We just finished the initial season of the Kominsky Method on Netflix. I found myself enjoying the witty banter (usually in the form of putdowns) that ensued between Alan Arkin’s character and Michael Douglas’ and frequently other characters. It caused me to reflect on other shows where a banter style dialogue figured prominently. One that comes immediately to mind was West Wing. I particularly liked how the camera would sometimes seamlessly transition between banter between two characters walking down the hall and segue immediately into banter occurring between two other characters as they pass by. Aaron Sorkin’s screenplays seemed to have done this best.
But what other shows have famously featured great banter?
I you’re open to the idea of following an audio podcast, I suggest you check out Black Jack Justice. It’s a modern take on the classic film noir private detective featuring our square-jawed hero and his long suffering partner, Trixie Dixon - Girl Detective. Some of the shows are written as relatively straight drama (The Albatross), most have at least some element of parody and a few are downright silly (Man’s Best Friend).
Arrested Development…and the further into the series you get, the further back the banter references go. By the 3rd season, pretty much the entire show is one inside joke after another.
