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Michael and Michael Have Issues premiered on Comedy Central last night, and it had some laffs in it! We could all use some laffs. Especially after 9/11*. Now that was a SUMMER BUMMER. Anyway, sketch comedy shows are hard because you’ve got to string the different sketches together with some kind of over-arching framework, and that is never really very good. Like, I’m a huge fan of Chappelle Show (who isn’t? Your stepdad thinks Chappelle Show is “da bomb”) but his interstitial on-stage stuff was just filler. Same thing here. That’s OK, though. That is how it works. And besides, the use of a behind-the-scenes-production-staff plot to string things together was smart and pretty funny. And if the sketches are good, who cares?
And thus concludes Videogum’s The Problem With Sketch Comedy Shows University.
So. Let’s do the numbers:
A few of the sketches in last night’s debut had already been teased out on-line, so we can leave those in the ancient past. But not all of them, duh. For example, not this sketch, which was funny:
“Has Celine Dion just done Bruno better than Bruno?”
–Celine Dion
Admittedly, this thing:
Kind of reminded me of this thing. But it was different.
But I think that it is this scene that best shows the type of casual, insidery jokes that will make Michael and Michael Have Issues a success, if people enjoy them, or a failure, if people do not enjoy them.
Capoeira jokes, repeating each other’s threats jokes, “get in the house” jokes. This is the type of “we’re going to make ourselves laugh and hopefully the audience gets on board” humor that Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter (and David Wain) have built their careers on. It’s the type of humor everyone should build their careers on. It’s great.
Fingers crossed for these guys.
*If Fringe can use 9/11 as a cheap plot device, then I can use 9/11 as a cheap plot device.
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MIchael and Michael are the Ringo and Garfunkel of comedy.
Ohh, I see what you did. You used a line from the show. That’s really neat!
this makes me not miss stella so much.
AND I MISS STELLA A HELLUVA LOT!
Do you still have that friend that makes fake moustaches?
wtf, dude? WHY ARE YOU POSTING SHIT LIKE THAT ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB??? tryna get the fedz all up in my shit?
Go back to bed China!!!!
For real. They were showing Stella episodes the other night. David Wain is an underrated condiment on the Michael sandwich. Anyways, my The State DVDs came in the mail today right when I was about to think too hard about this show. Mysterious ways…
c’mon. opening skit was moderately funny… but that fucking intern skit dragged its feet… and they really stretched that whole manbabyish arguing thing way too far. I like Michael Ian Black, but this is gonna die quickly.
LOLZ-brand candy bars! I also used “laff” multiple times in my review of the premier< ?a>. Ask your mom if I can sleep over tonight.
Um, where’s the rest of my comment, Jeff Fahey? I continued to say, “You should ask your mom if I can sleep over, tonight.” But now it’s just ruined.
yet another reason UCB is the best sketch comedy show ever. The in-between stringing-sketches-together plots are amazing
I’m not a huge fan of either one of these guys but I do own a copy of Michael Showalter’s Sandwiches & Cats and after examining the above picture I can totally understand how someone could mistake him for Screech.
Although UCB was pretty flawless in its transitions, you really can’t compare stuff that is clearly so different in format. Y’know they’re two different entities/sensibilities. I love Michael and Michael’s work in general and this was really great! I hope it sticks around. I think the episodes will get progressively funnier. The preview for next week with “quiet bob thomas” was hilarious. I laughed so hard at that so while I do think the transitions in it were a bit sudden, I think it was very funny and I hope the boys are successful with this!!
When did Gabe become David Brancaccio?
Anything Fringe can do I can do better. That’s the pledge I took.
That Capoeira skit has gotten me on board. Lots of love all over the place.
Unicornzzzz
Yeah, it wasn’t perfect, but there were some laughs. I really, really love all those throwaway lines like, “Grab your parka, we’re leaving. I said get your parka, we’re leaving.” Parka. LOLZ. Guys, remember that part in Arrested Development when GOB throws the bunny he accidentally killed into the sea and says, “Go back from whence ye came!”? That was pretty funny, too.
?? I can’t decide if this is sarcastic or not.
I like smart/mean comedy. Not smart/cute comedy. This show lacks balls. ZZZZZZZZZ
Ladies and gentlemen, nightheat’s ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz
You’re a massive nerd, just FYI.
God…Im so happy to see them in good form. It’s a little more weird a la Stella. That show is all I need…god i miss it.
Man, this show. I talked it up to any and every one who would listen, I have ordered my The State dvd set like any good fan, I was so psyched, and then…. I forgot to DVR it. I am the reason Stella was cancelled. No follow through. Sorry Michaels.
I enjoyed the Christopher Meloni throwaway scene/line.
“shut up and sew”
I DON’T KNOW YOU GUYS. Michael Showalter is my dream fuck and Michael Ian Black is always more funny than I think BUT doing a closeted gay teen sketch to start off the show was the least ballsy/most common denominator humor thing ever. I hope it drifts more towards the inside joke-y absurdist humor realm that I yearn for as the episodes progress.
Gabe, a great sketch comedy show is Big Train, it was on the BBC way back, Simon Pegg is an actor in it… hilarious stuff
Stella was a show that I really couldn’t wait to see… I saw it and was sorely disappointed. I like The State and Michael Ian Black but there’s just something about Showalter that I can’t stomach.
anybody else go to the bell house for the show last night?? kumail nanjiani is so great, i can’t wait until he is in the episodes!
Kids In The Hall.
First episode. Most sketch comedies take a little time to get it wheels. Except for Upright. That show was gold from the start.
I have to tell you, I just pulled out my 3-D glasses to look at your icon, and it was pretty good.
i was at the bell house!! i was in the front row and it was so good omg. jesse was hilarious too. the horses joke about north carolina: everybody loves horses. omgoddess i was loving it.
THIS SHOW IS GOOD EVERYONE. they are funny people and it’s better than god damn mencia so i vote we all watch to help support non-horrible comedians who get tv shows.