Beth Slick (Hi, Beth!) wrote to ask me if I have any thoughts on Neil Patrick Harris's new show, which debuts on NBC on Tuesday night. It's called Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris and here's how the network is describing it…
Five Emmy Awards and a Tony Award make multi-talented Neil Patrick Harris the perfect star for this live one-hour show that is unlike any other on American television. Anything can happen on Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, which will feature appearances by A-list stars, stunts, comedy skits, incredible performances, mini game shows, audience giveaways and hidden camera pranks.
Well, I think N.P.H. is one of the most talented people in show biz today so obviously, I'm going to watch…so that's a big plus. I like the idea of live TV where "anything can happen" and that sounds great, though I have one worry there. On most so-called "reality" shows these days, "anything can happen" works like this. The player can pick A or B. If he picks A, one pre-planned, mostly-scripted option happens and if he picks B, a different pre-planned, mostly-scripted option transpires.
To me, "anything can happen" oughta include contingencies that the host and producer could not have expected and therefore could not rehearse. If they really mean "anything can happen," great. If they mean it's all like a pre-written "which way" game, not as great.
Okay, what else is in there? A-list stars? Fine. Stunts? Depends what they are. I used to hate the old Beat the Clock style of game show where someone has to balance a prune on a spoon held in their mouth while they kick over bowling pins while wearing frogmen flippers. I don't like stunts designed to make the stunt performer look stupid. But if they're actually feats of dexterity or strategy, great.
Comedy skits? Fine if they're funny. Incredible performances? Who could have anything against incredible performances? Mini game shows? There are good game shows and bad game shows so I guess there are good mini game shows and bad mini game shows.
Audience giveaways? Nothing wrong with audience giveaways, especially if you're in the audience. So it all sounds somewhat promising and I'll be watching and —
Oh, wait. I missed one: Hidden camera pranks. Okay, we have a problem here and I have to own up to a prejudice…
I hate hidden camera pranks. Matter of fact, since about the age of thirty, I've hated pranks of any kind. I am guardedly proud of my involvement in one or two years ago that I'll tell you about some time. They were really, really clever and they actually made a legit point, the kind you might make with a deftly-presented argument.
But I've outgrown even that and it's been a long time since I saw anything called a "prank" which I didn't think was a case of the prankster being an enormous dick. Even when the person being pranked laughs about it and seems to love the experience, I often think either they're faking great sportsmanship or — in the case of TV pranks — that the show pranked a dozen people and threw out the video of the eleven who didn't think it was all great fun. Most of those being pranked on Best Time Ever will be those A-list stars so the latter will probably not apply here.
And I have one more reservation. They're billing this as a resurrection of variety shows on television. This isn't a variety show; not in the tradition of Carol Burnett, Dean Martin, Andy Williams, etc. This sounds like every program Howie Mandel has been on in the last ten years rolled into one.
Best Time Ever could well be a great show but it doesn't sound to me like a great variety show. And, hey, you know who's around these days who really does have all the necessary talents to do a great variety show? Neil Patrick Harris! I'd like to see him try one someday.