Life on a Stick

OK, OK...here's my claim to fame. I would like to coin a new phrase to describe this show's delivery style. It has a bizarre and perhaps refreshing way of using one-liners or zingers as a way of displaying or developing a story or scene by the sole use of one-liners or "zingers".

The "action" is developed almost exclusively by setting up an endless array of punchlines into one long, connected line. The characters reveal their sardonic personalities by minimalist snippets.

You might think it is one-liner heaven or hell. It's a matter of opinion. The whole feeling is surreal, post-modern and a panoply of pastiches and almost stifling to experience.

After 30 minutes, one comes away with the feeling that we've just seen 10 hours of one-liners in virtual time.

Not sure if it will work with most people because one might become weary because of it continually peaking.

You decide....if this "Zing-Com" is worth the time.

Laz (Zachary Knighton) and the dim-witted Fred (Charlie Finn) are best friends out of high school and working at the mall food court under the mean-spirited Mr. Hut. Laz is in love with fellow worker Lily (Rachelle Lefevre). His father Rick Lackerson is married to his step mom Michelle (Amy Yasbeck). His angry stepsister Molly (Saige Thompson) likes Jasper but he already has a girlfriend.

I like Laz, his idiot friend and Lily. They're a marginally funny trio. Being in the pretzel booth is funny. Laz's parents are distractingly unfunny. It's like Amy Yasbeck is trying too hard. Also this should try to be more of a teen show. Comedic parents get into the way. Molly is adorable angry cute teen but it's a struggle to keep her connected with the trio. She ends up sitting at the food court for unnaturally extended amount of time. It's an uneven marginally funny sitcom.

I watched this show and there were a lot viewers saying this show sucked but when I checked it out I thought it was kind of funny and kind of stupid somewhat. It's not one of my all time favorites but it's okay. The show is about two teenagers who try to make a living in a fast food court in a shopping mall while the other one deals with dysfunctional family. It premiered on FOX back in March 2005 and then after only airing 5 episodes the show got canceled April 2005. This show is okay but not great.

User Rating: 5/10

BOTTOM LINE: OKAY BUT NOT A FAVORITE

I remember not really having much of an opinion about this show. Just that the male leads were insufferable dorks, that it was nice to see Robey back on network television and that Amy Yasbeck never looked hotter. The one thing that kept me watching this dreck every week was Saige Thompson. I really liked her angst-ridden, girl-next-door against the world character. She seemed like the sort of girlfriend I could have had in high school, if only I had found her. This would have been a much better show if it had been called "Molly Callahan Against the World" and starred Saige as a post-modern Clarissa dealing with teen angst and confusion issues. I hope we haven't seen the last of her.

One could say that the show has "doomed" written all over it after already having an abruptly changed time slot for the season premiere. In the ads for the upcoming show, you saw unfunny little bits of working in fast food (a hot dog stand... who'da thought?), but the show surprisingly didn't have as many scenes in the food joint as the title suggests.

This kid lives with his parents after graduating High School, and his parents are leaning towards kicking him out. Sound familiar? Yeah, a bunch of shows have done this before a long time ago. Nevertheless, the re-married couple agree to have him stay in the house as long as he "hangs out" with his step-sister. Sounds like a deal to me. Wasn't this supposed to take place at a Hotdog stand? He has a buddy too... and you can guess how he is. Yup, the kid probably has less brains than the hot dogs he serves, and it's not funny at all. Think "Bill & Ted" after 12 years of Special Education curriculum. Mixed in with the Apu of Fast Food management and a love-interest and you've got yourself a TELEVISION SHOW! Rock on! Other than that.. between the 4-minute commercial breaks, we're left with about 18 minutes of laugh-tracks and all-around "meh" television. This will leave you wishing American Idol Result Night was an hour long again. This show MIGHT have worked in the early-/mid-90's, but not today in the land of giant elimination/reality shows and teeth-gritting dramas. Even among those genres, I've always wondered if a genuine 30-minute sitcom could still stand tall. I was wrong.