The Crazy Ones – advertising agencies make great television
In this crossposting from The Conversation, David Waller from University of Technology, Sydney, reflects on the advertising industry as a source of inspiration for Hollywood.
Move over Mad Men – there’s a new group of advertising executives hitting the small screen. The Crazy Ones, a TV series set in a Chicago advertising agency, is currently the top-ranked show in the new US television season and it’s screening now in Australia.
There are some heavy hitters involved too. The Crazy Ones stars former vampire slayer Sarah Michelle Gellar and comedian Robin Williams. It’s created, written and produced by David E. Kelly, the man behind legal dramas Ally McBeal and Boston Legal.
Dick york, dick sargent, sargent york…wow that’s weird
On debut The Crazy Ones ranked #7 in the US ratings (Homes) with a 15 share and a rating of 9.3 – equating to 10.7m homes. It’s plummeted since then…
Ratings aside, this is some of the most appalling TV I’ve seen in a long, long time. Anyone who works in an ad agency in 2013 will lose the will to live watching this show.
Robin Williams has been given way too much rope by the director in this and as a result is at his most annoying, show-offy, cringeworthy, overly-impersonatory worst. The rest of the cast are reduced to just reacting to his “quirky quips” so there is no discerning plot or character development.
Awful stuff that I challenge anyone to sit through two episodes of.
If he actually worked in an agency he would last two minutes until the 100th ‘fu$k off Robin’ reply-all hit everyone’s inboxes abnd forced management to act. If they hadn’t already after their own first meeting with him.
So yeah I suppose I don’t like it.
Rest of the shows and moves are good but.
Don’t forget how to lose a guy in 10 days, with Matthew McConaughey as the charming adman.
Against better judgement I actually watched the first episode.. a half hour commercial for McDonald’s as I recall…. AWFUL!!!!!!!!
I found it to be a poor Boston Legal format rip off. swap legal for ad agency, one mad cow guy for a crazy dude and a team of off-siders that orbit the craziness.
Pretty good line-up of actors and actresses. Backed-up with a great plot and storyline, no wonder they are on top. I haven’t seen an episode yet but the potential it holds is enormous. Will definitely watch it soon.