Pilot Watch: "Cavemen"

August 20, 2007

The networks have announced their fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? Throughout the summer, as I watch the pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air, so these aren't comprehensive reviews, just quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: ABC's much-mocked "Cavemen."

What's it about? Based on the Geico caveman commercials, the show centers on a trio of young cavemen combating stereotypes in modern-day San Diego.

Who's in it? Nick Kroll, Bill English, Sam Huntington, Kaitlin Doubleday

The good: "Cavemen" has been reviled, laughed at and critically savaged since the moment it was announced, so the best thing I can possibly say about this episode is that it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. A few of the jokes were even a little bit — wait for it — funny, and some of the little details were clever; I've had a picture of one of the cavemen reading the Economist set as the background on my computer for months.

The bad: Even though it was better than expected, "Cavemen" still wasn't worth watching for any reason other than laughing at its expense. At best, it was a 30-second joke poked and prodded until it was more than 20 minutes long; at worst, it was an awkward, clumsy racial allegory.

Will I watch? ABC has announced a lot of changes to the show since producing the pilot I saw. One of the cavemen has been recast, and the episode I saw won't air as the premiere on TV. Even so, I didn't see anything in the pilot (or hear anything at the TCA tour) that makes me think the show will be better even with the adjustments.

ABC has preview clips online, and to see a gallery of photos, read more

17 Comments

Briandiesel 5 years 11 weeks

Dumb

ThatsBloo2You 5 years 35 weeks

I'll watch it just to see.. I like the commercials.

PinkNC 5 years 38 weeks

I'd check this one out.

mwmsjuly19 5 years 39 weeks

I love the commercials. As for a show...um...well...

MamaD 5 years 39 weeks

I hate the Geico commercials!!! It's really sad to think they're developing a sitcom around an advertisement! In a perfect world, in the first episode the cavemen capture the gecko and roast him on a spit over a fire. They enjoy eating it but realize too late that the gecko was indeed poisonous and then all of the cavemen succumb. The End. Hey, all my problems would be solved!

tdamji 5 years 39 weeks

what is this nonsense? looks totally unappealing!

pargie 5 years 39 weeks

I'm the psycho that would watch this show. I love those Geico commercials so much that I think I will enjoy the show's goofy goofy premise.

shulvrkrp 5 years 39 weeks

OMG! You can't be serious. Who the hell produces this crap?

splayer 5 years 39 weeks

Such a bad idea.

staceyleeroberts 5 years 39 weeks

Who would watch this beyond the pilot? But . . . . other unrealistic sit-coms have done wellin the past and the American are odd; look how the cartoon craze went wild. . . South Park, Simpsons, Family Guy. At first, everyone said cartoons for adults would never fly.

millarci 5 years 39 weeks

I do love Geico Commercials. However, I feel the same way towards this show as I do The Spongebob Movie (yea go ahead and laugh but I have a point). Spongebob is a great cartoon. Hands down. BUT the reason why it's funny because each episode is about 10 minutes long. So the jokes are short and sweet. When you extend it to an hour and half long movie it loses those quick and funny jokes. It becomes too long for what it is. Same thing with the cavemen commercials. They are hilarious as 30 second commercials, but if you try to extend it to a 20 minute show it will lose what makes it funny. Does this make sense? LOL! Probably not...