Dan for Mayor

This is turning up to be a fun show. Ever since the deceased Carnahan won the senate race, I thought a show on the funnier lighter side of politics would be great. This show proves the point. We are constantly bombarded by the dark side of politics, but this show pokes fun at the more absurd and humorous part of running a political campaign. Added to this is the relationship triagles with Dan, his x-girlfriend, and his new girlfriend who happens to be the daughter of one of the other candidates he is running against. If this show can keep digging up new ways to portray the idiocies of politics in a fun way the show should go far.

This is an hilarious show. Fred Ewanuick is a very funny, likable person and that comes through in his character Dan, who basically starts running for Mayor in his community of Wessex as a joke with nobody expecting him to win, including himself. All of the character's are very likable, even the one's who aren't supposed to be likable are likable. Juggling his job as a bartender,his best friend (also a bartender) as his campaign manager, a shoe string campaign budget, his ex-girlfriend, his new girlfriend, his ex-girlfriends' new boyfriend, his new girlfriend's Aunt who does not like him and becomes his competitor for the job as Mayor and his own run for Mayor every episode has very funny moments and some twists and turns that you just do not see coming. Like a bus out of nowhere.Dan For Mayor kept me laughing and looking forward to each episode. Dan Ewanuick played Hank Yarbo on the CTV show Corner Gas before this and was very enjoyable as the second banana to Brett Butt's main character. In Dan For Mayor Fred holds his own as the top banana. He is very funny, witty and just great to watch. This is a very good show.By the way I have seen a few reviews that state this is just "Corner Gas" redux. I don't see it that way. You have a completelty different setting, the characters are not even remotely alike and the onlt thing that comes close are some of the 'flash" scenes but lots of shows do that. Some people are saying that Dan and Hank are the same but look at the differences; Hank had no job and did not seem to care to get one, Dan had a job as a bartender and then runs for Mayor. Hank had no girlfriend, Dan has an ex and a current in the first season then his ex comes back to him and they live together. Yes they are both laid back but Hank was more so than Dan. Also, on DFM, there is no Oscar, Emma, Lacey, Wanda, Karen, Davis, etc. The characters on DFM are completely different people. in conclusion this is not your "Corner Gas!"

The town of Wessex is having an election with long-time mayor Bud Calgrove running without any opposition. Dan Phillips (Fred Ewanuick) is a slacker bartender at Fern's. His ex-girlfriend Claire Kendall tells him that she's marrying Mike. In response, Dan tells her that he's running for mayor. When Calgrove is killed by a bus, Dan's joke candidacy is no longer such a joke. Deputy mayor Alan Duffy is out to stop him. His best friend Jeff works at Swifty Copy. The second season has Dan starting his job as the new mayor.

This is a mildly amusing Canadian sitcom. Ewanuick is a good comedic actor and half of the cast are doing good. The problem is that the other half is flat and lacking. Those supporting characters and actors have no charisma. The second season has the show trimming down to the better main cast but the humor never rises above mildly amusing.

This show gets a big fail from me. The acting is terrible with unbelievable characters and the main character is just Hank from Corner Gas doing the exact same act that he was doing before, he is basically a big moron who is trying to do things he is too stupid to do. None of the characters are believable and this show is just a huge mess with nothing funny happening in it. I can't believe this show is even on TV in the first place it is so stupid and not funny at all. I have to write ten lines I guess so I will tell you I just bought a new goldfish because my last goldfish died he actually lived a real long time though for a goldfish so yeah.

I'm really happy this show has been renewed. I'm not nutty about any of the individual actors except Fred, but as an ensemble they somehow make the corny overdrama work. This effort is greatly assisted by the theme music which absolutely perfectly captures the feeling of the show.

After watching every episode, I feeling tickled and lighter. I think the tone of the show is uniquely Canadian. Even though it is nothing like Kids in the Hall, it reminds me of the perception created by the Kids that you are watching quintessential Canadiana (in a good way).

I hope they can keep up the pace, because I'd really like this show to last.