The seventh of eight shows in Ten’s Pilot Week initiative – DeciderTV.com’s Steve Molk reviews DAVE.
HOW DID TEN PITCH IT?
Funny-man Dave O’Neil opens the doors to his crazy life in this half-hour narrative comedy, as he juggles a fledgling comedy career and bringing up two kids.
In tonight’s episode, Dave is attacked with dim sims, forgets to pick up his kids and is punched by Brendan Fevola at the school fete!
Filled with cameos from Australia’s comedy legends including Emily Taheny, Glenn Robbins, Dave Hughes, Dilruk Jaysinha, Dave Thornton and Geraldine Hickey, there are guaranteed laugh-out-loud moments, but above all, there is plenty of heart.
WHAT IS IT REALLY?
Dave O’Neil’s life, but like it was run through a Curb Your Enthusiasm filter.
WHO IS IN IT AND WHO RESPONSIBLE FOR IT?
Cast includes Dave O’Neil and Emily Taheny. Cameos from Dave Thornton, Glenn Robbins, Dave Hughes and Dilruk Jayasinha (among others).
The show is produced by Studio Bento.
WAS IT ANY GOOD?
Full of Australian comedic references and Glenn Robbins as Glen Robbins, DAVE wasn’t bad… it just wasn’t great. The cast are great – Emily Taheny is simply fabulous, Geradine Hickey was the right amount of creepy, and the cameos made for fun “spot the comic” moments. The premise is fine. It didn’t totally land anything overly well.
The awkwardness in the setups hit the right note; the moments OK; the actual jokes – for a sitcom about a comedian – were few and far between.
The series has sat on the shelf for so long that the change in Jayashina was really obvious (Pre-weight loss Dil featured as Albert the corner store guy; in the last 12 months he’s lost heaps of weight to be the guy we saw win the Graham Kennedy Most Popular New Talent Logie this year). Perhaps that’s a clue as to what the networks think of the show that it hasn’t been picked up or aired before this.
We don’t have a great history of successful sitcoms in Australia. Unfortunately DAVE doesn’t help reset that track record.
I really wanted to like DAVE, however it just felt underdone.
SHOULD IT GO TO SERIES?
Should it? Why not. Will it? Unlikely.
Co-Creator and Viewer’s Advocate for TVBlackbox.com.au, Steve Molk is sharply focused on the business of TV in Australia across all its formats – FTA broadcast, commercial, subscription, BVOD, catch up & SVOD.
Based in Brisbane he’s a passionate advocate for Australian-made programming, particularly drama and comedy. He loves podcasting, gaming & watching too much TV.
Twitter – @SteveMolk
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