The Rise of Comedy in HBO Series
It is curious that in less than a week we have had two miniseries on HBO Max regarding known cases treated previously and recently in another prestigious series. On Thursday we saw ‘Love & Death’, which reviews the same issue as ‘Candy. Murder in Texas. Today we have ‘The White House Plumbers’, a new fiction about Watergate that comes a year after ‘Gaslit’.
A New Take on Watergate
Fortunately, this time, ‘The White House Plumbers‘ presents itself with a clear commitment to comedy. This is a refreshing approach that differentiates it from the previously released Watergate-themed series starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. The HBO series follows the footsteps of ‘Veep’, with David Mandel and his colleagues taking charge of bringing a lighter approach to the otherwise serious theme.
Great Cast, Differentiated Performances
Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux lead the cast in bringing a somewhat wobbly proposal to life. While Harrelson’s performance comes off a bit “fuzzy,” Theroux’s performance shows greater control in portraying his character, G. Gordon Liddy, almost caricature-like. Lena Headey’s performance also stands out, further contributing to making the series a hilarious take on the disastrous actions that characterized the scandal.
The Drawback of Erratic Tone and Lack of Polish
While ‘The White House Plumbers’ elicits laughs and provides ample entertainment, it falls short in dealing with serious issues and developments. The most dramatic parts of the miniseries fail to integrate well with the comedic approach, compromising the final result. Overall, ‘The White House Plumbers’ is a funny and even hilarious series that serves as a solvent replacement for the finale of the television season, but it could have been a better-polished production.
Conclusion: A New Era for HBO Series
HBO’s recent miniseries have taken up a new comedic approach, different from the usual seriousness of their productions. While it is a refreshing approach and appreciated by many, writers need to strike a balance between comedy and seriousness to avoid compromising the final product. Regardless, ‘The White House Plumbers’ is a welcome addition to HBO’s line of miniseries and provides ample entertainment for those looking for some laughs.
