“Bored to Death” Is the Most Charming Show on Television

There are shows on TV that people watch because they have an attachment to them, either because they have been watching for years or because they have an affinity for a cast member. Sometimes it’s just one member of the cast that draws you in but it is rare to find a television series that has a cast that literally makes every episode a delight to watch. Ted Danson, Zach Galifianakis and Jason Schwartzman have a chemistry reserved for shows that have been on the air much longer than a season and a half.

The only draw back to “Bored to Death” is the simplicity of the story or case in each episode. Though the basic nature of the investigations allow the show not to get bogged down in details and lets the cast have the full stage, which in the end is what the show it about -- kinship.  The relationship between the Jonathan Ames and George Christopher’s characters are the heart of the show. Their relationship is along the same lines of Alan Shore and Deny Crane in “Boston Legal;” they are platonic friends with a very close relationship. It is charming to see the two of them play off of one another in scenes, both actors are well known in their own right, but you do get the sense while watching “Bored to Death” that these actors are enjoying themselves, the situations and the dialogue are so playful and amount to a quirky delight for the viewer.

Zach Galifianakis, what a name “it starts with a gal and ends with a kiss.” Enough said.      

Ted Danson’s character George Christopher is the stand out in the show, the decades of experiences on television shines though in every scene. Danson is older now, and the character of George Christopher, a magazine editor whose lust for women and marijuana has not declined with age, has fun with the baby boomer generation and the idea that you can relish and enjoy life even in your 60s.   

Many people say that Jason Schwartzman is an annoying actor; his mannerisms, voice and even his face. Nothing could be further from the truth, Schwartzman plays most of his characters very quirky and a little off putting but that’s what makes him perfect in his role as Jonathan Ames in “Bored to Death.” His character is a dreamer, who has of yet not found his place in the word and most everyone has been in a similar position. This really brings out that relatability of the character, and the same is true for all three main members of the cast. Even though the “Bored to Death” story is rather over the top the likability of the cast out shines any flaws in the storytelling.