
David Cross is one of those excellent acerbic comics who will never attain mainstream popularity in the United States unless he lowers himself to do crap projects like Alvin & the Chipmunks movies. (What? Oh no.) And while comedy geeks will worship him forever for “Mr. Show” and for playing Tobias Fünke in “Arrested Development,” his humor always seems like it might be a better fit in the drier comedic climate of Great Britain.
And with that lengthy intro aside, we can segue seamlessly into his new project: a comedy series for the United Kingdom’s Channel 4 called “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret,” co-starring Will Arnett and Spike Jonze (in his first big acting role since Three Kings).
American Todd Margaret (David Cross) bluffs his way into an apparently great job opportunity, heading up the sales team in his employer’s London office. All he has to do is sell several thousand energy drinks before his boss visits him in a week. Simple. Apart from the fact that he knows nothing about British culture and nothing about sales. This is further complicated when he lies continuously to cover his ignorance and spectacularly fails to impress Alice the first beautiful girl he meets. [RDF Media via /film]
BBC America needs to pick this up ASAP, because you know who wants to watch this show? ☛ This guy ☚



If British TV’s record when it comes to handling top notch US comedy is anything to go by this show will air after the weather on a Tuesday morning one week, after the snooker on a Sunday the next, then out of sequence, then a three week gap in between episodes, then on a different channel, then they’ll skip an episode completely. See Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, Larry Sanders, etc
/Probably more a BBC thing than a Channel 4 thing to be fair.
@ AEVC — But those are all examples of shows made for U.S. networks. This is FOR British TV, BY Americans. Suck it limeys!
Cross mentioned in the LA Times last week that Alvin paid more than all of his other jobs combined.
Yeah, but my point was… what was my point? *goes and makes a nice cup of tea*
Ugh, Cross is a funny guy, and has had some good projects, but the guy is an elitist hipster asshole. His stand-up is just so much “I’m better than the room” bullshit.
@ AEVC – the shows you mention get a late night slot so they can be shown un-cut on national tv. the fact that i could watch larry sanders say fuck on bbc 2 was worth the fact i had to watch it at 11:20pm. which isn’t that late anyway. and regarding the morning shows. they’re are all repeats. the first runs were on at prime time and well treated by channel 4.
“I am the strength of Zeus if he fucked a hippopotamus” – Todd Margaret. Brilliant.
It’s just a pilot; so far no plans to pick it up.
That said, it’s fucking hilarious, and I could see it being picked up by HBO.
Too funny!!! I loved this guy in arrested development…hope they come back with a movie.
Mark
I saw Cross live in october and at the end of his act, he showed a long clip of the show and I have been waiting and waiting for more episodes. i dont care who or where it airs, I’m sure i’ll find it online somehow