Tim Daly's Comedy Skill - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

pilotguy · 04-29-2003, 06:12 PM

In watching various "Wings" episodes, I find myself intrigued by the comedy skill of Tim Daly.

Tim will go through a string of episodes where he isn't funny at ALL....He's simply playing "straight man" for the other characters.
But then every so often an episode will come along (like "Ladies Who Lunch" or "My Brother's Keeper") where Tim is a royal HOOT!

In those episodes, he'll be delivering comedy lines with great timing and making funny "confused guy" facial expressions (but not over-the-top mugging).

I guess that it was a matter of the writers giving Tim something funny to do or to react to....but when he was given the chance to be funny, he could be VERY funny!

I know that Tim's been devoting a lot of acting time to serious roles lately, but I really think that he could become an expert "light" comedian in the Cary Grant tradition....but then I'm also surprised that Steven Weber's upcoming role will be that of a lawyer in a TV DRAMA!

These guys need to be making us LAUGH again!

denvercenter · 04-29-2003, 07:05 PM

Seeing them expand their roles makes them a better actors. This would be almost the same as saying to see Eddie Murphy still on SNL. Yet we would not have seen him on such Movies as Coming to America or The Klumps.

Seeing the actor of Lowell forgot his name but he was in Tombstone as I recall. He bothered Val Kilmer in the seen of the piano.

pilotguy · 04-29-2003, 07:12 PM

I see your point on that....perhaps I should rephrase my last statement:

Instead of saying "Those guys need to be making us LAUGH again!", I SHOULD say:

"WE need those guys to be making us laugh again!"...and boy, do we EVER!

Chocoholic · 04-29-2003, 07:24 PM

I remember seeing Tim on The Fugitive when it came out.

I like him better in comedy. And I'll admit, I'm one of the two dozen or so people who actually liked The Weber Show.

I agree, we need those guys to make us laugh again. Heck, sitcoms in general should start making us laugh again.

losthighway · 04-29-2003, 10:08 PM

Snoopy, count me in as one of the two dozen who liked The Weber show. Or at least I liked it once they added Paula Marshall to the cast. I think Steven Weber has great comedic timing and he and Marshall were good together. I could have done without Chris Elliott however.

Adamantium · 04-29-2003, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Snoopy
I remember seeing Tim on The Fugitive when it came out. I like him better in comedy. And I'll admit, I'm one of the two dozen or so people who actually liked The Weber Show.

I agree, we need those guys to make us laugh again. Heck, sitcoms in general should start making us laugh again.

I'm a fan of both "The Fugitive" and "The Weber Show." I taped every episode of both shows and watch them every so often. I thought Steven Weber was hilarious in "Cursed/The Weber Show." I thought Tim Daly did a pretty good job in The Fugitive. However, I too prefer Tim in "Wings." It was actually my love for Wings that got me to watch both shows. And I as upset when they were both cancelled. "The Fugitive" ended with a cliff hanger, too. The One-Armed man shot in Kimble's direction, and I think we are supposed to think he was shot. Back to the topic ... what was the topic again?

HaskellGirl · 04-29-2003, 11:36 PM

I think on Wings, Tim Daly sometimes gets overshadowed by Steven Weber, because of their characters. Brian just has this light and energry around him, and Joe, like everyone said, is the straight-man. But I agree, sometimes Tim gets the chance to shine, and I love those times.

This is a bit obscure, but I absolutely love the scene where Joe and Brian are talking to Bunny, and she said she always fantasized about making it with 2 co-workers. Brian says something like "Well, I'm sorry, but that is just not going to happen" then turns to Joe and asks "is it?" Joe responds by saying "No, its not", and Brian quickly jumps on board with "Its not going to happen!". Anyway, I thought both Steven Weber and Tim Daly were excellent in this tiny exchange. Tim was playing the straight-man again, but still, he was brilliant. But I do love it when Joe gets to be the funny one at times. I think both Tim and Steven are wonderful actors, and both have comic and drama talent.

04-29-2003, 06:12 PM	#1
pilotguy Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 09, 2003 Posts: 1,305	Tim Daly's Comedy Skill In watching various "Wings" episodes, I find myself intrigued by the comedy skill of Tim Daly. Tim will go through a string of episodes where he isn't funny at ALL....He's simply playing "straight man" for the other characters. But then every so often an episode will come along (like "Ladies Who Lunch" or "My Brother's Keeper") where Tim is a royal HOOT! In those episodes, he'll be delivering comedy lines with great timing and making funny "confused guy" facial expressions (but not over-the-top mugging). I guess that it was a matter of the writers giving Tim something funny to do or to react to....but when he was given the chance to be funny, he could be VERY funny! I know that Tim's been devoting a lot of acting time to serious roles lately, but I really think that he could become an expert "light" comedian in the Cary Grant tradition....but then I'm also surprised that Steven Weber's upcoming role will be that of a lawyer in a TV DRAMA! These guys need to be making us LAUGH again!

04-29-2003, 07:05 PM	#2
denvercenter Airline Historian Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 07, 2003 Location: KDEN, DEN this is Aviation Talk for Airport Location. Posts: 79	That is true! But..... Seeing them expand their roles makes them a better actors. This would be almost the same as saying to see Eddie Murphy still on SNL. Yet we would not have seen him on such Movies as Coming to America or The Klumps. Seeing the actor of Lowell forgot his name but he was in Tombstone as I recall. He bothered Val Kilmer in the seen of the piano.

04-29-2003, 07:12 PM	#3
pilotguy Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 09, 2003 Posts: 1,305	I see your point on that....perhaps I should rephrase my last statement: Instead of saying "Those guys need to be making us LAUGH again!", I SHOULD say: "WE need those guys to be making us laugh again!"...and boy, do we EVER!

04-29-2003, 07:24 PM	#4
Chocoholic Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,235	I remember seeing Tim on The Fugitive when it came out. I like him better in comedy. And I'll admit, I'm one of the two dozen or so people who actually liked The Weber Show. I agree, we need those guys to make us laugh again. Heck, sitcoms in general should start making us laugh again.

04-29-2003, 10:08 PM	#5
losthighway Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 14, 2003 Posts: 370	Snoopy, count me in as one of the two dozen who liked The Weber show. Or at least I liked it once they added Paula Marshall to the cast. I think Steven Weber has great comedic timing and he and Marshall were good together. I could have done without Chris Elliott however.

04-29-2003, 11:36 PM	#7
HaskellGirl Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 15, 2002 Posts: 590	I think on Wings, Tim Daly sometimes gets overshadowed by Steven Weber, because of their characters. Brian just has this light and energry around him, and Joe, like everyone said, is the straight-man. But I agree, sometimes Tim gets the chance to shine, and I love those times. This is a bit obscure, but I absolutely love the scene where Joe and Brian are talking to Bunny, and she said she always fantasized about making it with 2 co-workers. Brian says something like "Well, I'm sorry, but that is just not going to happen" then turns to Joe and asks "is it?" Joe responds by saying "No, its not", and Brian quickly jumps on board with "Its not going to happen!". Anyway, I thought both Steven Weber and Tim Daly were excellent in this tiny exchange. Tim was playing the straight-man again, but still, he was brilliant. But I do love it when Joe gets to be the funny one at times. I think both Tim and Steven are wonderful actors, and both have comic and drama talent.