Guest Blogger (Terry) - TV Review: "Flight of the Conchords"

"The Sopranos" is history.

No more "Deadwood".

"Entourage" is great, but it's only a half hour.

And let's face it - "John From Cincinnati" just ain't getting the buzz.

What's a Sunday night HBO fan to do?

I'm going with "Flight of the Conchords", a show about about the eponymous, slightly dim-witted folk singing duo from New Zealand trying to make it in New York while sharing a tiny apartment on the Lower East Side. Their efforts are "aided" by supporters like Murray, their manager, who also works as "Cultural Attache" at the New Zealand Consulate - which is portrayed in the show as a finished basement in Levittown, c. 1974. Their #1 (read: only) fan, Mel, is a daft groupie who stalks them, and their buddy Dave's advice is heartfelt but mostly idiotic.

As a bonus, every now and then the characters break into song about whatever happens to be going on in their lives at that moment - usually some romantic agony or ecstasy. The songs are presented as sort of surreal, MTV videos, and are so ridiculous they are sublime.

Bret and Jemaine (in Kiwi, that's "Brit and J'mayn") are played by Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, and they are dry-as-a-bone deadpan, and hilarious.

If you haven't already, give "Flight of the Conchords" a try! Here's a sample clip: