Earl gives you a taste of red-neck in easy to swallow quantities (My Name Is Earl)

Member Name: Dando83

Product:	My Name Is Earl
Date:	16/06/06 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: light-hearted humour with a good message, slapstick

Disadvantages: weak premise might not support many shows

INTRODUCTION
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I really like Jason Lee (Dogma, Chasing Amy) so I was looking forward to seeing him as redneck Earl Hickey in this show. Ethan Suplee plays dimwit brother Randy. Jaime Pressly and Nadine Velazquez round out the regular cast by playing money-digging ex-wife Joy and conscience to the group Catalina (respectively).


PREMISE AND PILOT
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The premise revolves around Earl winning $100,000 in the scratch-and-win lotto. He promptly loses the ticket and is severely injured in a car accident. In a stroke of luck, Earl is reunited with the ticket only after he realises that he lost it because of the lawless and uncaring lifestyle he leads. He reckons Karma (as in do-unto-others) gave him the money to help rectify all the wrongs he's done in his life. Hilarity ensues.

In the pilot episode Earl decides that the cruelty he subjected a schoolmate, Kenny, to must have led to a horrible life for the man. In trying to apologise and make it up to Kenny, Earl unintentionally subjects the poor man to even more fear, abuse and humiliation.

Kenny obviously wants nothing to do with Earl. But because Earl's made a list of bad things he's done, the only way Karma will let him live a happy life is to cross Kenny off that list.

In the end Earl's good intentions pay off and through his efforts Kenny reveals that he's gay and wanted to get out onto the "scene". Like at the end of every episode Earl scratches the transgression of his "list" and moves on to the next mistake he made.

Throughout the show look for flashbacks to earlier in Earl's life to find out why he feels so obliged to attone for his sins. They're some of the funniest moments of the show.

CHARACTERS
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Earl starts off as a nasty man. He will literally steal candy from a baby. He's not wicked, but obviously, the only way he knows to get ahead is by lying and stealing. His drunken escapades have caused a lot of trouble to others and himself (including marrying Joy). When Earl finally realises that a life of virtue is rewarded with $100,000 his hilarious mission is to right all of his life's wrongs. These wrongs are so incredibly zany and range from ridiculing geeks and one-legged women to publicly humiliating his dad when he ran for a local council position. Earl's attempts to come good are just as zany. Jason Lee's facial expressions and excitement in the role are so genuine. I like the character's conviction of sticking to his "list".

The character of Randy is especially funny. You'll recognise the actor portraying him from a variety of teen-based movies. Randy's constant philosophical rantings about almost everything make no sense. But because he's so childlike and naive, it's so funny. I like how in a later episode he's decided to store peanuts in a car dashboard vent for emergency purposes...just in case they ever lose the lottery money.

Ex-wife Joy is pretty much a money-grabbing tramp. When she finds out Earl won the lottery she lays claim to half the money. Obvious as her intentions aren't as noble as Earl's, Karma makes sure she never succeeds. Seeing Pressly's slapstick bumbling in the this role makes me laugh. I really appreciate women who do physical comedy.

Earl and Randy's quests are guided by Catalina. She's a no nonsense chambermaid at the cheap motel where the brothers have been staying since the lottery win. She's a spiritual and emotional advisor to them without her or the brothers realising it.

WHAT I THINK AS A WHOLE
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Finally, here's a show with some slapstick, toilet humour, but overall, a great message for kids...do unto others as you would have done to you. I think the cast is incredibly funny and talented and the format of the show is a much better way of presenting "Karma" than a downer like the movie "Pay it Forward".

I worry though that the fairly one-dimensional premise (rectifying Earl's list) will wear think with the audience. Some of us might start thinking we've seen this before when it was called Quantum Leap.

I hope season two plays here in the UK. It would be a shame to lose such a funny American show when there doesn't seem to be many left on the air.

Summary: Redneck + toilet humour + slapstick = funny stuff