In the new HBO show “Eastbound and Down”, Danny McBride plays the outright side-splitting Kenny Powers, a vulgar, drug relapsing, burnt-out, ex-baseball player who is mean to all those around him. His baseball career is down and out due to horrible personal and professional decisions, and when he hits rock bottom he has to move in with his brother’s family in the small town where he grew up. To sustain a living, Kenny must take work as a substitute P.E. teacher at the nearby middle school.
Kenny is shallow and self-centered, and he tends to alienate all those he comes in contact with. To give you an example of how narcissistic he is, he's often seen listening to the audiobook version of his autobiography, narrated by himself. In his mind, he is still a superstar and he still expects to be treated as a superstar.
McBride and the show's director/fellow producer, Jody Hill, have collaborated once before on the equally hilarious movie, “The Foot Fist Way”, and now they are at it again bringing HBO another extraordinary show. McBride carries the show with his bluntness and ability to demean all those around him, and while he shines on this show, the supporting cast also provides stability to his character. Kenny Power’s brother, played by John Hawkes, is one of the only characters in the show that is partially able to keep Kenny’s flamboyant personality grounded and at bay. Also, the faculty at the middle school provide constant conflict and storyline possibilities, especially with his former high school sweetheart, April Buchanan, played by Katy Mixon.
All in all, the show blends together perfectly with the right amount of crude, raunchy humor, personal battles with addiction, and character diversity. I give this show 5/5 stars! *****/*****
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