Brunets, not fighter jets
Wikipedia tells me that Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie were roomies at film school before forming the band Flight of the Conchords. Also, Bret was an elf in Peter Jackson’s LOTR saga (I remembered seeing him, too – he’s very pretty). Now, Jemaine is apparently the big bad in Men In Black 3D. But for two seasons, this “guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo” filmed an HBO mockumentary about themselves trying to make it in NYC.
It’s a strangely gentle show. It mostly centers on the boys wandering around the city looking for gigs and trying to woo girls. Each episode features a song or two: peppy parodies with sweet, silly lyrics. It features Kristen Schaal as their only fan – I found her obsession uncomfortably accurate, but she’s cute as a bug, and probably wouldn’t chain them in her basement. For very long. Their earnest manager Murray chides them from his office (and gets his own songs now and again) at the New Zealand Consulate and they’re always very poor. Other musicians and comedians show up now and again (notably Daryl Hall) and they weave “videos” into the action.
A representative song clip can be seen below:
Bret, you’ve got it goin’ on
Other favorites include Foux de fa fa, Ladies of the World, and Carol Brown/Girlfriends of the Past.
This show is great for when you’ve got a cold and need to be huddled under the blankets and coddled with toast and tea. It’s sweet tempered and meandering, and full of reverse-sex-objectification; when Bret is hassled by a woman who tells him she’s going away to war, and that she needs to have sex with him, we all learn a valuable lesson in the song A Kiss Is Not A Contract.
With windy days and rainy nights settling in for the fall, make yourself a cup of cocoa and curl up on the couch with the Conchords.
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Aaah! That clip is fantastic! I must know more about these guys, immediately.
Jemaine is kind of crazy hot, but he’s so sweet when he’s putting up with Bret’s chronic dimmess. You will love this show, I promise.
Yes, you will love the show!
I love Flight of the Conchords! It’s a wonderfully funny, off-kilter show.
It’s like hanging out with really relaxing friends. Friends who say things that make you look at them funny and who offer to show you their bike helmet that looks just like their real hair.
Love that show so much. The “Hiphopipotamus” and the “Rhyme-noceros” never fail to crack me up, and The Boy and I love spotting the different New Zealand tourism slogans in Murray’s office. (“New Zealand – Why Not?” and “New Zealand – It’s Not Going Anywhere.” are our favourites.)
“The Most Beautiful Girl” and “Business Time” are available for download for Rock Band. It’s awesome.
Matt’s favorite things are the hilarious New Zealand posters. And we are SO downloading the RB songs! Business Time is a personal favorite. (g)
I’m impatiently waiting for “If That’s What You’re Into.”
One of my favorite shows- sorely underappreciated.
What’s more delightful then gentle doofy sweethearts writing ridiculous songs?