Impractical Jokers
2011
Original language: English
- comedy
The story
This hidden-camera series follows four lifelong friends -- Brian "Q"' Quinn, James "Murr"' Murray, Joe Gatto and Sal Vulcano -- who take dares to an outrageous level. To find out who is best under pressure, the guys compete in awkward and outrageous hidden-camera hijinks with the loser performing what is deemed to be the most-mortifying challenge yet.
What it’s like
Bright, flat daylight and the bustle of ordinary public places: sidewalks, supermarket aisles, crowded street corners, shot in a plain handheld style that keeps the camera close and the mood unfussy. Hidden-camera footage with a lot of cutaways to the four friends sitting in a dim, orange-lit studio, reacting and bickering over the replay. The soundtrack is a bouncy, cheerful pop-and-funk bed that cuts out for deadpan reaction beats, and the laughter of the strangers caught in the middle is often the loudest thing in the room. Vibe: cheerful, chaotic, loose and affectionate, the kind of show that works as background while folding laundry or as a shared laugh on a lazy weekend afternoon. Pacing is quick, with short challenges stacked into an episode and a steady rhythm of escalating dares and groans. The emotional register is teasing and warm; the four men clearly love each other, and the running arc is their rivalry and who gets humbled next. Intensity is low: the humiliation is social and verbal, with lots of awkward situations and some crude language and innuendo, but no real violence, gore or fear. Suited to viewers who want easy, good-natured laughs and a bit of mischief, though those who dislike the discomfort of watching strangers get flustered may find it uneasy.
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