The TV Set

Based on filmmaker Jake Kasdan’s real-life experiences, The TV Set revolves around small-screen writer Mike Klein’s (David Duchovny) efforts at shepherding his personal teleplay from the development stage into a pilot for the fictional Panda network. Problems ensue as Mike finds himself confronted with an exceedingly clueless executive (Sigourney Weaver’s Lenny) who insists on making a myriad of needless changes, while the production itself is plagued with a whole host of complications (including a thoroughly incompetent lead actor and a director with delusions of grandeur). Though one imagines that some of the film’s elements have been exaggerated for dramatic (and comedic) effect, The TV Set nevertheless comes off as an intriguing, occasionally horrifying look at the behind-the-scenes shenanigans within the network-television world. Kasdan’s disdain for the process is evident virtually from the word go, as the filmmaker peppers the movie with numerous instances of cringeworthy and soul-crushing stupidity among various periphery characters. Weaver’s Lenny is clearly the most obvious example of this (eg after Mike mentions that he’s going for an original vibe, she responds, “original scares me a little”), though even folks on Mike’s side – ie Ioan Gruffudd’s helpful Richard – ultimately wind up choosing the potential for profit over respecting the fledgling writer’s vision. Kasdan’s penchant for superfluous subplots – ie Richard’s crumbling marriage – sporadically drags down the proceedings and there’s no denying that the whole thing does feel awfully slight, and yet The TV Set benefits from the inclusion of several laugh-out-loud bits of comedy and an expectedly charismatic performance from Duchovny.

*** out of ****