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<i>The Comedians</i> – “Billy’s Birthday” Review. Take the Stairs.

Season 1, Episode 7

Air Date: Thursday, May 21, 2015, 10:00 pm ET/PT on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

“That was actually fun.” – Billy

The Birthday Boy.

Josh (Josh Gad) learns Billy’s (Billy Crystal) family won’t be around to celebrate his 67th birthday so he takes it upon himself to show Billy a good time. Given their past outings together, Billy’s reluctance comes as no surprise when he decides to make other plans.

Anytime a show makes you want to research something you see onscreen, it’s an added bonus. “Billy’s Birthday” does just that as listening to Billy talk about the 1932 Laurel and Hardy short film comedy The Music Box is fascinating. Crystal’s genuine enthusiasm while standing on the actual steps used in the film radiates through the screen. I laughed when they cut to Josh as he recounts the experience. “The only thing funnier than watching a slapstick comedy from the 1930s is having someone describe it to you while you pretend to laugh because it’s their birthday.”

Crystal gives an outstanding performance in “Billy’s Birthday,” especially when Billy shares stories about his childhood birthdays. The way he tells the stories seems painfully heartfelt; it draws you in, providing an emotional payoff later in ”Billy’s Birthday.” If an actor could win an Emmy® for just one scene, Crystal would be a top contender for this one.

Think the frosting story has any truth to it?

One of the brightest spots in “Billy’s Birthday” is Delany’s extremely convincing performance as Billy’s wife Julie, which doesn’t feel scripted at all. With the mockumentary style of filmmaking, Delany gives the show its heart. The opening scene with Billy and Julie is touching and sweet, but it’s their final scene in “Billy’s Birthday” that almost had me in tears. I don’t know if the frosting story has any truth to it, but I absolutely bought into it.

Do you sing Karaoke? If so what song?

Watching “Billy’s Birthday” reminded me of Seinfeld, which was often called “A show about nothing.” The term isn’t meant as an insult but rather a statement about the boringness of daily life. It fits “Billy’s Birthday” perfectly. There’s an entertaining, unstructured feel to this episode stemming from the time Billy and Josh spend together going from location to location. I applaud the writers for their restraint when it comes to The Comedians as the temptation to bombard the audience with joke after joke must be hard to resist. Instead, the humor on the show comes from real interactions rather than punchlines.

The pacing of “Billy’s Birthday” is outstanding. So much is packed into the 22 minutes, it feels like an hour-long episode. Every piece falls into place perfectly; the scenes don’t feel rushed; and every moment is allowed to fully develop. Not once did I find myself wishing they would have cut something to focus more on something else.

From Delany’s performance, Crystal’s talk about getting older, and The Music Box visit, not to mention the humor spread throughout the episode, everything works perfectly. Perhaps after viewing “Billy’s Birthday,” you too will find yourself looking up The Music Box much like Josh and I did.

Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “Billy’s Birthday.”

Tune in to The Comedians Thursdays at 10:00 pm ET/PT, only on FX.

Visit the show’s website at http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-comedians.

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You can also follow the cast on Twitter: @Josh Gad, @Billy Crystal, @Dana Delany, and @Megan Ferguson.

Photos © 2015 FX Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 

Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.

Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.