Word: deadpan
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...HISTORY OF WHITE PEOPLE IN AMERICA (Cinemax). Martin Mull studies the habits of a typical Wasp family. Nervy satire of middle America, directed with deadpan skill by Harry Shearer. And where has Costar Mary Kay Place been all these years...
...just say we're not a high-impact comedy like Laverne and Shirley," says Newhart, 57. "We give the audience credit for having some intelligence." Newhart's leisurely, low- voltage style sets the tone; instead of rapid-fire gag lines, he opts for shrewdly timed pauses, stammers and deadpan understatement. He gets his best laughs not so much by acting as by reacting. Says David Mirkin, who produces the show with Douglas Wyman: "Bob is the best 'oh' man in the business...
Fresno boldly disdains a laugh track, and if it were not for the network's tongue-in-cheek promos, a casual viewer might miss the joke. The cast plays it expertly deadpan, with only an occasional wink at the audience. Satiric jabs at specific soaps are few and relatively tame. The California wines of Falcon Crest have puckered into raisins. The Southern accents (in California?) have migrated from Dallas. Garr's drop-dead wardrobe and a female catfight are straight out of Dynasty. And when Tiffany searches for her father at a costume party, she assembles...
Though the supporting performances are strong, John Cleese is always the dominant presence. His progressive breakdown as his life falls apart around him is perfectly rendered with understated humor, frequently punctuated with deadpan slapstick. Both Python cultists and those less familiar with PBS will be pleased...
...work with and easy material to mess up. Fortunately, Jonathan Tolins' directing keeps an unstructured, multi-faceted play extremely coherent. Oleson and Clark are strong centers to a strong cast where even those playing minor roles are impressive--in particular, Mary Beth Hewitt as the grace-under-pressure and deadpan stage manager...