Bored to Death season 3 comes to a close with its latest "Nothing I Can't Handle By Running Away,” the second half of a guest-star packed close that sees Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman) coming to terms with the truth of his biological father, while George (Ted Danson) offers to host his daughter's wedding and Ray (Zach Galifianakis) finds comfort in a legion of fans obsessed with his comic books.  The momentum from last week mostly fizzles, but is this the last we'll see of Bored to Death?

There’s talk going around of this being Bored to Death’s last season, thereby making “Nothing I Can’t Handle By Running Away” its last episode, owing largely to meager ratings and the increasingly pressed career of its three leads.  That being the case, “Nothing I Can’t Handle By Running Away" certainly leaves us with a rather bizarre note of selfish behavior to never see properly addressed.

Last week we learned the rather surprising twist of Jonathan’s new lady-friend Rose being his (presumably) half-sister, owing to their mutual father Harrison Bergeron (Stacey Keach) providing all the sperm samples at the clinic himself.  That being said, Jonathan wouldn’t be Jonathan if he didn’t wrestle a bit with keeping the relationship even after learning this news, but “Nothing I Can’t Handle By Running Away” can’t help coming off a little creepily by having Jonathan ultimately choose to keep the secret to himself, dancing with his blissfully ignorant sister and George’s daughter Emily’s wedding.

Surely the Bored to Death writers knew of the possibility of this being the last season, would they really want to risk Bored to Death’s legacy becoming that of a ne’er-do-well detective knowingly carrying on a relationship with his own sister?  I wouldn’t have expected a tidy, perfectly packaged wrap-up, but that’s a bizarre thread to leave dangling between seasons, let alone a potential series ending.

Otherwise, “Nothing I Can’t Handle By Running Away” felt like something of a trite and clichéd tale, most of its narrative momentum spent by last week’s “Forget the Herring.”  With Jonathan shocked to be finally reunited with his father, must we really introduce three forgettable bookie thugs to threaten Harrison, and ultimately toy with the man’s character by highlighting the delay in which he (possibly) retrieves the money to save his son from dying in his place?  Harrison had already been very much an absentee father, what did it add to show him immediately sacrificing his son, only to show up later as an afterthought?

Overall, not much seemed to really happen during “Nothing I Can’t Handle By Running Away,” not that Bored to Death overflows with action on regularity.  Ray grew predictably despondent over his final split with Lea, and sought comfort in both his infant son and a new “League of Rays” made up of his doting fans (including The Office's resident creep Zach Woods), George stumbled but ultimately saved his daughter’s wedding to Bernard, and Jonathan managed to escape his captors with a little help from his friends.  Perhaps the climax of the story might have scored more of a home run in its dash around the bases were there to be a real sense of danger present.

I don’t know if Bored to Death might ever be so bold as to actually kill, or even shoot characters on screen, but stakes would certainly have risen if the bookie group actually shot at the League of Rays, or even Jonathan, rather than firing into the air to scare them.  They were certainly willing to kill Jonathan, why risk being foiled by one of the lunatics in yellow costumes charging them?  Even Jonathan manages to score perfect disarming shots thanks to his firing range training, never once spilling even a drop of blood.

In the end it’s all as cute and funny as Bored to Death tends to be, its three leads focused mainly on their own selfish neuroses, with a hint of emotional growth in between, but not enough really happens to be looked at as a season finale, a criticism I’ve admittedly noted about last season as well.  Of the relationships created and forged, we’re left really only rooting for George, who manages to deliver a heartfelt toast to his daughter, and keep his relationship to Josephine (Mary Steenburgen) through direct honesty.

I certainly hope this won’t be the last we see of the consistently charming Bored to Death, on the whole they’ve had a strong season by maintaining real plot threads that grow and develop over the course of the season.  The series could have plenty more to mine as well, provided it doesn’t get bogged in guest stars, and keeps a driving goal in mind.  Naturally this wouldn’t’ be the last we see of Isla Fisher’s Rose either, who doesn’t really have any material to play this time out.

An amusing, if not terribly enthralling season-ender.

And Another Thing…

• I might be looking too deeply, but I’m still not sold on the fact that either Harrison is indeed Jonathan’s father, or Rose his sister.  I keep looking for a deeper significance behind the use of the word “herring,” last week’s episode title telling us to “forget the herring,” while this week Jonathan protects his sister from the truth by describing his meeting with Harrison as “a red herring.”  Could I be looking too deeply in to the word’s prevalence, and Isla Fisher’s fiery red hair?
• Continued usage of jokes that go hilariously unspoken, Jonathan’s zigzag attempt to chase the golfcart while still hiding for brief instances.
• Playing a eukele, we can confirm that yes, Mary Steenburgen is still hot.

What did YOU think?

Bored to Death 3.08 "Nothing I Can't Handle By Running Away" Review

Bored to Death season 3 keeps digging deeper with its latest “Forget the Herring,” another guest-star packed half-hour that sees Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman) investigating a new lead in the search for his father, while George (Ted Danson) and Ray (Zach Galifianakis) make desperate gambles of their relationship troubles.  But with only one episode of the season remaining, is this the last we'll see of Bored to Death?

Lately it feels like we have two different kinds of Bored to Death episodes, those heavy with celebrity guest appearances, and those focusing on the interpersonal dynamic of its three leads.  “Forget the Herring” falls into the former, though that’s not any kind of level at the show’s humor, only a minor distracting in an otherwise engaging story.

Two weeks ago with “I Keep Taking Baths Like Lady Macbeth” it was Sarah Silverman, Mary Steenburgen, and even Patton Oswalt, while “Forget the Herring" throws at us in rapid succession Isla Fisher, Chris Elliot, and the always watchable Stacy Keach as a man with clues to Jonathan’s sperm bank past who eventually turns out to be his father himself.  But more on that later.

One of the things so consistently funny about Bored to Death is its complete willingness to ignore the normal society around it, and simply wander off in favor of exploring personal relationships.  Much as Jonathan and Rose nearly abandon the search for their respective parents in favor of a ferris wheel (they later do), so to do Ray and George simply wander off, mid-performance of George’s musical revue to right their unwritable wrongs, repairing the relationships with those they love.  George proves successful in reuniting with his daughter and Bernard (though really, who wouldn’t love Ted Danson serenading them in a Don Quixote costume) but Ray (along with the audience) gets their heart broken when his impromptu proposal, and the relationship itself goes down in flames.

We’ve seen the Ray and Leah broken up before, but something about Ray’s dejected “I’ll miss you” lets the audience know this one will likely last, especially considering the uncertain future of a fourth season for Bored to Death.  The real development of “Forget the Herring” lies in its closing moments, as we learn that not only had “Donald Stark” (Keach) lied about the sperm bank records having burned, but that he provided all the samples himself, making him both Jonathan’s AND Rose’s real father!  I think we knew things felt just a little too perfect to have Jonathan fall for and bed a beautiful (and appropriately sized) woman with a keen detective’s mind, but leave it to Bored to Death to have that woman turn out to be his half-sister.

Of course, the title “Forget the Herring,” along with the episode’s myriad of literary references (I myself only caught "Harrison Bergeron," but I’ll assume the other aliases were literary characters as well) suggests that we all might be following a red herring in having Stacy Keach turn out to be Jonathan’s real father, but we’ve got another first in a Bored to Death “To Be Continued…” that should wrap things up conclusively next week.

Bored to Death wouldn’t be Bored to Death without its inconsequential humor, and I particularly like George’s infantilizing Ray, or the smaller jokes like Jonathan and Don’s “depends who’s asking” conversation, or Rose’s character assessment based on Jonathan’s “closed crotch” sitting.

It’d be shame of this turns out to be the last season of Bored to Death, because “Forget the Herring,” while a little lighter on the laughs than usual, certainly moves the season’s arc ahead in an intriguing way that should make for a good finale next week.

And Another Thing…

• It took me a few minutes to remember that Jason Schwartzman and Isla Fisher aren’t a couple in real life, as she’s actually married to Sasha Baron Cohen, a man of a much less comparable size.
• Seen, but not heard at the musical revue, we had the Tin Man, Teyve from Fiddler on the Roof, and of course, from everybody’s favorite musical, Spider-Man!
• “I want melty chocolate!”  I want either a running tally, or a drinking game based around how often a character mentions something, that George than immediately claims he wants for himself.

What did YOU think?

Bored to Death 3.07 "Forget the Herring" Review

Bored to Death season 3 keeps investigating with its latest “Two Large Pearls and a Bar of Gold,” another fun and fast-paced half-hour that sees Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman) reconnecting with an old flame and enlisting Ray and George in an effort to protect her valuable jewelery.  But all the zaniness aside, does the latest caper add up to a fulfilling episode?

As much as I enjoyed last week’s equally awkwardly named “I Keep Taking Baths Like Lady Macbeth,” and all its madcap energy, there’s a simpler way of delivering laughs that “Two Large Pearls and a Bar of Gold” utilizes much more effectively.  Free of (most) of the extensive guest stars and in-fighting, Bored to Death proves far more effective by stepping aside, and letting its leads exercise their sociopathic, if earnest chemistry.

It also helps to have a third act as rousing as Jonathan engaging in a prolonged fencing match with a jewel thief (later revealed to be Patty's father, played by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Rene Auberjonois) while George attempts to impale him with an American flag, but even mundane scenes of Zach Galifianakis, Ted Danson and Jason Schwartzman discussing their sex lives over a game of war have me in stitches.

I use the word “sociopathic” loosely, tiptoeing around more psychologically accurate diagnoses, but Bored to Death creates a very unique method of presenting its deranged, and oblivious characters.  Rather than the harmful, downright uncaring characters permeating It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, or even Seinfeld before it, George , Ray and Jonathan remain painfully aware of their emotional shortcomings, and often attempt to make up for them.  That earnest sweetness creates trouble as often as it creates sympathy, but in the case of “Two Large Pearls” makes for wonderfully pathetic character moments, as the three take comfort in their male bonding while trying to distract one another from their problems by bringing up their own.

It also helps Bored to Death to have a stronger, more externally driven plot than the petty squabbles of Richard Antrem or Louis Green, as here we see Jonathan’s old girlfriend Patty (Casey Wilson) and her father recruiting him (and by proxy his friends) to protect a diamond necklace on the eve of her wedding, though Patty has far more carnal intentions.

Patty herself doesn’t feel entirely believable, a beautiful woman trying desperately to cash in on a decade-old pact to have one last romp with Jonathan before marriage, but “Two Large Pearls” earns the price of admission alone for its absurd fencing heist, and its (somewhat predictable) resolution.  Hopefully we’ve not seen the last of Patty and strangely cavalier sexual practices even after her wedding, but I wouldn’t bet on it with only two episodes remaining, and however long until the next season.  And whatever happened to Jonathan’s old girlfriend Suzanne (Olivia Thirilby)?

Elsewhere, we’ve even got movement on the search for Jonathan’s father, as despite a dead end bit at a fur store next to the burned down sperm clinic, Jonathan receives a mysterious call by episode’s end of a woman claiming to have information on the subject.  Belinda (Olympia Dukakis) has apparently been whisked away offscreen to an upstate convent, and despite coming around on Bernard (David Rasche), George still apparently views his daughter’s wedding as “a very dark affair.”  Ray moving in with George feels like a lumping together of the weaker storylines, but “Two Large Pearls” picks up more than enough steam to compensate.

Bored to Death could easily coast by on the charismatic chemistry between its three leads, but thankfully the more entertaining “calamities” haven’t disappointed of late.

And Another Thing…

• For the third week in a row now the episode’s title has come from Ray’s interactions with Belinda, and only vaguely connect to the plot…
• Was the sequence of Jonathan driving into Fairlawn a riff on The Sopranos' opening credits?  I’ve not seen them enough to be sure.
• “I don’t like German cars, I’m a survivor.”  “It’s a friend’s car, you’re a Holocaust survivor?”  “No, in general I’m a survivor.  I haven’t had it easy.”
• I know I said this last week, but good gravy is Mary Steenburgen still hot.
• This marks the second time I’ve mentally connected Jason Schwartzman with “j’accuse! “, the first time being when Wallace Wells says it to Scott Pilgrim in Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour, though I realize Schwartzman neither played the character, nor did the line appear in the film.

What did YOU think?

Bored to Death 3.06 "Two Large Pearls and a Bar of Gold" Review

Bored to Death season 3 keeps investigating with its latest “I Keep Taking Baths Like Lady Macbeth,” a fun and madcap half-hour that sees Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman) looking to repair his relationship with George (Ted Danson) by solving the mystery of Richard and Sons' produce.  Apart from all the subtle humor, there are a lot of strong performances and moments from "Macbeth" that make for a very strong outing.

As I mentioned in my second review of 2 Broke Girls last night, it can be difficult to find the words to analyze TV shows on a weekly basis if you’ve exhausted your overarching thoughts on a series.  That said, Bored To Death creates a series that hangs together far more coherently than a three-camera sitcom, itself an interesting statement considering the show’s disconnected, wandering narrative.  Irreverent though it may be, the undeniable chemistry and comic timing of its leads far eclipses that of even the most tightly woven comedies on television.

The awkwardly named “I Keep Taking Baths Like Lady MacBeth” had me in stiches plenty of times, mostly in spotting the jokes I wouldn’t ordinarily have seen, something Bored to Death makes great use of.  I had already seen  “MacBeth” a number of times, but it took a repeat to realize certain subtle overkills like George, Ray and Jonathan spying on Louis Green (John Hodgman) with telescopes from inside a supermarket, inconspicuously stocking paper towels in the chicken section, or placing a homing beacon on Louis, only to follow his van in their car anyway.  Much of Bored to Death’s humor one might not even think about at first, which feels very much in keeping with the exaggerated absurdity of these three nincompoops.

The meat of the story belongs to Jonathan’s efforts to repair his relationship with George from last week’s “We Could Sing a Duet,” here by attending couple’s counseling with George and later tailing Louis to find the source of George’s rival Andrew (Oliver Platt)’s restaurant produce.  “I Keep Taking Baths Like Lady Macbeth” also pulls together a number of guest stars, including Sarah Silverman as George and Jonathan’s biased therapist Lori, Ted Danson’s own wife Mary Steenburgen as Josephine, George’s stoner singing instructor, and Patton Oswalt returning as Howard the spy equipment salesman.  None of them distract or cramp the story, and end up contributing to the off-the-cuff absurdity of the trio’s “calamities” quite well.

I even like the message offered up by “MacBeth,” by way of Lori, that people should use their actions to show their affections rather than mindlessly rattling off apologies.  The bromance between George and Jonathan is officially back on, and maybe now we can start looking deeper into that whole sperm clinic arson and “Jonathan’s real father” thing.  Not that I don’t love seeing Louis Green and Oliver Platt bested by a madcap shopping cart race through a supermarket, but Jonathan’s development this season feels a bit too back-burnered.

In end it’s all about the groups “calamities,” and the way things simply fall together narratively.  Women effortlessly throw themselves at George, and even Ray now that he’s carrying on with Belinda, and even the most mundane of settings can create an epic caper for the renewed bond of our three amigos.

And Another Thing…

• Last week it was a gun range, this week bocce between Ray and George.  Bored to Death should always open on its leads partaking in an absurd activity.
• Good lord, Mary Steenburgen continues to age well.
• “Shh…those lobsters are phantoms.” – out of context quote of the week?
• The more absurd costumes the group can wear, tonight with George’s stockboy outfit, the better.
• “You stole my phone!”  “Of course I did!  What a trite thing to say.”
• George apparently had a "lost weekend" in Cuba.  The subject of a future episode, perhaps?

What did you think?

Bored to Death 3.05 "I Keep Taking Baths Like Lady Macbeth" Review

Bored to Death season three soldiers on with its latest “We Could Sing a Duet,” a fun and emasculating half-hour that sees Jonathan working a case with his doppelganger as George shares an evening with his daughter’s boyfriend and Ray struggles with his responsibilities.  You’d be hard pressed to search for meaning in a comedy that makes its living on aimless stonery, but the chemistry of its three leads wins me over every time.

It’s a bit on the nose to see each character struggling with subversion so directly, as Jonathan finds his identity stolen, George struggles with being bested both professionally and at home, and Ray copes with being a “Park Slope mom,” but the charm of the entire series lies in each character wishing for more success than they actually have.  Ted Danson, Zach Galifianakis and Jason Schwartzman all portray downtrodden so wittily, that all three dovetail well into a coherent whole.  Board to Death practically makes its living on creating rivalries for its leads, so I hope we see Brett Gelman’s Jonathan Ames doppelganger again as every bit the detective rival Louis is (or was) literary.

In a way Board to Death also explores the fantasies we all create for ourselves, Jonathan the noir detective, Ray the supremely masculine artist and George a father at the top of his professional field, but channels it through the ridiculous, here in “We Could Sing a Duet” with plushies.  Something I liked about the earlier episodes of season 3 were the ways Jonathan found himself embroiled in actual hotspots like the murder-mystery of “The Blonde in the Woods,” and I might wish for a bit more growth in that area to counter the fantasy.  I’m even reminded of the way Breaking Bad or Chuck’s ineffectual protagonists grew increasingly competent and badass as seasons progressed, and “We Could Sing a Duet” dangles a few traces, but ultimately retreats into its more comfortable stoner fantasies.

On the subject of fantasy, Bored to Deaths’ aforementioned rivals have a tendency for cartoonism, here with the returning Richard Antrem (Oliver Platt) now looking to best George in the restaurant business, while Louis Green’s erratic obsession with besting or confronting Jonathan grows increasingly pathetic, newly minted as a busboy and “son” to Richard and Sons.  The doppelganger Jonathan Ames at least admits to being a caricature hopped up on noir movies, making him a far more tolerable villain.

Given the (no pun intended) aimless manner in which Bored to Death’s leads purport themselves anyway, we can’t really judge “We Could Sing a Duet” for not rolling the plot along.  We’re sure George and Jonathan will make up soon enough, just as Leah will take Ray back to find his stride (Olympia Dukakis or no).  For our money, the thread that really needs more attention is the search for Jonathan’s real father, but “We Could Sing a Duet” creates a harmless enough diversion in and of itself.

And Another Thing…

• Is the emasculator intended to be a caricature of Leah, or his lesbian baby mama?
• My new favorite excuse has become, “I was attacked by a homosexual tiger in Brooklyn!”
• Zach Galifianakis boned Olympia Dukakis.  There’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.

What did you think?

Bored to Death 3.04 "We Could Sing a Duet" Review

HBO is really churning out new original series, and I have to say, I'm loving almost every one of them. They're all uniquely original, well-written, and when it comes to the comedies, quirky. If you didn't watch it when it premiered in September, one of HBO's newest comedic outings is Bored to Death. Starring Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, and Ted Danson, the series follows sometimes stoner Jonathan Ames as he attempts to moonlight as a private detective in order to prove himself to his estranged girlfriend. The show is witty, brilliant, and coming to DVD in September.

However, if you aren't sure whether or not you're willing to commit to buying a DVD, I have a mini-giveaway for you. I've come upon five promotional DVDs (okay, I bought them at Best Buy) that feature two episodes of Bored to Death (the episodes are, if you're wondering, episode 1.02 "The Alanon Case," and episode 1.06 "The Case of the Beautiful Blackmailer"). It's meant to be a taster for the series, and I have to admit, those are my two favorite episodes bar the season finale (which pits Ames in a boxing match with the PC guy from the Mac commercials).

So how can you get your grubby hands on a copy of these DVDs? Well, I'm giving away five of them, which means you might just have a chance at winning one. All you have to do is register on TVOvermind's forum and post in the "Bored to Death Promo DVD Giveaway" thread in the TVOvermind Announcements section. What should you post? Simply your favorite HBO show and why. Pretty easy, huh? Winners will be randomly selected by a number generator.

Please remember to register with a valid email address so I'll be able to contact you if you win. Winners will be announced on June 29.

If you'd rather just go ahead and grab Bored to Death's complete first season, you can pre-order it on DVD and Blu-ray through Amazon.

Oh, and stick around on the forums. We've got plenty of TV discussions going on, and we'd love to have you be a part of them!

Bored to Death Promo DVD Giveaway

Only a few minutes ago, the first season of HBO's freshman comedy Bored to Death concluded with its eighth episode, entitled "Take a Dive." The episode, one of my favorites yet, managed to be both sincere and funny at the same time. The same can be applied to most of the first season, which follows generally sweet Jonathan Ames, a floundering novel writer in dire economic straits, in his second job, moonlighting as a private detective. He is joined by his best friend, comic book artist Ray Huesten, and his boss, magazine editor George Christopher, in his various misadventures of cases.

Of course, Bored to Death didn't really have a chance to fail. It was placed in such prime television real estate that to fail, it would have had to be extremely, terribly awful. Which it wasn't. It actually managed to be the funniest show on television Sunday night, even out-laffing Curb Your Enthusiasm, in my opinion. HBO was quick to blow its own whistle about the series, plastering press releases all over the internet featuring reviews from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal calling the show “the best new comedy of the season” and “flat-out inspired comedy,” respectively.

These reviews hit the nail on the head. The misadventures of Ames through his noir-esque detective exploits manage to be both heartwarming and hilarious. In fact, much of Bored to Death is a contradiction, and I mean that in a good way. Schwartzman, for instance, often finds himself playing straight man to the insanity of Ted Danson's George Christopher, but often outshines him with his earnest kindness. The series also abounds with self-referential humor, which I guess is a given, considering that the main character indeed based partially off the creator of the series.

Guest stars also abound in the series -- Patton Oswalt appears in one episode as the owner of a spy shop, while John Hodgman (the PC from the "Get a Mac" ads with Justin Long) appears in the final two episodes of the season (and has such wonderful insults for Ames, such as "Your first novel was amateurish, at best!").

All in all, Bored to Death is the best new HBO series of the year, surpassing the wonderfully written Hung in my opinion. It's already been renewed for a second season, which will go into production sometime next year. I can't wait to watch it again then.

Mystery for Slackers: Why 'Bored to Death' worked

On tonight's Bored to Death, Jonathan tried to win his girlfriend back, went for a colonic, and tried to find out whether Kristen Wiig's boyfriend was cheating on her.

The episode, in short, dealt with three main themes, the first of which was Ray and Jonathan going to see a doctor for Ray's colonic. The doctor (played by Michael Potts, who you might know as Nigel Saladu from an episode of Flight of the Conchords), mistook Ray and Jonathan for a gay couple.

The second theme was the titular case, which featured Jonathan trying to find out if his client (played by Kristin Wiig)'s boyfriend was cheating. After following him around, and getting in a fight with him once he realized that his girlfriend was talking to the boyfriend, Jonathan returned to the slightly alcoholic client with a not guilty verdict.

The third featured Jonathan trying to help George, his boss, who had a herpes sore on his lip. George, after watching Fight Club, had the brilliant idea to have Jonathan punch him in the face, so it'll look like he got in a fight ("I'll be Brad Pitt, and you can be Edward Norton!"). The plan fails, of course, and George's sore makes the news.

Mini-Recap -- Bored to Death 1.02 "The Alanon Case"

Don't worry, a full recap of HBO's new series Bored to Death will be posted tomorrow. For now, here's just a taste of what the show was about.

Jonathan Ames is a down-on-his-luck writer, who is stuck writing his second novel, which he calls the hardest. After his girlfriend leaves him because of his alcoholism and recreational drug use, Jonathan discovers an old detective novel, and, inspired, puts an ad on Craigslist advertising himself as a private detective.

Jonathan confides his breakup with his best friend, comic book artist Ray, who is very unsympathetic and cares more about his own problems than Jonathan's. Jonathan is also forced to deal with his boss, George Christopher, who is constantly asking Jonathan for drugs.

Jonathan gets a call from a girl named Rachel, who believes that her sister has been kidnapped by her shady boyfriend Vincent, a British songwriter and drug addict. Jonathan agrees to take the case, though his immature antics concern the girl. Jonathan tracks Vincent to a hotel room, where he finds out that Vincent is indeed holding the sister captive because she attempted to break up with him. Jonathan tries to rescue the girl, but eventually befriends Vincent, and the two are calmly talking and smoking marajuana when the police arrive. Though they successfully hide the drugs, Jonathan is taken back to the station and severely chastised by the police for being a private detective. However, after Jonathan returns home, he finds that he's gotten another hit, and he decides to follow through, calling his customer and telling her he believes he can help.

Mini-Recap - Bored to Death - 1.01 "Stockholm Syndrome"

Looks like the trend on HBO continues as far as the guest stars go, with Bored to Death featuring Oliver Platt and Parker Posey, just to name a few, during the month of October.  Read on below to get the scoop on all of the October episodes of Bored to Death and don't forget to watch the premiere this Sunday on HBO (or click here to watch it on fancast now!).  Read on for all the spoilery details.

Episode #3:  “The Case of the Missing Screenplay”

Debut:  SUNDAY, OCT. 4 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

At a New York film-society party, George (Ted Danson) introduces Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman) to filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, a fan of Jonathan’s first book, who is interested in having him rewrite a screenplay.  Later, after leaving his personalized script in a therapist’s (Denis O’Hare) office during an ill-advised late-night tryst with a (very) young party girl (Vanessa Ray), Jonathan convinces Ray (Zach Galifianakis) to pose as a patient in order to retrieve it.  Meanwhile, George is flummoxed when he runs into his sexy ex-wife Priscilla (Laila Robins) and her arrogant new husband, fellow publishing magnate Richard Antrem (Oliver Platt).

Written by Jonathan Ames; directed by Michael Lehmann.

Episode #4:  “The Case of the Stolen Skateboard”
Debut:  SUNDAY, OCT. 11 (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

Jonathan falls for his latest client (Parker Posey), the mother of a boy whose skateboard was stolen by a neighborhood bully (E.J. Bonilla).  Meanwhile, Ray agrees to help a lesbian couple (Rosie Benton, Jenn Harris) start a new family, to his wife Leah’s (Heather Burns) chagrin, and George has a nostalgic “armpit crush” on a young publicist (Emily Wickersham) he hopes to woo at the opening of a new Brooklyn restaurant.  Bebe Neuwirth also guest stars.

Written by Jonathan Ames; directed by Tucker Gates.

Episode #5:  “The Case of the Lonely White Dove”
Debut:  SUNDAY, OCT. 18 (9:35-10:05 p.m.)

A smitten Russian parolee (Lev Gorn) contracts Jonathan to track down a chanteuse (Branka Katic) known as “the Lonely White Dove.”  After a vodka-fueled reconnaissance mission at the Brighton Beach restaurant where the singer works, Jonathan persuades Suzanne – along with Ray and Leah – to join him there for dinner the next night, without revealing his true purpose.  Meanwhile, George decides to get in touch with his feminine side as a way to drive sales of his sagging magazines.

Written by Jonathan Ames & Donick Cary; directed by Paul Feig.

Episode #6:  “The Case of the Beautiful Blackmailer”
Debut:  SUNDAY, OCT. 25 (9:35-10:05 p.m.)

Jonathan is enlisted to retrieve a sex tape that a female escort (Trieste Kelly Dunn) is using to extort money from a married New Jersey man (Geoffrey Cantor).  With Ray and George in tow, Jonathan ends up in a motel room with the escort, who attempts to blackmail him as well.  Can the very stoned Ray and George save Jonathan’s neck before the woman’s enraged brother (Anthony DeSando) breaks it?  Patton Oswalt also guest stars.

Written by Jonathan Ames & Martin Gero; directed by Adam Bernstein.

The premise of this show and the episode titles alone are enough to pull me in.  While it might not be the kind of series for everyone, like Curb Your Enthusiasm, it's going to find its niche.

Spoilers! Bored to Death Episodes for October

Bored to Death is a new series set to premiere on HBO this coming Sunday, September 20.  However, thanks to the generous folks at HBO, and Fancast, you can watch the entire first episode on their website right now!  For those of you who have HBO, it is also available on HBO On Demand.  Here's what TVOvermind's own Sam McPherson had to say when describing this new series.

With Hung and True Blood set to end their seasons very soon, HBO is looking for something to fill in that coveted Sunday night block. One of those somethings is the new comedy series (billed as a noir-otic comedy) Bored to Death, starring Jason Schwartzman as a amateur private eye whose only experience comes from reading detective novels.

The series, which also stars Ted Danson and Zach Gilifinakis, has the potential to be truly funny, and also truly successful. Airing in the slot following returning champ Curb Your Enthusiasm, Bored to Death looks like it might just take in a good portion of viewers from Curb, like me, who will just stick around to see what all the fuss around this show is about.

Read the rest of Sam's preview here

To take a look at this interesting new series just follow this link to Fancast right now.  Please note that this isn't entirely safe for work, mostly due to language.

Watch HBO's New 'Bored to Death' First Episode Free Today!

Premieres on Sunday, Sept. 20 (9:30 ET) on HBO

With Hung and True Blood set to end their seasons very soon, HBO is looking for something to fill in that coveted Sunday night block. One of those somethings is the new comedy series (billed as a noir-otic comedy) Bored to Death, starring Jason Schwartzman as a amateur private eye whose only experience comes from reading detective novels.

The series, which also stars Ted Danson and Zach Gilifinakis, has the potential to be truly funny, and also truly successful. Airing in the slot following returning champ Curb Your Enthusiasm, Bored to Death looks like it might just take in a good portion of viewers from Curb, like me, who will just stick around to see what all the fuss around this show is about.

And by all the fuss, I mean the previews that have been popping up between the three Sunday night shows for the past month and a half. My personal favorite of the previews is a very darkly-shot, tongue-in-cheek noir, with the main character, Johnathan (Schwartzman) walks into a bar to meet a potential client. The exchange that follows is both witty and dry, and presents the perfect amount of humor expected from such a detective comedy show.

Bored to Death is expected to premiere on Sunday, September 20, at 9:30, taking the slot of the second half of True Blood, the first half of which will be taken by Curb Your Enthusiasm.

2009 Fall Preview: Bored to Death