Bored to Death

A wry, dry, cynical black comedy, the HBO series Bored to Death takes a while to get going, but once it does, it's worth the wait; the first three shows of its initial season were like walking into the middle of an inside joke, but the following episodes improved dramatically as the main characters became more focused. Expanded from a short story by writer-boxer-flaneur-provocateur Jonathan Ames, Bored to Death stars Jason Schwartzman as, fittingly enough, Jonathan Ames, a scribe who becomes an unlicensed private eye while suffering from writer's block. His girlfriend has just moved out, and he finds only so much comfort from his lazy, hairy best friend and his sex-addicted, drug-loving editor. Set in Brooklyn, the series follows Ames's escapades as he tracks down missing persons, stolen objects, and unfaithful lovers, often resulting in bizarre situations that he can't always talk his way out of. Schwartzman is appropriately deadpan as Ames, Zach Galifianakis is a riot as the roly-poly cartoonist Ray, and Ted Danson is witty, urbane, and even goofy as magazine editor George Christopher. Creator Ames writes (or co-writes) every episode, with HBO lining up notable filmmakers such as Michael Lehmann, Nicole Holofcener, and Paul Feig to direct the author's considerably quirky tales.