Move on to the living room: a “well-arranged” series

“They arranged it well” [en parlant du défunt dans son cercueil]I’ve heard this 1000 times.

A couple spoke to us for almost an hour in front of my grandfather’s coffin, before realizing that he was in the wrong room and that he had died in the wrong way!

Maybe that’s why comedies set in a funeral home have always made me laugh. Starting with this scene from Elvis Gratton where Linda goes from tears to laughter as she recounts the deeds of her deceased Bob, before the coffin falls and damages the King.

Come to the living roomthe new comedy about a family of undertakers, will certainly not be as burlesque, even though it will oscillate between laughter and emotion. Straight out of the oven [crématoire]this 10 half-hour series arrives on your screens on Wednesday January 8 at 9 p.m., on TVA.

For once, no need for a platform, it’s free.

The idea was born when Jean-Michel Anctil and Louis-Philippe Dandenault, who barely knew each other, crossed paths at a funeral. The time was long, the two started talking to each other and laughing, laughing, until they burst into laughter, to the point of isolating themselves so as not to disturb the others.

Anctil then looked at Dandenault, proposing the idea of ​​creating a duo in a series. All that remained was to find the story and the right people to put it into images.

Co-produced by Attraction and Trinome et Filles, Come to the living room begins when Pierre-Guy Ostiguy (Vincent Bilodeau), from the Ostiguy et Frères funeral home, dies suddenly.

Alone in management, her sister-in-law Paulette (Chantal Baril), about to leave in an RV to Florida with her boyfriend Raynald (Roger Léger), has difficulty leaving the salon in the hands of her son Daniel (Jean- Michel Anctil), perfect for taking care of the dead, but terribly clumsy with the living.

Paulette’s second son, Luc (Louis-Philippe Dandenault), would do even less well. A former NHL player, he is irresponsible, in debt and constantly gets himself into trouble. The complete opposite of his brother Daniel.

We quickly understand that the two brothers will have to learn to work together, closely supervised by their mother Paulette. But of course, things are going to go badly.

It turns out that Luke has a particularly weak point: he is afraid of the dead. There is no question of him going down to the embalming room, where he has not set foot since he was seven years old.

Daniel, for his part, is a master in preparing the dead.

Even if Come to the living room is not of the caliber of Beautiful discomfortsshe makes us have a good time. We’re curious to know how these two will be able to make the salon work despite their differences.

Jean-Michel Anctil completely inhabits his character. We feel him at ease in this role of a somewhat uptight, clumsy, but well-intentioned and calm man. Only his brother manages to make him angry.

The comedian now prefers playing to being on stage, mainly because he plays other people’s texts, less pressure on his shoulders, and he is no longer alone, but surrounded by work colleagues.

“If there are people who have had to experience bereavement, I hope it will do them good. […] At my funeral, I want people to laugh, not cry.”

— Jean-Michel Anctil

Speaking of deaths, Jean-Michel Anctil specifies that his character as police captain in Alerts did indeed die in the last episode, if you were still wondering.

Chantal Baril, whom I found exceptional in Miscellaneous factsdoes not disappoint as an overprotective mother of her son Luc, from whom she lets everything pass.

It’s she who has the funniest lines, like when she points out to Daniel, in the middle of embalming, that his brother-in-law’s remains are made up too dark.

“Lower it two tones!” I just saw the funeral wreath, it’s going to be offensive!”

The author Maxime Caron says that this is nothing compared to everything that the thanatologists who were consulted for the series told him.

“Much worse things are said! It’s everyday life for them. […] I have been told that people have already brought the wrong dentures for the deceased. If I had put this in the series, it would have been too much slapstick [burlesque]», confides the one who was part of the team of authors of Parentamong others.

Even if we have the impression that the exhibition of the dead is increasingly rare, Maxime Caron emphasizes that outside of large centers, a very high percentage of deceased people are still exposed in their coffins, like in the good old time.

Emi Chicoine, Jade The eye of the stormplays the new intern, who arrives in the middle of this circus. A first in class who has her demands and who challenges Daniel, already an ace in thanatology.

Myriam Fournier plays the esoteric florist, convinced that the dead speak to her and with whom Daniel is secretly in love.

Louis-Philippe Dandenault, who is rarely called for comedic roles, is delighted to finally exploit this talent in him. Seeing him in his character of Luc, one wonders why he is only offered dramatic roles, often big-arm criminals.

“Comedy is what I’ve wanted to do since the start of my career. There is nothing more fun than making people laugh.”

— Louis-Philippe Dandenault, who only plays dramatic roles

Come to the living room was filmed in a real funeral home in a rural setting, in Sainte-Martine in Montérégie. Jean-Michel Anctil, who actively participates in the development of the intrigues with Louis-Philippe Dandenault, had to learn the basics of the work of a thanatologist, at least the broad outlines, to ensure credibility for his work on screen.

Even though the uncle appears to his nephew in a dream, we are told that the series is not inspired by Six Feet Underthis great HBO series which remains among the best that the United States has given us and in which the father spoke to his loved ones, even once dead.

Come to the living room comes at the right time, when we are lacking comedies in Quebec; It is harder to make people laugh than to make people cry, it is well known.

TVA is waiting to see the reactions before ordering a sequel.

CELEBRITIES ALSO KNOW HOW TO COOK

I was expecting a show where stars would do their best in front of the stove or take the competition lightly. It was very poor knowing the winner Eve-Marie Lortie and all the competitors of MasterChef Celebrities Holiday Seasonwho gave their all on Sunday evening on TVA.

A 90-minute blast, which seemed like half of it and which I encourage you to catch up on TVA+.

When I saw Eve-Marie Lortie in despair at having to make a log with fruit cake as an ingredient, which she deeply hates, I thought it was done.

On the contrary, the dessert delighted the judges and earned them a place in the final.

Even Varda and Fabien Cloutier’s slightly crumbly pancake log looked appetizing.

Guillaume Cyr and Nathalie Simard didn’t give away their places either with their dishes, impressing the judges, Martin Picard and Stefano Faita. All six had their place in this kitchen.

The show attracted 1,101,000 viewers, just behind The Christmas Cheaterseen by 1,124,000 Sunday evening. To do again next year.

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