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Visitors Review

gary89436 2012-05-20 13:25:25

The Increasing Necessity to Watch Todd Margaret

If ever it was possible to have an American show with a strong dose ofBritish humor (or should this be humour?), 'The Increasingly PoorDecisions of Todd Margaret' is it. I admit I was put off by the name ofthe show (shortened to just 'Todd Margaret' by my DVRecorder), petty Iknow, committing the error of judging a book by it's cover, which Isuppose is actually an inside joke in itself. This is definitely one ofthose 'love it or hate it', shows, so be warned. Caveat: I havesometimes found myself not liking something at first, but come toappreciate it over time. Likewise, some things I like immediately proveto lack staying power. 'Todd Margaret' brings a mix of these moments,and I'm curious what I will think of this show in a couple of years,even if I were to never see another season. (I am just hoping, to theproducers, PLEASE Please please don't try to drag five seasons out of atwo or three season story arc, which has become a fatal flaw in all toomany shows in the past.) I like to think of myself as being reasonably sophisticated andeclectic, yet found at some points the show becomes so edgy that Ican't bear it, and have to pause the show and go watch something elsefor a while before returning. While some possibly more prudish viewersmight read 'bad' here and not 'edgy', fine. Go watch something elselike I did, and come back to it or not. The show isn't trying to beeither G-rated or aimed at social conservatives, so if you find itoffensive, go count your blessings, warn your fellow church goers notto watch, and leave this behind you. No harm, no foul.Many parts of the show are intentionally melodramatically exaggerated,which if they weren't being obviously absurd might otherwise not carefor, but after adjusting my brain from 'Normal' to 'Todd Margaret', Idon't find off putting. After all, no one expects 30 open cans of tunato precipitate a biologic hazard that condemns an entire apartmentblock and sets off an international manhunt, but in Todd's world, it'sjust one more way that world conspires against him.If any loyal Season One viewers are having trouble tying some of thesediverse pieces together, I recommend 'The Increasingly Necessary Recapof Todd Margaret'. (Sorry if I got the exact title wrong, I'm workingfrom my ever-decreasing memory.) While the description informs us inadvance that this is "an animated special, in the Korean visual style"(again, from memory) which I found agonizing since I don't like animeor anything like it, try not to be put off by this description as I wasfor so long. It really lends insight to some of the most subtle humor(much of which admittedly will miss many American viewers like me),which Cross freely admits aren't really expected to be discovered byviewers anyway.In the final analysis, there are far to many derivative productionsthat I just don't or no longer find entertaining (recent example'Persons of Interest'), or which drag on long after their 'Use By...'date (Law and Order season 100). Other than its classification ascomedy/other, 'Todd Margaret' can't be pigeonholed into any category—itis different from almost all other shows out there, which to me is initself is meritorious in this age of derivative entertainment. Love itor hate it, I'm pretty sure that after you've seen it, you can't forgetit.

bballbob09 2012-05-20 11:21:47

This show is great.

So i just got done reading the review on here where dude was sayingthat this show isn't good. And I completely disagree.First off, David Cross is the man, he's not gonna make a show just forthe sake of making a show. He's gonna put a lot of dedication into it.Secondly, I guess I can see how you might not think this is funny ifyou don't get where the show is coming from. Todd Margret (David Cross)is a guy who is sent to London to sell energy drinks, and he has noexperience in business whatsoever he is also a compulsive liar. A lotof the comedy in the show stems from these two aspects. And in myopinion it is hilarious. Pretty much the whole show he's just digginghimself deeper and deeper into a hole (as the name of the showimplies).I saw in the review that I read that the guy watched ArrestedDevelopment. If your looking for a show like this, this isn't it, Andreally there is no other show like that. This is the type of DavidCross humor that you would love if you were into "Mr. Show" the sketchcomedy show he had with Bob Odenkirk on HBO.Also the in this guys review he wrote that it was similar to HomeAlone... WTF? Not even close, I would disregard that review completely,and give the show a chance. Because in my opinion it is great, and Ican't wait for the second season to air.This is my first post on this site, but a greatly needed one, afterreading the review i saw on the page.Thanks for reading.

f-ascaso 2012-05-17 23:24:35

Original and Brilliant.

I found this by accident, just did a random click on Netflix. Wow, justwow. I haven't seen anything this funny and original in a VERY longtime. It was great, full of surprises, and absolutely impossible toguess where it was going next.I give it an A+ on every front, originality, comedy etc. etc. Theyreally can produce something that isn't just recycled clichéd CRAP andDRivel when they put their minds to it, and get as far away from theformulaic BS that's produced by the "beautiful people" in the West andEast Coast entertainment PC mills.I haven't ever laughed and been caught by surprise by anything on thesmall screen, ever, like I was by this. Cripes, I may even write a damnfan congratulatory letter to the folks involved.Brilliant, just Brilliant.

2012-05-17 13:15:22

A must see.

I haven't laughed this hard at a television show in a long time. David Cross is fantastic, and Will Arnett is great as always. Contrary to some reviews, you needn't be a fan of the actors past collaborations to enjoy this program.

2012-05-13 00:21:44

Hilarious!

David Cross is awesome as the not-nearly-as-clever-as-he-thinks-he-is, fish-out-of-water Todd Margaret. I'm happy to See Cross and Will Arnett working together again, and even more happy to see that the show is really funny! I can't wait to see the rest of it!

2012-05-12 09:13:23

If this suits your type of humor (count me in) you'll laugh hard and often

This review is from: The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret (Amazon Instant Video) The central character of this series (David Cross who portrays Todd Margaret) has been making me laugh for a long time (particularly with his film parts) . I know he writes as well as stars in this program which i think he also created . An early turn i saw him do in the Christopher Guest film WAITING FOR GUFFMAN is very typical of his nerdy , smart , unusual kind of humor (he was the guy who spoke of NABOLI way , way out in space) . Anyway , i urge you to try just one or two episodes of this hilarious (to me) show . My wife and i bought all the episodes and are currently splitting out sides with a couple each evening . To tell you what the show is about strikes me as silly as others already have or will and you can read critical takes from all over both hemispheres . Hope you like it ?

ralph25911 2012-05-10 15:24:55

Season 1 Dreadful!

Although this has kind of a star cast (British, Canadian, andAmerican)I just do not see it surviving past episode 6. It isunbelievably dreadful! I love humour but this verges on the idiotic andeven imagining this happening in real life is next to impossible! Badbad bad can only describe why any production company would even thinkof wasting money and effort to produce more for Season 2??? Without adoubt I will not be looking for it, if Season 2 materialises! I canfind no words in the English language to actually describe it! Iseriously do not comprehend why some of the stars would even want toput in the energy to proceed with Season 2, and why would any sensibleproduction company waste the time, effort and money on a foregoneconclusion!

2012-05-10 07:41:18

Not as funny as the British version I watched for free online :-/

This review is from: The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret (Amazon Instant Video) I watched this episode 1 and thought it was funny, but I watched the british version for free online and thought it was funnier, particularly the scene where he is trying to pitch the drink in the diner. I'm going to get a refund for this and watch the British version instead. Hopefully someone will see this and know that I am watching the show, just not the one intended for me as a US resident.

Jackson Booth-Millard 2012-05-05 17:37:34

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret

I saw the Channel 4 Comedy Showcase series pilot episode and thought itwas reasonably funny and I kind of hoped of all the pilots I saw in theseries that it would be one made into a full show, and sure enough itwas. Basically Todd Margaret (David Cross, also creator and writer) isthe bumbling, not all intelligent American salesman who unintentionallymakes himself sound like a good marketer, which he isn't really, andhis "boss" Brent Wilts (Will Arnett) promotes him to head for London,England to sell the company's new line of energy drinks, ThunderMuscle. As soon as he arrives, it is disaster after disaster as hetries to adapt to life in this new environment, misunderstandingsociety ways, getting things wrong, and meeting British people almostas strange as he is. He has frequent visits with near "love interest"waitress Alice Bell (Sharon Horgan), his work "assistant" Dave (TheInbetweeners' Blake Harrison, replaced Being Human's Russell Tovey),and a few people in the flat he is renting, e.g. the pregnant slag. Hishundreds of lies to "friends" and work colleagues make things a littleworse, his attempts to sell the energy drink keep blowing up in hisface, and his attempts to have any kind of social life also don't work.The opening of each episode opens with him in court for everything hehas done wrong by the end of the series, whether there will be anotherone to conclude this storyline is unknown. Also starring Colin Salmonas Hudson, Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze as Todd's Boss,Steve Davis and Kayvan Novak as Bomb Disposal Officer. I will behonest, I stuck with it from beginning to end, but I could tell, fromthe change in one or two cast members of the pilot episode, to the lackof jokes, that this wasn't going to be the next great sitcom I hoped itwould. Okay!

Fred Schwartz 2012-05-05 10:47:01

Gut-busting funny or eye-rolling workout

Whether or not you like this depends on what kind of humor you like.Though I have enjoyed a few chuckles, the jokes are mostly eye-rollingat best and nose-wrinkling at worst.On the other hand...This is my boyfriend's favorite new show. He nearly falls to the floorlaughing at every episode, and often we have to pause it to let himwipe his tears of laughter away and compose himself before we cancontinue. He awaits each new episode eagerly, each and every week.Truly, I have more fun watching him that the show...but, it's worthchecking out and making your own opinion if you're looking forsomething new and supposedly humorous to watch. Depending on who youare, it'll either be a love or hate scenario!

Bobby Chariot 2012-05-04 06:32:24

British knowledge and humour, well observed...

nicely constructed, the viewer knows where things will lead to... themain character Todd (revealed to be somewhat inept from the outset, butwith the need for bad 'self help' CDs) becomes increasingly trapped,both by his own, comically unconvincing lies, and also by the knowingaction of his UK-staff, masterfully played by one of 'The Inbetweeners'cast members...i love it, but i think it's going to be one of those easily missed,short-run comedy delights..e.g. BBC2 UK's Roman's Empire...Snuffbox,Catterick all spring to mind, just this has a US star in the lead...I can understand why non-UK folks may miss many of the references, anddo wonder how well it'll go down with a USA audience. Personally, ithink it's laugh out loud wonderfulPS I miss 'Better Off Ted' too...great comedy transcends if one is opento thought and laughter..

mkohus 2012-05-03 16:36:29

Awesome!!

This show is David Cross. It's a little of everything that you know himfor in his past works such as Arrested Development and Scary Movie andso forth. If you like David Cross, you will laugh your hoo hoo off atthis one. At first, I was skeptical about a show that was called Todd Margeret asI tend to judge books by their covers, and so was my room mate, but assoon as we watched the first episode we were hooked. I laughed so hardthat I could barely see through the tears. The first six episodes areover now and I hope that this show runs for several seasons. So, grab abox of tissues, sit back and enjoy some sick and twisted comedy byDavid Cross and Will Arnet. Oh yeah, and don't forget your ThunderMuscle.

pattierney2010 2012-05-02 08:03:15

Hilarious

I have always found David Cross to be pretty entertaining and humorous,but this show made me a huge fan. He was great on Mr. Show & ArrestedDevelopment, but he shines here in a show that was his own creation.Much of the show is about a man trying to find himself in a foreigncountry, but by doing so, he tries to hard and fails miserably atpoints, actually a lot. He is completely ignorant to the new cultureand since he doesn't understand it, he doesn't grasp that he isinsulting every one in sight. The supporting cast is great, includingone of the main kids in "The Inbetweeners", another great show. WillArnet is hilarious as usual and gets funnier as the show progressesthrough-out it's 6 episodes. The humor is intelligent, although it'shidden in the stupidity, I can almost compare it to South Park in thatway, but live action and a little less subtle. Well worth a watch!

derektrotteresq 2012-05-01 19:24:24

Brilliant!

I just watched the pilot and laughed throughout the show. Very rarelydo I find a pilot episode to be engaging and hilarious as its usuallysetting up the plot for the series and introducing characters but thisis fantastic, it grabs you by the balls right from the first sentenceuttered and doesn't let go until the closing credits! I'm English, sothought it was nice to see Blake from the inbetweeners in it (a mustsee show, similar to freaks & geeks) and David Cross is on top form ashe was in Arrested Development. It does appear to be more Britishhumour, than American which is strange for a US show, but you can'thelp but laugh at the predicaments the titular character gets into, nomatter where you're from. Also Will Arnett's cameo is hilarious. Irecommend this!

2012-04-28 07:43:38

Eh. Not for me.

If you love David Cross' shtick or are one of those rabid fans of Arrested Development then you'll probably like this fish-out-of-water story. I read about this show somewhere online and thought I'd give it a try because the setup read funny to me. Found it predictable, not terribly funny or clever & a little tiresome, but it wasn't awful.

team_liam 2012-04-27 16:20:08

Not great.

There are some funny moments in this show but overall it's a bit tooridiculous to be classed as anything better than average. I watched itas a big fan of Arrested Development and the Inbetweeners so I wantedto see how Cross, Arnett and Harrison were in the show. One reviewersaid that the problem is none of the characters are particularlylikable and you don't particularly want anyone to succeed, especiallyTodd. Though there is some truth to that and the characters are a bitone dimensional there is glimmers of comedy.The problem is that it's far too unrealistic at every turn. Forexample, Todd is unbelievably stupid to the point of it making thehumour feel a bit too low brow. He doesn't understand exchange rates,he can't pronounce "snooker", he thinks the houses of Parliament is ablock of flats and he accepts a briefcase of £30 notes with HelenMirren on instead of the Queen. Even a fish out of water would not bethis dumb. His neighbour is the most stereotypical chav possible, asingle mother of four who wets the baby's head by taking it straight ona night out, hours after it's birth.This is not intelligent comedy but it is a comedy nonetheless andprobability states that in 6 episodes a cast like that will make youlaugh enough to make it watchable. Basically if you think the pilotshows any promise then watch the rest as it's not exactly a waste oftime but leave your brain at the door.

2012-04-26 20:10:23

An American Idiot In London: A Ruthless Six Episode Comedy Of Bluster And Blunders

As a huge fan of David Cross and Will Arnett, there really wasn't much option in me checking out "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" when it aired on the IFC network. Why not? They are two of my favorite comic actors (Cross shares a writing credit here). These six episodes can be loud, chaotic, and hysterical. I suspect that many people will love the crazy antics and just as many will be put off by the slapstick shenanigans. In short, this is not necessarily a show that will appeal to all--but those that really embrace it will think that it is terrific. For my taste, the program is not wholly successful but it boasts a tremendously entertaining premise and fully committed performances. Largely opting for buffoonery as opposed to cleverness, the show walks a fine line in its madcap mania. There are times I wished it would have pulled back slightly to make the character foibles (which are gruesomely awkward) more relatable, but mostly I went with this world where every action is performed in hyper-drive and every failure magnified as if on stage.Cross plays the titular Todd Margaret, a compulsive liar with uncommonly good luck and terribly bad judgement. Margaret is promoted from his position as an American office drone to take over as a sales executive in London promoting a dubious new energy drink called Thunder Muscle. Set as a series of comic misadventures, the program follows Margaret as his inexperience, bluster, and untruthfulness take situations that start badly and make them progressively worse. It is painfully awkward and unpleasant as you see that every move Margaret makes further entrenches him even deeper into a waking nightmare. That said, there is quite a bit of pleasure to be derived from his downfall. Arnett, the series' MVP to my mind, plays Margaret's unscrupulous supervisor who manipulates his protege without mercy. Blake Harrison (so great on the In-Betweeners) plays Margaret's London assistant who is more likely to sabotage his new boss than to offer real help. And Sharon Horgan is on hand as a potential one-sided love interest--she sympathizes with Margaret's plight, but isn't looking for romance.The portion of "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" that deals with the marketing and distribution of Thunder Muscle is easily my favorite part of the show. It is a master class in inept business practices and serves up some solid satire. Other components, such as the aforementioned love interest, are a bit more uneven. I like Horgan, but didn't always think this side plot added to the comic momentum of the program. Arnett (and just about any scene of corporate politics) had savage bite, although he isn't around nearly enough. There are some amusing cameos in smaller roles such as Spike Jonze, Amber Tamblyn, Russ Tamblyn, and Janeane Garofalo. But largely, this is all about David Cross and whether or not you enjoy the program will rely on your willingness to be Todd Margaret's partner in crime. The show is unrelentingly ruthless and none of the characters will elicit your sympathy, so don't expect traditional sitcom fare. I didn't always love "Todd Margaret" but I enjoyed the ride. It ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger as well with another season premiering on IFC in January of 2012. KGHarris, 10/11.

cocobop 2012-04-26 09:09:41

I love it

It is stupid, tasteless and I love it. Sometime TV has to be like thisso I can relax from the all to real world. Everybody has a little Toddin them, I certainly do. They way he lies and keeps digging deeper anddeeper is very funny to me. If you do not like stupid slap stick ornever got Monty Python like my wife, you will not like it. It is notsupposed to be anything but what it is.In somebody's review they said how can this gets picked up whileArrested Development gets dropped. The same reason this will get theAxe after a while. It it can only go on for so long before it runs outof good plot lines.

elbartokon 2012-04-25 06:58:57

A bad "Dennis the Menace" and "Home Alone" mix up with a taste of "Disaster Movie".

Im not into criticizing other people's work, but man this is soterrible, i had to write my first review!First of all, i love David Cross. I liked him in all his movies, standup and i loved him and Will Arnett in Arrested Development. I stilldon't understand how shows like "The Increasingly Poor Decisions ofTodd Margaret" get picked up and shows like Arrested Development getcanceled but anyway. The plot and jokes on this show are shallow, unrealistic and (sorry forthis) stupid. Its like a bad "Dennis the Menace" and "Home Alone" mixup with a taste of "Disaster Movie".I saw the third episode today and i think it will be the last one. Tobe fair, i learned something from this show.. No matter how good orfunny an actor can be, u need a writer team of the same level.

microchipmatt 2012-04-24 19:41:01

So well DONE, even you don't get it!

Yes..this is it folks. You will watch this show, and your skin willcrawl, and you will grimace and the incredibly, and increasingly poordecisions of this man. At first, you won't be sure if you actually likeit, you'll tell yourself its unrealistic, and that maybe, the writingis bad, but then, lightening will strike, and you'll realize you'llwatching pure gleaming brilliance.You will tell yourself that these situations are unrealistic, and thatno person could ever roll on himself this much. And then you realizethat Todd himself is a spiritual embodiment of exactly what most of usin an industrialized culture have become, because we have beenconditioned to do so. We are the compulsive lying sociopath, whobelieves in our own intelligence to the detriment of ourignorance...Well, maybe not even North America, maybe the world, orthose who have fallen for the reality show overdose, and believe thatthis is the way culture should be shaped on a base of twisted power.Enjoy.