Mean, cruel, crude, and downright funny

sts-26

In the early and mid-nineties, there was a rush to imitate the hit Britcom Absolutely Fabulous. Rosanne(Arnold, Barr, whatever) bought the American rights to the show, and CBS launched a clone - High Society - ASAP. Rosanne's plans came to nothing, and High Society failed almost immediately.

The problem was that America, and especially prime-time network television, was just not ready for the lewd, crude, cruel and politically incorrect comedy exemplified by Britcoms AbFab, Bottom and Men Behaving Badly, shows launched in Britain in the late-eighties or early-nineties. No, it would take several more years before the U.S. was anything close to ready.

First came Drew Carey, then, slowly, more, and more savage, shows began to appear. Just Shoot Me was one of the best of these; its setting - the New York office of a Cosmo-like magazine - made it possible to get down and dirty with the laughs, and great, naturally-wicked-humored actors (Spade and Segal) drove home every crude gag.

I greatly enjoyed this show for the six years it ran, and firmly believe that it was a victim (along with News Radio, 3rd Rock, and several others) of NBCs indifference to,and neglect of, its stable of great sitcoms. (I guess everything paled in comparison to Seinfeld, and no one at NBC had the sense to point out that Pretty Damn Good may not be Great, but still ain't half bad.)

I watch every episode of Just Shoot Me that appears in syndication, and encourage other TV addicts to do the same. The show is always good for a belly laugh, provided one is neither PC nor a prude.

score 8/10

sts-26 8 January 2009

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2003787/