TV Review: "Clark and Michael"

Having recently critiqued the fall TV lineups of CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, and the CW, I delightedly announce the imminent decline and fall of those very same networks and their out-dated approach to television. For years, TV has increasingly pandered to the lowest common denominator, broadcasting shows which will capture the widest possible audience, including that most elusive prey known as the "18-to-35 year old male". Many quirky shows are either never given a chance or quickly booted due to low ratings - everything Andy Richter's been on that wasn't "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," everything Judd Apatow's ever done, etc. Cable networks can afford to produce edgier shows that garner smaller audiences, but even so - the audience is limited to those willing to pony up the extra cash for channels like HBO and Showtime, while everytime the going gets good it's interrupted by retarded-masquerading-as-clever commercials. But huzzah, modern technology has finally reached the world of TV and it will never be the same again.

The show causing such raptures of delight is "Clark and Michael," starring Clark Duke and Michael Cera (George-Michael Bluth of "Arrested Development"). Duke and Cera play, essentially themselves - two young, oblivious screenwriters developing a new show about two guys named, you guessed it, Clark and Michael. They've hired a film crew to document their cocky, incompetent efforts to get their show on the air - a brilliant use of the documentary style which allows for cheap but authentic looking production, as well as the surprisingly effective and non-pretentious narrative gimmick of talking to the camera. In the first episode, the partners start shopping around their script, which Michael suggests leaving anonymously to preserve the "air of mystery," and decide to go straight to the top - Ted Turner. When that fails, despite (or more likely, because of) Clark telling the receptionist that her refusal is "breaking [his] balls," they manage to score a read at "ATC Family" with Tony Mesner (Tony Hale). Falsely believing this is their big break, the duo sit around on their asses waiting for the call that never comes - although it does give them a great opportunity to catch up on their DVR and get invited to a pasta party by their creepy, stalker-ish neighbor.

The second episode follows up wonderfully, sending up the conventions of reality TV - a breakdown in the bathroom, a promising voicemail from their agent (Mitch Hurwitz, creator of "AD") played over a sunset beach scene, an entertainingly obnoxious, drunken Clark at a dinner meeting. And the thing is, these two awkward, inept characters really believe they belong on a reality show that will showcase their inevitable rise to success. Even the cheesy opening montage, so obviously footage of Cera and Duke screwing around like the teenage boys they are, has a self-conscious note not unlike that found on most reality shows - they mack for the cameras in hideous shirts, grin goofily and earnestly, pause for the requisite serious shots.

Episodes are available only on the show's website, clarkandmichael.com, and the two which have premiered have a combined run time of about 29 minutes - fans find them too short, but as Duke points out on the show's blog, most people believed that Internet users wouldn't watch anything longer than a few minutes anyway. And an important caveat - the show is, technically, financed by good ol' CBS, which is why "Clark and Michael" can afford not to show any commercials and feature only a few ads in the sidebar. To truly revolutionize TV as we know it, someone's going to have to figure out a totally new way to foot the bill. But "Clark and Michael" is a great example of the promise Internet TV holds, namely as a way to showcase offbeat talent that hasn't been pre-packaged by studio bosses.

Final score: 94