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Stella Season 1 Episode 1

Pilot

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9.0

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 6/28/05

The guys gain co-op approval with a Flashdance-style dance routine and perform open-heart surgery on their landlord.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

THAT SUCKED. Unoriginal, it was trying to be a Reno 911 or something like that, but it was not funny at all.

1.4

By semperfi2012904, Jun 11, 2011

It was not funny, nothing happened, they should cancel it now. Michael Ian Black should go back to I love the 80' s beacause he was much funnier there. Unbelivable, a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z a b c d e fmoreless
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You know, I haven't laughed that hard since my last business transaction!

9.5

By Mlemlo, Jun 18, 2007

This is a great, but short-lived start to a great, but short-lived show. This episode sets up Stella, a comedy that packs in so many jokes within its half-hour that it’ll take numerous re-viewings in order to spot them all, like the transparency during Michael, Michael, and David’s meeting with the members of the co-op board, all black (“Why you should approve us: We’re Cool Guys, We know how to party, MAXIMUM YUKS!!!”), or how after David dramatically rushed to Libby’s apartment to profess his love, the rain continues to pour mercilessly on his head, despite the fact that he’s already entered the building. There is just so much material here, you can’t help but spend the entire time in fits of laughter.

The basic principles of the show are also established well in this episode. We learn of our male trio and its female rival counterpart. Michael is established as the crybaby, Michael as the leader of sorts with a bit of a mean streak, and David as the incredible ladies’ man. The three of them inevitably handle the dilemma presented to them in the strangest of strange ways before ending up right back where they started from, albeit with celebration (“YAY!”) and gifts along the way (I mean, come on, it’s a wicker basket from Pier One. What more could you want?).

Stella is a very weird show, but it’s weird in all the right ways, and the pilot is the perfect example of that. On top of that, this show teaches its audience practical tips for everyday life. How else would anyone know that all you need to do to clean up is fluff pillows? And what if someone were to question you on the varied differences between funk-ROCK and FUNK-rock?

Thanks to Stella, we now have nothing to fear but the Nazi war criminal landlord. But even he’s not all bad. I mean, he DID pay the dry cleaning bill after all.moreless
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Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black and David Wain start out their comic series with a silly episode about the boys fitting in with everyday life and trying to keep their apartment.moreless

9.5

By bkcomedyfan, Aug 04, 2005

This was packed with huge laughs and it was hilarious. It was one of the greatest pilots ever. A great start! The humor is original and really shows you the teams comic genious. The music is humorous and starts out the show every week after a little gag happends. It's the perfect comedy show everyones been waiting for.
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A great way to start a great series.

9.2

By LostDevelopment, Jul 25, 2005

The pilot episode of Stella had me hooked to the show right away. What could be funnier than a arguement over whether to listen to Funk, Funk Rock or Funk Rock? Nothing, that's what. The outlandish nature of the episode set the pace for the following ones. It's crazy, goofy, and most importantly, very funny.

The randomness of the show really appealed to me. For no reason they play raquetball, go to the sauna, and form tableaus. They take welcome mats to the dry cleaners. This would not be a good show if it weren't done so darn well. Michael, Michael, and David are all brilliant, and they really set the bar for the series with this very good pilot episode.moreless
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Simple, Nuevo Three Stooges.

8.0

By de_bido, Jul 03, 2005

Come on guys. It's the surreal Three Stooges. Slap stick, with-out the stick.... Slapping humor. Like Reno 911, are you kidding? Zany characters yes. De functional, maybe... Constant sugar fit. Defiantly! Can you make a fist? Maybe it's just me, but I feel like Stella's comedy all the time. Say give it a while, it will grow on you.
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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David Wain	Himself
Michael Ian Black	Himself
Michael Showalter	Himself

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Edward Norton	Himself	Guest Star
Zak Orth	Elliot Morganthal	Guest Star
Rashida Jones	Karen	Guest Star
Heidi Neurauter	Stacy	Recurring Role
Andrea Rosen	Jennifer	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (5)
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- When Michael, Michael and David are dancing to the Funk Rock, you are seeing them from outside of their apartment window, but in the next frame it shows them inside the apartment with the curtains drawn.
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- Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain all were on the early 90's MTV show 'The State,' along with Reno 911 vets Thomas Lenon, Robert Ben Garant, and Kerri Kenney.
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- A portion of this episode was shown during Stella's live show tour as a short skit.
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- A.D. Miles, Heidi Neurauter, and Zak Orth all appear in various skits featured on the Stella Shorts dvd.
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- David Wain appeared in guest star Edward Norton's film Keeping the Faith.
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QUOTES (11)
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- Libby Green: David, do you know my husband, Edward Norton.
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- (Mr. Muller knocks on the door)
  Showalter, Black and David: Who is it?
  Muller: It's Mr. Muller let me in.
  Showalter, Black and David: Come in.
  Muller: The door is locked let me in.
  Showalter: We can't move,were in a tableau.
  David: You're going to have to let yourself in the key is under the rug.
  Muller: There is no rug.
  David: No rug?
  Showalter: You know what? I'm remembering now, I took the rug to the drycleaners, it was filthy.
  Black: It was filthy, David.
  David: Our bad, Don. the rug is at the cleaners you're going to have to go get it.
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- (David hangs up the phone)
  Showalter: Who was that?
  David: It was Mr.Muller, the landlord.
  Black: He is such a Nazi.
  Showalter: Micheal, not all Germans are Nazis.
  Black: That's not my understanding.
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- Micheal Ian Black: Hey here's a compromise, instead of listening to funkROCK, why don't we listen to FUNKrock.
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- (As a mustachioed business tycoon.)
  David Wain: I haven't laughed this hard since my last business transaction!
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- (After the long heart surgery the guys perform on Don Mueller. To the tenets waiting to see if he's okay:)
  Michael Showalter: It was real touch-and-go there for a little while, but... we think he's going to make it.
  (The people celebrate)
  Michael Ian Black: You guys... You guys. He's dead.
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- Co-op Board President: Excuse me, but why are you all dressed as skunks?
  Michael Ian Black: Oh, no. If I may. We're not dressed as skunks. We're dressed as skunk people.
  
  (This exchange is seen after the trio turn around and we see that they are wearing skunk tails.)
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- Michael: Members of the co-op board, all black.
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- Libby: So the unit has 3,000 sq. feet, three beds, three baths, and a nursery.
  David: Oh, well, we wouldn't be needing a nursery.
  Michael Ian Black: Actually Michael might, because he's kind of a cry baby.
  Michael: I am not a cry baby!
  Michael Ian Black: Then why are you about to cry.
  Michael: Michael, can we please discuss this out on the terrace.
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- Michael Showalter: We are three mustachioed business tycoons.
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- Libby Green: David, do you know my husband Edward Norton?
  David: Not personally, but I'm a fan.
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NOTES (3)
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- When David Wain goes to profess his love it's raining outside. He enters the apartment building and it's raining inside the hallway as he stands outside his true love's door. Miraculous!
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- The stunt double dancers are shown in the dance sequence. It's not a goof - it was obviously left in to be funny. Further note, this was meant to spoof the fact that the body double was rather noticeable in Flashdance, of which the dance scene parodied.
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- Michael Showalter's line "We don't have this money" and delivery can also be heard in the Stella Short entitled "Pizza."
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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