Hype - The Cure for Pain
Genre: Crime / Dark Comedy
Director: Stephen Merchant
Writer: Dominic Wilkins
Cast: Seth Green, Charles Baker, Nick Swardson, Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Merchant, David Cross, Daniel Stern and Sarah Polley
Plot:
David (Seth Green) is putting on his raging rabbit costume. He’s in the stands at the local little league baseball stadium. One of the newest rookie, Steve Dunn (Nick Swardson) is next to him in a squirrel costume. David teaches him to slide town a stairwell and land gracefully on his feet. He brought along their superfan Wilson Devereaux (David Cross) to judge if Steve is ready. David, who’s been doing this for a long time, does it like it’s nothing. Steve tries to replicate his movement, but he falls midway through, hurting himself. Wilson says their newest recruits are trash and David says to go easy on him, it’s not easy, he would like to see him try. Steve decides to head back to the locker room, he doesn’t think it’s the right move from him. David takes off his costume and lands it to Wilson, who wants to prove he can do it, but first he wants David to take a picture of him in the costume, he can’t believe he’s wearing it. Wilson tries to slide down the stairs and hurts himself. David says he told him so and he heads out in the locker room, only to see Steve taking a bunch of painkillers, the thing he’s addicted to.
David tells his girlfriend Jessie (Sarah Polley) that it isn’t going to work. She says she saw it coming with her psychic powers and told him so, but he doesn’t believe her so called powers have nothing to do with it, it was just common sense to think that taking a bunch of drug addicts and put them in mascot costumes would work. Jessie says that it worked for him though. David says he doesn’t have an addiction, but Jessie asks him not to lie about it. She read his hand the other day and everything pointed towards alcohol addiction. David asks her if it was more the traditional signs of alcoholism that gave it up and Jessie is mad that he doesn’t believe in her psychic powers. She turns around and closes he nightlight.
The next morning, David comes into work and enters Sarah’s (Alicia Silverstone) office. He tells her that it isn’t going to work and she asks him why not. He says they can’t hire drug addicts like that, they are still vulnerable. He caught Steve swallowing painkillers yesterday. The mascot business isn’t for everyone. Sarah thinks otherwise. She believes she’s giving them a second chance in life after everyone else gave up on them, and besides what he might think, being a mascot isn’t a noble job. He wants to know what her “big plan” is for the business and she says he just has to wait and see.
They come out of her office and take the presence. Everyone is there, except Dennis. Sarah asks if anyone knows where Dennis lives and Chuck (Charles Baker) says he does. David waves his hand in front of Steve, who doesn’t respond right away. He points it out to Sarah who notices Steve is probably high on painkillers. She says it’s better for him to be there than for him to be out on the streets. Sarah asks for David to go to the stadium with Chuck and Steve while she takes care of Dennis.
Sarah stops at Dr. Stewart’s office on her way to Cholowski’s. She brings Stewart (Stephen Merchant) with him because she’s afraid of what she might find. They knock on the door, but don’t hear anyone. She knocks again, still no response. Stewart tries for the handle, it’s unlocked. They get inside his house and can’t believe how dirty it is. Stewart finds Dennis (Daniel Stern), passed out on the ground. Sarah is horrified, but Stewart assures her he isn’t dead. He finds crystal next to him.
David is practicing the mascot drills with Chuck and Steve. Wilson is also there, monitoring them. David asks him if he leaves in the little league stadium and Wilson says he wonders the same thing sometimes. David warns him that it is pretty suspicious to see a lonely middle aged man hanging around a place prominently frequented by kids. His brown tracksuit doesn’t help his case either. Chuck is done with the drills and he stops by David. David asks him if he’s doing good and Chuck says he just wants to turn his life around, leave this dark chapter of his life behind. It thinks this is fun, it’s the cure for his internal pain. David is glad he likes it and he could very well be good at this if he keeps practicing.
Sarah arrives at the stadium, alone. They ask her if Dennis is alright and she says he’s doing fine. She tells there’s a game tonight and you knowhow passionate kids are about their kids. She just needs them to put on a good show between the fifth and sixth inning. That’s all she needs. The organizers already know about it and they need them to race each other. Of course, they should entertain everyone during the game, but they should go all out for the race. She says Chuck and Steve will have sponsored costumes, so it will bring in extra income, David will keep the local team’s mascot costume. She tries to leave, but David asks her if her “big plan” was just to get sponsored mascots and she tells him to wait and see.
During the game, David is his usual self, but he can’t dare to watch his new colleagues, botching every move and choreography. The only thing they are able to do is take pictures with children, not that it’s hard. The time has come for the race and superfan Wilson Devereaux introduces the contestants. The crowd is behind David and it lets the mascots know. The run goes exactly as they planned with everything going well. David is victorious and the crowd is happy. From the crowd, Sarah looks on, satisfied.
After the game, she meets up with her mascots. Dennis is with her this time. She unzips a sports bag, filled with money. David asks her where she got all that money and she says it comes from the concession stands. He asks her how she got the money and she says that for a man of his height, he sure asks a lot of questions. He can leave that to her and he keeps doing what he does best. No questions asked and the money will be there. Chuck counts the money with Steve. They both say that they’ve never held this much money in their hands. Steve says he could buy a week’s worth of painkillers with it and Sarah says that’s what she wants them to forget. Chuck says being a mascot is truly the cure for his pain, he hasn’t thought about heroin all day. David pats him on the back saying he did a great job.
When David comes back home with his part of the money, Jessie is proclaims that she saw it in a vision. David rolls his eyes and asks her to keep quiet about it, before going to bed. What a crazy day.
David (Seth Green) is putting on his raging rabbit costume. He’s in the stands at the local little league baseball stadium. One of the newest rookie, Steve Dunn (Nick Swardson) is next to him in a squirrel costume. David teaches him to slide town a stairwell and land gracefully on his feet. He brought along their superfan Wilson Devereaux (David Cross) to judge if Steve is ready. David, who’s been doing this for a long time, does it like it’s nothing. Steve tries to replicate his movement, but he falls midway through, hurting himself. Wilson says their newest recruits are trash and David says to go easy on him, it’s not easy, he would like to see him try. Steve decides to head back to the locker room, he doesn’t think it’s the right move from him. David takes off his costume and lands it to Wilson, who wants to prove he can do it, but first he wants David to take a picture of him in the costume, he can’t believe he’s wearing it. Wilson tries to slide down the stairs and hurts himself. David says he told him so and he heads out in the locker room, only to see Steve taking a bunch of painkillers, the thing he’s addicted to.
David tells his girlfriend Jessie (Sarah Polley) that it isn’t going to work. She says she saw it coming with her psychic powers and told him so, but he doesn’t believe her so called powers have nothing to do with it, it was just common sense to think that taking a bunch of drug addicts and put them in mascot costumes would work. Jessie says that it worked for him though. David says he doesn’t have an addiction, but Jessie asks him not to lie about it. She read his hand the other day and everything pointed towards alcohol addiction. David asks her if it was more the traditional signs of alcoholism that gave it up and Jessie is mad that he doesn’t believe in her psychic powers. She turns around and closes he nightlight.
The next morning, David comes into work and enters Sarah’s (Alicia Silverstone) office. He tells her that it isn’t going to work and she asks him why not. He says they can’t hire drug addicts like that, they are still vulnerable. He caught Steve swallowing painkillers yesterday. The mascot business isn’t for everyone. Sarah thinks otherwise. She believes she’s giving them a second chance in life after everyone else gave up on them, and besides what he might think, being a mascot isn’t a noble job. He wants to know what her “big plan” is for the business and she says he just has to wait and see.
They come out of her office and take the presence. Everyone is there, except Dennis. Sarah asks if anyone knows where Dennis lives and Chuck (Charles Baker) says he does. David waves his hand in front of Steve, who doesn’t respond right away. He points it out to Sarah who notices Steve is probably high on painkillers. She says it’s better for him to be there than for him to be out on the streets. Sarah asks for David to go to the stadium with Chuck and Steve while she takes care of Dennis.
Sarah stops at Dr. Stewart’s office on her way to Cholowski’s. She brings Stewart (Stephen Merchant) with him because she’s afraid of what she might find. They knock on the door, but don’t hear anyone. She knocks again, still no response. Stewart tries for the handle, it’s unlocked. They get inside his house and can’t believe how dirty it is. Stewart finds Dennis (Daniel Stern), passed out on the ground. Sarah is horrified, but Stewart assures her he isn’t dead. He finds crystal next to him.
David is practicing the mascot drills with Chuck and Steve. Wilson is also there, monitoring them. David asks him if he leaves in the little league stadium and Wilson says he wonders the same thing sometimes. David warns him that it is pretty suspicious to see a lonely middle aged man hanging around a place prominently frequented by kids. His brown tracksuit doesn’t help his case either. Chuck is done with the drills and he stops by David. David asks him if he’s doing good and Chuck says he just wants to turn his life around, leave this dark chapter of his life behind. It thinks this is fun, it’s the cure for his internal pain. David is glad he likes it and he could very well be good at this if he keeps practicing.
Sarah arrives at the stadium, alone. They ask her if Dennis is alright and she says he’s doing fine. She tells there’s a game tonight and you knowhow passionate kids are about their kids. She just needs them to put on a good show between the fifth and sixth inning. That’s all she needs. The organizers already know about it and they need them to race each other. Of course, they should entertain everyone during the game, but they should go all out for the race. She says Chuck and Steve will have sponsored costumes, so it will bring in extra income, David will keep the local team’s mascot costume. She tries to leave, but David asks her if her “big plan” was just to get sponsored mascots and she tells him to wait and see.
During the game, David is his usual self, but he can’t dare to watch his new colleagues, botching every move and choreography. The only thing they are able to do is take pictures with children, not that it’s hard. The time has come for the race and superfan Wilson Devereaux introduces the contestants. The crowd is behind David and it lets the mascots know. The run goes exactly as they planned with everything going well. David is victorious and the crowd is happy. From the crowd, Sarah looks on, satisfied.
After the game, she meets up with her mascots. Dennis is with her this time. She unzips a sports bag, filled with money. David asks her where she got all that money and she says it comes from the concession stands. He asks her how she got the money and she says that for a man of his height, he sure asks a lot of questions. He can leave that to her and he keeps doing what he does best. No questions asked and the money will be there. Chuck counts the money with Steve. They both say that they’ve never held this much money in their hands. Steve says he could buy a week’s worth of painkillers with it and Sarah says that’s what she wants them to forget. Chuck says being a mascot is truly the cure for his pain, he hasn’t thought about heroin all day. David pats him on the back saying he did a great job.
When David comes back home with his part of the money, Jessie is proclaims that she saw it in a vision. David rolls his eyes and asks her to keep quiet about it, before going to bed. What a crazy day.
Hype off to a darkly humorous start with addictions to alcohol, painkillers, heroin, meth and sports all getting their moments. Seth Green is an interesting choice as the sad-sack lead. I will be tuning in next time to see where Wilkins and Merchant are planning on taking this tragically comedic premise.
The feel I get from the pilot doesn't reassure me for the rest of the series. Following the long development progress and script troubles, the characters feel like they are known simply from their problems and seem to be puppets for the showrunners to use at their ease, without proper character development, especially in the supporting cast.
For a show that had a troubled development from script to screen, I must say that Dominic Wilkins really worked his way out of the hole, with a dark kind of comedy that translates well to the screen with Stephen Merchant's style. Definitely intriguing and an original premise, I'll tune in next week.
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