Moonbase 8

Reilly, Armisen & Heidecker are known for their semi-comedic awkward improv stylings and this is just more of that really. Set in an experimental NASA facility in the middle of a desert with three trainee astronauts, it's never going to set the world afire as a comedy but it has a lowkey charm that kept me sticking with it throughout.

The best parts are when it's just the three main characters feeding off eachother and being mildly strange. I feel someone in the chain doesn't quite trust this enough as a dynamic to work by itself so most episodes include encounters with "others" but frankly it doesn't need it - and most of these scenarios go roughly as you'd expect them to with little deviation or surprise. The biggest emotional arcs of the series happen within their dynamic and the strongest episode by quite some margin is "Move the Base" which solely concerns that.

Tonally - it's refreshingly unpretentious and quite mellow for the most part which made it an appealing watch - here's hoping a potential second season dials down on the theatrics and stunt cameos and allows the central three a bit more time to breathe.

If you're familiar with Tim Heidecker and John C Reilly's work together, you know exactly what you are getting. The focus of the show is the foibles of incompetent NASA employees trying to maintain a Moon base training program. The humor is awkward, subtle, and generally revolves around the interactions between seemingly incompatible characters who struggle to keep things afloat. For instance, you have a Captain desperately trying to impress his crew by any means necessary - from having a foot race with competing astronauts to digging a well in the middle of a dessert to try and stop a water crisis. It reminds me a bit of season 1 of the Office.

This was never going to be a Big Bang Theory, there aren't laugh tracks and it isn't meant to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Therefore, I think it is unfortunately not going to be a big hit with critics or general audience. Showtime may not be the best home for Moonbase 8, but I hope that it lives on for a season 2.

I can understand that those who go in blind might not like it. But if you're familiar with Tim Heidecker & John C. I think you'll enjoy it.

To those who aren't maybe skip episode one and start on ep 2. One was the weakest in my personal opinion.

Fred Armisen is his usual silly, awkward yet biting self in this premium cable show. The NASA moonbase backdrop is just another vehicle for quirky deadpan interactions among veteran comedic actors and their guests. While this may not be the funniest show out there, the topic is light and fun and ends on the right note after 6 episodes. I also found it delightful to see Adam Lambert take a stab at some acting, and he did a good job.

I found the first episode really bad, but it slowly became watchable over the course of the season.