“Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which I guess is why several of us died of tuberculosis.”
- Jack Handey/Deep Thoughts
Depending on your temperament and sense of humor, I might have a couple of under-the-radar TV shows for you. They're both quirky, quiet little shows. There are no car chases, nothing explodes, no one gets shot, no diversity quotas are met, they're just subtly funny, slightly absurd comedies. They're like spending a half-hour with some amusing, unconventional friends.
The first is Detectorists, created, written and directed by Brit, Mackenzie Crook for BBC TV. You might recognize him from Game of Thrones or the British original of The Office. Crook plays Andy, he and his best friend, Lance, live and work in a small English town. They are also metal detector enthusiasts (Detectorists). They belong to a small local detectorists' club peopled by a collection of oddballs. Andy and Lance have jobs they don't like and minor domestic dramas they navigate, but mainly they live simple, unremarkable lives. Although they hope to uncover some valuable Roman/ Gaelic coins or artifacts, that's not their real motivation for detecting. Unstated and unacknowledged, though it is, they spend time out in the local fields and valleys as a way to unwind and talk, in a male sort of way, about things in their lives.…kind of like fishing buddies, you could say. It's low stakes TV and decompressing for the soul if you're so inclined. Crook only planned to write and produce two seasons but there was such and outpouring for more by the passionate fanbase, he agreed to do a third season (2014-2017). Detectorists won several British Television awards. (Amazon)
Fisk is an Australian comedy, co-created and written by well-known Aussie comedian, Kitty Flanagan. Flanagan plays Helen Tudor-Fisk, a droll and frumpy lawyer who moves from Sydney to Melbourne after her marriage and career fall apart. She catches on with the probate and wills law firm of Gruber and Gruber, owned by siblings, Ray and Roz. Helen, odd in her own right, finds herself in an office of offbeat and peculiar personalities along with a host of goofy and eccentric clients seeking legal advice. It's low-key absurdity. There are three seasons so far with a fourth on the way. (Netflix) For her role, Flanagan has won best actress in a comedy series in Australia's equivalent of the Emmys. The show has also won Best Comedy Series.
And, Happy Birthday, Kim!