web counter
 

AMC Continues Its Long Descent to the Middle with a Kevin Smith Reality Series

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (10)

224510767_f63aebb075.jpg

The AMC Network began its foray into television series as well as any cabler of all time ever, with “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men,” and “The Walking Dead,” three of the best dramas of the decade, before faltering somewhat with “Rubicon” a slow burn that I understand redeemed itself in the end before it was cancelled (the burn was a little too slow for most, including myself). Most recently, AMC has been dragging us through the mud with “The Killing,” a show that worked on its viewers the opposite of the way “Rubicon” worked, which is to say: Pulled us in, then let us languish. Now with a taste of success, AMC wants to grab more viewers, as well. And what better way than reality shows?

The combination, however, an unlikely one, as AMC has enrolled soon-to-retire-from-directing Kevin Smith to produce a workplace reality show set within his New Jersey comic-book store, the Secret Stash. There’s even been a casting notice put out for the series, asking “real people who live and breath[e] the comic book lifestyle.” What would a reality show set in a comic-book store look like? I have no idea, but I imagine a more geeky version of Dick and Barry from High Fidelity, although Kevin Smith will undoubtedly show up frequently to plug his podcast, to plug Red State, to plug his production company, and to plug his wife.

More dispiriting, perhaps, is that this isn’t AMC’s first reality show: It’s already greenlit two others, “The Pitch,” about advertising, and “Inside DHS,” about the Department of Homeland Security. Sure, they sound like a higher-brow brand of reality, but it’s a slippery slope from a show about comic book retailers to “Flip this Pawn Stars.”










Each Time You Like, Share, Tweet or Stumble a Pajiba Post, An Angel Does the Paul Rudd Dance

← The Best Little Moviehouse in Texas (Which Is In The Magnited States of America) | Sarah Palin's UNDEFEATED Trailer →









Comments

What could they possibly show in a series about the Department of Homeland Security? Wouldn't they have to bleep out a ton of secret shit?

Posted by: Todd at June 7, 2011 11:22 AM

Man I tried watching Chasing Amy since they put it up on Watch Instantly, it was wretched. There's like a full 10 minutes of Joey Lauren Adams screeching, about to cry, that is basically Hell's elevator music.

Posted by: the new transported man at June 7, 2011 11:50 AM

the new transported man, I agree. I think it's his weakest movie. Melodramatic. Overblown. Insensitive. Terrible acting. Awful close-ups conjoined with disgusting facial hair. It's painful; I don't understand why it's his most popular movie or most well received critically (though I suspect it has something to do with the novelty of lesbians to lonely suburban dads).

Posted by: superasente at June 7, 2011 12:04 PM

Purely a test.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at June 7, 2011 12:14 PM

I've avoided "The Killing", but I couldn't agree more on the "three of the best dramas of the decade" point. Add to that their can't-help-but-stop-and-watch movie programming (random day I chose off their schedule looked like Summer School, Summer Rental, Big Trouble in Little China, Deep Blue Sea, and The Matrix), I'll give them some room to work.

Posted by: branded at June 7, 2011 12:32 PM

Don't people already work at the comic book store? Are those people too real or not real enough for a reality show?

Posted by: Three-nineteen at June 7, 2011 2:05 PM

So let me see if I got this right. Smith can make turd after turd and still get a prime time slot on a prime time network? From my point of view this is great because now Smith has to produce ratings. He can’t hide behind “oh his audiences are small because he’s quirky and people don’t understand him.” No motherfucker, that shit don’t fly on t.v.

Posted by: Pookie at June 7, 2011 2:16 PM

Is it just going to be Smith in his store with 'quirky' customers? You're going to have to do better than that. I work in a grocery store and while it'd make for boring-ass TV, it would make a good novel. (These people are freaks.)

Posted by: TWoPFan at June 7, 2011 7:39 PM

I hate to be the Smith defender here, but...he's not on the show. The show is filmed on the east coast where the store is minded by his friends, who have lives of their own. Smith is already doing his own thing on the west coast with his radio show. If he pops up, it will probably only be for like the pilot or whatever.

And yeah, I used to think Chasing Amy was brilliant, but it hasn't aged well. I am looking forward to Red State, though.

Posted by: Skyler Durden at June 7, 2011 8:36 PM

just finished watching rubicon today. what a shame it's been canceled.

Posted by: splinter at June 7, 2011 8:40 PM