Change Your Image
Mulad
Reviews
Nate on Drums (2002)
Two seasons, two shows, both great
It's sometimes hard to tell that this show is just being produced for the local market. Despite its low-budget nature, the comedy shines through very well. Now, I clicked the little spoiler button when writing this because this show has two distinct phases since going over the air. I never saw it on public access (2002 through 2003, I guess), so I only know what has aired on KSTC 45.
The first season, which apparently ran monthly from January 2004 to March 2005, was a sketch comedy show, featuring a live band at the end -- sort of like a shorter and funnier version of "Saturday Night Live." The four main characters of Nate Perbix, David Harris, Linnea Mohn, and Motion Price (played by David Gillette) played out absurd skits that I just can't help but laugh at. Both the first and second season feature animation, but it's more prevalent in the first. Even the animation isn't half bad, rivaling much of the cheap late-night fare on Cartoon Network.
The second season actually has a serial plot, making it much more like "Arrested Development" or "The Office". The title character, Nate Perbix, (apparently) left the show at this time, no longer hosting. The format switch is kind of bizarre, but I really like the way it's turned out, following the remaining triumvirate as they try to keep their "Nate on Drums" video production company in the black. It's somewhat unfortunate that there isn't any "live" music performance anymore, but the show soundtrack is still chock full of local artists.
It's now airing weekly, with a first season rerun and a new episode airing each Sunday. I hope it sticks around (the creators have claimed it gets pretty good ratings, considering the time slot), and maybe it can follow a trajectory somewhat like that of that other Minnesota export, "Mystery Science Theater 3000."
The Babysitter's Seduction (1996)
Pretty good, but suffers from some common flaws.
I totally love Keri Russell, so I had to check this out if only to see her past "indiscretions" vis-à-vis movie scripts. I enjoyed this film and thought she gave a strong performance aside for a few scenes, though it's a TV movie and some fairly obvious flaws have to be expected. Stephen Collins has always come off to me as a sleazebag, so I guess this role worked for me. Still tough to see him on screen next to a 20-year-old. I'd agree that Phylicia Rashad fell flat as a piece of cardboard compared to the other characters. If you enjoy an occasional melodrama complete with yelling at your television, this is an enjoyable guilty pleasure.