These Birds Can Fly

Well, this is some funny stuff.

From the HBO series Flight Of the Conchords. I downloaded some podcasts (which included the entire first episode) on iTunes, because I've been insanely curious about this show, but, as I don't have and never will have HBO, and since HBO shows aren't known for being especially "family-friendly," I wasn't really all that willing to commit to it fully.

It's funny stuff.

It's a little PG-13 (language... the only thing you couldn't hear on "regular TV" that I recall hearing was an "s-bomb"... but then again I was watching out of the corner of my eye while working, so... er, yeah).

This brings up an interesting question: why isn't this just, say, a Fox show (I mean, besides the fact that anything hilarious but remotely offbeat lasts a maximum of three brilliant seasons - think Arrested Development - if it's lucky; the Simpsons being the exception to this rule)? Or at least a Comedy Central show (except the fact that the last time they tried a really bizarre sitcom, the beloved Stella, it failed miserably [sniff, sniff]. Those are not tears. It's just raining. On my face.)? There's nothing content-wise that really warrants HBO. So, why that station?

Possibly because HBO, as a subscriber station, isn't necessarily looking for the numbers (and, more importantly, ad sales) that a Fox or a NBC would need to justify producing a musical/sitcom featuring a couple of dim-witted New Zealanders trying to make it big in NYC? Just thinking out loud here. It's a weird show. It's hard to sell that kind of weird to General Motors. Which is sad. Like, "kitten stuck in a well" sad.

Anyway, now that I've sucked the funny out of the atmosphere, go check it out. Like I said, the full episode's available as a video podcast. It's worth it. You will laugh.

Or your money back.