Comedy of the year has me howling with laughter
It's been a long time since I offered an episodic review of anything. I figure no one cares about my garbage thoughts about garbage television, and Livejournal is all but dead, so why bother? And if I were the type to write reviews for episodes, I probably would not review a show like Intervention Canada, because watch any episode of that show, and you will know: Canadian addicts are boring. Or so I thought, because the episode that aired this past week may be the funniest hour of television I have ever witnessed. Why? Because Ryan (the addict) has a dog. A disapproving dog.
The episode begins like most of these shows do. They establish Ryan's current state before explaining how he got to this point. Ryan's parents divorced when he was young. His dad became something of a deadbeat, although the dad pretends otherwise until the family starts talking about the difficulties Ryan experienced post-divorce. Within two minutes of airtime, Randy went from "We were so close and had heart-to-hearts all the time" to "NOBODY TOLD ME ANYTHING. HOW COULD I POSSIBLY KNOW ANYTHING? IT'S NOT LIKE I'M HIS DAD." This makes the dad sound horrible, but as with everyone in a Canadian intervention, he is as milquetoast and bland as they come. A deadbeat dad, but a deadbeat that you might see in a Saved by the Bell very special episode.
Anyway, at some point, Ryan begins to do drugs... all of them. During the episode, he is most frequently shown smoking crack out of a crushed beer can. It confuses me how he can afford a house but not a crack pipe but whatever. He's lost custody of his kids and tried to commit suicide a few times. What Ryan does have is a dog whom he adores above all else. This leads to comedy gold. Since this is shot in the winter in Canada, the dog has to wear booties when he goes on walks. So for one scene, Ryan puts the booties on the dog -- how his cracked out self managed to get booties on a dog I will never know -- and then they go for a walk. At first, Ryan talks to the camera crew about the dog's booties. It's riveting material. Then Ryan starts to fiend for drugs, and while the dog is trotting ahead in his little booties, Ryan calls and begs his mom for beer. The juxaposition of booties and crack has me crying I'm laughing so hard.
And throughout the episode, the camera crew seems to understand just how important the dog is to Ryan. Because Ryan lives alone, the crew can only cut to the dog over and over again for reaction shots to Ryan's behavior.
Eventually, the intervention takes place. Ryan is willing to go to rehab, but he starts to freak out when he realizes that he will have to leave his dog. Note: he has no problem leaving his kids behind. After some persuasian, he agrees to go, and the dog is brought over to help say goodbye and send him off to rehab. Ryan then goes to rehab for two months. Afteward, the rehab recommends that he enter sober living to give him more structure. Instead, Ryan returns home, and while it's not explicitly stated, I'm guessing he returned home immedaitely to be with his dog. Ryan gets back and gives his kids a few Voldemort-Malfoy-esque hugs, which lasts approximately 5 seconds. Then Ryan has a long drawn out reunion with his pup, lots of kisses and hugs. In the end, Ryan manages to stay sober, but I'm guessing the kids he doesn't give a shit about will be drinking any time soon.
All in all, this was the funniest Intervention I have ever seen. Easily replaces a moment earlier in the season where an addict prostitutes herself for drugs and encounters a john who thinks that, because he paid last time, he doesn't have to pay again. Like sex is something you can buy in bulk. Like this is a Costco operation.
The episode begins like most of these shows do. They establish Ryan's current state before explaining how he got to this point. Ryan's parents divorced when he was young. His dad became something of a deadbeat, although the dad pretends otherwise until the family starts talking about the difficulties Ryan experienced post-divorce. Within two minutes of airtime, Randy went from "We were so close and had heart-to-hearts all the time" to "NOBODY TOLD ME ANYTHING. HOW COULD I POSSIBLY KNOW ANYTHING? IT'S NOT LIKE I'M HIS DAD." This makes the dad sound horrible, but as with everyone in a Canadian intervention, he is as milquetoast and bland as they come. A deadbeat dad, but a deadbeat that you might see in a Saved by the Bell very special episode.
Anyway, at some point, Ryan begins to do drugs... all of them. During the episode, he is most frequently shown smoking crack out of a crushed beer can. It confuses me how he can afford a house but not a crack pipe but whatever. He's lost custody of his kids and tried to commit suicide a few times. What Ryan does have is a dog whom he adores above all else. This leads to comedy gold. Since this is shot in the winter in Canada, the dog has to wear booties when he goes on walks. So for one scene, Ryan puts the booties on the dog -- how his cracked out self managed to get booties on a dog I will never know -- and then they go for a walk. At first, Ryan talks to the camera crew about the dog's booties. It's riveting material. Then Ryan starts to fiend for drugs, and while the dog is trotting ahead in his little booties, Ryan calls and begs his mom for beer. The juxaposition of booties and crack has me crying I'm laughing so hard.
And throughout the episode, the camera crew seems to understand just how important the dog is to Ryan. Because Ryan lives alone, the crew can only cut to the dog over and over again for reaction shots to Ryan's behavior.
Eventually, the intervention takes place. Ryan is willing to go to rehab, but he starts to freak out when he realizes that he will have to leave his dog. Note: he has no problem leaving his kids behind. After some persuasian, he agrees to go, and the dog is brought over to help say goodbye and send him off to rehab. Ryan then goes to rehab for two months. Afteward, the rehab recommends that he enter sober living to give him more structure. Instead, Ryan returns home, and while it's not explicitly stated, I'm guessing he returned home immedaitely to be with his dog. Ryan gets back and gives his kids a few Voldemort-Malfoy-esque hugs, which lasts approximately 5 seconds. Then Ryan has a long drawn out reunion with his pup, lots of kisses and hugs. In the end, Ryan manages to stay sober, but I'm guessing the kids he doesn't give a shit about will be drinking any time soon.
All in all, this was the funniest Intervention I have ever seen. Easily replaces a moment earlier in the season where an addict prostitutes herself for drugs and encounters a john who thinks that, because he paid last time, he doesn't have to pay again. Like sex is something you can buy in bulk. Like this is a Costco operation.