Why HBO, WHY!? Remembering Bored to Death

Why @HBO WHY!?  #SaveBoredtoDeath

We just got the news via the hollywoodreporter.comthat HBO is cancelling, among other things, the critically acclaimed “Bored to Death.”  HBO has long been known as an innovator in original programming, so to say we’re disappointed would be understatement– we’re in mourning.  It seems like yesterday that we featured the show’s season opener as our pick of the week  The Filtered Excellence.

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In fact, everyone at The Interrobang is inconsolable after finding out that one of the top 5 shows in television today has just been cancelled by HBO.  We wouldn’t even  try to decide who in the ensemble cast is more brilliant– Zach Galifianakis, as comic artist (and creator of superhero Super Ray) Ray Hueston;  Jason Schwarzman as writer-turned-unlicensed- private-detective Jonathan Ames; or Ted Danson as the pot smoking publisher/restauranteur George Christopher.  Every week was funny.  Every week was surprising.  And it was one of the few shows on television you would actually think…”is it Tuesday yet?” Recurring guest stars Oliver Platt, and John Hodgeman were equally brilliant, not to mention the incredibly rich list of great performers who made recent cameos on the show.  But when  2.3 million viewers and a long list of critics loving a television show just isn’t enough, we can’t expect to get to see anything that isn’t bland, mass appeal and superficial. We should have known that Bored to Death was too good for television.  But how lucky were we that for a little while, we got to watch Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson, Zach Galifianakis, and Jonathan Ames make us laugh every week. Sure you can probably tweet #SaveBoredtoDeath and write emails to HBO and @HBO, and we will, but we’ll also be sitting in a dark room for a few days, once again mourning the loss of greatness.  We’ll pour one out on the floor for Bored to Death.

But here’s an even better idea.   Gothamist.com is reporting that show creator Jonathan Ames is inviting Bored to Death fans out for a drink Wednesday Night, December 21, 2011.  @JonathanAmes tweeted to show up around 10pm. Go and show them all a little love if you can make it.

“I invite all fans of Bored to Death to come to the Brooklyn Inn tomorrow night, Wednesday, and I’ll buy you a drink. John Hodgman will be joining me and perhaps other local New York City actors from the show will be there, and we can all toast Bored to Death and a completely loony and improbable three-year run.”

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Did we mention they also had the greatest theme song currently on television? Here are some clips of the greatness that was.