Mockumentaries are an ever-popular genre in TV thanks to recent successes like Abbott Elementary and What We Do in The Shadows. Mixing documentary realism with broader character comedy, mockumentaries have the ability to instantly sell an audience on its premise, and its world. “Any Given Saturday Afternoon”, the seventh episode of the third season of the IFC mockumentary series Documentary Now! takes the best of the mockumentary format and imbues it with a surprisingly compelling cast of characters, living in hilarious neo-realist settings.
Alt-Universe Bowling
Broadway Video
Documentary NOW! is a comedy series created by SNL alumni Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, and Rhys Thomas. Each episode acts as an installment of the nonexistent, long-running “Documentary Now” program, hosted by Helen Miren. “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” is included in season 52, which adds to the mockumentary-friendly idea of a realistic, but off-center reality.
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Where most mockumentaries follow outrageous characters in a grounded world, “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” actually depicts a stilted reality as well, where professional bowling is the most popular competitive sport in America. In one interview, a producer claims that Joe Montana was nobody compared to the rock stars of sports, bowlers. Sub-alternate realities are not uncommon for mockumentaries, such as Wellington Paranormal, where police officers deal with ghosts and the like. But “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” distances itself from other mockumentaries by thoroughly establishing an alternate timeline with only a few changes that make a society-altering difference. The bulk of the episode takes place in an alternate 2003, but marks the timeline earlier, including clips from the ’60s through the ’90s.
A Cast of Champions
Even in a half-hour format, “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” delivers on a line-up of well-defined characters that are all fun to watch. Just as the episode creates a timeline of the bowling sensation, it also works to establish bowlers with decades of experience and shared history. There are three bowlers highlighted throughout the episode, each of which go through their own personal journey and find an understanding of themselves through bowling.
Perhaps the most off-putting Billy May “Dead Eyes” Dempsey, the all-star bowler played by Michael C. Hall. Most known for his role as serial killer Dexter Morgan in the Showtime series Dexter, Michael C. Hall channels some of the unnerving nature of his most iconic role into Billy May Dempsey, while still playing completely against type. The champion bowler is introduced by his nickname, which refers to the empty look Dempsey wears once he sits down after bowling. Where Dexter Morgan is meticulous with his murders, Billy May Dempsey is meticulous with his manners. Years after the final televised bowling competition of 1992, Billy May Dempsey lives in a retirement community, despite being much younger than the rest of the residents. Dempsey’s innocent nature brings out a more comedic side of Hall that is rarely seen, yet is some of his best work. Billy May Dempsey’s talent is comparable to athletes that are dubbed prodigies, out of a lack of understanding as to why they play so well.
Just ahead of his success with Netflix’s I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson lights up as legacy bowler Rick Kenmore. Directly based on professional bowler Pete Weber, famous for the “who do you think you are, I am!” viral meme, Robinson’s Rick Kenmore is dubbed the “bad boy of bowling”. He represents the generational nature of sports, as Kenmore’s own father is the winningest bowler in history. Bobby Moynihan rounds out the cast as Larry Hawburger, the proclaimed heart of televised bowlers, who immediately chokes on his first chance at a comeback. Larry represents the diehard fans of a sport. These three leads each bring a different, viable perspective to organized sports, seen through the lens of an outrageous televised bowling league.
Mastery of the Format
The defining attribute that sets “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” apart from other mockumentaries on TV is its applications of the mockumentary format. Where most mockumentaries aim to satirize a certain idea or environment, Documentary Now! episodes, including “Any Given Saturday Afternoon”, directly riff off of real documentaries. In the case of “Any Given…”, the basis is A League of Ordinary Gentlemen, a 2003 film about a pro bowling league, and its attempts at television success. Besides riffing off of a few scenes from A League of Ordinary Gentleman, “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” takes it one step further by playing with the original film’s very premise, and delivering the televised bowling phenomenon that the film’s subjects dream of it to be. With this parodic approach, “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” is more direct in its purpose, and more fruitful in its results. Operating within the confines of a documentary parody leads to more concise comedy, riffing off of specific bowling in-jokes and references. The aesthetics are also matched between the two, as old TV footage is sized to the original standard definition 4:3 aspect ratio. One scene of “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” is almost a shot-for-shot recreation of one in A League of Ordinary Gentlemen, save for the wildly different characters featured.
Despite its runtime being under half an hour, “Any Given Saturday Afternoon” packs in more outrageous characters, comedic set-ups, and throwaway references than entire other series of TV shows. With a stellar cast, an engaging setting, and a strong basis in parody, the bowling farce will impact more than a viewer’s afternoon.
