web hosting short URLs photo sharing

A new show debuted recently that is a nice change of pace from the standard sitcom we’ve all grown used to seeing. The fact that The Job is unusual isn’t all that surprising, given that the show is from the mind of Denis Leary (who also stars as the main character). However, what is surprising is how good the show is. Too often, new sitcoms that have tried to break free of the standard sitcom mold wind up collapsing under the weight of their overstated edginess. The results can sometimes be painful to see. I’m happy to report that watching The Job is anything but painful. It’s a great show.

The Job is probably the best show to premiere in 2001. Unfortunately, since its debut last month, it has not done very well in the ratings. This is understandable, given that it’s up against NBC’s powerhouse The West Wing, but it would be a shame if the show got cancelled. It’s very well done. Leary stars as New York City detective Mike McNeil. Mike has problems in his life. He is married, yet seeing somebody on the side, and is addicted to prescription pills. In short, he is a flawed hero. This is evident in a recent episode. Mike’s girlfriend calls him at work and tells him someone grabbed her on the subway. She became very distraught and went home. Mike’s immediate reaction: "So this means you didn’t go to the dentist and pick up the Tylenol with codeine?" When the conversation ends, his girlfriend tells Mike she loves him. His reply to her: "Yeah, yeah."

Still, you can’t help but root for Mike, because, through it all, he is ultimately a good guy. Mike’s partner, Pip (Bill Nunn), knows this, and sticks by Mike through all of the messes he creates for himself. For example, in that same episode, Mike finds out his co-worker Jan (Diane Farr) is seeing a man named Jeff Larsen. Mike has been attracted to Jan, a single mom, since the start of the series, so he becomes jealous. Mike meets Jeff, grows even more jealous, and starts doing some snooping on him. Just after his girlfriend calls him to tell him what happened on the subway, Mike finds out that Jeff is a lawyer, was in rehab, and is married with three kids. He tells Pip all of this, saying, "Can you believe this guy?" Pip immediately comes back with a sarcastic reply: "Gee, my married partner just got off the phone with his girlfriend, and now he’s upset because she couldn’t score the Tylenol with the codeine. No, I just can’t believe it."

Of course, Pip still helps Mike spy on Jan and Jeff outside of her apartment later that evening. Of course, Mike won’t admit that that’s what he’s doing. "I’m not spying," he says to Pip. "I’m taking an interest." Just before Mike goes in to confront Jan in front of her boyfriend, Pip tells him that what he’s doing is wrong. "Maybe you’re right," Mike says. "I am," Pip replies. There is then a pause, and the camera zooms in on Mike. You’re tempted to think Mike is going to reconsider. "No," Mike says, as he gets out of the car and goes up to his apartment.

Of course, The Job isn’t just about Mike’s mixed-up life. Mike is a detective, and there are police stories in the show. For example, someone started leaving human feet in a bag outside the apartment of a podiatrist. The trouble is that no one knows who is doing it, so Mike and Pip investigate. During the course of their investigation, they talk to a local thug who they think might know something about the feet. The conversation with the thug is genuinely funny, as he doesn’t want to relay any information that he may know. "I don’t have any information," the guy says. "About that thing in Queens? I don’t know nothing." "What thing in Queens?" Pip asks. "I don’t know," the thug replies. "It might not have happened yet."

It’s not all comedy on The Job, and that’s part of what makes it so good. There are some real nice dramatic moments to the show. For example, after Mike confronts Jan about Jeff, she grows very angry with him and speaks to him about it the next day at work. At the office, she tells Mike that she knew Jeff was married when she started going out with them, but she wasn’t looking for marriage, or even a long-term relationship. "I was just looking for romance," she says, tears streaming down her face. "Jeff held me, and he touched me, and I need that right now." Mike apologizes for what he did, saying, "I just wanted to stop you from going down the same idiotic path I’m on. You’re better than that."

There are some interesting production values in The Job. Filmed with one camera, and entirely on location in New York and New Jersey, the show has the same visual grittiness as NYPD Blue and Homicide: Life on the Street. While the almost incessant use of a handheld camera can be a little off-putting at times, the filming techniques generally add to the appeal of The Job.

Overall, The Job is an excellent show. It features some great writing and acting. The characters on the show have real personality. In short, this is the best comedy-drama since the short-lived Sports Night. Hopefully this show will enjoy a greater level of commercial success. The Job deserves to become a hit. The show airs Wednesday nights at 9:30 on ABC, which is located at Channel 7 here at Marist. Tune in; you’ll be glad you did.