WhatвЂ™s left is a relationship between the two men consistent with the best duos. Women remain muses or punch lines, never anything in between. But of course, thatвЂ™s the joke: the Conchords canвЂ™t resolve their feelings about women - as a class or as individual romantic partners. Rather, they insist, their eyes are вЂњjust sweaty today.вЂќ It was curious that the very woman who inspired the episodeвЂ™s title song ended up not worth admitting even a single tear. So when Sally (Rachel Blanchard) dumped Jemaine on a city sidewalk, before she even finished delivering her break-up speech, he walked away from her to begin another song (one of my favorite moments was her remaining in the shotвЂ™s background, hands raised in confusion), this one an вЂNSYNC-style ballad, вЂњIвЂ™m Not Crying,вЂќ in which both men denied they were crying over a woman.

The Conchords see no sense bothering such delicate creatures, unless doing so romantically, or to punctuate their own egos. Though they objectified women throughout, their attitude stemmed from an inflated, hallowed regard (see: Prince). Jemaine and Bret are no doubt more charming when singing вЂњLetвЂ™s go to my house/We can feel each other up on the couch,вЂќ than when clumsily taking a girl some place вЂњromantic and cheapвЂќ for a date. The first tune of the series, вЂњPart-time Model,вЂќ served as a serenade at a small party, explaining to a leggy and silent blonde how attractive she was, especially compared to air hostesses in the вЂ™60s, high-class prostitutes, and trees. In this episode, hot women were the chief reason the boys broke out into song at all. Jemaine declared smugly, вЂњYouвЂ™re right, I do talk about getting with some pretty hot women.вЂќ When a frustrated Jemaine rattled off his dating history back in New Zealand - вЂњSarah Fitzpatrick, Michelle Fitzpatrick, Claire Fitzpatrick, the list goes onвЂќ - Bret observed that even though he canвЂ™t land any American women, the ones he talked about вЂњgetting onвЂќ sound hotter than the girls back home. Instead, they would be hormone-driven idiots, no matter the hemisphere they inhabit. Though the two foreigners appear dim-witted, itвЂ™s not because they are вЂњforeignвЂќ (take that, Borat).

As the three met in MurrayвЂ™s office and hatched a plan for filming their first music video (the boys in homemade robot suits, filmed on a cell phone camera), a tourism poster on the back wall read, вЂњNew Zealand: DonвЂ™t expect too much - youвЂ™ll love it!вЂќ This initiated the episodeвЂ™s running joke about their native countryвЂ™s obscurity in the States, while lending an exoticism to the bandвЂ™s formulaic struggle-to-fame plight. Both from New Zealand, Jemaine and Brett comprise the group, living on pennies in a teeny Manhattan apartment, presumably trying to make it big with the help of a daft, yet doting, part-time agent Murray (Rhys Darby), who also works as a low-rung cultural attache at the New Zealand consulate. Rather than provide awkward backstory, the 17 June premiere вЂњSally,вЂќ began more or less in media res, on what seemed to be an average day for the Conchords. But the Conchords are sophisticated in their use of musical influences (think homage more than parody), so when they break into song, itвЂ™s less a gimmick and more a comedic coda, tying scenes and themes together quite nicely. This is not to say that theyвЂ™re headed for the top of any pop chart their songs are too mired in plot and irony. WhatвЂ™s initially impressive about the Conchords is their firm, collective grasp of pop music history, as both Clement and Brett McKenzie are confident, competent singer-songwriters with the versatility to channel anyone from Barry White to Radiohead (the duoвЂ™s вЂњbinary soloвЂќ during the premiere episode was especially inspired, and funny). Or it might be that, like many independent artists, the Conchords invoke their influences freely and intelligently, creating something fresher and smarter than their precursors. Maybe itвЂ™s the ConchordsвЂ™ frontman Jemaine ClementвЂ™s вЂњindieвЂќ look, like a square-jawed David Cross with more hair and better t-shirts. Perhaps itвЂ™s their Tenacious D-style acoustic comic rock. ThereвЂ™s something familiar about the titular band of HBOвЂ™s newest comedy show, Flight of the Conchords. YouвЂ™re so beautiful, you could be a waitress.

Flight of the conchords jemaine clement