Although the stop-motion animation in UPN's "Gary & Mike" makes the show look like the old Lutheran Church-produced kids' program "Davey & Goliath," there's no mistaking the two once Gary and Mike begin to speak.
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| | | TV REVIEW "Gary & Mike"
When: Preview tonight at 9:30; regular time-slot premiere tomorrow night at 8 on WNPA.
Starring: The voices of Christopher Moynihan, Harland Williams | |
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Nerdy, responsible Gary was probably a choirboy, but selfish slacker Mike doesn't fit the bill. He's mindlessly crude and primarily interested in instant gratification. In a future episode set in Washington, D.C., Mike has sex with a Supreme Court justice (not named, but presumably Sandra Day O'Connor) and then composes this love poem: "I've got a rocket in my pocket, so put me on your docket."
Tonight's premiere sets up the show's premise: twentysomethings on a road trip. Gary (voice of Christopher Moynihan) plans a journey of self-discovery as he follows the Lewis and Clark trail. That lasts only for three blocks when Mike (Harland Williams) jumps into Gary's SUV while being chased by an angry cop (Mike deflowered the cop's daughter on the eve of her wedding).
Soon Gary's plans are trashed as Mike gets the pair into numerous scrapes, including carjacking woodsmen who object to "Deliverance" comparisons. Ultimately, the odd couple decide to drive around the country aimlessly, causing trouble for everyone they encounter.
Originally created for Fox, which dropped the show last summer, "Gary & Mike" fits the UPN mandate of testosterone programming. Tonight's premiere isn't all that funny, but the coming "D.C." episode does an admirable job of satirizing politicians and the media while developing Gary's character (and until now I thought UPN and character development were mutually exclusive).
Like "South Park" and "The Simpsons," "Gary & Mike" might look to some like a children's show because of the animation style, but content-wise, it's clearly not child appropriate. It's not as raunchy as "South Park," but it's not as funny either.
