Melody Rules review

 Hey, it's been a while. I've given myself a month decompress and return without my biases in tow, and hopefully from there on I can go into new reviews with a cleaner attitude. Today, I figured I'd go into something infamous, but not as widely known to modern generations, well, modern generations outside of New Zealand. If you read the title, those from the area may know where this is going.

I have a lot to unpack with this, so hang tight.

Background

Melody Rules is a sitcom that originated in New Zealand, one of the first produced for one of their bigger networks, TV3. And it has a particular reputation, oh, not much, just the fact that it is often considered to be one of if not the worst things ever associated with the country. Only thing worse is Colby James.

When looking into a summation of the show's history, it reminded me of another sitcom, The Trouble With Tracey. Hear me out, both are sitcoms that were produced in different countries. They were often firsts for the networks that aired them. More episodes were only aired due to underlying obligations (though New Zelanad was more merciful in that we had a two episode first season and a six episode second). They are seen as nothing more than embarrassments and jokes in their respective countries (that is, until Elvira Kurt edged Tracey out). Oh, and both attempted to mimic conventions popular in American sitcoms.

This should go without saying, but it is absolutely necessary to bring up. When countries try to adapt the humor of shows from different countries into their programs, 9 times out of 10 it would play out poorly. There is no better example to turn to than American adaptations of British shows, notably Coupling, Payne (Fawlty Towers), Amanda's by the Sea (also Fawlty Towers), but don't get me wrong, the reverse comes in equal measure, just look at Days Like These (That 70s Show) and The Brighton Bells (The Golden Girls)

The Office is an exception, feel like making that clear.

When it comes to shows like Trouble with Tracey and Melody Rules, there are issues beyond regional differences. Aspects such as the lower budget, schedule and even the experience of the actors brought on can also play into the show failing in the eyes of the public. Still though, what would make international shows work is the representation of their own cultures and interests, even their sense of humor. I get British shows are more dry and witty, and Australian shows are more quirky. This is the first show I will see produced entirely within New Zealand, and if any of you are from the area, you're welcome to point me to shows that best reflect the interests of your country.

Let's make it clear, Melody Rules was a disaster. It was so bad that it became a title used to deride other bad sitcoms. Sufficed to say, the show was so bad that no other attempt to replicate American sitcoms was made by New Zealand programs, and basically either killed or put various actors careers on hold. Some of which were able to get out of this, though any notable roles would be restricted to New Zealand productions. Jodie Rimmer is an exception, appearing in productions like Young Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess, though mainly because those were shot on-location in New Zealand.

It was so bad for two other actors, Belinda Todd and Alan Brough that both fled from their country to Australia, and have stayed there since. Unless at some point they returned, who knows?

When it came time to air the show, only a few episodes were broadcast before the remainder were burned off in early morning slots.

Production

Most shows are either produced in-house by networks, but for here we got a producer and network assistance. Ross Jennings was the show's producer, and had also handled another first for New Zealand, namely the country's first reality show. Basically the country's equivalent to Cops or America's Most Wanted. The show seemed to have derailed his career for nearly a decade before he resurfaced for a few more stints. Jennings would pass away in 2016, rest in peace.

Along with a general production company, this show followed a principle akin to most countries, funding through tax credit programs. In this case, it is New Zealand on Air. They even say this program was "made with the help of your broadcasting fee." It may not sound like much, but look at it like this. It is one thing to pay to see a crappy movie, you feel like you got ripped off. But, to know your money was put toward making something crappy, you not only feel ripped off, but you feel the weight of having to contribute to its funding.

This philosophy can apply to crowdfunding as a whole. Stuff like the Angry Video Game Nerd movie and Mighty No. 9 were funded almost entirely through it, and both turned out to either not meet expectations, or were awful in their own right. Backers not only feel ripped off, but terrible that their money was put toward something they had faith in.

Just saying, tax dollars, carriage fees or however New Zealand handles it, being put toward making something like Melody Rules should not be taken lying down.

Also this was apparently a very cheap show to make. Going from an uploader of an episode's take, it was shot in a small studio near the newsroom of the network it aired on, a triple camera setup, with one mounted on a truck use for outside broadcasts. I mean, what better type of show to be shot on a budget than a sitcom? And this reaffirms a similarity to The Trouble with Tracey.

But enough about that. I'm gonna check out an episode of the show to see how it stacks up to a modern viewer. To avoid the obvious, I'm gonna go for a later episode of the show. The first episode is available, but split into two parts, and I have no idea how much of it has been cut out.

Is Melody gonna Rule or is Melody gonna Suck?

Follow along right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2fzf2K1Ae0

An Episode

Before going into the episode proper, I'd like to establish the structure so you'd know what to expect. As this show makes use of tropes in American sitcoms, they would feature a premise to match.

In two words, dysfunctional family. I know that seems like an unfair thing to criticize, as dysfunctional families were initially made to mock more idealized portrayals of American families. However, whether it be due to easy implementation or building on comedic potential, it has become the new norm. If it seems like I'm jumping the gun, Todd plays a travel agent who puts up with her dysfunctional siblings. Remember, this uses American sitcom aesthetics as its basis.

I would say it may be down to how the humor is executed, but American sitcoms have become a joke in and of themselves. They are easy to make, are ideal for midseason replacements, have frameworks that can be easily replicated, use laugh tracks and bare basic physical comedy worst case, and have the unfortunate luxury of clashing with differing perspectives of humor aligned to a certain country. It's not even a matter of bringing the worst of it to a new environment, the best way to make it work is to make it your own.

So, upon establishing how it could go wrong, let's finally see how the episode handles such tried tropisms.

Double Scotch, I may need a round of that if the episode is as cringe as it's made out to be. So the intro, I give it immediate credit for not cooking up a cheesy song to use during it, though the camera sound effect is not very balanced compared to the music. Not to mention, the finisher really calls in the vibe of a sitcom whose universe is detached to contemporary reality.

Also apparently the entire show takes place inside of a refrigerator. They seem to put more effort in the title graphics, as the producer credits have their own dedicated animation. Now it does look unique, but a little much. The credit text below is negligible, and thus had maintained a plain look in many other shows like it. People's interests need to be kept toward what's happening on screen. Just saying.

So we get our first taste of canned laughter, and it is very awkward. They tried to play it after Melody said "It doesn't fill me with confidence." and, there's a lot I wanna say. Firstly, the line wasn't funny to begin with. Even for its artificial use, laugh tracks are typically played when a joke is clearly implied. Second, because of poor acting on Todd's part, or the script, it suggests that they put in a laugh track just for the sake of mimicking American sitcoms, without understanding what made them work in the first place.

I mean to be fair the next time they try to put in a laugh track, it fits better than the first, even if the joke wasn't enough to get a rise.

Initial thoughts thus far, nothing is particularly interesting. This was in the mid-90s and seemingly ditched the goofy styles had in earlier years, though the acting is somehow a mix between hammy and "I've been lifted from an entirely different genre or format and I must power through." But, Melody's just uninteresting so far. She still doesn't rule though.

The one blonde character is giving me C.C. Babcock vibes. I'll see if you can figure out what I'm referencing. Her name is Fiona, I believe, and from what I learned, lest it's the name of a princess who turns into an ogre, either she'll break the heart of a guy who would wind up trying to get it with a German girl, or be forced into the throws of a generic tale of betrayal. Or is a kick-ass singer from the 90s.

Sorry, wanted to delay the fact that we get a Scottish guy who not only acts the part, but looks it too. Okay, I can buy Scottish portrayals, some stereotypes are true for most nationalities, I'm just saying it doesn't fill me with confidence.

Suddenly a guy comes in wearing a dress. This might have something to do with an initiation brought up early on, but I feel when sitcoms feature males in dresses, not even about trans representation, just regular guys wearing dresses to be funny. According to Jim, DiResta, American Nightmares, this. It's a very obvious joke, and there's no telling how well it'd fly in this day and age.

So yeah, initiation, I smell a moral, from several yards.

Anyways, we go to another female, Zoe I believe, listening to Moby in anticipation for Southside to finally begin. Fiona comes in, remembers she is supposed to feel agitated, and it turns out the Scottish guy fled back to his homeland. And apparently he was needed for a special even tonight. So, they gonna go for the ol' switchero? Yes, they are.

They get what is said to be the Scottish guy's double for fifty bucks, huh, I got a few fifties on me, I could use a few favors.

So back to the initiation thing, if you were thinking it would lead to one of them having to prank their brother, you've seen one too many sitcoms. But yes, that's what's going down.

Nine minutes in, and Melody is feeling like a complete slog. I was halfway done, but I couldn't finish it. I give up.

Final Thoughts

So, is Melody Rules the worst sitcom ever? Er, scratch that, is it the worst thing to come out of New Zealand? Well, I can't answer that. I never had much experience with New Zealand's programs, and this is certainly an unfair way to judge them as they were going for an aesthetic well out of what they're familiar with.

Going into this, I had the sense that the actors were trying their best to pull through in spite of a lack of faith in the product. It's like forcing yourself into an ill-fitting dress that you never even wanted to wear in the first place. Going into this, I have to wonder, what sitcoms did the writers use as the basis for this show? Was it just the first one they could find?

Now, I can buy it if this is a satire of American sitcoms and their respective tropes, but this was just a poor translation of an American style sitcom, and if this was the network's first sitcom ever, why have it be like this? With no nuance or a sense of irony?

While this may seem like a general low quality sitcom, and while I cannot speak on behalf of New Zealanders that had watched this in the first place... send Belinda Todd my regards.