BY BRIANNE JOHNSON
Daily Arts Writer
Published October 3, 2010
Rome might not have been built in a day, but 14 days were more than enough for Todd Margaret to flip all of England on its arse. Racking up court charges for “funding a terrorist organization, possession of biological weapons, blackmail and possession of child pornography with the intent to distribute,” Margaret unleashes terror on his new home without wasting one awkward moment. Such an accomplishment may inspire awe in some, but somehow IFC’s “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret” goes from poor to pathetic, making the show completely unsalvageable.
The Increasingly Poor Decision of Todd Margaret
Fridays at 10 p.m.
IFC
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Shipped to England on false faith, Todd Margaret (David Cross, “Arrested Development”) eagerly abandons his only companion, his cat, to head a new company in hopes of overcoming his timidness. As a representative of Thunder Muscle Energy Drinks, Margaret builds his new life from a pile of spontaneously bizarre lies. Hired for assumed bravado, Margaret’s luck quickly expires (as does the toxic drink he mercilessly forces upon British natives). His hand is scalded, the government blows up his luggage and his plans are manipulated by an ill-deceived assistant. Yet Margaret continues to willingly desert reality for a false sense of success.
The show is as realistic as Margaret’s wildly spun lies, and the result is a total crackpot of desperate lines and far-fetched plots. It's debatable what’s more strange — Cross’s attempts to enliven a hopeless character through insane table-hopping rants (insisting that he will “fuck the old out of you”) or the fact that anyone, fictional or otherwise, could believe such crap. From a dead company’s offer of a $120,000 starting salary to the quaint café waitress with a passion for molecular gastrology, “Margaret” is worse with each minute.
The fabrications seem to force themselves from a fathomless pit of ignorance and desperation as Margaret suffers no other repercussion beyond constant humiliation. The character is a walking mass of insanity, with opportunities only presented by means of the furthered delusion of others. It's obvious by the show’s title that Margaret will not develop as a character, for the first minute presents his future call to court. Obliviously self-indulgent, “Margaret” refuses to deliver a likable front-man, despite Cross’s best attempts.
But at least we can pity Margaret, even with his unappealing nature — something that can't be said for the supporting cast. Dave (Russell Tovey, “Being Human”), Margaret’s newly appointed and admittedly unqualified assistant is sarcastic and apathetic. As a U.K. native, Dave isn’t fooled by his boss’s lies and therefore takes advantage of Margaret’s fouls and fuels the bizarre behavior. The real charmer is Margaret’s unscrupulous boss (Will Arnett, “Arrested Development”), a huffing and puffing egotistical businessman whose gravelly intonation reflects one too many cigars. Arnett tries for quirky, macho madness, but fails without a clever script. Throughout the episode, it's apparent that each joke aims more for shock value than laughs. The whole cast is at a disadvantage as “Margaret” substitutes actual wit with incessant and over-indulgent swearing.
As the premiere episode ends, Margaret sulks on the floor of his apartment, exhaustedly pissing his pants while his cat lies dead at home. The show will be lucky to escape the same fate. Allowing the pathetic and unlikeable “The Increasingly Bad Decisions of Todd Margaret” to continue its plight may be the poorest decision of all.
