Das Sarah Silverman Programm

When I first saw this show, I thought it looked interesting. I watched it, saw how it revolved around Sarah, like the character sees the world...revolving around her. I got it, but wasn't laughing very much.

Onstage and in her show, she's racist, crude, insensitive and hugely self-centered. I didn't get her at first, and took it all at face value. Then I got to see her movie, Jesus is Magic. I think that served as a Sarah Silverman primer for me, explaining to me just what 'language' she's speaking. She's like Marilyn Manson, working so hard to give us a faceful of horrible ideas and images, but you eventually realise it isn't an assault, it's a statement. And once you understand that, you find you're glad someone's finally giving it to you straight.

I don't mean to suggest only smart people will understand, or that to hate this show is to prove your idiocy. While I like a lot of 'smart' shows, I still to this day do not see the humor of Curb Your Enthusiasm. I get the impression that it's good, but I just don't get it. Many people will never get the Sarah Silverman Program, but I'm glad I eventually came around.

The creators of this show do work hard, every episode is loaded not just with dialogue and plot, but with songs, or dream sequences, production numbers. These people aren't putting together something to fill a time slot and please advertisers, they appear to be on a mission to make the best show they can put together. If I was to predict the future of this show, I'd say it will go the way of Arrested Development and Freaks & Geeks. It will get canceled before it's time and live on in fans' hearts and on DVD. But take heart, SSP creators, your audience IS out there, and we'll be watching for as long as they let you make the show.

For those who think it is strictly potty humor and immaturity, you are in fact the mindless one. While the show does contain its share of potty jokes it also contains a lot of satirical material and pokes fun at social problems, racial barriers, cliché's,stereotypes etc. You just need to read into some of her material a bit more to get it.

What I also love is that not everything is a punchline. For those expecting a formulated joke like Friends (I LOVE friends fyi), you won't find it here. Instead Sarah uses situations and other ways to achieve her humour which is more realistic. We don't walk around in this world and have witty punchlines for everything said, which is in most comedies. Instead the Sarah Silverman Program makes it more realistic in this sense.

So don't take it as mindless humor because it is so much more than that.

This show is not for everyone. It is insensitive and rude and harsh and mean but it is brilliantly written, savagely funny and her lead character is a great satire of selfish and narcissistic people.Silverman is so good at playing this kind of person. She loves to really go as far out there as one can and really pushing the envelope - whether its AIDS, sick kids, being gay, etc. The supporting cast is strong - the gay couple next door really make me laugh - and the Offficer Jay character is also funny (he was a regular on the fantastic Mr. Show). The fist season of this show is really super funny. The second season wasn't as good and you could tell they were running out of steam. Hats off to Comedy Central for putting on to begin with.

The thought of Sarah Silverman having her own show worried me at first. The films she has appeared in were not very funny and her humor is a bit off. However, I was very surprised to see her true colors shine in this Comedy Central gem. I could possibly put her on par with the likes of Amy Sedaris in Strangers with Candy -- Sarah's character is a true sociopath, very comparable to Sedaris' Jerri Blank.

The one downfall of this show is its supporting cast. Her sister's character is good; Funny at times, but ultimately meant not to steal Sarah's show. However, the rest of the cast is extremely sub-par in comparison.

I'm glad, though, that Comedy Central has given Sarah a chance to show her unique and crazy sense of self and humor.

And I still love watching this every so often! Sarah Silverman plays this character so well. In real life, someone that self obsessed (character) would probably drive you a bit mad, but there's a really endearing side to her. The timing and reactions are perfect. Laura: "Sarah, you could get a job!" *Sarah slaps Laura hard* Sarah: "Don't you ever say that word to me!"

There are so many gags here that you couldn't see anywhere else. I'd never be creative enough to come up with some of the crazy plots and themes! Of course, the show is not gonna be to everyone's taste, but if you love a quirky comedy, you're in for a treat. I just wish it was still being produced :(