It’s fitting they chose to release these specials now not only during a period where live shows are unable to proceed but the day New York’s long-running improv theater, Upright Citizens Brigade (of which Schwartz is an alumnus), announced its closing. Here to rectify that is Thomas Middleditch ( Silicon Valley) and Ben Schwartz ( Sonic the Hedgehog), with three fifty-minute Netflix specials.
Of course, having a pre-recorded improv show somewhat nullifies that risk, but it still makes perfect sense why televised improv comedy has not been nearly as prevalent as stand-up. Bad improv can be excruciating (I’ve been to my fair share of college improv shows). There’s an element of risk in going to an improv show. The spontaneity creates an immediacy that is best received in person (and sloshed). While the others require finely tuned writing and rehearsal, improv is made up on the spot (hopefully with much training and practice). The two of the them are masters at taking tiny details and manufacturing them into something truly hilarious.And then there is the unloved, frequently derided other child that is improv. Pay special mind to all the details the audience members throw out as they describe their story. The twists and turns of this particular special are mind-bending and hilarious. This special finds them in a college classroom and it involves, to borrow from the special, a Breakfast Club-type group of people. My personal favorite special was the second however. These were obviously entirely manufactured on the spot after getting a prompt from an audience member and they are brilliant. The first and third special take place over a period of time, with a cast of characters operating in different locations. I experienced some of the longest and most consistent laughing bouts during periods of watching this as just about anything in the past 10 years of entertainment. They absolutely sing on stage together and are goofy masters of their craft.Įach of the three shows are just under an hour long and they breeze by. His comedy style never fully resonated with me and he was largely the biggest reason why I drug my feet a week or two before watching this. Thomas Middleditch, on the other hand, I had the opposite opinion. He has consistently operated on comedic level that just sung in my eyes. On one side, I have always loved Ben Schwartz and his manic energy. When it comes to current working comedians, prior to watching this special, I was of two minds regarding these two performers. You can easily tell that these two are friends, have worked together in the past, and are both incredibly committed to this ridiculous performance. The magic of the show comes from the chemistry of the performers, as with all successful improv. The two of them have a masterful grasp on their show, even when it might appear at times that they have lost the reins entirely. While that might not be the desired effect in improv, it feeds these two and it makes for an even funnier show. They often laugh at each other's jokes and they seem to absolutely thrive on it. Due to the silliness of the plots these two men dream up and the ever revolving cast of characters, they are frequently breaking character. On a technical level, this improv might not be considered the best. But isn't it with any profession that this is somewhat the case? Regardless, Middleditch and Schwartz are premier examples of why it does work. I understand that when improv is bad, it can be truly hard to watch.
This is particularly strange due to the fact that many successful comedians and performers got their starts doing silly improv in tiny clubs. I find it interesting that in popular culture, improv often gets the brunt of all the jokes, as if doing improv is something to be ashamed about. As these specials will show, there is definitely room in the comedy landscape. Personally, not since Whose Line is it Anyway had improvisational comedy been a part of my entertainment viewing and I find that deeply saddening. As I wrapped up watching the three specials that make up this little series, I found myself being a little annoyed that we don't currently have anything like this, in the mainstream entertainment fields at least.
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