Maron

What a great show.

Marc Maron is one of the funniest comedians we have.

I would have watched a whole lot more of this show.

Marc Maron is brave in this series about his own flaws, and I found the early episodes a good combination of funny and thoughtful.

But the character Marc annoys his friends and resists changing into a good guy... At some point that becomes annoying to the viewers. Marc becomes unlikable. I get it that I think to keep up viewer interest in a character like that you need a lot of variety. The first couple of seasons have that variety, then the show seems to stall on new ideas.

Then unfortunately the drug addict and rehab stuff is darker and less comedic. I think there's a self-indulgence in this. The show could just as easily have shown Mark taking off to celebrity, but I suspect that he just wanted to share his struggles more than to make a compelling show.

Viewers like to root for a character who has confidence and makes bold and smart decisions. Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm is also acomplaining weirdo, but it's balanced with acts of friendship and the jokes aren't bitter. There's more a sense of fun, which seems lacking in Maron. I'm sorry.

I found Marc Maron about two years back - bored with FM radio and hearing the same songs every 30 minutes. I decided to turn to my iPhone for some Ted Talks - and accidentally stumbled across Maron's WTF... none the less he has been a voice I've grown fond of.

I was very excited to hear that he got a TV-Show and that it would center around his life as a PodCaster. I had heard mixed reviews - basically saying it's a "Rip off of Louie."

I patiently waited for NetFlix to carry Maron - as I don't have cable and never intend to get it (Sorry Marc I know how you want us to watch it on IFC, but I just can't see doing cable ever when I'm happy with my $8 a month Netflix service)

The first season came - and I binged on it for 3 days straight - repeating episodes, rewatching the season twice.

The second season came - and I binge watched it for 2 days straight (Re-watching the first season to refresh myself)

This show is nothing like "Louie" at all. Marc cares about continuity, He cares about story - and character development (Although with Marc's character I kind of wish we would see a little more growth - I feel like we are starting with Marc as he was last year, or maybe two years ago - I might rewind it to the point where he was sober for just a year or two and start the character development from there). None the less it's still great, and it's nothing like Louie.

Maron is a Refreshing bit of honesty and real story telling in a world filled with special effects, big budgets, and green screens. I hope this show lasts for many seasons to come - and I hope Marc the best of luck in life as he grows his career to it's full potential.

I only watched the first episode of Maron, not because I didn't like it, but because I didn't like it *enough* to commit. It follows the Louis C.K. approach of a shambling storyline, a fictionalized version of the protagonist comic, and a generally downbeat sensibility.

There are so many series of this sort nowadays that I'm beginning to think Louis C.K. is a comedy subgenre, and honestly, it's one I don't quite connect with. I like my comedy a bit more polished - I prefer the detailed stories and rat-a-tat jokes of 30 Rock or Arrested Development to the bitter musings approach of something like Maron.

That's not to say the series isn't funny, because at times it is. The first episode begins with a funny, painful scene of Maron hitting on a mortified veterinarian, and Dave Foley's guest turn as himself is quite amusing. But it's a wandering show about an unlikable guy, and ultimately that's a subgenre I cannot fully appreciate.

I have had the pleasure of watching 8 out of the 10 episodes so far and I love this show. The balance of humour and sincere reflection is well maintained and I love the ongoing theme of Maron trying to dig inside himself and find the best of who he is. (All the while wrestling with his neuroses and general crankiness at the world).

For a show that is meant to be about one man's personal drives and insecurities, the other characters are really well drawn, from his manic vitamin enriched father to new girlfriend Jen who brings an acutely sane kind of crazy to Maron's life.

Marc Maron strides through each episode with great comedic sensibility and an honesty that captures a head on approach to life that veers from sincere self-exploration to full-on neurotic hissy fits. The celebrity cameos are worked in beautifully and there is never, ever a dull moment.