01-31-2021, 06:19 PM
This documentary shows the rise and fall of the Dana Carvey Show. They let the people involved tell the story, with the benefit of hindsight. I watched the show a few times, but it only lasted seven episodes (technically eight, but they didn't show the final one). It was fun to see some skits I remembered - Germans Who Say Nice Things, Skinheads from Maine.
It winds up being a story of two different visions. The network thought they would get Dana Carvey's characters from SNL, but he was tired of that and wanted to do something new. The writers went for it, and it was really edgy from the opening - Carvey as Clinton suckling puppies from many teats. (Crew members said that they hadn't seen anything like they were doing since the early days of SNL.) Unfortunately it was on right after Home Improvement, and that audience really didn't get it. The network freaked out and tried to get them to tone it down, but they kept right on. They were starting to build an audience but the network killed it.
Most of the interview time is Carvey, Colbert and Robert Smigel, with some from Carrell and others, and some appreciations by famous fans. Many people involved went on to be very famous, so it was maybe more influential than successful.
It winds up being a story of two different visions. The network thought they would get Dana Carvey's characters from SNL, but he was tired of that and wanted to do something new. The writers went for it, and it was really edgy from the opening - Carvey as Clinton suckling puppies from many teats. (Crew members said that they hadn't seen anything like they were doing since the early days of SNL.) Unfortunately it was on right after Home Improvement, and that audience really didn't get it. The network freaked out and tried to get them to tone it down, but they kept right on. They were starting to build an audience but the network killed it.
Most of the interview time is Carvey, Colbert and Robert Smigel, with some from Carrell and others, and some appreciations by famous fans. Many people involved went on to be very famous, so it was maybe more influential than successful.
the hands that guide me are invisible