FOC launched in the SPRING of 2008 and follows BRET and JERMAINE, two folk musicians from NEW ZEALAND who have recently moved to NYC and struggle to establish themselves in the music scene. The two artists meander through CHINATOWN or WILLIAMSBURG (or some other ultra-hip/chic NYC neighborhood), often at the direction of their business manager, MURRAY. MURRAY's day job as an employee of the NEW ZEALAND CONSULATE is humorous but he bears an eerie similarity to the idiocy of other comedic "manger" types (a la MICHAEL SCOTT from NBC'S THE OFFICE). The penny-less BRET and JERMAINE charm their way through twelve episodes with cleverly crafted folk songs and creatively shot music videos.
Unlike many HBO first-run DRAMA series, FOC SEASON I seemed to be shot on the cheap. The music videos had a rough and tumble quality that seemed a perfect match to the apparently haphazard song lyrics. In some instances, these lyrics would imitate BRET and JERMAINE'S tomfoolery (usually involving a girl or girls of some kind), while in other cases, the songs seemed to drive forward the plot (events would unfold throughout the music video and by the end the characters have changed or learned a "vital" piece of knowledge). The application of the music video device is decidedly refreshing and gives the audience even more reason to lean towards their TV sets hoping to catch each syllable spewing from BRET and JERMAINE's mouths.
Another refreshing detail of FOC is it's obvious omission of the punch-line from the traditional comedy structure. Gone are exchanges of dialogue and carefully staged scenes that build towards a (hopefully) riotous climax - a structure shows such as SEINFELD, FRAISER and THE OFFICE have made staple . No, FOC never slows down long enough to worry about the big picture. Instead, it's comedy stems from the behavior of antagonists who reliably exercise the logic of a six-year old on a whim (and in some cases, this is insulting to the six-year old). Whether it's BRET and JERMAINE dissolving their band over a non-existent dispute, or their manager, MURRAY, confusing his way into an imagined CD deal with SONY MUSIC BMG - there's no such thing as clear communication in this universe. Perhaps the advantage of their punch-line-less comedy structure? We don't have to pay attention to the ignorant behavior of one character, just so long as it complements the idiocy of the other characters enough to get a snicker.
Along the way we're introduced to MEL, an obsessed (and frankly pathological) follower of the musicians, who's married to the horribly unmotivated DOUG. DOUG is devoid of any anxiety a natural person would emote considering his wife's sexual infatuation with two other men; but he at least has the courtesy to be boring in the background. SEASON I of FOC also highlighted a guest appearance by DIMITRI MARTIN, a comedian who's own TV show (IMPORTANT THINGS WITH DIMITRI MARTIN) is currently in it's first season COMEDY CENTRAL (WED/10:30 PM).
FOC SEASON II didn't start particularly strong but FOC SEASON I didn't end with bang so I doubt this surprises anyone. HBO pumped a healthy amount of money into the budgets and SEASON II has lost some if its guerilla comedy appeal. In it's place are more complex musical videos (that heavily feature the supporting cast), escalated stupidity and higher caliber celebrity appearances (most recently KRISTEN WIIG from NBC'S SNL). But these aren't all bad things, and if you're inclined to tolerate absurdity and can enjoy a sampling of comical folk music, FOC SEASON II is definitely worth tuning in to. Here's to keeping this review a moderate length and FOC SEASON II a moderate success.
PS - For those interested, JERMAINE of FOC was featured in a film EAGLE vs SHARK (that boasts a small cult-like following) and was directed by the same person (TAIKA COHEN) who has helmed several FOC I&II episodes.
