If you don't know what a platitude is, it's a platypus with an attitude

[vovat]

I can say that I am a fan of Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black. Not having had cable growing up, I wasn't able to watch The State or Viva Variety. I did, however, enjoy their recent absurdist comedy show Stella, Showalter's film The Baxter, and their live stand-up. So it stands to reason that I would watch their new show, Michael & Michael Have Issues. Unfortunately, I don't think it's as funny as other projects of theirs. If the two episodes I've seen are any indication, it's essentially a comedy show about a comedy show, with the main plot taking place behind the scenes, with the two Michaels playing self-centered, childish parodies of themselves. There are hints of their Stella characters present, but the humor doesn't work as well in a more realistic setting. Interspersed within the episode are bits of the Michaels hosting their show-within-a-show, and traditional sketches with the Michaels are other cast members playing characters. It seems that they aim for a running theme with each episode, so that these other parts have some link to the overall plot. While there are good jokes on the show, I don't think the format really showcases their style of comedy all that well. If I had the choice, I would have preferred more Stella, but I don't think it received very good ratings.

Comments

[revme.livejournal.com]

Have you picked up The State yet?

Also... IMHO, you didn't miss much with Viva Variety. They had some good musical guests (i.e. TMBG, and I seem to remember a couple other good ones. I think Pizzicato 5 was on once), but it just... I don't know. The idea of the show -- two Furriners (I _think_ they were supposed to be Brazilian?) and their adult son have a variety show and bicker. I can't remember -- I think the older two were divorced but still a performing couple, so they were especially mean to each other, and the son (Michael Ian Black, who, yeah, my distaste for is known) is a vapid, kinda douchey Young Adult Heartthrob, "Johnny Bluejeans".

I think the trouble with it was mostly just that variety shows are hard to parody, as they're typically so awful on their own, that even in making fun of it, it boils down to "dare not stare into the suck lest the suck stare into you".

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Have you picked up The State yet?

Beth actually pre-ordered it, but she hasn't opened it yet. We have a significant backlog of DVDs to work through.

[poisonyoulove.livejournal.com]

I'm a little disappointed with Michael And Michael have Issues, too. The show-within-the-show is fun, but I'm just not feeling the behind-the-scenes quarreling.
I'd love to get The State, now that it's out on DVD, because that was awesome.