How, oh how can an entire network jump the shark? If last night’s “Must” See TV (combined with lackluster debuts of Law and Order and The West Wing) serve(s) as any indication, NBC is firmly astride Fonzie’s bike, glancing triumphantly downward towards Jaws’ long-lost cousin.
How has the network of Seinfeld fame been reduced to “dreadlock jokes” and random hookups (Joey & Rachel, Ross & the other Prof., and, apparently, Jack and Will)? The Friends, Law & Order and West Wing premiers could have been enough excrement for an entire season, but what does NBC do? Slaughter Coupling. Not only is it nowhere near as funny as its BBC incarnation, it might possibly even be worse than Whoopi.
I’m sure the American cast is comprised of wonderful, talented souls who earnestly want to do justice to the source material. However, I was left with an inpression akin to seeing a high school production of Hamlet: you know they’re trying, but you also know you’ve seen it done better before and it sounded a whole lot better with English accents.
Why, NBC, why!?! Mess up your own shows, run them into the ground, do what you wish, but leave our Britcoms alone! What’s next, Keeping Up Appearances, featuring a well-intentioned yet misguided Minnesotan woman? So Mario Cantone? Law and Order: John Rebus?
The mind reels.
