A good friend of the Island was recently complaining that she'd been finding the second season of Flight of the Conchords sort of boring. Which we thought was sort of crazy. Admittedly, the comedy's maybe been a little overly understated... mellow even for this very laidback show. But the songs! The songs have been wonderful! And we were saying that BEFORE last night's romp through Magnolia and West Side Story!
Last season, you'd have your "Most Beautiful Girl in the Room," your "Leggy Blonde," and which are just funny folks. But every once in while, you'd get the boys "doing" something, which is to say "doing the Pet Shop Boys," "doing dancehall," "doing David Bowie."
This season, the numbers seem to be reversed. In fact, most of the songs this year are something surprising and specific -- the boys doing their version of "Roxanne," Andrew Lloyd Webber, or the singalong from Magnolia... it's all up for grabs, and it all kind of great.
Now, is it possible that Bret, Jemaine, and co-creator James Bobin are concentrating on the music at the expense of the scripted comedy? Maybe. It's never been a show that's, like, jampacked with comedy bits, little routines. And there are still nuggets of halting, bumbling hilarity. Admit it: Jemaine's having to deal with Mel was nearly on par with Murray's struggling with the whole chicken/egg scenario. Also, Bobin did an interview with Terri Gross recently which was seemed to indicate that this is what he and the boys really get into -- watching stuff on YouTube and then doing it on the show. To which we say "Great"! If they're really gonna do a version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart," we'll eat that shit up.
In conclusion, may we say: Seymour Cassel dancing like a Jet.
Case closed.