There was a TV show in the 70s in which a TV presenter/journalist was given a challenge over 6 weeks – something like to sing an aria at the Royal Albert Hall or complete an elite-level military assault course. Yes, a bit like Blue Peter.
Anyway, in one of these shows, the presenter was told he was to do a standup comedy routine at some glittering variety show at the London Palladium. He’d never done anything like it before and wasn’t a naturally gifted comic/storyteller. He was terrified. Anyway, he was given a routine of one liners and jokes by none other than the great Barry Cryer. Should be OK, then?
No. The jokes were awful.
As the day approached, the hapless journalist meets some established comedians for advice. One of these was Ken Dodd. He had a look at the routine – he said that yes, there were two or three “belters” in there and read the awful routine in the way HE would do it. Reader, the jokes came alive. Just a few tweaks using slightly different, funnier, words and Ken Dodd turned it into a very funny routine all in the space of about 3 minutes.
Why am I banging on about this? Well, in the third season of Only Murders in the Building, we are following the progress of an awful musical production set in place by Martin Short’s character. The musical came from a stage play he had produced and directed, that had stiffed on Broadway. Undeterred, he is determined to rescue the thing by turning it into a musical and bashes out some songs which are (comically) dreadful. No one else thinks this is a good idea. The Steve Martin character is so anxious about one of the songs, he has elaborate panic attacks when he has to perform it in rehearsal.
As the main story develops, the musical gets quietly more and more polished and then, after numerous false starts, Steve Martin performs it brilliantly in one of the final rehearsals. It’s a fantastic performance – which brings the song alive. But it is the same terrible song we were all mocking a few weeks earlier. I think this is the magic dust that some performers have.
There was also another scene where Steve Martin has been paralysed by a drug and can’t move his legs – but he urgently needs to move. Brilliant physical comedy.
There are numerous clever things about Only Murders in the Building and I thought I’d just see if anyone else watches it.
Better not go into too much detail cos spoilers, but here’s the opening credits that often has a Frazier-style additional animation to give a clue to the episode’s events.
Oh, I almost forgot to say, the TV journalist did the routine dressed as a Hilda Ogden-type character called Ada to make it funnier than he could manage with his own personality. It wasn’t great but he got through it.
Yes, another viewer here and I love it… it’s hardly documentary-like in its depiction of New York, but it’s funny (hysterically so at times), and Steve Martin & Martin Short’s rapport is wonderful to behold… Selena Gomez only has one speed, “deadpan snark”, but she does it very well, and the (100% intentional) clash of her style with Martin & Short is a delight… and casting Meryl Streep could have just been a gimmick, but they’ve used her very well so far…
I love it – watching the new episode from this season is a highlight of the week. The various cameos are a treat. Matthew Broderick’s was a hoot. However the main thing for me is the chemistry – they seem to really enjoy working together (unless they’re… acting). Pros at the top of their game.
Also loving it. Heard a lot of good reports about it and watched them all back to back without realising season three hadn’t finished, so now eagerly awaiting the final episode.
Unfortunately I suffer from a rare condition which makes me come out in hives whenever Martin Short appears on the screen. It’s been the bane of my life ever since Three Amigos, so this makes Only Murders in the Building problematic to say the least.
Ironically, that sounds like the sort of thing that might happen to a character in Only Murders in the Building.
I suffer from an affliction which means I can rarely stick a whole season of any series without losing concentration. Only Murders… season 1 was the last one I managed. Loved it. Somewhere in season 2 the affliction kicked in and I didn’t finish it and have no memory of it. Didn’t know there was a 3rd season. Still, enjoying a whole season is quite something in my little world. Recommended.
I remember that BBC show; wasn’t it called Now Get Out of That?
Loved the first two seasons of OMITB, find this one slightly less consistent (and wish they had given Andrea Martin more to do) but still a highly enjoyable way to spend Tuesday evenings.
Think it was called In At The Deep End (with the 2 blokes from That’s Life).
Think Now Get Out Of That was a sort of orienteering-based version of It’s A Knockout, with a bit of Treasure Hunt thrown in (without the helicopter or Anneka Rice’s bottom)
Yes you’re right, Rigid. Paul Heiny was the That’s Life bloke.