The Pilot Episodes are now over for this Faux News Stink of a show. Heralded as a comedy news show for conservatives, many saw it as competition for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Did the succeed? No, No and Dear Lord No. It is perhaps the worst show on television since the TV version of Turner and Hooch. What made it so bad?
- The show is a fake newscast, something that has been done and is done much much better. Colbert, The Daily Show, Weekend Update (Years ago...) This hour has 22 minutes (on CBC) and so on... These shows have great writing, use satire for COMEDY purposes, and draw material from what will be funny, not what will push an agenda
2.The Cast....oh the Cast.....Kent McNally (Kurt Long) and Jennifer Lange (Jenn Robertson), the co-hosts who strangely don't use their real names are at best D list Celebs (man fox went cheap on everything.) Robertson appears to be attempting a poor impression of Amy Poehler from SNL, as if Pohler's delivery on Weekend Update is annoying enough. Long seems to be on the Steve Carell side of deadpan, but nowhere near as brilliant. The guests such as Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter were horrible (you would think from all their lying and theatrics they would be better actors..) The other guests, such as Dom Irrera who has been on everything ever put on TV were just as bad. Every bit of delivery and acting is Cardboard. With that much Cardboard on the set, I would be nervous about ignition sources.
3.The Writing...Who wrote this show? The Young Republicans of Topeka, Kansas? I really hope it wasn't anyone professional, because they will be relegated to writing for According to Jim (if they aren't already.) I could go on and on about BO Magazine (Barack Obama), Hillary appointing angry militant lesbians, or even the Ed Bagley Jr.(seriously, he is your big name Hollywood type to mock?) running gag about his Eco friendly car. I think all are horrible writing, but it can be summed up in this one joke. In reference to New York City distributing condoms, the reference was made to their unsuccessful campaign slogan for it "New York City, I gotcha condom right here." The fact that this joke was written isn't the worst part, it's that out of all the jokes they wrote, they chose THIS as one of the best.
- Political Slant First...Comedy....What, 8 or 9th? From Hillary, To Obama to Global Warming, the show seems like talking points with a laugh track. The jokes fail, but hammering the point home doesn't. If you just put an annoying laugh track over these bombs, then hey, call it comedy! This attempt at propaganda is even worse than Bill-O, Hannity or any other political hack on Faux News. It doesn't say commentary on the screen.......doesn't have pundits....just rapid fire talking points.
From the network it is on, we knew it would be biased, one-sided and another conservative circle-jerk. The problem however is it is not funny. To copy the format done by so many before, and to then turn it into the most unfunny train wreck seen in years is an abomination. All it comes down to is talking points in the end. It cannot be considered comedy, so lets call it what it is, misinformation masquerading as entertainment. From the reviews we see, viewership was there, making it a "hit" but numbers don't make it good. If this were the case, Yes, Dear, Two and a Half Men, and According to Jim would all be considered comic Gold. Don't let the numbers fool you, it fails at comedy. Without the comedy hook, they will not be able to keep the non-foaming-at-the-mouth-conservatives tuned in. It will be preaching to the choir, and then canceled. Catch the train wreck while you can.