RASHIDA Jones and Hayes MacArthur
A parody series spoofing police procedural shows, “Angie Tribeca” may be silly and contrived, but it still offers a breather from more traditional sitcom fare.
Cocreated by comic couple Steve and Nancy Carell, the show is a half-hour of scenes glued together by slapstick and verbal humor, reminiscent of the hit “Naked Gun” and “Hot Shots!” flicks in the 1990s.
Starring Rashida Jones (Steve’s former costar in “The Office”) as the titular detective heroine, the show (Monday to Thursday, 8:35 p.m., Warner TV) routinely depicts her and her partner Geils (Hayes MacArthur) investigating cases in Los Angeles.
The tough-talking Angie and her cop colleagues, though, are mostly bumbling and often inattentive to obvious clues, which suits the “unreal,” cartoony world it depicts.
The humor is hit and miss—it goes where you’d expect it to go, but despite that, it sometimes works.
A widow (Sarah Chalke) whom the cops question in her house, for instance, says, “Let me set the record straight.” She then proceeds to arrange a pile of vinyl records in front of her
—turns out that she’s obsessive-compulsive—and she means records, plural.
Geils responds with “Thank you for your time,” while picking up a copy of Time magazine off the table.
The literal-visual punch line happens a lot—Angie declares, “This is a bust!” at a suspected crime den—and displayed right beside her is a statue!
The pun-y jokes usually happen in quick succession, although there are gags that go on for way too long.
As with other verbal-visual comedies, “Angie Tribeca” is hugely dependent on props and exaggerated physical humor. And while the tandem of Jones and MacArthur doesn’t always have impeccable comic timing, they’re placed in enough awkward scenarios that the pair soon becomes a comfortable and steady fixture.
Notable guests and recurring actors include James Franco (as Angie’s missing ex), Bill Murray (a kind, new friend) and Alfred Molina (an oddball doctor).
It stands out—or rather, more aptly, it sticks out in the sitcom landscape with its often-corny high jinks. But to its credit, it doesn’t aspire to be too steeped in continuity, and unabashedly keeps churning out the gags, with unbridled enthusiasm.