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Joe Pera Talks With You

Started by Twed, May 05, 2019, 08:16:54 PM

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MojoJojo

So, the nice warm bath feeling comes from pissing yourself, right?

rude soil

I wonder when the earlier series were set. In the Christmas episode Mike says they received Christmas ornaments from the White House made by Barack Obama himself. Then in the stag do episode Mike says he hasn't boned since Brexit.

Noodle Lizard

Quote from: rude soil on November 11, 2021, 04:37:59 PM
I wonder when the earlier series were set. In the Christmas episode Mike says they received Christmas ornaments from the White House made by Barack Obama himself. Then in the stag do episode Mike says he hasn't boned since Brexit.

This may be a fan theory, but it seems to be broken up into seasons (the Vivaldi kind, not the TV kind!)

If we assume the timeline starts in the year the first season was filmed, that means we started in autumn/winter of 2017, then the second was spring/summer of 2018 (ending after summer break), and now we're back into autumn/winter of 2018. He mentions in the first episode of this season that he still needs to sell his Nana's house, implying not much time has passed between season 2 and now. This may not be what they intended, but it might help make sense of it.

sevendaughters

OK, just watched the first two episodes. The second one is definitely following some of the lines I had hoped by exploring Sarah's destructive paranoia; looking on helplessly at the internet and expecting something grim to happen, but also being shitty to the person who cares for her (and she says something to the effect of being distanced by her parents, so another little world in a line). Again, you're cynically wanting Joe to give her a verbal prod but he won't, he can't, because he's absolutely traumatised too: yes his grandma died, but where are the guy's parents? He's spinning this absolutely mental reason to get out of town as a positive and imitating the kindness of the old people he has spent time with.

This is clearly some deeply buried psychological stuff masquerading as comfort TV, with an increasing context of financial bubble bursting and the endless parade of shootings under Trump. Weirdly timed with the Rittenhouse stuff too, that's in roughly the same geography too, on Lake Michigan.

The first episode was a bit inscrutable. Maybe they shouldn't have Gene act so much. I liked the nice detail that his wife
Spoiler alert
really likes Man Utd.
[close]
The Bart thing verged a bit on kindness is magic but I'll let it go.

I sort of don't see it as a comedy anymore, though the
Spoiler alert
fire is cool
[close]
bit made me crack up.

Thursday

Quote from: rude soil on November 11, 2021, 04:37:59 PM
Then in the stag do episode Mike says he hasn't boned since Brexit.

Honestly that was the mast jarring line ever. "Oh god this is a thing that Americans would reference and remember."

chveik

this is most the stressful comedy show i've ever seen, i'm always expecting something horrible is going to happen

rude soil

Has anyone read/listened to the Bathroom Book?

Noodle Lizard

Quote from: rude soil on November 19, 2021, 10:02:03 AMHas anyone read/listened to the Bathroom Book?

I just finished reading it (didn't know there was an audio version, but that makes sense). It's very nice to own, but it's honestly pretty threadbare for $16, and some bits don't really "match" the voice of Pera in the show. It's trying a bit too hard to be funny or weird sometimes. I never liked the few "lolrandom" lines in the show (like the "open a box and find your grief counselor inside" line in Talks You Back To Sleep, which seemed like remnants from earlier iterations of the character), and most of this book is closer in tone to that than anything else.

Still, worth having for a proper fan.

Small Man Big Horse

Hmmm, I've mixed feelings about this third series, some episodes I've liked a lot but others have felt a little off. It's definitely trying to be more experimental and while sometimes I'm enjoying that, at other times it's not quite working for me. I'm too tired to make a huge amount of sense, so shall just write some random thoughts rather than a cohesive review:

This might seem a bit petty, but the way the third episode ended with Joe being cut off mid-speech felt wrong, almost as if he was being judged as boring by someone who no longer wanted to listen to him.

I don't know if it's because I've seen a lot of Conner O'Malley's youtube videos (which I largely loved) but he doesn't convince acting wise in the way that he did previously.

The fourth episode with Sarah's drunken story was probably my favourite, it did feel slightly wrong to have discussion of a vagina being torn apart but as a whole the episode was really strong, and I enjoyed seeing Sarah bond with others away from Joe.

The fifth episode was an odd one, a bit of a strange mix of fake films and discussion of politics and humour, and the part where the young kid spoke about ventriloquist dummies and republican humour felt false and forced.

Finally the sixth one was fine, the drone footage quite soothing, but Sarah's anxiety was infectious even if towards the end she lightened up a little.

I'm still liking it as a whole, but it seems to have moved away from being warm hearted comfort tv, and while I could understand that working for some it's not always the case for me.

Solid Jim

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on November 26, 2021, 08:33:43 PMThe fifth episode was an odd one, a bit of a strange mix of fake films and discussion of politics and humour, and the part where the young kid spoke about ventriloquist dummies and republican humour felt false and forced.

I really enjoyed episode 5! Some delightfully silly moments. It does have a couple of tonally weird bits (crash zoom after breaking the TV!) and abandons reality in service of the final punchline of the magician's DVD, but hey, I was laughing. And I am captivated by The Adventures of Otto, and the conundrum of how it could possibly function as a work of narrative.

Noodle Lizard

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on November 26, 2021, 08:33:43 PMI don't know if it's because I've seen a lot of Conner O'Malley's youtube videos (which I largely loved) but he doesn't convince acting wise in the way that he did previously.

You're not alone there. His inconsistent performance in Ep3 gave me whiplash, though I think that might have more to do with the way it was put together than him.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Solid Jim on November 27, 2021, 12:01:18 AMI really enjoyed episode 5! Some delightfully silly moments. It does have a couple of tonally weird bits (crash zoom after breaking the TV!) and abandons reality in service of the final punchline of the magician's DVD, but hey, I was laughing. And I am captivated by The Adventures of Otto, and the conundrum of how it could possibly function as a work of narrative.

I liked parts of it, and the fake films amused, it just felt like an odd combination and the inclusion of the guy Joe met at the magic show who was loud and boorish did nothing for me.

Quote from: Noodle Lizard on November 27, 2021, 12:06:46 AMYou're not alone there. His inconsistent performance in Ep3 gave me whiplash, though I think that might have more to do with the way it was put together than him.

You may well be right there, I hope it's the case anyway.

Noodle Lizard

I noticed Dan Licata has sole writing credits for Ep3 (the second fridge) and Ep5 (the ventriloquist/magic one). They are the main two I'd point out as being distinctly "un-Peraish" in some aspects, so perhaps that's not a coincidence: https://twitter.com/danlicatasucks/status/1436423981830217728?s=20

It's kind of strange how Joe exists in association with a comedy scene that's pretty much antithetical to what he's doing.

McChesney Duntz

Licata also wrote the "Joe Pera Reads You The Church Announcements" episode (aka the "Baba O'Riley" one), which was a lot of folks' entry point into the series (and J.P. in general), for whatever that's worth.

Noodle Lizard

Quote from: McChesney Duntz on November 27, 2021, 07:47:54 PMLicata also wrote the "Joe Pera Reads You The Church Announcements" episode (aka the "Baba O'Riley" one), which was a lot of folks' entry point into the series (and J.P. in general), for whatever that's worth.

He has a co-writer credit on that one (with Pera himself). The ones he seems to take most credit for, if his Twitter is anything to go by, are his solo credits from this season, as well as the co-written bachelor party and fashion show ones from S2.

Noodle Lizard

After these last two episodes, this is getting a bit bleak (in a good way)! It'll be interesting to watch back from the start to see if there was a gradual transition from the "nice warm hug" vibe to where we are now. It's very interesting what they've done with this - they could've easily just provided more of their brand of "wholesome programing" each week, but instead they seem to be creating scenarios that challenge and subvert Pera's kind-hearted optimism.

For instance, the football game in this latest episode. Nothing more Midwestern and homely than "the guys all getting together to watch the big game" in theory, but what it actually becomes is tense and unpleasant. The real estate agent trying to sell his nana's house is callous, and Mike basically tells him to fuck off when he's clearly upset by it. Meanwhile, they appear to be seeding something of a drinking problem with Sarah, and she's shown to not be particularly interested in his life or problems.

I could be overthinking all of this, but it's an interesting change of tone, nevertheless. I think I remember an interview where Pera said he really liked Roy Andersson's films, and you can definitely see that in recent episodes (especially the sunset photography scenes).

Ant Farm Keyboard

The finale (a double episode) was interesting, trying to put the season into perspective, and reconnects with the emotional heart of the show, but the whole season still feels quite disjointed.

Purple Toupee

Just in case anyone else has been waiting for this, the new series is now on All4.

Moribunderast

I've only just started watching this show after reading it mentioned in the Adult Swim thread. Can't believe I'd not come across it before because it is so strongly on my wavelength in terms of what I'm looking for from comedy. A singular voice doing a show you couldn't really imagine anyone else thinking of, let alone trying - a bit like Nathan For You or How to with John Wilson or any of Jon Glaser's stuff.

I've almost finished the first season and I think I'm going to force myself to take a break before jumping into the rest because I don't want this exciting "new" discovery to be done with in a matter of days. The church announcements episode and the wedding dance-floor episode brought out the most hysterical laughing fits I've had in some time. Excellent stuff.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Joe Pera bakes with you

I finally watched the third series the other day. Stuff like Gene's bid for world president and the fantasy scene of an old man flying felt more like something from Tim and Eric but it was otherwise pretty much like I remembered it.

I initially thought it odd that they made a point of it being set in 2018, since Sarah's paranoid episode seems very relevant to the pandemic, but I suppose it would undermine the story to have a specific focal point for her worries.

selectivememory

There's a really nice and fairly wide-ranging interview with Joe on the latest episode of the Kreative Kontrol podcast. He comes across as a thoroughly lovely chap. Says he still hopes to do more of this show, but it hasn't been picked up for another season yet.

sevendaughters

finally found time to sit and watch all of s3. I liked it and felt that focusing in on three main stories (Sarah attempting to overcome whatever trauma had led her to be a doomsday prepper [nice little mention of her in army cadets] and be 'normal', Joe struggling to move on from his grandma's death [still no parents?], and the Melskys being dysfunctional) was pretty wise. It was good, didn't betray its essence, happy for it to continue in perpetuity.

The Mollusk

I was sort of torn with it myself. On one hand the earlier episodes are a go-to when I want some warm and comforting telly and as standalone things they are each individually so wonderful, but on the other hand I think if it stayed the same it would run the risk of being one of those formulaic AS shows that just runs itself into the ground and becomes a parody of itself.

I need to go back and watch it all from start to finish and see how I feel about its progression, if it feels more natural outside of the nostalgia I have from watching the first two seasons in 2020 when I was unbearably depressed and existentially ragged to fuck.

I will say though that the way season 3 calmly responds to how fucked the world is even below the idyllic setting that the show has built itself upon was certainly well done. Much like the earlier seasons I still feel very connected to Joe and Sarah and really don't want anything bad to happen to them, and felt quite emotionally wrought when they were going through difficult patches. Such a great show.

sevendaughters

i felt there was enough grinding darkness in those earlier shows, just it comes out and sits quite near the surface in s3.

The Mollusk

The thing that irked me the most was Gene becoming a lot more daft, especially him hanging out with that smart arsed kid (am I misremembering or has he just come out of nowhere?) and making the campaign video for president of the world. Definitely felt like it was reaching too far into the absurd with that arc.

Thursday

Quote from: The Mollusk on July 02, 2022, 12:02:32 PMThe thing that irked me the most was Gene becoming a lot more daft, especially him hanging out with that smart arsed kid (am I misremembering or has he just come out of nowhere?) and making the campaign video for president of the world. Definitely felt like it was reaching too far into the absurd with that arc.

That all just felt very sad to me, my reaction was "Oh he was such a nice and friendly voice of reason and wisdom to Joe, and  now he's completely lost his mind." can't really laugh at that.

PlanktonSideburns

Quote from: Thursday on July 02, 2022, 12:43:16 PMThat all just felt very sad to me, my reaction was "Oh he was such a nice and friendly voice of reason and wisdom to Joe, and  now he's completely lost his mind." can't really laugh at that.

I thought he was just doing a mega deadpan joke with that

kitsofan34

This show has now been cancelled. Please find below a statement from Mr Pera.

https://joepera.com/jptwy/

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Oh plops.

I wonder what hell do next. His comic persona seems so distinct that I can't quite imagine him turning up in most other shows. Then again, he was on F is for Family doing pretty much the same schtick, so who knows?

selectivememory