By Jae-Ha Kim
Amazon.com
Feb. 21, 2006
Immoral, politically incorrect, and fiercely funny, Action: The Complete Series is a timeless comedy focusing on a group of Hollywood insiders whose moral compass has spun out of control. Led by uber-producer Peter Dragon (Jay Mohr), the series’ first and only season ferociously lampoons the sleaziness of modern-day Hollywood.
Dragon–seemingly the separated-at-birth brother of slimy uber-agent Bob Sugar (also played by Mohr) from Jerry Maguire–is a jerk who pretends to be gay when it’s convenient and doesn’t understand why Salma Hayek (playing herself) would slap him silly for making inappropriate suggestions during an earlier audition.
In Dragon’s lair, sexual harassment is an inconvenience, the screenwriter is an afterthought, and a movie isn’t a film unless it’s got mega-explosions. Mohr and Illeana Douglas (portraying an ex-child star turned prostitute turned studio executive) are a joy to watch. When a sycophantic colleague accuses Dragon of promoting a hooker over him, he calmly says, “She’s my prostitute. You’re my whore.” A subtle difference, yes, but one that makes a world of difference in Hollywood.
If there’s a plus side to this topnotch series being canceled in 1999, it’s that the writers didn’t have time to let the show disintegrate into hackneyed clichés. There is no warm-hearted parable to justify the nasty means–just a lot of quick-witted dialogue and an excellent ensemble cast that makes viewers enjoy the characters despite (or should that be because of?) their numerous flaws.
