First Review: The Librarians
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Reviews
Despite losing Kath and Kim to Seven and adjusting to the axing of The Glass House, ABC comedies have never enjoyed such fervour. The Chaser, Summer Heights High and Spicks and Specks have given the commercial networks a regular Thursday morning migraine.
But they haven’t come without cost. Controversial content has also attracted their share of media furores.
Its new comedy The Librarians also dabbles with a few social hot potatoes, but with slightly less malice than from Ja’mie or Mr G. Unlike Chris Lilley’s dark mockumentary these are clearly actors doing schtick. Remember that.
Robyn Butler plays Frances O’Brien, Head Librarian at the Middleton Interactive Learning Centre. She rules with a firm hand, constantly reining in her inept staff. Delegation is a dirty word. O’Brien never gives her underlings enough rope to ruin her reputation. She is the queen of the upward inflection and the rhetorical question. With a smile through gritted teeth O’Brien feigns support and answers every query with more condescension than a pissed-off Centrelink Officer.
Her kooky collection of municipal manpower includes a petty crim on community service (Bob Franklin), a cheerful, wheelchair-bound young woman (Heidi Arena), a dyslexic (Josh Lawson), a Lebanese Muslim (Nicole Nabout) and a young, gay Asian Australian (Keith Brockett). Kim Gyngell and Roz Hammond also appear.
The mix of minorities facilitates plenty of offensive cliches falling from O’Brien’s mouth. I suppose if racism and ignorance is still prevalent out there, it’s fair material to be mocked and disempowered. Isn’t it?
The point here is that lip service with a smile undercuts with as much effect as blatant abuse.
Newcomer Keith Brockett is bright and breezy as the amusingly-dubbed ‘Ky Lee.’ He’s smart and efficient, a breath of fresh air amid Keystone Cop colleagues. Thankfully the early eps don’t take too much license with either Ky’s race or sexuality. But the constant physical comedy gags of Dawn’s clumsy wheelchair steering will tire fast.
The Librarians is predominantly light stuff, relying heavily on Butler (also the show’s co-writer and co-creator) to considerable success.
The plot is complicated by more flashbacks than the Dewey Decimal Classification could catalogue. But there are some laughs to be had if you don’t read too much into it.
The Librarians premieres 9:30pm Wednesday on ABC.
17 Responses
OUCH! How harsh are these comments about The Librarians?!!?
But also, how true are they!!?
Your critics have absolutely nailed everything that is wrong with the show. The best part of the show is the opening credits and music. It makes it look like a good show, but that possibility is shattered as soon as the “story” starts. Director! Script editor! Actors! Hand your salaries back in, you have not earned them.
No opportunity is lost in telegraphing a gag. It starts before a word is spoken, primarily in the casting that ensures we know what we are going to get. Kim Gyngel the vicar, come on! I’m half expecting the little bald guy from the Benny Hill show to turn up with an overdue copy of Lady Chatterleys lover and end up being the love interest of the girl in the wheelchair, her turn-on being how he manipulates her steering toggle. It appears to have been written with actors in mind. Two actors wrote it, surprise surprise! Vale John Inman, you understood your art at least! The observations on political correctness are so trite one has to wonder if the writer was worried that they may reveal some deep seated prejudices by offering some subtlety. You can smell a writers fear! Of course it is such a small little industry everyone involved will applaud the ‘daring’ but sadly it’s another case of a missing’l’. This pathetic effort has ‘darling’ stamped all over it. The joke, if there is one, is in the picture this gives of those involved in it’s conception and production. This is what happens when an elite get hold of comedy. They interbreed until they actually get the fart joke they originally thought was common and base, unfortunately they still have no idea how to fart! And we we all know the dangers inherent in a misstimed fart. If you don’t, look it up…in the library!
I agree…the show is lame. But I love the theme music. Does anyone know what it is or who composed it?
Cheers
I didn’t like “The Office”, which some are comparing it to. I found it a bit lame and boring to watch.
On the other hand, having a good appreciation of Libraries and Librarians, the writers have done there homework extremely well. It would seem not a lot of difference between Melbourne or Sydney based Libraries as far as attitudes etc are concerned.
Admittedly some of the jokes are also a little lame, and some of the attitudes a bit off in today’s society. Having said that, it is no different to the real world, just exaggerated a little for effect. The acting could be a bit better also, but I think they are concentrating more on the concept more that creating a comedy masterpiece. Remembering some of the comedy classics were not well acted in the past.
From my viewpoint it is a classic comedy about Libraries and the staff within them. It is a pity that some people don’t see “The Librarians” for what it is.
Also agree that this is one terrible “comedy”. NOT FUNNY! Had to watch watch something funny afterwards on DVD to make myself feel better (the IT Crowd). I work in a library and if only they interviewed library staff to see what sort of weird and wonderful things really happen in a library it would have made much more funny viewing. Agree with the BAD ACTING comments too. Won’t be bothering to watch the rest of the series.
This show is a train wreck.With more flashbacks than a viewer could possibly take. The over setting up of the charactors only serves to slow up, of what this snail-paced show bearly delivers. The main charactor is as likeable as a tele-salesperson at 6pm. But there are very few likeable charactors in this unfunny show (not comedy) It wouldn’t surprise me, if the ABC pushed the show forward an hour or three, so as not to cannibalise thier strong Wednesday line-up.
Shocking premier. I can’t believe how they could completely wreck a good premise. Ah well, only 5 weeks more to endure… I wish Newstopia went to ABC and took the post-Chaser timeslot…
I totally agree with those who have said The Librarians is a lame copy of The Office. Lets remember that shows such as Kath and Kim, Summer Heights High and The Chaser are popular because they are original and uniquely Australian. I want to support Australian television but it’s just so hard when producers so infrequently take a chance with something new and instead choose to fall back on cheap copies of already successful shows such as The Office, Secret Life of Us and Sex and the City.
If by ‘clearly doing shtick’ you refer to the high-school style acting where the actors mock the characters they are portraying instead of whole-heartedly embracing them, then yes, I agree. What The Librarians has failed to observe about the comedy of The Office, and comedy in general, is that humor comes from actors seriously believing in the pursuit of ridiculous mannerisms and behaviours of their characters. And this is why we come to love them and their flaws. Please, if you are going to do schtick, do sctick! Parody the comedies we love, don’t insult them and Australia along with it! Offer something new!
You cannot simply take a place or peoples, the library and librarians, that off the top of your head you believe to be the most boring place on earth and, based on the precedent of The Office, assume that you can make it funny. The Librarians is not an amusing manifestation of boredom and mundanity, it is just boring and mundane.
Unfortunately The Librarians has reinforced so many of the already existent criticisms of the Australian film industry, that the characters are neither real nor likable enough to be memorable, and that the stylistic conventions of the genre or medium have not been embraced to a great enough extent to be otherwise compelling.
Take some risks. Invest in some new talent. You’ve got nothing to lose!
I totally agree with those who have said The Librarians is a lame copy of The Office. Lets remember that shows such as Kath and Kim, Summer Heights High and The Chaser are popular because they are original and uniquely Australian. I want to support Australian television but it’s just so hard when producers so infrequently take a chance with something new and instead choose to fall back on cheap copies of already successful shows such as The Office, Secret Life of Us and Sex and the City.
If by ‘clearly doing shtick’ you refer to the high-school style acting where the actors mock the characters they are portraying instead of whole-heartedly embracing them, then yes, I agree. What The Librarians has failed to observe about the comedy of The Office, and comedy in general, is that humor comes from actors seriously believing in the pursuit of ridiculous mannerisms and behaviours of their characters. And this is why we come to love them and their flaws. Please, if you are going to do schtick, do sctick! Parody the comedies we love, don’t insult them and Australia along with it! Offer something new!
You cannot simply take a place or peoples, the library and librarians, that off the top of your head you believe to be the most boring place on earth and, based on the precedent of The Office, assume that you can make it funny. The Librarians is not an amusing manifestation of boredom and mundanity, it is just boring and mundane.
Unfortunately The Librarians has reinforced so many of the already existent criticisms of the Australian film industry, that the characters are neither real nor likable enough to be memorable, and that the stylistic conventions of the genre or medium have not been embraced to a great enough extent to be otherwise compelling.
Take some risks. Invest in some new talent. You’ve got nothing to lose!
I suppose so, an aspect is a comedy of manners, but this usually satirises one class( study of generic “middle class” prejudices and repressions perhaps?). Would tend to call it a sitcom, as it studies a mix of social classes in a workplace (library). When you read the official reviews it has high aspirations, but somehow…..it ain’t working! “Fawlty Towers” had a manageable core cast with developed guests each week. Maybe they simply bit off more than they could chew…….wait and see.
thought it was terrible also. I must say thank you to the Asian character – for reinforcing the stereotype that all gay-asian men are effeminate. The only thing remaining is to see if has a much older, balding white partner ! Its hard enough breaking that stereotype without others within our own ranks re-enforcing it. He has some answering to do in my book. But, apart from that, thought it was bland and any underlying humour that may have been scripted was destroyed by the appallingly bad acting. Hope this dies a quick death – as it should !
After watching last night’s episode, I agree with every comment thus far apart from jaredh, I have to say (I particularly liked review number 3). Absolutely woeful… I gave up and walked away from the telly in embarrassment before it finished. Didn’t crack a single smile. Summer Heights High, this ain’t.
Clearly it isn’t Summer Heights High, it’s a comedy of manners with a few amusing moments. But no it isn’t laugh out loud and after seeing 3 eps I can safely say there is no miracle re-write, so expect more of the same (thankfully without as many flashbacks as Ep 1).
slow paced, one-dimensional characters, glib humour. This is a train wreck. There is more to comedy than putting together a clutch of supposedly ‘funny’ characters. A priest for god’s sake! At least David Brent in ‘The Office’ has a shred of decency, humanity and likeability. That cannot be said for anyone in this travesty.
Wow! Agree with the above. UG! This is sooooooo bad, it left me feeling depressed and disappointed. I was completely relieved to switch to Micallef’s ” Newstopia” afterwards. Desperately sitting there waiting to laugh, I preconceived it might be as wacky as “The IT Crowd” which I completely adored. eg: try a scene of Nitpicking philosophical diatribes on a point in the library of congress perhaps ensuing in duels to near death. There’s so much better scope for libraries as comedy on a more surreal cerebral level than this! But the shorts already bred doubt, cliche, cliche, cliche… correctly it seems. If it’s trying to be a library “faulty towers” it tried too earnestly; miriad characters introduced shallowly at once, too jumpy; left flat and unevolved. A grating didactic political correctness underlying “jokes” is often too unpalatably blatant for words. (We are sternly reminded Arabic is not gibberish ( WE KNOW!!!! We’re not in primary school!)…there has to be a better way to do that!) Oh for the subtlety of Manwell’s hilarious passivity (Qui???)making the point far more effectively (Don’t mention the war!)….I’ll give it another try next week and hope they rewrite the show miraculously in between. Or will I… sigh! Have done the rounds here and the general consensus so far is a big thumbs down… On the upside… surely it can only get better????
Thought it was terrible. Lots of direct copies from ‘The Office’, from the views of the building to the girl in the wheel chair. Unfortunately the jokes were stereotyped and obvious and the constant flashbacks annoying. I guess it might get better but I doubt it.
thoroughly enjoyed the first episode. i can see it still has a bit of warming up to do, but it appears as if most of the characters have plenty of room to develop. if the jokes keep fresh, and not just repeat the same basic set we saw in this episode, it should keep me hooked til year’s end.