it turns out to be very, very good, much to Jim’s dismay. This provides no end to the humor at Jim’s expense.

A theme of “Loveline” seems to be ‘poor Jim.’ The main character in LEGIT is likeable enough, but he also has his flaws. He can be selfish and self-absorbed. “Loveline” shows us a different side of him, the kind that unfairly suffers from circumstances often outside of his control. It makes him more sympathetic, and even when he looks a bit pathetic, you still root for him to do well, something that isn’t quite always the case in previous entries.

Of course, that’s not true of everything in the half hour. There is at least one scene in which Jim lies to get what he wants, something we’ve seen is part of his nature. But mostly, this premiere finds Jim more accessible and easy to get behind than before.

Even Jim’s sex addiction issues aren’t an indicator of Jim being bad. For one thing, we’re only told about the worst of his actions. What is shown is actually relatively tame. We know he’s screwed up, but I’m not even convinced that Jim needs help. He may just need to find the right person.

Playing it down could actually backfire. LEGET gets well-deserved credit for the handling of some sensitive issues, especially in the way it portrays people with disabilities, both physical and mental. If the sex addiction story is made light of too much, without any real consequences or development, then it could do disserve not only to that problem, but also the character of Jim.

What I like about LEGIT is that it features fully formed characters. Billy (DJ Qualls) is so much more than what one might expect at first glance, and Steve (Dan Bakkedahl) has plenty of problems and idiosyncrasies, too, his alcoholism brought up again in “Loveline.” Jim can be unfeeling at times, but the way he takes care of Steve and Billy as much as he does proves his humanity and compassion for fellow men. Yes, the show is a comedy and needs to keep being funny, but it could also make the sex addiction thing a season-long plot that shows us something new in Jim.

That aside, though, “Loveline” is absolutely just as hilarious as pretty much any installment of LEGIT so far. It’s an edgy, different show with a specific voice and perspective not often shown on TV. I greatly enjoy it, and this premiere is true to the established form. It definitely bodes well for the coming installments.

LEGIT premieres Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on FXX.

DVD Review: ‘Legit – The Complete First Season’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Legit – The Complete First Season’ on Blogcritics.

Last year, FX presented an edgy new comedy called Legit. Starring Australian comedian Jim Jefferies as a version of himself, the show follows Jim as he tries to be a better person. This usually includes helping his roommate, Steve (Dan Bakkedahl,Veep), and Steve’s severely handicapped brother, Billy (DJ Qualls, Road Trip), with something their lives are lacking, inspired by Jefferies’ actual life. The results are always hilarious, if not rewarding for Jim. Beginning this Tuesday, just ahead of the second season premiere, Legit – The Complete First Season will be released on DVD and Blu-ray.

Billy is confined to a wheelchair, paralyzed below the neck due to muscular dystrophy, but he’s a normal guy who wants to party and get laid. Jim understands this, and does his best to help Billy out, taking him to Vegas and springing him from his home, much to Steve’s chagrin. Even more disapproving is Billy’s mother, Janice (Mindy Sterling, Austin Powers), though Billy’s father, Walter (John Ratzenberger, Cheers), doesn’t seem to mind, and Billy’s nurse, Ramona (Sonya Eddy, General Hospital), mostly comes around to Jim, seeing through his crap.

Right from the start, Legit sets itself apart because of its portrayal of those with disabilities, which has earned it a huge following from that community. Billy himself is a full developed character, seen as someone with the usual needs and dreams, not someone confined or limited by his challenges. Billy’s best friend, Rodney (Nick Daley), has Prader-Willi Syndrome, a genetic disorder, but Jim includes him in the fun, too, and others pop up throughout the season. These people are poked fun at, but only when they’re in on the joke, not at the expense of anyone, and if that line is ever crossed, there are consequences for the person that crosses it. If nothing else, Legit deserves praise for creating dynamic characters of this type, taking what Glee has done a (much raunchier) step forward.

Now, Jim isn’t completely altruistic, at times being downright selfish. He certainly doesn’t treat women nearly as respectfully as he treats his buddies. And his motivations are sometimes mixed. The results of his actions are often bad, at times bordering into gross or creepy. But he is a layered character, someone that is likeable enough, and earns respect because he gives it.

The show itself is told from a very unique perspective. I haven’t had the chance to catch much of Jefferies’ standup routine, so I don’t know how closely the material here hews to it. However, I can’t name another sitcom on television that really comes close to the story or tone of Legit. Like other FX shows such as Wilfred and Louie, the creator has a strong, guiding hand, allowing his voice to really shine through in a very satisfying way. You may not like Legit, it’s certainly not for everyone, especially the easily offended, but it should be easy enough to respect Jefferies and the work that he’s doing.

I mentioned that Legit might be offensive, and that’s very true. There is plenty of humor related to drugs, sex, prostitutes, masturbation, rape, and the like. It’s adult material, and it airs with a TV-MA rating for good reason. However, all of this fits the style and tone, and is used because of the people the show revolves around, not gratuitously. So if you don’t like that stuff, then stay away from Legit and leave it for the rest of us immature viewers to enjoy. Or, better yet, loosen up and give it a chance.

The two disc DVD set contains all 13 episodes of season one, plus a handful of bonus features. This includes a Director’s Cut of the “Pilot,” a gag reel, deleted scenes, commentaries for select episodes, a featurette on Jefferies, and some autotuned Rodney, It’s a good, appropriate mix.

Legit – The Complete First Season is available this coming Tuesday.

This series is Legit

Grade: 87%

FX’s latest sitcom is LEGIT. Starring Australian comedian Jim Jeffries as a fictional version of himself, based on his stand up routine, LEGIT finds Jim wanting to grow up and be a responsible adult. Unfortunately, this is something that will not come easily to him.

The “Pilot” opens with Jim and his roommate / best friend Steve (Dan Bakkedahl, The Daily Show, Community) waiting in line. We soon learn that Jim tricked Steve into coming because Jim didn’t want to stand in line alone. This tells us immediately what kind of self-centered jerk Jim is, and that Steve is the schlep who follows him around. It sets the tone very quickly as to who these characters are, and what their relationship is with one another.

From there, Steve and Jim’s conversation moves towards the possibility of Jim being a father, which he decides he can only do if the mother dies. Not right away, mind you; he’s not completely cruel. And he’s be willing to continue the sexual intercourse, even if his mate’s body becomes disease-ridden.

This sequence is a fantastic opening. I really feel like it does a great job of outlining Jim himself, what his sense of humor is, and how he sees the world. He likes to think that he’s a good guy, but clearly, he is a long way off from that. But Steve hangs around him for a reason, and we get glimpses of the good Jim right away, even if it is couched in a self-involved narcissist.

I feel like I could keep repeating the same observations in every scene of the episode; that’s how good LEGIT is at explaining itself right out of the gate.

Now, Steve is not a total rube. He has limits as to what he will put up with, and he isn’t shy about correcting Jim’s bad behavior. He may be pushed into doing things that he’d rather not to, but he sets limits, and mostly sticks to them. He is also just about the best brother in the world to his younger, handicapped sibling, Billy (DJ Qualls, Road Trip, Memphis Beat), so he’s easy to root for.

The rest of the first episode involves Jim and Steve taking to find a hooker. Billy has muscular dystrophy, so he hasn’t had any experience with women, but he is a normal horny man, and would like to correct that oversight. It’s a very good thing Jim is around, because Steve only agrees reluctantly to go along with it, and Billy’s mother, Janice (Mindy Sterling, Austin Powers, Desperate Housewives), does not approve.

Jim keeps telling Steve that he wants to improve himself, and it’s at Steve’s encouragement that Jim sets out to help Billy. It’s not the way that Steve thinks Jim should be helping, and Jim’s openness with everyone he knows (and a twitter feed) spread the story much faster than it should be spread. But at least he helps, and it’s hard to fault someone with being who they are, open and honest. And yes, at the end of the day, Jim sees a way to help himself by helping Billy, but at least he’s helping, right?

LEGIT should fit in just fine with the rest of FX’s comedy lineup. It’s most similar to Wilfred, and not just because Jeffries looks and sounds a bit like Jason Gann. The humor is along the same lines, as is the sensibilities of the lead, and some of the show’s themes. The most surprising thing is that LEGIT may even be slightly filthier than Wilfred (or Archer or anything else on the network). If you like WILFRED, but don’t enjoy strange mysteries surrounding men in dog costumes, than LEGIT is the show for you!

I personally find this type of humor pretty darn funny. I admit, it is not for everyone, and it’s not a series that families can watch together or the easily offended should view at all. But for young adults and those in college, LEGIT could easily become something to tune in to every week.

I don’t know that it’s really relatable. Everyone may know someone like Jim, but few real people would go to the extremes that this comedian does. However, it’s not really necessary for LEGIT it be relatable, and the jokes are accessible enough the way they are.

LEGIT premieres Thursday, January 17th at 10 p.m. ET.

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Article first posted on Seat42F