Grade: C+
I want to like this show a lot. That needs to be clear.
John Mulaney, a former “Saturday Night Live” writer known for penning Bill Hader’s Stefon character, is a very talented young comedic mind as well as a very skilled standup comedian.
The thing is, he is not exactly experienced with creating a taped television show and he has not done much acting.
In the series premier of his self-named new show, “Mulaney,” many of the bits are funny but the execution tends to feel off.
Everything just kind of feels awkward.
Much of the dialogue is forced and corny. None of the characters ever feel like they are real people. They are all caricatures of human beings that do silly things.
In interviews, Mulaney often has talked about his old-fashioned nature and his love for the old school sitcom format . I get the sense that the multi-camera live audience arrangement simply does not work anymore.
Every joke feels unnatural and it does not leave room for much grounding in reality.
In modern times, maybe it should not be 100 percent clear what is supposed to be a joke. Let us decide what is funny on our own.
I do always make sure to remind myself that developing a television show takes time. Writers have to figure out what works and what doesn’t to decipher what paths characters take and what aspects should be disposed of.
This show does have a lot of potential.
As I said, some of the bits were there but it just seems like the whole “joke, pause” style of the live-audience format halts scenes from ever picking up steam and making us laugh.
Also, this show has a lot of talent. Martin Short and Elliot Gould are hanging in the bullpen ready to come in at any moment . The Martin Short character of a former standup-legend-turned-TV-hack is a very interesting concept that could turn out to be great if utilized properly.
“SNL” alum Nasim Pedrad is another very talented comedian but her character, Jane, is a little over the top. Toning her down could be one of those lessons Mulaney learns over time.
This is a show with a lot in place to help it succeed but is far from doing so.
The departure of Kevin Reilly , who backed this show when NBC passed on it, could tighten the leash on a show that may need a long one to prosper.
