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March 28, 2024, 03:44:17 PM

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Mike Myers Pentaverate thing on Netflix

Started by Jack Shaftoe, May 08, 2022, 10:49:01 AM

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Jack Shaftoe

Seems a bit below the radar at the moment but I've ended up really enjoying it. I think. The only way I can describe it is David Fincher doing an Austin Powers-style story about conspiracy theories and it's properly mental. Nearly gave up after the first episode but I stuck with it and it's gradually pulled me in. It's genuinely bonkers and quite honesty a *lot* of the joke falls flat but the plot has this mad energy that keeps pulling you in - with a few genuinely surprising twists and turns.

To complete the 'what the hell is going on' feel, it has an excellent score by Orbital, with artists like Arcade Fire and Woodkid (and a plot twist with a fantastic Billy Eilish joke) on the soundtrack.

I wouldn't blame anyone for just thinking it's shit and abandoning it after a couple of episodes, but Myers' genuine warmth as a performer and a sort of underlying generosity of spirit means I think I kind of love it?

neveragain

I'm enjoying it very much, it's pleasingly old-fashioned and clearly a singular vision, which makes up for the weaker moments for me. There's some great playing about with form.

From what I've heard  I don't know if Myers has a lot of generosity of spirit but he's definitely a charming performer.

Jack Shaftoe

Ha, yes, I was thinking of the show generally rather than Myers specifically, as he can clearly be a bit of a dick.

Old Nehamkin

I watched the first two last night. I'd hesitate to call it "good" exactly, as it's all a bit clunky and a lot of the gags don't really hit, but it did sort of win me over with how relentlessly daft, silly and largely good-natured it was. Mike Myers is interesting to me in that I don't think he really has a huge amount of range and he certainly isn't anywhere near enough of a chameleonic Peter Sellers type to convincingly disappear into a dozen-odd characters as he does here. But somehow it doesn't really matter - as has been mentioned above, he's simply a very charismatic, disarming performer and somehow he gets away with it. It's nice to see him back.

Was interested to note that this is co-written by Roger Drew (The Thick of It/Veep) and directed by Tim Kirkby (Look Around You, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle).

neveragain

Yes, there's a lot of British actors on the fringes of it too (e.g. Samantha Spiro in the first episode and Lydia West throughout).

up_the_hampipe

I feel compelled to watch it, perhaps for the wrong reasons, after seeing this https://twitter.com/johnny13/status/1523016650135523338

JamesTC

Thought the pool scene in Episode 2 with the swearing Americans was really lame until they re-did the scene with the Netflix approved edit.

Old Nehamkin

Quote from: up_the_hampipe on May 08, 2022, 03:59:56 PMI feel compelled to watch it, perhaps for the wrong reasons, after seeing this https://twitter.com/johnny13/status/1523016650135523338

Alright, I'm definitely sticking with this.

JamesTC

Major spoilers for the final episode.

Spoiler alert
Mike Myers gets his cock out.
[close]

Bently Sheds

You have to admire his commitment to that poison joke. Sets it up in episode 1 and delivers the toecurling punchline in episode 3. Also his commitment to giving his old Wide-awake Club pal Neil Mullarkey work (albeit in a non-speaking role - does that mean he's paid less?).

I think I enjoyed it, it seemed like a slog at points & sagged badly in places & the timing was off for jokes when Myers is playing alongside himself but I did laugh at a good proportion of the jokes.

Peabo Bryson Is Not Dead

I snorted it all in one go and I think it being 6 parts rather than a movie did it a disservice. Also, Myers is stronger when playing it straight than a wild caricature - His Lord Lordington, Bruce, and Shep Gordon were better than his Ken Scarborough and Rasputin character, in my opinion, because there's no telling glint, wink and nod to the camera.

It was typical mid 90s sillyness in places, awful in others, and the message of the plot only coalleseced in the final episode. Keegan Michael Key and Ken Jeung also need to change up their gimmicks and quick. However, Lydia West and Jennifer Saunders were bloody great, Mullarkey is still a friend, and it proves, with the right project, Mike Myers is still lovable and damn funny. It was comforting to have him back on my screen in any capacity. A solid 6/10.

Takes away the whole kicking bawbags exchange with SirBenKingsley stuff.

Shaky

Have to echo others and say that while this is very patchy - and downright shit at times - there's... something watchable about it. The idea is quite solid, Ken and some of the other characters are likeable, and it's strangely reassuring to see Myers' again (even in subpar stuff). Bit weird to give the OK to something that really isn't terribly good most of the time, but there you go.

And I've little-to-no experience of Key's comedy stylings - is he always like that?! Genuinely wanted to throttle him.

MojoJojo

Quote from: Peabo Bryson Is Not Dead on May 09, 2022, 02:02:24 AMI snorted it all in one go and I think it being 6 parts rather than a movie did it a disservice.

Something I've noticed with a lot of netflix produced stuff is that it often feels like they didn't decide until quite late on whether it was going to be a series or a film.

Bently Sheds

Quote from: Shaky on May 09, 2022, 08:59:31 AMAnd I've little-to-no experience of Key's comedy stylings - is he always like that?! Genuinely wanted to throttle him.
I felt that way about Ken Jeong's character, he was just an even more annoying Chang from Community. Is that the sum total of his range?

I still can't say the title when I read it.

My brain just simply won't allow it without reading it very slowly.

That's a bad title. In my book.

steveh

Three episodes in and I've enjoyed the silliness of it even if it is a bit clunky at times.

Orbital's score is on Bandcamp: https://orbitalsoundtrack.bandcamp.com/album/the-pentaverate-original-soundtrack-from-the-netflix-series.

Peabo Bryson Is Not Dead

Quote from: Bently Sheds on May 09, 2022, 10:30:23 AMI felt that way about Ken Jeong's character, he was just an even more annoying Chang from Community. Is that the sum total of his range?

Key and Jeung both share a basic improv stage style of acting where they're projecting their lines for themselves, they perform to themselves and anything else around them is purely a reaction to their antics. It's almost monologuing and unless you're the total focus of the piece, selfish. It's not for the benefit of the script, story, the other actors they share a stage with or any audience. It's a simple, labored and lazy method that can work incredibly well for some but not for Keegan and Ken as they don't have the charisma for it. It what defines the difference between a comic, an actor and a star.

That all reads as incredibly wanky. Apologies. I am Steven Toast.

neveragain

Quote from: Peabo Bryson Is Not Dead on May 09, 2022, 12:27:41 PMKey and Jeung both share a basic improv stage style of acting where they're projecting their lines for themselves, they perform to themselves and anything else around them is purely a reaction to their antics. It's almost monologuing and unless you're the total focus of the piece, selfish. It's not for the benefit of the script, story, the other actors they share a stage with or any audience. It's a simple, labored and lazy method that can work incredibly well for some but not for Keegan and Ken as they don't have the charisma for it. It what defines the difference between a comic, an actor and a star.

That all reads as incredibly wanky. Apologies. I am Steven Toast.

I've got to disagree about Key. I've seen him be solidly dependable many times. Agree he overacted in this but see the Always Sunny 'Family Fight' episode or the W/Bob and David sketch where he's a cop for examples of him being a great and generous straight man.

I really enjoyed this, there are some truly appalling jokes in it but they're delivered in a strangely charming way without any of the nastiness from the Austin Powers sequels which has been discussed in that thread.

Jennifer Saunder's reaction to Myers
Spoiler alert
shooting her in the leg
[close]
had me laughing harder than anything has for a long time. Probably says more about me than the gag itself though.

Shaky

Maybe we're all so starved for new comedy that this amiable, ramshackle old thing is quite a pleasant timewaster. Occasionally I remember that Myers is a cunt in real life - and certainly there's a dead look in his eyes in this new show sometimes, - but generally I'd like to see him in more stuff. Nostalgia nosmalgia.

Kankurette


Old Nehamkin

#21
I think he's just got a reputation for being a bit of a diva to deal with and an overbearing control freak on set. Don't think he's ever been accused of anything properly heinous though.

The Bumlord

If being a bit of a cunt is a crime then lock everybody up!

Except me

Jack Shaftoe

He was supposed to be very prima-donna-ish during the making of Wayne's World 2, although in the grand scheme of things, this no longer feels like a capital crime to be honest.

steveh

I like that the futuristic underground transport system in this is actually the Post Office Railway.

C_Larence

Lovely to see Ken Jeong's comedy career continue unabated despite never having actually said or done anything funny in his life. Truly interminable in this and everything he's ever been in. The Hangover has a lot to answer for.

C_Larence

Oh also this was shit, with or without Jeong. Myers schtick went down with the towers.

Sonny_Jim

A lot of fun playing 'They look familiar?  What have they been in?'.  Also was the Shrek 'joke' a not-so subtle way of Myers thanking Dreamworks for reviving his career?

MojoJojo

I'm not sure Shrek revived his career - Shrek was before The Spy Who Shagged Me, and nearly a decade before The Love Guru.

Despite seeing So I Married an Ace Murderer at the cinema, I didn't pickup on the Pentaverate name coming from that.

Watched the first two. The setup is a bit weird. I guess because it's just an excuse to cram as many Mike Myers characters in as possible. Some laughs.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Quote from: MojoJojo on May 11, 2022, 04:10:22 PMSo I Married an Ace Murderer
Is that better or worse than marrying a rubbish one?