A few weeks back, when I saw that FX planned to launch a show that dealt with all the funny bone tickling hilarity that normally ensues in a fantasy football league, I think my initial thoughts were “I’d rather watch a hidden camera video of a nude Jason Whitlock ironing 5XL polos in a hotel room, while Skip Bayless provides an running commentary as to why man tits are just as, if not superior, to regular tits than watch one second of that show.” You see, my feelings are as such: there are fewer things in this world less entertaining/interesting/enjoyable than listening to another person endlessly prattle on and on about the plight of their fantasy team(s). So why would I want to devote 30 minutes of my precious time to watch a show about a league that doesn’t even exist? But then I kept seeing things like “Really enjoyed the League” and “The League was hilarious!” etc, from sources I trust on my Facebook and Twitter feeds, which compelled me to take in a viewing, which subsequently inspired me to write this review. And if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t feel like sitting through the overly verbose ramblings of amateur internet writers and instead just came looking for a brief overview or letter grade, as a service to you, I’ll let you know right off the bat, I’m not the kind of person who usually devotes 1400+ words for one of those boring-ass ‘positive’ reviews.
Now the show itself wasn’t a complete abortion. I laughed (out loud even) a few times but that’s not exactly a profound statement. One, I was a little stoned. Two, even the lamest comedies tend to have one or two good jokes. Hell, Friends was the worst television show ever, but I always let out a chuckle or two whenever Joey said “Howyoudoin?”. But for the most part, it was a tough watch. Some random thoughts, in convenient, blog-friendly bullet-pointed blocks:
1) Again, there’s nothing inherently funny about fantasy sports.
Typically, topic shouldn’t matter. People look to laugh in even the most dire of circumstances. Hogan’s Heroes took place in a Nazi POW camp. M*A*S*H made light of the Vietnam conflict. According to Jim tried to find humor in Jim Belushi. Ok, bad example there by me. Some things have never made anyone laugh. And like Jim Belushi, fantasy sports is one of those things. Boiled down, it’s nothing more than a four month long game that sports nerds play with their friends. It’s not much different than if someone based an entire show on a group of mildly amusing individuals playing Monopoly or putting together a 3000 piece jigsaw puzzle except there’s a small cash prize and an inordinate amount of useless pride awaiting the winner.
Worse still, is that fantasy sport geeks don’t come equipped with that so-pathetic-they’re-almost-not-pathetic charm that the Trekkies and cults that make being a geek a self-proclaimed badge of honor. Fantasy nerds are both equal parts annoying and arrogant mostly because their little hobby has evolved from a small, cottage industry into a billion-dollar ubiquitous juggernaut and because of this, they are now being pandered to. The show actually did a superb job of capturing this arrogance when in the climax of the first show, the main character Peter, who had been arguing with his wet blanket fiancee about his fantasy football indulgence, almost skips to draft only to saunter in during the final seconds of his first round pick, declare he’s leaving said fiancee and, in the most condescending dorky yet assertive manner possible, dismissivley mutters “Matt Forte”. If you cringed at my description, you should see it performed live. If it weren’t for Michael Imperioli’s personal nonchalant war on tequila bottles, it would run away with the “Best TV Moment of 2009 Where Someone Tried To Act Tough But Failed Miserably” award.
I’m guessing I’ve seen this commercial a good 50 or 60 times by now and still I laugh every single goddamn time he says ‘Oops’. You’re better than this, Moltisanti. This is the kind of hokey crap I’d expect out of Robert Iler.
2) I don’t know if there’s an audience for this show.
I’m just about 30. I’ve been playing fantasy sports for half my life. I’ve acted as the commissioner on numerous occasions. I’ve been the guy who incessantly prods the commissioner on even more occasions. My fantasy teams took rooting precedence over my real teams many years ago. I play and follow teams in free leagues. I’m convinced my fantasy skills could parlay into an actual front office job with a professional sports franchise. It’s safe to say I’m probably a little too into fantasy sports. And sadly, I know I’m by no means alone. This show should be a no brainer, watch-every-week show for the legions of tv watching roto geeks, but it isn’t. The show’s writers didn’t quite seem to find the right balance between jokes that would appease the hardcore fanatics while also entertaining the people who were just too lazy and/or stoned to change the channel once IASIP was over. The best bits (having kids unknowingly race to determine draft order, a ridiculous trophy) were outnumbered by lame gags like the guy who took shit for drafting retired guys like Keyshawn Johnson every year or one of the owners, who’s also a defense lawyer, trading the number one overall pick to another owner, who just happens to be the prosecuting attorney, knock five years off of his client’s jail sentence. I can’t imagine people who are into fantasy sports finding the show authentic enough and I don’t know why someone who has avoided playing fantasy football or plays casually would want to watch a show on the subject.
3) Most of the cast doesn’t look like they’ve even heard of fantasy football.
The most recognizable guy from the show is the dude pictured above, Paul Scheer. I recognized him from all the various nostalgic VH1 programs and also Human Giant, which I’ve never seen but it’s supposed to be great, just like the other 47 offbeat, pseudo-intelligent sketch shows that are out there now. It’s not that I find Scheer unfunny, he’s can be amusing, and as far as gap-toothed tv sitcom personalities go, he runs circles around Michael Strahan. But the impression I kept getting from the show was as if the cast was an improv group and when they asked the audience for a situation someone yelled out ‘Fantasy football draft’. The show also stars this guy:
whom for whatever most likely unjustified reason, I’ve decided I don’t like. The first thing I remember him from is those MTV commercials a few years back where he played an insufferable music snob. Then he played the dickhead caveman in that terrible show about modern day cavemen based on the Geico cavemen. My apologies, but the show’s name escapes me at the moment. And now he’s the a-hole on another show, and I think that’s my problem with him. He’s needs to stop playing the prick. when God gave bestowed that punim upon him, he clearly typecasted him as the standard, apprehensive, self-loathing Jewish fellow. Hollywood casting agents should take notice and start doing the same.
4) It’s just crude for the sake of being crude.
I love cursing, love the fucking shit out of it. But you can’t just arbitrarily have a scene where a girlfriend fingerblast’s her fella’s ass or trick someone into a joint made of pubes and simply expect me to be all rife with joy and laughter. It just came off like as if the writers discovered point #1 early on in the process and had to scramble to fill out the rest script. I also kept getting the impression that they were doing their best to piggyback on IASIP’s schtick. Even the funniest part of the show, Taco’s (ugh, I know) song at the birthday party was funny, but then again, cursing and saying sexually graphic things in front of children seems to be huge in the comedy world right now, so I’m hesitant to give The League all the credit here. By the way, I’ve noticed that’s it’s just about impossible to write a review of anything without coming off like a know-it-all condescending jackass. Might be a good time to wrap this thing up. The number or words I’ve written is starting to greatly outnumber the people that are going to read this anyhow.
Despite this silly little diatribe I put forth, the show’s still on my DVR, which means it’s got another three of four episodes to prove me wrong and win me over. I mean, that’s how long I gave Bored To Death before placing it on DVR waivers. Also, this seems like a good a time as any to let you know that one of my bigger weaknesses when it comes to writing is coming up with a strong conclusion that really ties the ideas I wrote together.
