In a first for Netflix, the streaming giant has given celebrated comedian John Mulaney his own talk show, but only six episodes long, and they’ll air them all live over six nights during Netflix is a Joke Fest in Los Angels. Could this be the revitalization of the American late-night talk show? Is this a shot across the bow of the 49-year-old old-school variety show? Saturday night live, where Mulaney once worked as a writer? Or is it just a fun persion at a time when we could all use one?
JOHN MULANEY PRESENTS: EVERYONE IS IN LOS ANGELES: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Initial shot: A quote from Joan Didion appears on the screen: “Madness, it became convenient to believe from the beginning, came with the territory, on the order of earthquakes.”
The essence: After an opening credits montage that looks and sounds straight out of the 1980s, actor Richard Kind welcomes us to the show and Mulaney, who appears on screen in front of a live studio audience to immediately remind us “ We are live on Netflix, around the world, without delay.”
Mulaney’s monologue includes a brief description of a map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, including jokes that “if you were walking around the city, you’d think there was no mayor, right?” he touches on the nomenclature of various neighborhoods and breaks into applause for suggesting that the LAPD flies helicopters over his head 12 to 13 hours a day. “Fun fact: Every hotel in downtown Los Angeles has its own Netflix true crime documentary,” he says. “A lot of people always wonder what happened to New York in the ’70s. It moved to downtown Los Angeles, where it is thriving.”
We cut to filmmaker Brook Linder, who lives atop a hill in Eagle Rock, dressed in camouflage. We will contact him later. Maybe.
Mulaney promises that we’ll have the opportunity to call and announce a live local Los Angeles number to do just that, but only if you want to talk about the topic of the night. For the premiere: They are coyotes. Which explains why the initial guests Mulaney invites to sit with him include not only Jerry Seinfeld but also Citizens for LA Wildlife representative Tony Tucci (not related to Stanley, as a graphic informs us). Seinfeld is eager to chime in, mentioning a very public sighting of a coyote in New York City’s Central Park last week, as well as showing great interest in all of Tucci’s suggestions for how to deal with a coyote should you encounter one. with one. .
All of this is previewed by a pre-recorded segment 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 valued at $1.7 million. Dollars. only to discover that they are competing for the house with another group of comedians (Dan Levy, Fortune Feimster, George Wallace and Langston Kerman).
Other parts included a wandering delivery robot named Saymo; an interview with Ray J; an “on-court” interruption from 90-year-old music producer Lou Adler (played by Will Ferrell); a second segment with Tucci and Seinfeld, this time accompanied by Halkias; more phone calls; some interstitial fragments of the lives of Angelenos; and a closing musical performance by St. Vincent (“Flea” from his new album, “All Born Screaming”).
What comedy shows will it remind you of?:It’s as if someone longs for the first years of Jimmy Kimmel live! with the spirit of Saturday night live. In addition to some interstitial images of Los Angeles and its inhabitants that are slightly reminiscent of How to do it with John Wilson.
Our opinion: A decade ago, when we only knew Mulaney as a comedian who wrote for SNL, I imagined he’d be a great candidate for the next host of Weekend Update when Seth Meyers left. Instead, Mulaney made and starred in a short-lived sitcom (mulaney on FOX) and SNL cast Colin Jost.
This live talk show series demonstrates why Mulaney would have been and still is a great candidate to host something like Update.
Of course, a new live show on a platform that is not known for live programming will encounter technical and logistical problems. A Halkias joke doesn’t work, not because it backfired, but as we discovered seconds later, the studio audience couldn’t hear it. And baking pre-recorded sketches may risk slowing things down, but nonetheless feels necessary to kill time and allow the live parts of the show to fall into place.
Seinfeld, back in his second segment to promote his new Netflix movie, Unfrosted, wryly explains why he made his movie while engaging in a dig at Mulaney’s expense. “There’s no reason you can watch it,” Seinfeld says. “I guess it makes sense to them.”
For his part, Mulaney seems to be having a blast.
“No matter what happens this week, we will finish on May 10, which is fantastic,” he explained in the monologue. “Why do this program? I don’t know. But it gives me something to do and structure is key for me.”
Did you know or remember that Netflix did a series of live talk shows two years ago during this festival, headlined by Arsenio Hall? Netflix feels much more invested in this idea this time with Mulaney.
Sex and skin: No.
Most pilot line: In his opening monologue, Mulaney tells us, “We’re only doing six episodes, so the show will never hit its stride.”
Parting Shot: We presumably return to the hills above Eagle Rock (although it could be anywhere) at night, where a coyote appears in the frame.
Sleeping star:Since he’ll have a recurring role in the series, I’m leaning toward casting Kind, who, although positioned behind a podium on the other side of the stage, still gets opportunities to shine or intervene. For the premiere episode, it’s Certainly Ferrell as Adler with some inspired improvisations, as well as a moment where he criticizes Mulaney for “turning his back on party culture.”
Our call: TRANSMIT IT. Even if this series isn’t Mulaney’s way of tooting the horn about his intentions to become a permanent talk show host or even possibly replacing Lorne Michaels as SNL showrunner (if Lorne ever leaves), the Next five episodes live starting May 6. 10 (7 p.m. LA time, 10 p.m. ET) are sure to be fun viewing experiences, whether you can watch them live or not. Because your 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 La Brea Tar Pits and Beck.
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