Posted on: Friday, October 22, 2004
Mel Gibson focusing on the tube
By Lynn Elber
Associated Press
Mel Gibson leans forward, scrutinizing a monitor showing a rehearsal for his latest project. He's not directing a sweeping battle à la his Oscar-winning "Braveheart."
In this run-through for "Complete Savages," the conflict is between five brothers and the cantankerous neighbor (Betty White) who's holding hostage a family basketball. They beg and plead. She assaults them with her cane.
"Comedy," Gibson murmurs with satisfaction.
Yes, it's comedy and small-screen comedy, to boot — "Complete Savages" is a freshman sitcom for ABC. Keith Carradine stars as a single father trying to keep order among his teenage boys.
Carradine describes Gibson as a sitcom novice but a natural. "He has an incredible comedic sense. His brain for comedy seems to be wired halfway between the Three Stooges and Chuck Jones," Carradine said, referring to the late animator behind Bugs Bunny and other cartoon classics.
Although he's had great success with movies, Gibson's focus for the moment is on television. His Icon Productions company is behind the new dramas "Clubhouse" on CBS and "Kevin Hill" on UPN as well as "Complete Savages."
Neither major network show is burning up the Nielsen ratings. "Complete Savages" drew 5.3 million viewers last week while "Clubhouse" drew 8.4 million.
It's not a scene with the transcendent suffering of his "The Passion of the Christ."
Mel Gibson
Gibson is giving the show everything he's got as executive producer and, for several episodes, as director. He's even pulling triple duty in tonight's episode with a cameo.
'Complete Savages'
