European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Ron Eldard and Giancarlo Esposito Star in ratings floundering Bakersfield . I is a Fox Winner but its ratings lose by Scott Williams a television writer i he november sweeps have come and gone. The american to viewer has diaries and people meters to exalt new shows and ignore there Are three Fox broadcasting co. Shows at the Bottom of the ratings that viewers have a under sampled a As the program Mere say which deserve people s attention. Lets Start at the very Bottom Bakersfield . On tuesdays stateside. It is the lowest rated series on to and yet its a Subtle stylish inventive half hour that might just be the Cleverest comedy of alienation since the Simpsons. Obie Winner Giancarlo Esposito stars As a Paul Gigante a Yuppie find half Black half italian police detective who moves his wife and son to the titles arid Southern California City and joins its All White Force. Gigantes Semi competent co workers include his dim Puppy Sweet partner played by Ron Eldard. Bakersfield . Is simply hilarious. Its about men their relationships lives and life works its comedy emerges from slow Burn silences from Switchback expectations is. Results and a watch for it a irony. Sadly Bakersfield is dying because of its atrocious tuesday night Slot up against an inferior acc comedy the phenom. How can it be saved viewers could write to Fox broadcastingco., urging it to make Bakersfield a one hour show. All Fox needs to do is slap two episodes together and move the whole thing to wednesday night at 10 a right after Melrose place. Bingo. A hit4. Then there a the adventures of Brisco Quinty jr., which airs Friday on Fox and is also a Bottom Dweller. It is the droll est fastest one hour Western since the wild wild Ives and has better production values. A the a files follows Brisco county on foxes Friday and gets lower ratings. At the same time executive producer Chris Carter has concocted an engrossing mix of mystery suspense action and the paranormal. What Skilling Brisco county and x-files7 Why Arentt they hits instead of Little watched providers of a Young adult audiences its that accursed Friday night time Slot when the much needed teen and adult audiences Are out fooling around. Karn feels at in by Vernon Scott up Hollywood reporter s sitting in the Catbird seat this television season is a modest Little offering without a superstar cast. A its Home improvement a Low key comedy featuring standup comedian Tim Allen As a married Man with three sons and a Loving wife. Allen who plays Tim Taylor and Richard Karn who is his sidekick at Borland Are a couple of ear. Nest carpenters with a Cable to How to show that. Reaches fewer people than my Mother the car reruns. Why is Home improvement at the Pinnacle of the ratings probably because it offers More chuckles than knee Stappers. The laugh track is minimal. The characters Are almost plausible and easy to live with. The humor is gentle. The Pace is Laid Back the writing solid. A a1 is a bearded overweight Blue Collar Guy who is something of a sounding Board and target for times zingers. He a a straight Man whose presence is a stabilizing influence on the antics of the family. A1 is the sort of Stalwart hard hat you a expect to find on a scaffold during the noon hour eating from a lunch pail but not the Type to whistle at passing cuties. Nothing fancy or glitzy about Al. Nor about Karn for that matter. Karn struggled for 18 years in regional theater off Broadway and in acting groups looking for a break. When the Call came to audition for Home in pro vement he was rehearsing a Church production of Macbeth for no Money and managing a West Hollywood apartment House to keep a roof Over his head. Karn is a plugged who encourages uncounted wan Nab actors to hang in there year after year in Hopes of one Day hitching their wagons to the big time. Until Home mgt prove Menf he was Lucky to play to an audience of 300. Now he has become a cult hero to 30 million weekly viewers. A this is the first Tim in be Ever worked on network to a he said at the Disney studios commissary recently. A a it a also the first time in be played a straight Man. In a playing him As if i were the Lead. A i done to get As much to do As Tim so 1 try to make what i do very important. The role is right for me because in a from three generations of builders in Seattle. I grew up in a House my dad built. My Grandfather and great Grandfather were carpenters too. A i picked up a lot of knowledge about carpentry through osmosis. I feel comfortable with the tools we use on the show. Tim does no to know much about carpentry but he fakes it very Well. He gives our show a Good Midwest feeling. Its hard to explain alas popularity except that he san underdog who maintains his personal dignity. He does no to allow himself to be an underdog. Millions of people relate to him. He a like most people who think they know More about their jobs than their Bosses. Quot Al s a Good person whose heart is in the right place. He does no to say much leaving his feelings unspoken and letting viewers fill in the Blanks. Quot he a not a Wiseguy or smart Aleck but when provoked he can handle himself. I think americans like and understand Al. I Wasny to the first Choice to play the part. They wanted someone older and distinguishable from Tim physically and emotionally to play his assistant. The actor they cast do the Pilot and they asked me to fill in temporarily. Quot it came Down to a moment they had written for. Tim to deliver a joke. Al was supposed to say a i done to think no big Deal. In the timing of my Reading i allowed Tim his joke without laughing myself. I just looked at him then read the line and it touched a nerve with the Abc Tim Allen and Richard Karn do the a tool time shuffle on ratings rocketing Home improvement. 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