BY BY ALEX ERIKSON
For the Daily
Published April 10, 2007
After watching the pilot episode of "Human Giant" only one question needs to be asked: "Who the hell thought that this is funny enough to be on TV?"
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The show stars Aziz Ansari ("School for Scoundrels"), Rob Huebel ("Best Week Ever") and Paul Scheer ("Best Week Ever") in a sketch comedy production attempting to mock pop culture. What never seems to surface, though, is any sort of intelligent comedy.
The pilot opens with Ansari in line for a concert ticket, only to find out that there is one ticket remaining, and it's reserved for wheelchair access. So, he decides to get his friends, Huebel and Scheer, to run him over with their car. The first hit miraculously doesn't hurt him. Neither does the second. Finally, on the third hit Aziz is injured, but not killed, and is able to attend the concert in the wheelchair access seat.
The over-the-top, no-shame style of comedy that Will Ferrell developed in "Saturday Night Live" (and subsequently sucked the life out of) is tired and overused. It's exactly the style of comedy Ansari, Huebel and Scheer use in "Human Giant." The show lacks any semblance of wit, intelligence or comedic timing. Each joke is dragged out to painful lengths, and while all of the main actors (who are also the writers) play niche roles in other successful comedies, their efforts in "Human Giant" just don't pull together.
Perhaps Huebel and Scheer should have brought some of "Best Week Ever's" witty social satire to "Human Giant." Unfortunately, the show comes off like "Best Week Ever's" stoned younger brother - still laughing at fart jokes.
Human Giant
Thursdays at 10:30 p.m.
MTV
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
