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Some late thoughts on Assy McGee
Assy McGee, Adult Swim's new series about a tough cop who also happens to be a talking ass, debuted Sunday evening.
Given Adult Swim's track record of shows that are often much smarter than they seem and sometimes take several viewings to truly appreciate, I didn't go into this "talking ass" show with any preconceived notions that it would be impossible to create a worthwhile show centered around an ill-mannered butt. Also, comedians Jon Benjamin and Jon Glaser were involved with the show, so I knew there had to be some dry, ironic twist to the whole mess, some way they would make a show called "Assy McGee" much smarter and funnier than a show with that title should be.
And they did indeed create a rather clever and funny show, but I also think they may have outsmarted themselves. Not unlike Stroker and Hoop before it, Assy McGee borrows from '70s era police and detective dramas. Assy McGee is a Dirty Harry kind of lawman, and also not especially bright, hunting down a man named John Adams and shooting a man pretending to be the late president John Adams instead. When we first see Assy, he arrives at a crime scene and immediately opens fire on everyone for no reason. What makes the show work, at least for now, I think, is that none of the other characters ever acknowledge the fact that Assy is a talking butt with legs. He's just another member of the police force, a mumbling, gun-toting madman who likes to make his own rules and follow his own code.
Family Guy and comedian Andy Dick have both featured bits with talking asses, so I guess Assy McGee could be described as the "Thinking Man's Talking Ass." The concept itself is well-executed and very funny once you're in on the joke, but whether or not that premise can hold up for more episodes remains to be seen.
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