Austin Stories

Austin Stories was killed off WAY before it ever jumped a shark. This one season wonder from the era when MTV stopped showing music videos and went into the crevasse of "Flavor of Love" still holds up after 15 years.

Every episode is full of one-line timeless gold like "Neckfurters" (the neck fat that bulges up on the back of your head and looks like hot dogs in a package), "Cotton Tops" (older women), "Dipes" (the all-too fresh smelling buddy every guy has). Between the one-liners are three very easy-to-like characters that seem to show up in all of our lives; Chip, the likable dork, Howie, the slick Easterner in Austin, and Laura, the intellectual single with the sharp comeback usually lost on her prey.

Definitely a series worth bringing back with the original cast, or a smart revival with the original cast as cameo players. Some network at some time will remember just how funny these 12 episodes were and cash in on even half of the original brilliance MTV held in its' palm.

This is an addition to an old review of mine (original below, starting with "This Show....")

I just bought the entire series on DVD from a guy on Ebay, so I've now seen all the episodes fresh (I had some on tape, but made the mistake of lending one of the tapes to a hot chick, who decided I didn't need it back--long story and I'm no longer bitter, so let's just drop it. Damn her fine ass...). Anyway, I felt that I must reiterate my previous statements and add that my recent revisiting of the show just amazed me. It was obviously halfway between a slick network sitcom and something by very, very talented amateurs. But even given its very low budget (Hey, MTV was even more cheapass a decade ago) this is one of the top five sitcoms of the Ninties. I mean, right out of the gate with the first episode, each character, all the locations, the situations, the relationships--everything--was perfectly realized. The show didn't start slow and then finally catch it's groove like many do--Austin Stories was gold from episode one and never lost a step over its short 12 ep run. I still find it amazing that the major players in this endeavor haven't hit it big by now. I think most of them are making a living--Laura House is listed as a staff writer for "Blue Collar TV" for example--but I thought Chip, Howie, Chloe, Quentin, Mark, and at least some of the rest would have broken into something big by now. All so talented. And the writing was so great on the show. Reminds me of my younger days (though I was never as cool or dorky as any of the characters, I knew others who were). I still say this show needs a revival, dammit! If freakin' "Strangers With Candy" can be on Comedy Central every five minutes, why not "Austin Stories"? To sum up--if I won the lottery and suddenly had 20 or 30 million, one of the things I'd do is buy the rights to this show (before MTV knew how much money I had) and put it out on disc. Then I'd do my best to hire the cast and writers (esp Howie, Chip, and Laura, of course) and produce a sequel series--the Austin Stories kids all grown up. I'd let them work out how their characters would have developed over the years. I have a real affection for the characters and I'd love to see what they'd been up to.

Original review:

This show needs to be revived by Comedy Central or some other outlet. We need to see the reruns and then we need a sequel series following the exploits of Laura, Chip, Howard, and Quentin, et al. I can not wait for the inevitable VHS/DVD release that will come when one of these brilliant young people finally hits it huge. If anyone out there has VHS copies of these old shows, I'd be willing to barter/trade/share the episodes I have.

Thanks!

Ever since Richard Linklater's "Slacker", audiences have come to know the Texas capital as a haven for offbeat, over-educated underachievers. The three main characters in this youth oriented sitcom - Howard, Laura, and Chip - are all talented stand-up comedians who made the transition to acting rather effortlessly.

The way the writers captured their comraderie and the unique Austin ambiance was note-perfect. The series' brand of comedy was low-key, but intelligent, and amazingly true to life. The off-the-wall dialogue and screwy, convoluted plot lines made this show a winner. Even though it was not renewed by MTV, Comedy Central would do well to resurrect this series.

There were also plenty of memorable supporting characters. Richard Edson as Howard's brother was a notable addition in the last episode. And I'd love to see more of everybody's favorite, Tina the Goth Girl.

One of the best shows MTV has ever had on their network. Austin Stories was put to bed way before its time. This show was just great and it will be missed. It could be compared to Seinfeld for a younger generation. Howard was most defiantly be Kramer, Chip would be Jerry, Laura would have to be Elaine and Quinton would have to be George. Take Monks Cafe out of New York and put it in Austin and you have Hernandez Cafe, the hangout spot for the group. Laura is a writer just like Elaine, and Howard is an out of work bum always scamming everyone just like Kramer. Great show and it will be missed.

The first brick has been laid in the house of Howard!

There are so many stories to milk out of Austin, a collection of proud weirdos, college students, wannabe artists of every type, computer businessmen, bohemians, film buffs, and drunk football fans. This was particularly true in 1997, before many places were torn down to build more modern buildings. If you don't believe this, rent Richard Linklater's "Slacker", shot only a few years before. Unfortunately someone assembled a group of very unfunny 'comedians' who had little to do with the spirit of Austin; they were so nasty, rude, uncreative and trashy that they felt more like from Waco, Texas, or even as far way as Southeastern Pennsylvania. The show was dull and was conceived at the height of poser cynicism in the mid-to-late-90s, the same attitude that eventually backfired and led to the overly brainless assembly-line pop culture that followed in the ensuing decade (Backstreet Boys, anyone?). This tired, empty poser sarcasm made all the "Austin Stories" characters unwatchable. And where's Austin in all of this? There's only some establishing shots from around the campus of The University of Texas and quick shots of downtown, but very little otherwise suggesting that the characters are in The Live Music Capital of the World. Heck, I'm in some of those establishing shots, and I am still complaining! Twelve years have passed, so it is not like this is something that you will catch on TV. But don't go out of your way trying to rent "Austin Stories" or downloading it.