"George Burns Comedy Week" (1985) TV series

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Carl Gottlieb

Writers:

David Axelrod (writer)
Charles Dickens (characters) (episode)")

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

18 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Anthology

Cast

George Burns

...

Himself - Host (10 episodes, 1985)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

40 Share Productions

Movie Connections:

Spin off "Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills" (1986)

Hilarious Series: Fresh, Inventive, Clever

This was a terrific comedy anthology series that aired on CBS in 1985. Every week, it was something different. It was a half-hour show, with each episode shot like a movie, without a laugh track.

Two episodes stand out. In one, a town has fallen on hard times. To get money from the federal government, the townspeople fake an earthquake. I can't do it justice, but the idea, and its execution, were absolutely hilarious.

In another one, a guy moves into a neighborhood. He meets the other husbands in the neighborhood, and they talk him into going on a weekend outing with them. Turns out, these bland, middle-class suburban husbands moonlight as Central American mercenaries. They take the new guy to Central America as they hunt for a war criminal. But the funny part is, they never change their "middle-class suburbanite" demeanor. They're firing grenades into a military strongman's compound, while they carry on a conversation about the best way to battle crabgrass.

These were two of the funniest TV programs I've ever seen. I would love it if this show came out on DVD. Unfortunately, I doubt many people would buy it. The show wasn't on the air that long, and I doubt most people remember it.