First it was the
invention of the DVD and then the popularization of online streaming services,
but whatever the reasons behind it, television binge-watching is a phenomenon
new to the entertainment industry. Some programming has taken full advantage of
the change in how people watch TV, making possible shows like “24” or “Lost,”
which require dedicated viewers. And original programming on Netflix or other
streaming services seem to lend themselves to these impulsive viewing
tendencies, but not all shows are enhanced by binge-watching. In the case of
the IFC spoof mini-series, “Eric Jonrosh’s The Spoils of Babylon,” less is
more.
Had I been
forced to wait a week between the viewing of each episode, I may have found
myself embracing the utter silliness of the show, but was forced to watch them
one-after-another due to the constraints of writing this review. The humor
grows wearisome even in the 30-minute episodes, but completely outstays its
welcome if the entire 138-minute run-time of the series is viewed in one
sitting. Not even the constant improvised cleverness of Will Ferrell can save
the show from feeling repetitious during binge viewing. Of course, there is
always the option of watching the episodes individually, but it still feels
like the type of humor which may have worked better in ten minute segments for
the Funny or Die website. When all of the characters are merely caricatures,
some not even played by human actors (one of the key roles is filled by a
mannequin), there is nothing for the audience to care about enough to watch for
over two hours.
Another problem
with “The Spoils of Babylon” comes from the type of entertainment it chooses to
spoof, which may have been more effective if it were a genre still popularized
today. The aristocratic melodrama calls back to 1970s miniseries, whereas the
closest we have to this in modern entertainment are soap operas. Will Ferrell
appears to be playing some amalgamation of famous alcoholic writers and Orson
Welles, whose appearance became synonymous with over-indulgence in his later
years. He introduces each episode of the miniseries, “The Spoils of Babylon,”
including the actors playing the roles, who are actors playing actors. This is
basically a free pass for the cast to give their best ‘bad acting’
performances.
Tobey Maguire
and Kristen Wiig head up the cast as the actors playing the roles of the
children of powerful oil tycoon Jonas Morehouse (Tim Robbins). Devon (Maguire) is adopted, making the romantic relationship
he has with his sister (Wiig) only slightly less tawdry. They bounce back and
forth between romantic longing and battles in business; Cynthia believes in
making money while Devon turns to a life of
environmental concerns, eventually living undersea with a new romantic and
business partner (Jessica Alba). Cynthia marries a passive man (Michael Sheen),
has a child (Haley Joel Osment), and dedicates her life to a business expansion
which directly threatens the work of her adopted brother. As dramatic as these
plot developments are treated in the narrative, they really have no
significance. This is a film about gags, pure and simple.
The DVD release
of “The Spoils of Babylon” includes all 6 half-hour episodes from the limited
IFC series. All episodes are fit onto one disc, which is easier with no special
features to take up space.
Entertainment Value:
6/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6.5/10
Historical
Significance: 4/10
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