Galavant: Discussion Thread

[Vee]

I think it's a nice idea which is doomed to catastrophe. I also can't see how it can run longer than a miniseries event or maybe 13 episodes.

CBS had the right idea a couple years ago when it ran those 'limited series' shows that were designed to be 10-13 and out. Harper's Island! It wasn't exactly genius by any stretch of the imagination and there was plenty of filler, but it was a self-contained thriller which knew where it was going and was entertaining.

[Bright Eyes]

"You can't have me." How dare you remind me of the greatness that was Cal and Chloe at such an ungodly hour.

[YRBB]

I thought this was amusing and certainly different. I'll be watching, mostly out of curiosity, to see just how it turns out. I have no problem with them taking such a huge risk as this in the off chance it ends up working--I actually welcome it. Finally!

[Khan]

I loved it when Ken Levine (writer/producer, "Cheers" and "M*A*S*H") wrote in his blog:

ABC’s one non family/romantic comedy is GALAVANT, which is either a cross between ONCE UPON A TIME and GLEE, or just a horrible knock off of SPAMALOT. Judging by the jaw-dropping trailer, this might be the COP ROCK of the 21st Century.

[Vee]

I thought that was pretty forced myself, but I thought the actors were adorable together and everyone else I know seems to love that subplot. I was glad to see one of them on the ill-fated Mixology.

[EricMontreal22]

Harper's Island was both lame and actually kinda fun. To be fair, they DID think it would become an anthology show--or hoped, but... at least CBS let it play out. (I admit, it wasn't so good that I actually remember much about it, but...)

One thing ABC is doing with this, that I do find smart, is the scheduling--though I also find it confusing. The head of ABC (stupidly) claims that Once Upon a Time's Wonderland spin off failed because it was too much Wonderland--and he should have stuck to his original plan which was to air the full original Once in two chunks, with no repeats and in the "off" season run Wonderland.

Now that's what they plan to do with Galavant. Which makes thematic sense (though he cynically seems to think it also will be ideal holiday viewing) What confuses me is it's only a 30 minute show and he is quoted as saying that occasionally they will air two new episodes back to back. I have no idea what they will air to fill the second half hour otherwise--but it sounds like it will get a full 13 episode season (and that's it.) Still, I think that kinda programming is smart.

As for the show itself... I'm a huge Alan Menken fan, even if his post Ashman work (which means everything from half of Aladdin on really) has run from brilliant to beneath mediocre--often in the same show. Unfortunately these song clips remind me of what got him the gig in the first place--the musical episode of The Neighbours that he and his current (so/so) lyricist Garth Slater wrote a year or so back. I watched that, not knowing the show and it was basically all pastiches of established Menken/Disney songs with lyrics that were not as funny as they thought they were, and tunes that were not as memorable as the originals were. This sounds very much like them--albeit maybe a bit better. With more prep time to do the score, maybe we'll get some great numbers (I mean a far lesser composer, Marc Shaiman did some of his best work for Smash, so who knows.) If they need a non-jokey love ballad they could use the gorgeous love song he wrote for the original Snow Queen version of Frozen (a demo is on youtube) intact, and Disney already owns the rights to that.

However, regardless I do love the cast, and in short 20 minute episodes, it doesn't seem like a horrible way to pass the time.

He was pretty much the best part. (Speaking of Mixology, I actually watched it all and kinda agree with AVClub's post-mortem: http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/mixology-closing-time-204883%C2"'> I will say ABC recently has been trying some interesting experiments with their 30 minute shows and while most of them are terrible and seemed doomed to failure from the start, I do begrudgingly offer them some respect for that.)

[KMan101]

Everyone's said it.

I was scratching my head over this pick-up (though it could work as a one-off, or mini-series).

Paul Lee really has done terrible at ABC. I can't believe his deal was extended. I mean, they keep trying the SAME shows as Happy Endings, and they don't do well at all. Hello, they should have kept that show.

[DRW50]

I tried watching some of this and the music...meh. It's so cheesy (and not in a fun way, more like in a bad 1986 lite rock way), and the lyrics are poor. The male lead is also extremely wooden, as is the lead female.

Fun concepts are one thing, but going beyond a fun concept and into something solid is the real struggle. This just feels like someone trying to be cute and half-assing it.

[ChitHappens]

I have it on DVR and will watch this weekend so I can determine just how long Paul Lee has a job!

[Vee]

I haven't watched this yet and the promos aren't helping, despite my being impressed that they were willing to take this risk and push the envelope. That being said, the only reason I come into this thread is to enjoy Chit's consistently incredulous reactions.

[All My Shadows]

I generally enjoyed the premiere, but yes, the music gets annoying after a very short while, especially with nearly every single ABC promo during the hour being set to the show's theme song. The concept itself is different and fun without that cheap gimmick.

[ChitHappens]

It was nice knowing you, Paul Lee!!!!!

[slick jones]

You took the words right out of my mouth!

[frequentsoapfan]

Yeah that was my thing. And I guess it didnt have that much of an impact on me since I forgot to cat h the second episode.

[KMan101]

I tried. I really did.

I can't.

Paul Lee has GOT.TO.GO.

He greenlights some decent things at ABC [Goldbergs, Happy Endings, Apt 23 ...] but man ... how does he still have a job?

And who schedules ABC? They do a terrible job and never make any real bold changes. Not to mention with some shows, after weeks of reruns, we get a new episode and then the next week it's reruns [Last Man Standing]. I don't get it. They lose any momentum they can possibly gain and it's probably why Once Upon a Time, Revenge and Resurrection [the three oddest shows to pair together] have collapsed. CBS has it down and pairs compatible shows.