The Spoils Before Dying 

Fictional author and filmmaker, Eric Jonrosh, adapts his epic tale of a pianist-turned-detective investigating a murder in the 1950s underground jazz scene.

Creators:

Matt Piedmont, Andrew Steele

Stars:

Michael Kenneth Williams, Kristen Wiig, Bérénice Marlohe

3 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Michael Kenneth Williams	...	Rock Banyon 6 episodes, 2015
Kristen Wiig	...	Delores DeWinter 6 episodes, 2015
Bérénice Marlohe	...	Beatrice 6 episodes, 2015
Will Ferrell	...	Eric Jonrosh / ... 6 episodes, 2015
Peter Coyote	...	Dizzy the Cat 5 episodes, 2015
Chin Han	...	Salizar Vasquez DeLeon 5 episodes, 2015
Steve Tom	...	Chip Donwelly 5 episodes, 2015
Marc Evan Jackson	...	Kermit Biggs 5 episodes, 2015
Haley Joel Osment	...	Alistair St. Barnaby-Bixby-Jones 5 episodes, 2015
Maya Rudolph	...	Fresno Foxglove 4 episodes, 2015
Michael Sheen	...	Kenton Price 4 episodes, 2015
Tim Meadows	...	Gary Dunhill 4 episodes, 2015
Jim Boulden	...	Puppeteer #1 4 episodes, 2015
Bree Condon	...	Groovy VaVoom 4 episodes, 2015
Kevin Carlson	...	Puppeteer #2 4 episodes, 2015
Emily Ratajkowski	...	Agent Day 3 episodes, 2015
Andrew Daly	...	Artie Mann 3 episodes, 2015
Kari Coleman	...	Dr. Caligarious 3 episodes, 2015
Chris Mulkey	...	Ed Nestly 3 episodes, 2015
Jack Kilmer	...	Tabby Smooth 3 episodes, 2015
Brooke Peoples	...	Jiffy 3 episodes, 2015

Storyline

Fictional author and filmmaker, Eric Jonrosh, adapts his epic tale of a pianist-turned-detective investigating a murder in the 1950s underground jazz scene.

---

Plot Keywords:

tv mini series | 

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

8 July 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Трофеи перед смертью

Company Credits

Production Co:

Funny or Die,Gary Sanchez Productions

Technical Specs

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Haley Joel Osment and Emily Ratajkowski appeared in Entourage (2015), wherein Osment was infatuated with Ratajkowski.

---

Connections

Featured in Conan: Maya Rudolph/Hannibal Buress/Tove Lo (2015)

User Reviews

An Homage to Bad Filmmaking

I hate to be that guy, but the other reviewers just didn't seem to grasp what this show was trying to do. It is so much more than a genre "spoof" or "parody", rather - much like "Casa de Mi Padre" and "Spoils of Babylon" or "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace" and "Danger 5" - it is lampooning the process of how the films/shows of a certain era were made. The acting is supposed to be over the top or down right pathetic (The actors are playing fictional actors portraying fictional characters based on a fictional book by a fictional author - don't think too much about it). The dialogue and screen directions are supposed to be stilted and awkward. The strange camera angles and bizarre editing choices are as much a part of the "joke" as anything else. Glaring continuity errors are meant to service humor that may otherwise be lacking in the melodramatic dialogue/acting (again - this is the intent, not the consequence). On its surface it can be appreciated for the apparent use of satire, but unless you realize what is happening within the layers of the production itself, you're only getting half of the joke. As for Ferrell's portrayal of Eric Jonrosh, it's fairly obvious he is doing a send up to Orson Wells (the latter years) and not just rehashing old SNL characters as one reviewer put it. I wont say this show cannot be viewed or enjoyed by those unfamiliar with the production process - though some gags probably wont land as well for them - a foreknowledge of film conventions will certainly add to the experience (I watched with non film-nerds, and they loved it). At the very least if you've taken any sort of "intro to production" or "film studies" courses then you stand a better chance at "getting it." And if you haven't, there are still plenty of laughs to be had and seeing some of the actors play extremely against type is rewarding in and of itself. A must watch for filmmakers of all kinds and a highly recommended view for anyone else (assuming you have any sense of humor).