Will Arnett pretending to be a detective... in a mustache? Solid concept. Improv, however, can be a tricky form of production. For years, improv comedy has been the butt of jokes. While there are institutions that worship the practice, like Chicago's Second City and NYC's Upright Citizens Brigade, improv is an acquired taste because when it's bad, it's real bad. Without proper prompts and castmates attuned to "reading the room", improvise scenes can go South quick. Viewers see that, just a bit, in Netflix's latest series Murderville.
Premiering on February 3, Murderville stars BoJack Horseman's Will Arnett as Detective Terry Seattle — an incompetent cop. With a thick Ron Swanson-esque 'stache and his Main Character Energy, Seattle works as the Senior Detective in the Homicide Division, and he investigates a new murder, every episode. However, unlike other crime series, this one has little continuity as each episode pairs Arnett with a celebrity guest. The guest steps into the role of Seattle's work partner. But here's the twist, the guest stars are not privy to the episode's script. Arnett and his supporting cast, therefore, have to guide the visiting celebrities through the investigation. Some of his special guests get right into character, falling headfirst into the antics and embracing the improv nature of the show, while others fall a bit lackluster.
At the end of each episode, the guests are prompted to choose who they think is the killer. They are then told by Haneefah Wood's Chief Rhonda Jenkins whether they guessed correctly. During the process, Jenkins walks the audience through the correct answer, showing a montage of easily overseen clues that were revealed through the episode. It is a fun and new concept, and those who enjoy low-stake television and sketch comedy are likely to find themselves entertained. But there was something that kept the show from reaching its full potential.
Murderville features repetitive bits, such as one where the guest is assigned to go undercover during the investigation. Seattle reads the character's lines through an earpiece, prompting the other actor to say ridiculous answers to basic questions like "What is your name?" and "Where are you from?" Some repeat the words with their whole chest while others are hesitant and withdrawn, retreating to their comfortable space.
Season one of the procedural crime comedy has six, 30-minute episodes and the guests include Conan O’Brien, Marshawn Lynch, Ken Jeong, Kumail Nanjiani, Annie Murphy, and Sharon Stone. The concept is based on the BBC series Murder in Successville which was led by Tom Davis and ran for three seasons. Murderville is good, casual fun — and delivers as much reliability as one can expect from an improv show. It offers an exciting sense of spontaneity given that the show's supporting cast and the viewers have no idea how the guest stars will react to the scripted sequences. Arnett and his supporting cast members, Wood, Lilan Bowden, and Phillip Smithey are quick on their feet and have great chemistry — perhaps the show would've been better conceptualized as a straightforward comedy or as a short compilation of sketches like Tim Robinson's I Think You Should Leave.
In O'Brien's episode, the first of the season, he is brought on board to solve a case involving a murdered magician's assistant. He hesitantly dives into the madness, picking up on the cast's cues and even choking down a spicy, jalapeno sandwich. Lynch follows his energy in the next episode, committing to a hilarious mirror dance with one of the suspects.
This being said, Murderville is a quick watch, but it's best digested over time. It's a show that can easily be screened during dinners or as a wind down from the day. Unfortunately, the series quickly loses its charm and drive as there's only so much one can do with the scenarios. The guests fall into a predictable formula: they start off hesitant and ask questions to get familiar with the scene, they are assigned to do a mindless task and begrudgingly participate, and by the time they get warmed up, the episode is cut and the killer is revealed.
Improv may not be for everybody, but Murderville might be. The crime series offers something new to Netflix and the saturated procedural crime genre. The episodes aren't packed with laughable moments but magic shines through whenever the guest loses themselves in the ridiculous nature of the production and gives the impression that they're "in" on the joke. The real peak of the episode is the reliable parts: the murderer reveals at the end and the bits of information viewers pick up on about the social relationships between the reoccurring characters. Hit or miss, Murderville is the embodiment of "that's showbiz, kid."
Murderville is currently streaming on Netflix.
Murderville