The premiere of BTV’s new sitcom Slice and ’Deis was a success. The dialogue was witty, the acting looked natural, and the comical visuals had me laughing throughout. The show was kept short and sweet lasting only about 25 minutes.
Fittingly, the pilot episode “Sex with Dolphins” was dished up like a four-course meal served by writer and creator Arun Narayanan ’10, and director/producer Ilan Amouyal ’11, both of whom spoke before premiering the show.
Narayanan introduced the sitcom’s cast and crew members who each drew their own share of applause. On the menu was: Gdaly Berlin ’10 (Ed), Alex Gaman ’09 (Brendon), Ted Levin ’10 (Ronnie), Josh Reuss ’10 (Walter), and Diana Benlevy ’09 (Nicole).
Amouyal prepared the audience for the show by asking them to expect some “cheesy humor.” After some cheers and applause from the audience (who were apparently craving cheese), they served the show.
The Appetizer
Slice and ’Deis opens with five friends playing a drinking game to the BTV channel’s screensaver – the one where the Windows logo appears randomly in different corners of the screen. Not too much happened in the scene, but not much needed to happen. It simply provided a nice sample of the type of humor that was come – some witty lines, some Brandeis “slicing” (as it takes place on the campus), and some physical comedy.
The Pasta Dish
The opening credits of Slice and ’Deis parodied the opening of the popular sitcom Friends, even down to the their theme song “I’ll Be There For You” by the Rembrandts. It added some clever twists to the lyrics (Louie’s there for you), which helped to truly make it an original Brandeis show. The upbeat opening produced some of the best shots of campus and best tidbits of acting. It is definitely something I can feast my eyes on each episode.
The Meat Dish
For the main course, the plot starts to progress and the audience starts to realize why the episode is called “Sex with Dolphins.” Our five friends decide to get high one night to pass the time. Walking back from a munchies-satisfying meal at Einstein Bros. Bagels, they notice how littered the hallways are with flyers and decide to mock them. They find themselves distributing fictitious flyers, which explain what to do when approached by an aroused dolphin wanting to have sex.
The storyline seemed a little too out there (even for Brandeis) to be that humorous, but it was polished with amusing side conversations and quips about the campus. The episode also featured a display of Berlin’s solid beat-boxing skills, and a ludicrous guest appearance by Narayanan while on the toilet. Let’s just say this dish had an interesting flavor.
The Dessert
Topping the night were the bloopers, which supplied the audience with even more laughs. It was a great end to a great show.
Overall, I was pleased, leaving Golding Auditorium with a doggy bag of smiles. The jokes were tasteful, and the show really seemed to come together well. I just wish I could have seen some more characterization for each friend. However, it was just the first episode and Narayanan explained before the showing that they hope to improve with each subsequent production. With my belly ready for another show soon, I can hardly wait to dine on what Slice and ’Deis will serve for the next episode.
