Awkward moments can be funny, but they aren't automatically going to be as the lazy writing of this show attests. The mockumentary thing just seems tired at this point, taking cues from Christopher Guest (Best In Show, Waiting For Guffman, A Mighty Wind), Ricky Gervais (The Office), Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and The Daily Show's field reporter's bits, at best without really bringing anything new to the table, at worst significantly dumbing their influences down. This show is just as good or bad as Reno 911, and like that show I think Dog Bites Man's limited appeal lies more in engaging the viewer with the plots and characters than in the moments and lines intended to pass for gags.

• This show was originally developed at NBC under the title "American Lives", but the network ultimately passed on the pilot.