Totally, the camera-work (the exterior shots running into the interior shots) and the jazzy drums are definitely BIRDMAN-inspired.

I guess I wasn't the only one thinking it!

And how exactly will the Beyonder be fitting into all of this?

The show's already been forgotten it seems but since I seem to remember that MY NAME IS EARL was on during Ben Affleck's leanest career period, Jason Lee was probably doing much better than Affleck for a while there.

Thank you for a great, thoughtful answer.

I saw this last night and enjoyed the whole clunky, oddly-lit thing.