In a first for Netflix, the streaming giant has given celebrated stand-up comedian John Mulaney his own talk show, but only six episodes, and they’re streaming them all live across six nights during the Netflix is a Joke Fest in Los Angeles. Could this be the revitalization of the American late-night talk show? Is this a shot across the bow at the 49-year-old old-school variety show, Saturday Night Live, where Mulaney once worked as a writer? Or is this just a fun diversion in a time when we all really could use one?
JOHN MULANEY PRESENTS: EVERYBODY’S IN LA: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Opening Shot: A quote appears onscreen from Joan Didion: “Madness, it became convenient to believe quite early on, came with the territory, on the order of earthquakes.”
The Gist: After an opening credits montage that feels and sounds zapped straight out of the 1980s, actor Richard Kind welcomes us to the show and to Mulaney, who strides onscreen in front of a live studio audience to immediately remind us “we are live on Netflix, around the world, with no delay.”
Mulaney’s monologue includes a bit describing a map of greater Los Angeles, including jokes that “if you were rolling around town, you’d think, no mayor, right?” knocks on the nomenclature of various neighborhoods, and an applause break for suggesting the LAPD flies helicopters above your head 12-13 hours per day. “Fun fact: every hotel in downtown L.A. has its own Netflix true crime documentary,” he says. “A lot of people are always wondering what happened to New York in the 70s? it moved to downtown L.A., where it is thriving.”
We cut to filmmaker Brook Linder, live atop a hill in Eagle Rock, dressed in camouflage. We’ll get back to him later. Maybe.
Mulaney promises we’ll get a chance to call-in, announcing a live local L.A. number to do just that, but only if you want to talk about the night’s theme. For the premiere: It’s coyotes. Which explains why the initial guests Mulaney welcomes to sit with him include not just Jerry Seinfeld but also Citizens for LA Wildlife Representative Tony Tucci (not related to Stanley, as a graphic informs us). Seinfeld is eager to jump in, mentioning a very public sighting of a coyote in New York City’s Central Park just last week, as well as taking a vested interest in all of the suggestions from Tucci about how to deal with a coyote should you encounter one.
This all gets pre-empted for the sake of a pre-taped bit in which Mulaney joins comedians Earthquake, Stavros Halkias, Natasha Leggero, and Chelsea Peretti to tour an open house for a five-bedroom home in Van Nuys listed at $1.7 million, only to learn they’re competing for the home with another group of comedians (Dan Levy, Fortune Feimster, George Wallace, and Langston Kerman).
Other bits included a wandering delivery robot named Saymo; an interview with Ray J; a “courtside” interruption from 90-year-old music producer Lou Adler (played by Will Ferrell); a second segment with Tucci and Seinfeld, this time joined by Halkias; more phone calls; a few interstitial slices of life with Angelenos; and a closing musical performance by St. Vincent (“Flea” off of her new album, “All Born Screaming”).
What Comedy Shows Will It Remind You Of?: It’s as if someone yearned for the early years of Jimmy Kimmel Live! with the spirit of Saturday Night Live. Plus some interstitial footage of Los Angeles and its inhabitants slightly reminiscent of How To With John Wilson.
Our Take: A decade ago when we mostly only knew Mulaney as a stand-up comedian who wrote for SNL, I imagined he’d make a great candidate for the next Weekend Update anchor whenever Seth Meyers left. Instead, Mulaney made and starred in a short-lived sitcom (Mulaney on FOX) and SNL went with Colin Jost.
This series of live talk shows demonstrates why Mulaney would’ve been and still remains a great candidate to anchor anything like Update.
Of course, a brand-new live show on a platform not known for live programming will encounter technical and logistical hiccups. A joke by Halkias doesn’t land, not because he bombed, but as we find out seconds later, the studio audience couldn’t hear him. And baking in pre-taped sketches may run the risk of slowing things down, but feels nevertheless necessary as time-killers to allow the live parts of the show to reset into place.
Seinfeld, back on for his second segment to plug his new Netflix film, Unfrosted, wryly explains why he made his movie while getting in a dig at Mulaney’s expense. “There is no reason you can see,” Seinfeld says. “It makes sense to them, I guess.”
For his part, Mulaney seems to be having a blast.
“No matter what happens this week, we are done May 10, which is awesome,” he explained in the monologue. “Why even do this show? I dunno. But it gives me something to do, and structure is key for me.”
Did you know or remember that Netflix actually did a series of live talk shows two years ago during this festival, fronted by Arsenio Hall? Netflix feels much more invested in this idea this time around with Mulaney.
Sex and Skin: Nope.
Most Pilot-y Line: In his opening monologue, Mulaney tells us: “We are only doing six episodes so the show will never hit its groove.”
Parting Shot: We return presumably to the hills above Eagle Rock (although it could be anywhere) at night, where a coyote appears in frame.
Sleeper Star: Since he’ll have a recurring role on the series, I’m inclined to pick Kind, who while posted behind a podium on the far side of the stage, still gets chances to shine or to chime in. For the premiere episode, it’s undoubtedly Ferrell as Adler with some inspired ad-libs, as well as a moment where he roasts Mulaney for “turning your back on party culture.”
Our Call: STREAM IT. Even if this series is not Mulaney’s way of sounding the horn on his intentions to either become a permanent talk-show host or even possibly replace Lorne Michaels as SNL’s showrunner (if Lorne even ever leaves), the next five live episodes from May 6-10 (7 p.m. L.A. time, 10 p.m. Eastern) are bound to be fun viewing experiences, whether or not you can watch them live. Because his guests will include David Letterman, Nate Bargatze, seismologist Dr Lucy Jones, Weezer, Jon Stewart, hypnotherapist Kerry Gaynor, Flea, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Marcia Clark, Mae Martin, Los Lobos, filmmaker John Carpenter, Warren G, Patton Oswalt, helicopter journalist Zoey Tur, Sarah Silverman, Joyce Manor, Ronny Chieng, Tom Segura, Bill Hader, Cassandra Peterson, Luenell, Hannah Gadsby, Cedric The Entertainer, Dr. Emily Lindsey of the La Brea Tar Pits and Beck.
Sean L. McCarthy works the comedy beat. He also podcasts half-hour episodes with comedians revealing origin stories: The Comic’s Comic Presents Last Things First.
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