Last night I sat down for the first “new” episode of The Office in a month and a half and it turns out I’ve got to wait another week. ”The Banker” was nothing more than the dreaded clip show.
Cheaters, as animators often call them, are like the Cliff Notes of television; episodes that reuse scenes from the series to create a so-called new episode. They tend to be awkward and surrounded by a “framing” device such as “we’re all locked in a freezer so let’s reminisce!” You’ll often see families sitting around a fire, maybe they’re caught in a storm with no TV, or in the case of the only clip show in Star Trek history, Next Gen’s “Shades of Grey,” a character will be hospitalized. Riker in that case was in a coma, leading Troi to recall the good times. Most Trekkies consider this the worst episode ever.
Clip shows are used frequently to celebrate milestones in a series, like episode 100, 150, etc. Soap operas are notorious for doing this as they strand cast members on an island or something equally ridiculous. In the case of The Simpsons, who have done half a dozen of these cheats, they used the device to air The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular.
Seinfeld used the clip show idea in its finale (also common); a magnificent use of the device that featured an inspired frame of our heroes being on trial for, of course, nothing. In this case, it was a pleasant look back to honor the show’s rich history rather than a means to fill a program’s episode order. The brilliance of this example came at the end when the gang is locked up in jail in what would be traditionally considered a great frame for a clip show. However, once in that situation, they have nothing to talk about! They used the device, and then they zinged it!
However, the framing devices are usually what make these shows so grunt inducing. Transitions between the 3 minutes of new footage and the flashbacks are forced and awkward. The stare of a character into the camera as the shot blurs and fades into the memory are a particularly heinous cliche, one made fun of quite well in SNL’s Wayne’s World. The plots of these Frankenstein episodes are loose and boring, lending nothing to the show’s mythology.
If they’re so bad, why do one at all? Well, they were once a rational way to bring viewers up to date with the past. You know kiddies, there was once an age where you couldn’t buy your favorite show on DVD like a week after it aired. There was no iTunes or Hulu. If you missed an episode of Leave It To Beaver, it was gone forever. In a way, they were necessary to help new viewers catch up and become involved in the story.
In more modern times, the ridiculous nature of the “clippies” has led to various frames that acknowledge the audience, trying not to hide the nature of the episode, but embrace it. Cheers did a clip show which featured bumpers of the whole cast being interviewed on stage. Lucille Ball sat on the Three’s Company set to host a retrospective of Jack Tripper and friends. As this sort of “winking” self parody, clip shows tend to be more endearing to their fans, even inspiring some to be happy when their favorite clip makes the cut.
I think the best example of the parody solution came from Clerks: The Animated Series. In the short lived show’s second episode, the characters took a look back at the first episode, using the same clip over and over again for each of their memories. Unfortunately, ABC chose to air the episodes out of order and when they showed #2, #1 had not been seen so the joke was totally lost.
Okay, so I don’t hate every clip show that’s ever hit the airwaves, but the exceptions are way outnumbered by the norm of rehashed tripe sent into our living rooms. You name a show, they’ve tried it. I still can’t wash the stink off of Home Improvement where Tim is actually watching reruns of his “Tool Time” show. What a waste of time!
I love The Office so much, that starting with season 3, I’ve sat down and timed it out so I can re-watch every single episode in order before the premiere of the new season. So, like most fanatics for shows like Lost or Battlestar Galactica (both have done the cheat), I just don’t need the disappointment of sitting through a paltry clip show for a couple new moments. It’s like when bands force you to buy a greatest hits album for one new track that’s only a cover anyway! I’m talking to you No Doubt.
Once upon a time, these clip bandits might have been useful, but in today’s TV environment, with online streaming, downloads, and high def home video offering us virtually every show ever produced, a half-ass clip show just doesn’t work anymore. It truly is cheating the audience.
Except for The Simpsons. Their clip shows are hilarious!
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