O Próximo Convidado Dispensa Apresentação com David Letterman

It seems too many are coming to this show expecting The Late Show part 2.

That is dumb. Yes, it's David Letterman. We all get that. But in no way has this show been promoted or promised anything of the sort. This is a serious, sit down interview with very important, very influential people on a variety of very important topics. Yeah, there are some funny things mixed throughout, but that's incidental.

This is not about you laughing or thinking it's the Netflix answer to late night. It isn't. This is astounding, honest interviews with people about inspirational and heartbreaking things. And it's utterly fantastic.

Quit thinking that Letterman is out for laughs here, he isn't. Watch it with no expectations, and I think you'll be in for a treat.

Sometimes Letterman had guests you wanted to see more of, rather than the 5 or 6 minutes they were allotted on his previous shows with CBS and NBC. Consider it done now with Dave's new Netflix show, "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction".

Gone are (most) wise cracks and self deprecating humor Letterman was famous for on his late-night shows. There's no band, no lengthy witty monologue about current events, and really no set either. Filmed in a college auditorium in New York, the "set" is two leather chairs and a table sitting in the middle of a large stage. Lights, cameras and other technical equipment are sometimes seen in various shots throughout the program but that's the whole feel of the show; it's not an error and it fits nicely with the format.

We see a different Letterman here than the one we're used to. A white-bearded, easygoing fellow who appears to be a lot more chill and in his element. There's no pressure to keep people laughing and tuning in, and it shows on screen (that's not a bad thing). There's no hard-nosed journalism, thankfully. Consider it like this: two friends chatting about life, and you the viewer, are invited to listen in. Very personal questions, and very personal answers that are from the heart.

Letterman talks with the kind of guests you wish you saw more of when they were on his late-night shows. "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction" (and yet he does introduce them) is nearly an hour long, broken up with brief produced segments to keep the flow going. You probably won't catch every episode; rather you'll want to see the ones with people you admire or those whom always have something interesting to say. And that's OK; that's just the kind of show it is. Personally, I tuned in to the first episode with Barack Obama (his first talk show appearance since leaving office), and I'll probably watch the next episode with George Clooney, where Letterman makes a surprise visit to the Clooney home. Unlike many Netflix shows the entire season has not been released all at once.

One of the most recognizable faces on TV for three decades, David Letterman has been continuing his career on Netflix with "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman". Unlike his previous shows, this one is not a slapstick comedy opening with commentary about the day's events, transitioning into short interviews with the guests. We have here hour-long interviews. Most importantly, while the interviews take place in one location, the guests show Letterman things and people of significance to them. Barack Obama took him to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, while George Clooney took him to meet an Iraqi refugee. I'll be eager to see what Malala Yousafzai has to show him.

Don't get me wrong. Letterman still has a joke or two up his sleeve. It's just that here we get to see his human side as opposed to Dave the goof-off. With a thick beard, he seems worlds away from the man recognizable from late night TV. I hope to see the remainder of the show. It looks to be fun.

People have forgotten that David Letterman, behind the facade of the funny guy, always was a serious interviewer -perhaps not as punchy as Jon Stewart, but still pretty good. Always well prepared, knowing his facts, and having pointed questions. This new show is all about about having an in-depth conversation with the guest. Letterman did a pretty good job in the first episode. He was helped by the chart-topping quality of his first guest: Barack Obama. But if you listen carefully, the conversation was not random or free-flowing. It was carefully scripted, with civil rights and the Selma march -and the role of Congressman John Lewis- a central topic of discussion. Like a shadow commentary on current affairs -and the 45th President- without naming names or current events, only references to historical events that matter. This central piece was showcased within the context of pleasant and relaxed small talk and personal anecdotes, Letterman and Obama displayed a warm rapport, and the conversation was pleasant and interesting. This made the first episode very good viewing. I am concerned that guests in future episodes may not have equally compelling stories to tell. Hence the rating, as the interest of the show is dependent on the performance and personality of the guest, not Letterman. I anticipate I may watch some future episodes, but maybe not all.

I always enjoyed interesting guests in the various late shows having a bit more time to tell an interesting story. However, even if they had the full 10 minutes, you felt like you were missing out as they had to be cut off after one or two anecdotes. Additionally, the ad breaks always disrupted the flow of the conversation and even if you decided to catch up the day after on YouTube, you'd have to search for all the various clips in the correct order to have seen it all.

All of that is now gone. "My next guest needs no introduction" allows Letterman to do what he seemingly always wanted to do - just have an in-depth conversation with an interesting guest, but without any interruptions. You can tell he's enjoying this and he seems to be willing to make the most of this new format. In the first episode, we have already seen him put a lot of research into his guest, Barack Obama. Future episodes will show us whether Letterman will continue to put as much effort into his job as interviewer, but I have very high hopes and think this show will continue to be revealing and entertaining.

Overall, I quite enjoyed the first episode and I have very high hopes for the episodes to come.