The TEMP follows a man named Bernie Pfelger. He's a temporary worker, a temp if you will. He has worked many strange jobs, with many strange employers. We are joining him on all the wacky misadventures in his quest to find permanent employment. I realize that isn't much of a summary, but I promise that this is a good show.
I was approached by series creator Michael Wilhelm to review this audio drama. He noticed my frequent posting of reviews in the Audio Drama Lovers Facebook group. I said yes, after I took care of a couple other reviews, and now here we are.
A few general thoughts before we delve into the individual episodes. The TEMP is recorded before a live audience. The first few episodes were recorded in a coffee shop with an audience of about thirty. Later episodes were recorded in a television studio with a slightly smaller audience, but the microphone was better able to record audience reactions. So yes, that is real laughter you are hearing in the episodes.
The acting is good, but it felt like something was off when I first listened to The TEMP. I guess recording in front of a lives audience does result in a different sound that recording in a studio. It's also a bit more barebones compared to most audio dramas. Not as much music or sound effects as most other audio dramas. The dialogue and acting certainly carry the show, but there were a couple times I felt that a little music, or a touch more of sound effects would have gone a long way.
The humor and writing are very reminiscent of Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Stuff like The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo and the like. That's interesting because Hanna-Barbera cartoons were often criticized by animation veterans as being illustrated radio plays, due to how dialogue-heavy they were. Of course, that was kind of a necessity due to the limited animation style Hanna-Barbera utilized. And some would argue the dialogue was part of the charm of those shows.
Okay, now let's move onto the individual episodes. Episode One is called "Voices." It sets up the basis premise of the series. Bernie is working a terrible job for a terrible boss. He decides to use his knack for doing impressions to get back at the boss. This works, but he gets fired, and thus we have our series. Okay, got to admit, this was the weakest episode of the bunch. The series was still trying to find its footing, and the humor came across as corny rather than charming. Well, let's leave this one behind and move on to Episode Two, what I consider to be the true start of the series.
Episode Two is titled "Child's Play." Bernie is hired to work at a video game company. It is a very youth oriented start-up. In fact, Bernie is the oldest person there. Oh, and did I mention that the second oldest employee is eleven? Yeah, not only is the company aimed at kids, it is also run by kids. Bernie is hired to wear a high-tech mascot suit at conventions. It seems like a fairly simple and fun job. What could possibly go wrong?
This is the episode where the series really found its footing, and is the one I recommend starting with. The true charm of The TEMP is having Bernie, our everyman, finding himself in absurd and unusual situations. The suit he wears did sound kind of cool. It has its own internal air conditioning system, and the face of the mask is synchronized with the facial movements of the wearer. If I did have one criticism of the episode, and I admit this is more of a nitpick than anything, it would be that some of the stuff the kids like seemed a bit outdated. For example, it was pretty strange that there were no Fortnight references, despite the company being run by and for kids.
The kids also have cubical so based on things from cartoons. One kid has a cubical shaped like the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo. Okay, that's acceptable, and fitting, given how similar to a Hanna-Barbera cartoon The TEMP is. Except another kid had Snoopy's doghouse. I'm not so sure The Peanuts are as popular as they used to be. Though the kid with a pineapple cubical was a nice touch. If you're wondering what that one is, answer the following question: who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Though I'd also add that it was odd that the superhero represented in the meeting room were all DC, but no Marvel. Especially odd given how big the MCU is. Though, like I said, these are just minor nitpicks. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this episode.
Of course, given the nature of the show, we know that Bernie's going to lose his job by the end of the episode. In this case, he showed his wife Penny the suit, but it went into lockdown mode while she was wearing it, and the paramedics have to come cut her out. Bernie explain at work the next day that it happened when he and his wife were messing around in the bedroom. Good thing he was the only adult at the company, or else someone might think he was making an inappropriate sex joke, and he'd wind-up in hot water. All in all, and excellent episode.
Episode Three is titled "Beauty Treatment." Bernie has gotten a job at a cosmetics company where he is surrounded by beautiful women all day. His coworker are all very nice and very friendly; especially since he's pretty much the only man at the company. This makes Penny worried that Bernie is going to have an affair sooner or later.
We had some technical issues with this episode. I only got sound out of one earbud. And no, it wasn't a problem with my headphones. I checked, it worked just fine on everything but this episode. A problem such as that is a major issue for a podcast episode. Were I not listening for review, I probably would have skipped this episode because of this. Thankfully, Michael immediately fixed this issue when I brought it to his attention, and now all is well.
Technical issues aside, this was another well-written episode. Penny's fears were for nothing. Bernie only has eyes for her. So he quits the job so she won't have to worry anymore...well, that and he's allergic to the perfume that the company specializes in. There really isn't much more for me to add here other than that, apart from the sound issues, this was a really great episode and I enjoyed it.
Episode Four is titled "Detour." Bernie gets hired as a hearse driver for a funeral company. Unfortunately, he has a terrible sense of direction. So he has a handy GPS installed in the hearse. But what's going to happen when he accidentally resets the GPS?
I very much related to this episode. Driving has always made me nervous, and I'm not the best at improvising. I used to have a GPS, but I lost it, that's how bad I am with finding my way. Thankfully, I've got the Google Maps app installed on my iPhone now, and that helps a lot. I liked the scene where Bernie takes the hearse to a drive-thru and orders in his vampire voice. The cashier assumes he's joking about the hearse, but nearly has a heart attack when Bernie pulls around. I can kind of understand why everyone was mad that Bernie didn't make it to the funeral on time. I sort of can, but come on, it isn't Bernie's fault that the dead are always late to their engagements.
All of this having been said, the audio issues from the last episode persisted in this episode. Thankfully, this has also been resolved, and all is well with the world once again.
Episode Five is titled "Temp Games." Bernie is competing against several other temps for one of seven positions at a company. And when I say competing, I mean like on a game show. Bernie is face tests of strength, cunning, and tasks that actually have little to do with actual office work, but they sure are entertaining to watch.
First off, I'm happy to see that the audio issues of the previous two episodes are completely absent here, and remain so for the other two episodes after this one. This episode kind of reminded me of The Next Food Network Star. It's that show Food Network does every few years to pick a new headliner for a new show. Said new shows never seem to stick around too long, unless your name is Guy Fieri. Though some of the other winners occasionally show up as judges on other shows. Food Network Star will make the contestant do all sorts of crazy things that don't really have much to do with having a show on Food Network. For example, one challenge is that you have to keep filming even though the lights go out, or something falls over. In real life, production would stop and those issues would be fixed, but the challenge makes for better television. That, and Food Network can probably assure that the winner will be reasonably loyal to them. Especially ironic in that Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis constantly mumbled and failed to look at the camera when they started out.
Where am I going with this? Well, Bernie finds himself in a very similar situation. One challenge is to change the toner on a copy machine, but he must climb a rope to get to the toner. Another challenge is to answer what do when your printer isn't working. Giving three wrong answers eliminates you from the competition. Bernie gets two strikes when he says he ask other people for help. Then, in frustration, says he'd fix it himself, and this turns out to be the correct answer. A similar challenge has "I don't know" as the correct answer. So, Bernie bumbles his way towards victory and even becomes team captain. Of course, given the nature of The TEMP, he gets stabbed in the back at the last minute, and all his trials and tribulations were for naught.
I suppose this episode could be read as a commentary on the struggles of finding employment in a struggling economy...nah, I'm overthinking it. This is, however, another excellent episode from The TEMP.
Episode Six is titled "Love Language." Bernie gets hired as the personal assistant to an old ex-girlfriend of his. She's married to a famous writer, and they're both very cerebral people who pride themselves on their intelligence. Bernie and Penny are invited over for dinner, but given what show this is, things go pear-shaped before long.
I'm also happy to report that there are no sound issue for this episode either. So, we have an episode where Penny plays a major role almost from the start. We also get some insight into her relationship with Bernie. She married him because he made her laugh. Of course, after several years of marriage, the voice impressions got rather annoying. Still, despite it all she does still love him very much, and the feeling is mutual. Of course, Penny runs foul of what ought to be a golden rule: never correct smart people when they're on a roll. So for once, Bernie loses his job for reasons outside his control. But hey, that's just how the show goes. And this is another great episode.
Episode Seven is titled "Flexibility." Bernie gets a job working for a military contractor. It's mostly stuff like writing technical manuals or drawing schematics. However, the boss runs things with military precision. That means no listening to music, no joking around, and pretty much no creativity or self-expression. The other workers are miserable, but Bernie is determined to help them express themselves.
Maybe it's because I've grown up around military types, but Bernie's boss seemed oddly mellow for a military guy. I would have expected him to yell more, or be more boisterous. Thought that was just a minor nitpick. This was another episode I greatly enjoyed, and that was free of audio issues. Some of Bernie's coworkers had cool sounding ideas. One guy tacks rubberbands to the wall, and puts little note cards explains their fake history. For example, one is said to have been found on the Yellow Brick Road, and is claimed to have held up the Scarecrow's pants. Another person draws animals, like butterflies and rabbits, in the technical manuals. Since the manuals must be followed to the letter, then means there are navy ships with hidden butterflies and bunnies drawn on their inner workings. So, they were all subtly resisting even before Bernie showed up.
Still, good that he helped them stand-up to the boss. We all know that Bernie is doomed to fail eventually, but he's endearing enough as a character that we want to see him succeed, even if only briefly. Another great episode from The TEMP.
Next is a Christmas Special titled "A Christmas Stocking Full of Easter Eggs." It's the holiday season, but Bernie still has to work. Specifically, he's a concierge at a Christmas party...thing, held at the municipal center. It's just as well; at least he won't have to go to Penny's family's Christmas party. Bernie's going to find himself dealing with quite the cast of characters, and perhaps discovering a little Christmas magic along the way.
I would have reviewed this episode sooner. However, one of the few rules that I actually have for these reviews is no Christmas episodes until two days after Thanksgiving. I'll do whatever I can to fight back against Christmas creep.
As the title suggests, there are a ton of shout-outs to various Christmas movies and specials. Let's all get out our field guides and see how many I managed to spot. Bernie meets a man named Ralphie who is carrying a Red Rider BB Gun, and Bernie warns he'll shoot his eyes out (A Christmas Story). He also meets a man named Griswold (Nation Lampoon's Christmas Vacation). There's a grown man named Buddy running up and down the stairs in an elf costume while proclaiming his love for Santa and Christmas (Elf). Bernie and Penny have to remember if they turn onto 34 Street (Miracle on 34th Street). At one point Bernie is visited by a man claiming to be an angel sent to help him (It's A Wonderful Life). There's a girl selling matches who say "Keep the change you filthy animal" (Home Alone and The Little Match Girl). Bernie asks if anyone knows the true meaning of Christmas, and someone begins residing from the Gospel of Luke...before Bernie tell him to get out of the doorway (Peanuts Christmas Special).
One girl is crying because her grandma got run over by a reindeer...at the indoor reindeer petting zoo. There's mention of a contract containing a Santa Clause. Another girl wants a hippopotamus for Christmas, and says that her teach said that hippos are vegetarians. Just as an aside, technically hippos are omnivores, and they kill more humans each year than lions and crocodiles combined. Getting back on track, a bunch of people dressed as elves are going on strike, and say that they will not just be elves on shelves. That might possibly have also been a reference to the Barenaked Ladies song "Elf's Lament" but I could be wrong. As another aside, I always found Elf on a Shelf stupid. If you want your kids to behave, just remind them that Santa is always watching. You'll save twenty bucks, or however much that humbug is changing for these days. But, if nothing else, it did indirectly give us the endlessly amusing Jewish alternative Mensch on Bench. But I digress.
The episode ends with the narrator saying, in those immortal words of Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol, God bless us everyone. As for which adaption of A Christmas Carol is the best, well, it's a toss-up between the Flintstones and Muppets adaptions. Anyway, back on topic, at one point Bernie meets a group of atheists who are protesting the event. I'm an atheist myself, and I can take a joke. There are stupid atheists in this world. I would, however, point out that in real life most atheist don't mind the secular aspects of Christmas, given that most of them are rooted in pre-Christian paganism. It's only when the government endorses religion that most of us take issue.
Also, May the Fourth is not a religion; nobody, of sound mind, seriously believes the Force is real. It is a scam run by an eastern syndicate, and by that, I mean Disney. Well, that's what some people say. Personally, I'm pretty neutral on the whole thing.
What else can I say? It was a fun episode and I enjoyed being on the look for references to Christmas stuff.
Episode Eight is titled "Tardy." Bernie is on his way to his latest job at the law firm of Castle, Frank, and Stein. Unfortunately, his car breaks down in-route, so he has to scramble to find a bus. Along the way, he'll meet a cast of colorful, and rather crazy, characters. Strap in tight, Bernie's about to face his greatest foe yet: the American Public Transit System!
When I first saw the title card for this episode, I thought Bernie was going to try out to be a bus driver. Not exactly a good idea, given how driving hearses went. Doing the same thing twice, and exciting different results, is the definition of insanity. Though, thankfully for Bernie's sake, this was not the case.
This episode breaks the mold a bit. We follow Bernie doing something other than a job. Though, granted, it is related to the job he's trying to get to. But as with many things, it is the journey, not the destination, that matters in the end. The parts on the bus with all the crazy people were my favorite bits. We've got a lady with an emotional support snake, a superstitious old Russian woman, and a possibly mentally ill man with an unhealthy obsession with cheese. Hey, at least none of them were exhibitionists or chronic masturbators. I was reminded of the Weird Al song "Another One Rides the Bus." That's good, I always liked that song. Speaking of songs, after the episode there is a song based on Bernie's trip on the bus.
Buses have something of a bad reputation in America, but their image getting better. Buses started get a bad rep around the time cars really took off. That meant the buses tended to be used by people who had no other choice such as people who had their licenses suspended, disabled people, the mentally ill, poor people, and so on. Buses were also associated with cities, which tend to attract people who fall outside of what is considered normal. Of course, with greater emphasis on public transport, buses are starting to be seen in a more positive light.
We also get lots of animal and vehicle noises courtesy of the cast. Even the audience gets in on the act by helping create the rain sounds. There's also a part where Bernie tries to hitchhike, but everyone thinks he's flipping them off. Amusingly, there are several parts of Europe where raising your thumb is considered akin to raising your middle finger in America. Try hitchhiking American style in Turkey, for example, and drivers will notice you, but then deliberately speed up so that they'll miss you.
This was another very enjoyable episode of The TEMP. Good to see Michael and company shaking things up a bit.
And so that's season one of The TEMP that have been released thus far. Despite a rocky first episode, this is overall a great series. The writing, while not the most sophisticated I've ever seen, always manages to show the listener a good time. I'm glad I've gotten to listen to it, and I happily recommend it to all of you.
Well, I think that's should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.
Thanks for the great coverage. Good details and specifics and not just generalized remarks. I enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteYou’re quite welcome. I certainly do aim for a detail view when it comes to these reviews.
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