Kalistan

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M7 Debuts new music show "Travis and Bob"
Two "idiots" spend time watching TV, giggling and doing petty crime
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
December 29, 5559


Bob (Left) and Travis are thinly veiled satires of modern teenagers

In what has been called "the most intelligent new show of the decade," M7 has joined with celebrated underground artist Earl Gabriel to debut a new music series "Travis and Bob."  The show is primarily a music video program that also features short stories about the two titular teenagers' day to day life.  Travis and Bob are "just two guys who literally don't have any ambition or skills, spend their time watching tv and making crude jokes and going around town getting into trouble," said Gabriel, who created the series as a comic strip in his college years.  The cartoon moved off the page and onto television when M7 hired Gabriel and added videos to the program.

"We saw a great opportunity to not only use the program to introduce new music," said M7 Programming Manager Todd Anderson, "but also to kind of turn a mirror onto Kalistani youth culture.  The show is hilarious, and does really well among 14-17 year olds, both male and female, who say they either 'know people exactly like Travis and Bob' or 'are just like Travis and Bob.'  Interestingly enough, while teenagers are laughing at essentially themselves, they also understand the deep satire in the programming.  It's weird and funny and just a great thing."

"Yeah, I know they are making fun of my generation," said teen Daria van Dreesen.  "But I think Earl Gabriel is such a smart guy because he knows exactly the things we find hilarious, and he knows the kind of stuff we do.  It's like he's making fun of us, but we're in on the joke, so its not mean at all.  It is more like a loving tribute."

Each 12 minute episode contains about 6-8 minutes worth of music videos and 4-6 minutes of an unrelated self-contained narrative.  "You don't need to know anything to get into the show.  You find out who Travis and Bob are in the first few seconds of each program.  That's the only exposition you need," said Gabriel.  "These two idiots just spend all day watching M7, making crude jokes and laughing incessantly.  They're basically their own laugh track.  We all know people like that:  the world's a big joke to them.  The rest of the stuff that happens in their day is the most inconsequential nonsense, and as dumb as these two guys are, its sort of like they put just the stupidity in many aspects of daily life into high relief.  The most important thing they will do all day is watch tv and make commentary on the music videos they see.  And in a way, they are also the most astute critics of pop culture--they basically say on television what everyone is saying about a lot of these videos, and they spend their time making fun of the channel that is playing the cartoon.  Its so meta, and I am glad that M7 can take a joke too, because really its making fun of them."

Parent groups have already complained about the program.  "This show is completely vulgar," said Stewart McVicker.  "This show depicts two delinquents who do nothing with their lives, who are utter slackers, and who really have no problem with that.  They model awful behavior, and if anyone follows their example, we are in trouble as a nation.  Shame on M7 for putting this vulgarity on television, and I hope parents groups get together to boycott this show and Mr. Gabriel."  M7 has waived off the concerns and Gabriel said he invites the hate.

"If you don't find this show funny, don't watch it," said Gabriel.  "It ain't for you.  We're 10 episodes into the first season, and yeah, we do politically incorrect stuff on the program, but the only ones we specifically aim to offend is parents like Mr. McVicker, who spend their time complaining about kids these days.  Everyone else finds the show funny."  

"Travis and Bob" airs in Prime Time at 7pm KST on M7, and then the episode is repeated each night at 11pm.  The channel will premier its full 35 episode first season, with one new episode followed by a repeat.  The first series will premier for 6 weeks, and then re-runs will play until the second season, which has already begun development, starts next September.

[Video: https://youtu.be/NbglZ5j1-es?si=y13n66GXvOpiexXA]
Check out one of the videos on M7's "Travis and Bob" with their take on Sawmilly's "Candy"