It's Like, You Know...

Having just caught a midseason episode of "It's like, you know . . .", a show I was probably predestined to like a great deal, and not just because they use an ellipsis in the title, I am continually amazed at the level of writing available on this half-hour gem. Very fast-paced and idea-filled, the scripts depend on none of the typical crutches of sitcom writing such as stupid misunderstandings and slapstick arguments. Instead, you hear hilarious discussions of . . . well . . . just about everything. And it's all done without that sense of solipsistic meanness so apparent in Seinfeld. Plus the show has a character named Shrug. Great writing and a character named Shrug. How much greater can it get? What is so good about the writing, you might ask. It builds throughout each episode, usually reaching a very nice and very funny climax at the end. The characters seem to be genuinely intelligent and creative people. The subplots are as interesting, or more interesting than, the main storyline of each show. And the choice of plots is as diverse and interesting as real life can be, without all of those stupid puns and slapstick misunderstandings usually written into most sitcoms. I very much hope it manages to find an audience.

When I first heard about "It's Like, You Know...", I thought it would be terrific. Created by a "Seinfeld" writer and starring Christopher Eigeman, who has been incredibly funny in everything he's been in? A home run for sure. But in the first season the writing was often strained, the women in the cast were weak, and the show was generally uneven. In the second season, though, a new creative spark seems to have invigorated the show, taking it in bizarre and surreal directions. Bickering conjoined twin cop show action stars (who turn out to be unattached twins faking it). Arthur's feeling of claustrophobia in New York illustrated by the walls of his apartment literally closing in on him. The faux documentary of a break-up, with inexplicably changing props in every scene (a different Jennifer Grey movie poster is on the wall each time we see her, Shrug is eating a different entree each time he appears). Shrug falls victim to a soul-sucking succubus (?!?). The most bizarre and funniest occurrence this year had Robbie and Shrug thinking to themselves about two girls they were dating. Suddenly one thought responds to the other, and they proceed to hold an entire conversation without opening their mouths!

"It's Like, You Know..." has become one of the most inventive sitcoms on the air. Sadly, that precise thing seems to be driving viewers away. Check it out before it's too late.

I don't know how we managed to get this show in France (for cable viewers only) since it seems like it did not really meet its audience in the USA. Anyway, I think it is really funny and, although not as well written as Seinfeld its acting is even better... too bad it has been cancelled. I'm glad I taped all the episodes so that I can watch them again and again!

I finally figured out the title... it's muttered by someone atleast once an episode (usually the worst joke of the episode... but still) but it seems so fake. When I first saw an ad for this, I thought it looked stupid and pointless, but I watched an episode anyway... and I found I couldn't stop, it was the best written show sence M*A*S*H and the best cast sence NewsRadio, and is the best show sence "The Simpsons". It has the same setup as Seinfeld (Punchline before the explanation). And haven't we always wondered why "Q" is in the middle of the alphabet? The best new show of 1999, followed closely by "Futu

This was a show from the creators of Seinfeld, and like Seinfeld, it was slow getting off the ground. I liked "it's like, you know...." and I thought it was becoming funnier as the characters settled in and story lines developed. Making fun of L.A. life IS funny to people outside of L.A. Unfortunately ABC killed it before it could reach it's full potential.