Netflix Presents: The Characters

All the episodes are very different and very creative. About half I didn't really laugh at (Downs after the opening sketch, Berlant, Dr Brown, most of Rothwell), but the others either amused or at least engaged me. They're all worth at least sampling though.

The only episode worth watching is the Tim Robinson one, and even that is kinda mediocre, compared to his I think you should leave series. Rest are just terrible.

Most of these are fun and try new ideas. I'll take a sketch that didn't hit over something mediocre any day.

Kate Berlant, Lauren Lapkis, both brought interesting sketches to the table. They also showed range that has me wanting to go find what they have made since 2016. I feel like Berlant is someone I've seen in alot of shows but cannot place or name one.

The Tim Robinson's episode could have been an "I think you should leave" episode but I like that show alot, so it works.

The other comedians were a little less memorable but, I was entertained for every episode and felt like I was watching something new.

The John Early episode is a master piece 10/10. I don't want to spoil anything but this episode is on the border of manic anxiety horror and brilliant commentary on the human experience. It goes so F-ing hard.

The Henry Zebrowski episode features brown face which is cringe and made it so I could never listen to him the same way on last podcast on the left. I just couldn't bounce back from that odd choice he made.

I don't think it's because the people aren't talented at all...but the comedy is sad and upsetting rather than funny. There's no joy. One reviewer said "unknowns shouldn't get a show." Boy, is that dumb - everyone funny was unknown to begin with.

I think the problem is that having these performers literally act out the characters that they probably do in flashes in stand up just doesn't work - it lacks imagination. Plus there's a kind of essential mean-spirited nastiness that doesn't work with costumes and full make up. So much of it is downright offensive.

Such a shame for the performers. I hope they get beyond this - keep doing the stand-up, aren't made to write full blown scripts for themselves...what a mess.

Netflix presents 8 comedians across 8 episodes, each with their own 30 minutes to let hilarity ensue. The full cast includes: Lauren Lapkus, John Early, Henry Zebrowski, Kate Berlant, Natasha Rothwell, Paul W. Downs, Tim Robinson, and Dr. Brown. All people you'd likely recognize their faces if not their names. A fairly simple premise, what we end up with is a series with a number of highs and lows, and not a ton of consistency, overall its decently funny stuff. I checked this out for Tim Robinson alone and his episode, but of course had to watch the rest. I think the format of giving each comedian their own full episode was nice from an experimental perspective, but I don't know if it breeds the funniest sketches, and at times felt more of a means for each comedian to show off their character work and create a pilot episode pitch for their own series. Of course we later see Tim Robinson did get his own full Netflix series (which is perfect, please watch it) after his episode was the most successful (by IMDB ratings anyway), so maybe that was the goal the whole time. If you're a huge fan of any of these individuals I'd say its worth checking out, again Tim's episode feels very much like a pilot for this later full series I Think You Should Leave, and if included in ITYSL canon I might even say its one of the best episodes. I'd also recommend Natasha Rothwell's episode, her character work is hilarious, surprising, and so good. I had only really seen her in The White Lotus prior to this, I hope she's in way more stuff, someone please give her her own show. In the end I think a regular sketch series using this same group as the writers / troupe would have been much funnier, but certainly didn't hate the format, it seems to have served Netflix well.