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What we have here is a different kind of comedy. close-minded folks are meant to be tossed to the wayside on this one. as my title implies, this is an amalgamation of both dark and dry humor more like a Brit comedy than an American one. Moonbase 8 tells the story of three very broken men, each beaten down by life in their own way, desperately clinging on to a NASA test progam with the promise that this will lead to them getting to go to the moon. however, these men have no scientific interest in running an actual base on the moon, rather this journey to the moon becomes a twisted pipe dream that each man believes will magically solve all their life's problems.

Tim Heidecker's Rook is rather meek and well-mannered christian man with an ungodly amount of children being taken care of back home by his wife and pastor, the latter two having convinced him that its his calling to spread their god's word to the cosmos. this is implied to be a front for them to make a cuckold of Rook, especially seeing as he is so childlike and naive and would never dare to think such things of the two biggest figures in his life.

then there's Fred Armisen's Skip who is arguably both the darkest and most interesting character of the three. his father was an instrumental part in the rise of NASA and Skip is thusly left with some big shoes to fill. as the show goes on we begin to realize the full toll his father's shadow has taken on him, revealing a deeply demented side to the intellectual doctor. He's often a voice of reason, though his aforementioned demented nature is a part of what keeps him from greatness and instead tethered to these two mediocre wannabe spacemen.

and lastly is John C. Reily's Cap. Caputo is your typical loud, brash narcissist whose delusional ego drives him from one bad situation to the next. while being the de facto leader of the crew, its Cap who has possibly the least relevant reasons for going to space seeing as he is merely looking to go to the moon to leave behind a hellish life in Hawaii where his small business tanked and his family gave up on him. He seems to think of himself and the crew as existing in a movie like The Right Stuff or Apollo 13. He often concots hare brained and desperate schemes in an attempt to rocket them to success but these plans typically end in disaster or unforseen circumstances. he often bumps heads with the more logic-based Skip but has a real bond with the gullible Rook who sees him as a mentor and friend.

these characterizations alone are what makes this show such a joy to watch and while the show mostly relies on this dynamic for equal parts humanist drama and blink-and-you'll-miss-it bits of belly-laugh-inducing dialogue, there is the occasional situational goof you would see in a major network comedy, just done with a premium television sheen and a much wittier writer's room kick.

what it seems like most are getting confused or caught up in is this association that the character's being mundane people thus makes the show mundane but they seem to be missing that its that very mundanity that leads into the observant commentary on the human condition. this is explored in many different facets throughout the series but i think is most enjoyable in the episode where they meet a crew of young and intelligent Space X scientists. i'll keep from spoiling the details. but its that attention to detail on the writing that makes a lot of these user reviews claiming to know what good comedy writing is so out of touch it's severely cringe-inducing. maybe its not everyone's cup of tea but that doesnt make it bad writing. don't miss out on this gem over some petulant brats stuck on office re-runs like they're mainlining opioids. at 6 episodes, 30mins a pop, this is easy, breezy, comfy watching for comedy nerds and open-minded folks alike.

i'm really hoping for a season 2, especially based on the finale which ends on quite the interesting twist that could make a second outing something even better and wider in scope. this is a great concept that is practically begging to be mined for more shenanigans and onion-peeling these three delusional wannabe astronauts. i'm personally very excited to see how much further they can unravel these broken men.

In an alternate universe, this would be a 7 season NBC classic. in THIS universe, it should be talked about right up there with classics like The Office, Arrested Development, and any other beloved network comedy. however i do understand how a show with a faceless protagonist might throw off the boomer crowd, thus its lumped in with more artistic and surrealist programming on adult swim which led to mixed reception.

regadless of its reception, this show is consistently a hoot and a half. Jon Glaser's semi-anonymous "Jon" is possibly one of the most hysterical protagonists second only to the ever-obnoxious Michael Scott. he is rude, inappropriate, egotistical, delusional, and tries the patience of anyone willing to spend more than two seconds with him. if thats not the makings of a hysterical protagonist, i don't know what is.

the subplot of the Russian mafia eternally tracking him down, while significantly less developed, still manages to keep the show interesting with Eugene of Bob's Burgers fame bringing non-stop laughs in Season One with his assassin-turned-comedian but his brother, the cold-blooded killer really begins to shake up the narrative from Season Two until its closing. he manages to be both genuinely terrifying and absurdly hilarious which makes him a compelling foil to Jon.

the biggest hook of this show though, is always Jon. those familiar with Parks and Recreation's Jeremy Jam will find Jon as the proto-Jam. as funny as many of the situations and other characters are, its often Jon delivering absurd one-liners and catchphrases that will leave you in stitches. i particularly love the Dog Mayor episode where Jon becomes psychedelically entranced by sub sandwiches and waxes spiritual poetry about its ingredients.

its a shame that this only ran for 3 seasons and a finale, though what we have is endlessly watchable and quotable. every episode is available for free on the adult swim app, so theres really no excuse to miss this underappreciated masterpiece of comedy tv. its surely worthy of a full ten star rating.

I will admit to not understanding this show for years. i, as i'm sure is also the case with many others, just found myself confused while watching season one as it premiered. i found myself waiting for some overt goof or joke, when i finally realized this material is far more akin to the work of Andy Kaufman as opposed to the more straightforward vibe of SNL. its less about building to a punchline and moreso about absolutely commiting to the bit.

watching any interview or conversation that includes either Seth Meyers, Fred Armisen, or Bill Hader, it becomes clear that they are simply comedy nerds of the highest order. Armisen has the deadpan commitment needed to sell these jokes, no matter how subdued. Hader has the imagination to turn a simple gag into a realized world. and Meyers has the deep appreciation of the blood, sweat, and tears that go into comedy writing that makes him see the deep brilliance of a joke that would go over the heads of the general public. give these three the keys to a show and you get a truly unique experience, unlike anything else on television.

besides the sheer commitment to a joke, the other standout of this show is the production's borderline obsessive attention to detail when it comes to recreating the documentaries being spoofed. one of the biggest joys of this show is seeing how effortlessly their crew recreates the style and era of each film being parodied or satirized. Armisen and Hader's long-practiced talent of impersonating is also used to great effect for this same purpose. i struggle to name any other actors who can make at least two seasons worth of material where they both embody entirely different characters that works just as well.

given the hyper-focused lens of both comedy and film being put on display here, its definitely not a show for everyone. but if you can open your mind to something completely different, i think you'll find it hard not to enjoy. with the right mindset, its like a warm cup of tea. cozy, comforting, and tranquil to just sit back and take in.