Glory Daze - Episode 1.1 - Pilot - Recap

I’m sure by now, everyone has seen the movie Animal House, or the hundreds of movies it spawned, like American Pie. Well, have you ever thought ‘gee, that would make a sweet show, but they should do it in the ‘80s, when everything was cooler?’ Well, if you did, then you should check out Glory Daze on TBS, starting Tuesday, the 17th, at 8 pm.

The show starts off introducing a few freshman to the campus, which fit the archetypes perfectly. We have the Asian, the jock, the geek and the guy trying to get laid. After a really funny scene with Brad Garrett as a parent, we get a scene to establish we are still in school with a hilarious professor played by Tim Meadows (SNL, Ladies Man). Finally, we get to the freshman trying to find a fraternity to pledge. They come upon what might as well be called the Delta house from Animal House, which includes a giant beer bong, people smoking pot, hot women and all around Tom Foolery.

After one of the freshman, Eli gets stoned on pot, he steals a painting of the Delta house’s patriarch, and puts the painting in the hall of fame, only to get him and his friends arrested, which is finally what gets them into the house, by pulling a great prank.

Now, if it sounds clichéd, that’s because it is. This show has nearly every scene from Animal House in the pilot, from the fraternity, to the hint they are on academic probation, to the wise cracking, wise guy at the head of the house. It’s all here, littered with some great ‘80s music and a good performance by Mike Reno, played by Callard Harris.

It was a fun pilot with a young, talented cast, but I have no idea where they will go from here. They’ve used most of the Animal House gags up, and now, I have no idea what is next for the freshman pledges, or the house, but it’s worth another episode or two to see what they come up with.