Today is Saturday, February 11, 2012
Today is Saturday, February 11, 2012
Two boys laugh crazily while covering their upper bodies with rubbing alcohol. This obscene scene is just one of the hilarious antics of the endearingly awkward everyday lives of “Clark and Michael.”
“Clark and Michael” is a CBS Internet television series starring Clark Duke and Michael Cera. The mini-series has 10 episodes, each 10 minutes long.
Originally Duke’s college thesis film at Loyola Marymount University, the “mockumentary” series features Duke and Cera playing fictionalized versions of themselves. The show follows the pair’s ambitions to write and sell a pilot for a television series.
A film crew consists of friends of the duo using handheld cameras to document the cocky yet incompetent efforts of Duke and Cera to get their show on the air.
The show begins with the partners working on their script. After failing their first interview and being initially rejected by “ATC Family” Network, a play off of ABC Family Network, Duke and Cera continue to pursue new opportunities.
They discuss their script with several other networks, and although they are turned down, they never lose faith in their script nor in their own talent. Throughout the show, these two eccentric characters strive to get their own show and rise to success, despite the circumstances.
Most of the seemingly-improvised dialogue in “Clark and Michael” is delivered from their dorm room, specifically from their living room couch. There is a wacky neighbor named Randy (Eric Wareheim) and several celebrity cameos such as Patton Oswald (“Ratatouille”) and Jonah Hill (“Superbad”) to name a few.
It is partly due to these extremely talented improvisation artists that “Clark and Michael” is so humorous and entertaining to watch. Cera in particular seems to spend most of his time employing a handful of signature facial expressions and entertaining the audience with his unique actions.
If there is one flaw in the series, it’s that the show’s pace is often too slow and some scenes seem random and unnecessary. For example, there is a shot of Clark and Michael eating in a diner at one point, which seems to exist for no other reason than to tell us that Clark and Michael sometimes eat at diners.
Despite this minor flaw, the show still has many benefits. One positive aspect of the show is that each episode is roughly 10 minutes. This allows students to watch the episodes and get a good laugh without having to commit to an entire 30-minute show.
Although the idea of the show is simple, it is still an enjoyable series as Duke and Cera are hilarious. Their friendship alone is worth watching; their interactions with one another are ridiculous yet entertaining.
But it is their emotional ups and downs that make the show an especially engaging portrayal of two individuals just trying to find their place in life. The emotion in some parts of the episodes is powerful, as the rejection Clark and Michael face and their resulting frustration is so realistic; viewers can easily sympathize with them. As such, “Clark and Michael” is definitely worth watching.
Those interested in watching “Clark and Michael” can find all 10 episodes on the show’s website, www.clarkandmichael.com.
Humor: 5 out of 5
Story: 3 out of 5
Acting: 4 out of 5
