THE JOB THE COMPLETE SERIES (2001-2002)
SYNOPSIS: A sitcom based in a NYC precinct focusing on the trials and tribulations of Detective Mike McNeil (Denis Leary), a pill-popping, borderline alcoholic politically incorrect cop whose personal life is in a freefall crises: he's having an affair with a young, black woman while trying to maintain his marriage and family man status. On top of the daily stress and rigors of his highly demanding job McNeil tries to do as little police work as possible in solving crimes while bantering with his ensemble squad and suspects alike. Leary who based his questionable character on technical adviser Mike Charles, a real-life detective who did likewise for Leary for his role in the big-screen remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair" co-executive produced this mold-breaking blend of "Barney Miller" meets "NYPD Blue" with longtime collaborator Peter Tolan (both now teamed successfully with the critically acclaimed F/X comedy/drama "Rescue Me") that aired for a bracketing one season on ABC also with critical acclaim but yanked far too-quickly before it could establish a firm audience. ABC should be ashamed.
CRITIQUE:
Denis Leary is arguably one of the best stand-up comedians of his generation a snarky blend of George Carlin and world-weary Richard Belzer with his full-throttle, take-no-prisoners chain-smoking deliveries to the comedic solar plexus and a gnashing grin to those who get in his way. In this, his first foray into 'traditional television sitcom series' Leary fitted perfectly to the short-fused yet heart of gold schmuck whose comeuppance threatened to occur with each new episode, and made a unique interpretation of the average NYC police detective who has seen it all, is fed up and will let anyone within earshot know it. When I first heard about it in the few promos ABC dished out I was excited and when I first viewed it became an avid viewer. However as networks are wont to do as of late, the series never established a firm footing in the scheduling and in the wake of 9/11 perhaps became skittish that the sitcom didn't appease the American zeitgeist at the time it surely could've used a balm. But that was never "THE JOB"'s intention; it was a comedy pure and simple. And a pretty hilarious one at that.
Shot on location in NYC (and its surrounding areas including the set of the squad in an abandoned school in Jersey City, NJ) with a single-camera, no laugh track and 'racially balanced' production the perfectly assembled cast included veteran actor Bill Nunn (perhaps best known as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's incendiary "Do The Right Thing") as McNeil's long-suffering, yet devoted (perhaps too devoted) married man Terence "Pip" Philllips, the moral center of the partnership (and the show too boot) who was very in touch with his feminine/sensitive side (asking his partner if 'these pants make my ass look fat' to the point of getting out of their undercover sedan and giving McNeil a good view); fellow stand-up comic Lenny Clarke (and current "RESCUE ME" co-star) as Frank Harrigan, a fat old school detective buddy and food addict currently living in a spare room of the precinct due to his wife throwing him out of their home; young comedian Adam Ferrara as Frank's partner , Tommy Manetti, the gadfly of the group and sex pervert trying to make a name for himself as a detective; the Hispanic team of Ruben Sommariba (John Ortiz) and Al Rodriguez (Julian Acosta) a Mutt and Jeff duo nicknamed "rice and beans" ; the latter practically a mute to fine comic consequences (often used as a device for the inner office gossiping ("well I heard from Al "); and tomboyish, one-of-the guys, ballsy hottie Diane Farr (late of MTV's "LoveLines" and current co-star of "RESCUE ME" as well), the voice of reason and the sole female dick who matched her male charges with verbal wit and demeanor, and single mother on the prowl. Rounding out the fine ensemble were vet character actor Keith David as the gruff, no-nonsense and often riled black Lt. Williams (and replaced fellow vet actor Richard Gant after the pilot); Wendy Makkena (the "Sister Act" films) as McNeil's unsuspecting wife Karen and Karyn Parsons as his lively lover, Toni; Janet Hubert-Whitten as Pip's ball-busting wife, Adina, who clearly hates McNeil and feels he is a bad influence for her cuckolded husband; and occasionally Rory Culkin as McNeil's son, Davey.
Leary and Tolan (an accomplished comedy scribe who penned "Analyze This" and "That" as well as stints on "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Murphy Brown") scribed 90 percent of the well-written, joke-laden scripts with deft comic aplomb by not only showcasing Leary's trademark cynicism but also allowed to bounce off the excellent comedic ensemble allowing each one to shine in any given show (as any smart sitcom does).
Among the guest stars included the lovely, shapely Elizabeth Hurley and Gina Gershon (past co-stars and close buddies off-screen with Leary) in aptly titled showcases "Elizabeth" and "Gina" , respectively, touching on bodyguards and stalkers/crazed fans; veteran character actor Zeljko Ivanek ("Homicide: Life On the Streets" and "Oz"); Ellen Pompeo (currently of ABC's out-of-nowhere smash hit "Grey's Anatomy"); Scott Wolf; Eli Wallach; and Donald Trump.
FINAL THOUGHTS : While there is comfort in the fact that since ABC stupidly cancelled this above-average cult classic-in-the-making and Leary & Tolan re-teamed successfully to create "RESCUE ME", it still boggles the mind of the ineptitude of traditional network fare bowing to idiocies aplenty. Truly deserved another life perhaps an unexpurgated turn on say, HBO?
SYNOPSIS: A sitcom based in a NYC precinct focusing on the trials and tribulations of Detective Mike McNeil (Denis Leary), a pill-popping, borderline alcoholic politically incorrect cop whose personal life is in a freefall crises: he's having an affair with a young, black woman while trying to maintain his marriage and family man status. On top of the daily stress and rigors of his highly demanding job McNeil tries to do as little police work as possible in solving crimes while bantering with his ensemble squad and suspects alike. Leary who based his questionable character on technical adviser Mike Charles, a real-life detective who did likewise for Leary for his role in the big-screen remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair" co-executive produced this mold-breaking blend of "Barney Miller" meets "NYPD Blue" with longtime collaborator Peter Tolan (both now teamed successfully with the critically acclaimed F/X comedy/drama "Rescue Me") that aired for a bracketing one season on ABC also with critical acclaim but yanked far too-quickly before it could establish a firm audience. ABC should be ashamed.
CRITIQUE:
Denis Leary is arguably one of the best stand-up comedians of his generation a snarky blend of George Carlin and world-weary Richard Belzer with his full-throttle, take-no-prisoners chain-smoking deliveries to the comedic solar plexus and a gnashing grin to those who get in his way. In this, his first foray into 'traditional television sitcom series' Leary fitted perfectly to the short-fused yet heart of gold schmuck whose comeuppance threatened to occur with each new episode, and made a unique interpretation of the average NYC police detective who has seen it all, is fed up and will let anyone within earshot know it. When I first heard about it in the few promos ABC dished out I was excited and when I first viewed it became an avid viewer. However as networks are wont to do as of late, the series never established a firm footing in the scheduling and in the wake of 9/11 perhaps became skittish that the sitcom didn't appease the American zeitgeist at the time it surely could've used a balm. But that was never "THE JOB"'s intention; it was a comedy pure and simple. And a pretty hilarious one at that.
Shot on location in NYC (and its surrounding areas including the set of the squad in an abandoned school in Jersey City, NJ) with a single-camera, no laugh track and 'racially balanced' production the perfectly assembled cast included veteran actor Bill Nunn (perhaps best known as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's incendiary "Do The Right Thing") as McNeil's long-suffering, yet devoted (perhaps too devoted) married man Terence "Pip" Philllips, the moral center of the partnership (and the show too boot) who was very in touch with his feminine/sensitive side (asking his partner if 'these pants make my ass look fat' to the point of getting out of their undercover sedan and giving McNeil a good view); fellow stand-up comic Lenny Clarke (and current "RESCUE ME" co-star) as Frank Harrigan, a fat old school detective buddy and food addict currently living in a spare room of the precinct due to his wife throwing him out of their home; young comedian Adam Ferrara as Frank's partner , Tommy Manetti, the gadfly of the group and sex pervert trying to make a name for himself as a detective; the Hispanic team of Ruben Sommariba (John Ortiz) and Al Rodriguez (Julian Acosta) a Mutt and Jeff duo nicknamed "rice and beans" ; the latter practically a mute to fine comic consequences (often used as a device for the inner office gossiping ("well I heard from Al "); and tomboyish, one-of-the guys, ballsy hottie Diane Farr (late of MTV's "LoveLines" and current co-star of "RESCUE ME" as well), the voice of reason and the sole female dick who matched her male charges with verbal wit and demeanor, and single mother on the prowl. Rounding out the fine ensemble were vet character actor Keith David as the gruff, no-nonsense and often riled black Lt. Williams (and replaced fellow vet actor Richard Gant after the pilot); Wendy Makkena (the "Sister Act" films) as McNeil's unsuspecting wife Karen and Karyn Parsons as his lively lover, Toni; Janet Hubert-Whitten as Pip's ball-busting wife, Adina, who clearly hates McNeil and feels he is a bad influence for her cuckolded husband; and occasionally Rory Culkin as McNeil's son, Davey.
Leary and Tolan (an accomplished comedy scribe who penned "Analyze This" and "That" as well as stints on "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Murphy Brown") scribed 90 percent of the well-written, joke-laden scripts with deft comic aplomb by not only showcasing Leary's trademark cynicism but also allowed to bounce off the excellent comedic ensemble allowing each one to shine in any given show (as any smart sitcom does).
Among the guest stars included the lovely, shapely Elizabeth Hurley and Gina Gershon (past co-stars and close buddies off-screen with Leary) in aptly titled showcases "Elizabeth" and "Gina" , respectively, touching on bodyguards and stalkers/crazed fans; veteran character actor Zeljko Ivanek ("Homicide: Life On the Streets" and "Oz"); Ellen Pompeo (currently of ABC's out-of-nowhere smash hit "Grey's Anatomy"); Scott Wolf; Eli Wallach; and Donald Trump.
FINAL THOUGHTS : While there is comfort in the fact that since ABC stupidly cancelled this above-average cult classic-in-the-making and Leary & Tolan re-teamed successfully to create "RESCUE ME", it still boggles the mind of the ineptitude of traditional network fare bowing to idiocies aplenty. Truly deserved another life perhaps an unexpurgated turn on say, HBO?