[7.6/10] This one definitely felt better than the debut episode, and more like classic Mr. Show. I don’t know if it was the more explicit “two guys on stage” opening, or the better links between sketches, but this one did a better job at capturing its predecessor’s spirit.
The opening bit about Standards & Practices and consulting with Imams not liking their joke was some sharp-edged social commentary. The combination of phony Hollywood culture with Islamic religious principles heightened the social satire of it all, and it’s one of those “go for the jugular” sketches that Mr. Show used to do.
But my favorite sketch of the episode was the Good Cop/Bad Cop routine. Turning that stock setup into a story of two jilted friends using the suspect to trade barbs and hurt feelings is an inspired little twist, and it had some good character work from the eponymous stars and Jay Johnston.
I also really liked the “Extra Beatle” dies, both for its spoof of media reaction to celebrity deaths and for the conceptual weirdness of the whole thing. Dave Allen’s little rant about whether anything is really was a fun thing to include, and overall it’s just the sort of high concept bit I enjoy from the Mr. Show crew. And the button about Tom Kenny’s way-too-early Oscar anticipator was a fun thing to go out on.
The episode faltered a bit from there, but never flatlined. Riffing on Hollywood biopics, in the form of a contrived story about how Einstein came up with the tongue-out expression on a million dorm room posters is a cute idea, but starts to sputter pretty quickly. And the follow-up bit, with glop-handed Dry Cleaners who have elaborate and esoteric fine print, had some of that old Mr. Show weirdness I appreciate, but didn’t really have that zing. And the final sketch with a musical about singing rooms, is another decent enough idea that wore out his welcome.
But I did appreciate the setups and payoffs and common motifs, from the opening “American version” of a marble-mouthed British commentator that doesn't get explicated until halfway through the episode, or the “I’d like to thank myself” recurring bit, that feels like the sort of thematic coherence that sets this series apart from other sketch shows.
Overall, this one wasn’t perfect, but it felt much more like something you could slip into the show’s original run without it feeling out of place.
Shout by Jacob PaintBlockedParent2020-01-25T01:40:59Z
This is a unusual show that pushes boundaries and probably offended a lot of people. It was probably released after such comedy became too risky for production companies. This is evident in the opening sketch of episode 2 where they seek approval from a network guy, for a joke about a religion.
Throughout this short season they tread very close to the line and clearly step over it a few times but with a genourous approach you'll see that their is no ill intent.