by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
Although this is the most outrageous concept for a new comedy series ever conceived, it works on many different levels to elicit continuous guffaws. The premise involves a gaggle of disgruntled blue collar workers and one spunky chick who decide the way to easy street is to form a gang–The Knights of Prosperity, that exists for one purpose–planning to rip-off Mick Jagger’s 52 million dollar NYC penthouse apartment.
The idea for the caper is sparked when hotel janitor Eugene Gurgin (Donal Logue) views a television documentary in which Jagger shows off his ostentatiously lavish NYC penthouse. Eugene is disgusted by Mick’s obscene trappings of wealth. In his mind, no one should enjoy that many riches. It would be only just to relieve him of some of it. Thus, he decides to organize a crew and burglarize Mick’s apartment. Of course, in the TV special, Mick showed the many levels of high tech security it takes to gain entrance to his swanky digs, including a fingerprint identification level and a metal detector.
The gang meet in a warehouse which is a storage facility that supplies Jewish religious icons for Jewish holidays. The gang includes Sofia Vergara and Kevin Michael Richardson playing key members of the crew. Sofia’s character injected herself in the gang in a sequence of events that were both funny and ridiculous. During the first meeting amid the Jewish religious icons, the members expand their concept by not ruling out ripping off other celebrities, which sets up cameos by Regis Philbin, Ray Romano, and Bobby Cannavale. Mick Jagger is listed as executive producer but has only committed to the premiere episode–thus far.
Eugene’s working colleague and fellow Knight, Francis “Squatch” Squacieri (Lenny Venito) can relate to Eugene’s dreams of the good life, especially after cleaning up after filthy rich executives. Cab driver, Bourishankar “Gary” Subramaniam (Maz Jobrani) was an important lawyer back in India. Here in the States, he just gets by driving a cab. So he’s easily persuaded to join the Knights. Maz gets many of the funny lines.
Vivacious ex-beauty queen, Esperanza Villalobos (Sofia Vergara) is a now a lowly waitress in Queens. She wants the bling of mucho dinero and imposes herself on the gang as their only female member. She likes the idea of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor–herself.
Warehouse security guard, Rockefeller Butts (Kevin Michael Richardson) is happy to have a few friends and some cookies. He was rejected for an internship by the Montel Williams show. So he’s up for the heist. It’s got to be better than his present job.
In the pilot episode which debuted January 3, the Knights have their first meeting. The first order of business is to get a copy of the key to Mick Jagger’s apartment. It’s planned as a military-like operation with precision timing. This turns out badly when the gang can’t even synchronize their watches. Each week, the gang accomplishes one more thing to get them inside Mick Jagger’s digs.
The characters are all eccentric, funny, and bumbling, except for Sofia. She is the smartest person in the gang. The Knights plan even seems plausible when they get the key. But getting the job done will be the basis for many funny situations to develop. During the first five minutes, I was hooked by the snappy writing and nutty characters. With no laugh track and shot on film, this series is an instant hit. Just watch it once and one is an official Knights’ junkie.
This is exactly the type of oddball comedy that ABC needs to compete with cable’s creative expansion. This show is so off the wall, it opens up endless comedy situations and moves the cast of screwups into uncharted waters. But it’s the innovative writing and comedic acting that will sustain the series, as the lovable cast figure out how pull off their caper. The Knights of Prosperity is a winner on ABC on Wednesday nights at 9:00 pm ET.
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