Oh, Sunday, night of pleasant comedic surprises!
If the recently reinvigorated Entourage or an unexpected French Conchords‘ interlude didn’t sate your appetite for funny last night, IFC premiered the second seasons of both The Business and The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman. The first season of Minor was a little gem that cruised below the radar (as most stuff on IFC does), and the newest installment doesn’t look likely to disappoint either. Laura Kightlinger is a strange creature whose flawless delivery makes even the most mundane lines send me into fits of laughter, but I’ve got to say that even her strong season premiere was seriously shown up by the folks on The Business.
The Business suffers from the unfortunate circumstances of being another single-camera sitcom about the entertainment industry – earning it inevitable comparisons to umpteen vaguely similar shows – but what it may lack in uniqueness of vision, it more than makes up for in spot on writing and an ensemble cast that gels perfectly. While many shows like it feature one or two players in stand out roles carrying their costars along for the ride, The Business has the distinction of having a group who are even more convincing playing off each other as they are on their own.
Season two sees Vic and Julia (Kathleen Robertson) trying to distance themselves even further from Vic’s Flicks’ pornographic roots after the success of their first indie horror film “House of Fear” made them partners. Julia must continue to steer her inept colleagues towards success, and Robertson handles the task with the comedic precision of Mary Tyler Moore – had WJM-TV produced direct-to-DVD titles like “Drunk Girls” and Ed Asner been a smarmy idiot.
Half industry exposé and half workplace sitcom, The Business is a satisfying cross between 30 Rock and The Office that more than makes up for their absence during the summer hiatus while offering a charm and humor that is distinctly it’s own. Catch up with the first season (that you undoubtedly missed) on DVD or just tune in; familiarity with the back story is not necessary.