Lady Dynamite

Lady Dynamite is so zany and out there that it was a little difficult to get a grasp on when I first watched it. Ironically, my difficulty with the material wasn't because there's nothing like it on TV but because I saw traces of nearly everything else on TV: The cutaways of 30 Rock, the awkward attempts at social justice statements from Master of None, the use of a comedic veneer to mask trauma that's shown on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the 4th wall randomness of Man Seeking Woman or Family Guy, and the feminist celebration of woman as proudly dysfunctional adult from Broad City. That's not even bringing up the long list of shows that feature a comedic actor playing exaggerated versions of themselves pursuing showbiz start-up that starts with the Larry Sanders Show and goes all the way up to Comedians, Difficult People and Garfunkel and Oates (all relatively stale editions of the genre because all the good plots in this genre have been used up).

Welcome to Peak TV: Where the overabundance of innovative voices on TV makes it harder to stick out and a comic voice as original as Maria Bamford is penalized for not coming out five years ago.

What's good news is that a lot of these complaints are less valid after a scattershot pilot that's loaded with every gimmick imaginable. After that, the show starts to even out and one can see some of the better creative decisions behind the show. It helps to separate the show from other entries in the "comedians playing themselves" genre in that Bamford isn't trying to advance her show business career at all. At times, she seems blissfully ignorant of exactly how well she's doing (her faux sister Susan is alarmed at how much she makes at a studio session). In another episode, she turns down Judd Apatow because in that particular episode, her new focus on life is about doing as little as possible in life. After a few episodes, one can better make the argument that this even if it's a clichéd genre, Bamford's work is the ultimate personal statement: Maria Bamford is simply figuring out her life and way of expressing it on screen as she goes along.

The show is a bit hit-or-miss on the strength of its plots but it helps that the 2nd and 3rd episodes-- dating a bisexual guy, trying to form a family band, and awkwardly attempting to be politically correct-- are winners.

At the beginning, I thought this show was, as people have said here, "derivative" and only marginally funny. Kept it on because I was doing something and didn't have the free hands to turn it off. I had a few chuckles and wasn't expecting much. But every single person on the show is a great comedian and/or actor, and the situations are novel. By the end of the second episode it had gained momentum, I was won over, but switched to The Americans. Then I woke up today and it was the only show I wanted to watch, for some reason it stuck with me. (Probably because it brings up memories of when I was in the music business and how people treated each other, and times when I made great money but walked away, but this time I'm laughing.) So I put on episode 3 and I've been laughing my ass off ever since. It gets funnier and funnier at each new episode!

I came onto IMDb just to find out more, and see there is a contingent for whom it isn't reaching. Well I would say, maybe you have to watch a few more episodes. But I'm someone who loved BoJack Horseman, Action, Party Down, Extras. Also, there are so many funny details that people might not get -- like the Minnesota hair when she flashbacks to Duluth, or the "Latin" saying on the wall of the church. When I see the flashbacks, I'm laughing already, before anyone opens their mouths.

This show is amazing. It's certainly surreal, but the characters are well developed and every episode stands alone. The show is produced by the producers of Arrested Development and you can definitely see their influence here. Lots of puns, sight gags, and intelligent writing.

I loved the story arc of Maria's relationships and if you've ever had anxiety or known someone who did, this show is extremely relatable. It's not for everyone, but those who get it will love it. Also: Dean Cain! Patton Oswalt! Bridget Everett! Fred Melamed! It's not your typical stand-up show. I had only kind of heard of Maria Bamford before watching Lady Dynamite and now I want to see her whenever and wherever she performs. Just watch it already.

It's hard to describe what this show is, so many levels of comedy and drama, but it works.

Maria Bamford suffers from bipolar disorder, and this show is a semi-coherent fictionalized depiction of her life, how her career operates, her family, and the various people she interacts with in the entertainment industry.

Flitting back and forth in time, each episode covers a specific narrative, should she date this guy, is she going to get the big movie role, is she objectively funny, etc., but each is framed in the roller coaster of emotions that make up her mental state. When she's manic, it's a little off putting, and when she's depressed, it's sad, but her support system of friends, parents, agents and various helpers sort of keep her on track, sort of.

For those unfamiliar with Maria, dial up one of her standup shows so you get some feel of who she is before you dig in to this show. She is about as "alt" as "alt comedy" can be, but she has crafted a stage show and a persona that are truly endearing and entertaining.

Unlike other entertainers who suffer from mental illness and hide it, Maria embraces it, and this show to some degree gives us the world seen through her eyes.

If I were to watch this show as a comedy, I would have found it incredibly irritating and outrageously offensive. The show isn't funny, and I don't think it's really supposed to be. It's actually quite sad and deep.

It's about struggling with bipolar disorder. As someone who struggles with mental illness myself, I find it fascinating. It's like looking through someone else's eyes. I find that the structure of the show how things transition and connect is very reflective of how my own mind works.

My recommendation: If you want to better understand what it can be like to live with a mood disorder, watch Lady Dynamite. Don't watch it as a comedy though; watch it as dark, serious drama.