Review with Forrest MacNeil. (Andy Daly's New Show)

[Bored of Canada]

I've been really looking forward to this for a long time now, and I only just found out that it's coming out next month, February 27th.

A remake of a cult Australian comedy show, "Review with Myles Barlow". The show is a Review show, similar to Siskel and Ebert at the Movies and such. Except instead of movies or books, he reviews experiences. Homelessness. Cocaine Addiction. Wanderlust. Slamming Your Hand in a Door. Anything.
It's generally gets very bleak and dark, and was primarily scripted if I remember correctly.

Comedy Central has taken this and remade it, and Andy Daly's written for it and is playing the protagonist, now called "Forrest MacNeil".
The original had it's moments and I found the premise hugely clever, but it never felt as good as it could have been. So I'm really glad it's getting another shot, since it is such a unique premise that can go absolutely anywhere.

Andy Daly has progressively become one of my favourite comedy people over the last year or so due to his work on Comedy Bang Bang. I've just noticed he's got an album of all his characters, here, which I'm about to buy, which has all of his in-character appearances at Comedy Death Ray live shows at the UCB.

And according to IMDB, he's joined in all the episodes by the character's wife, played by Jessica St Clair, who is also a hilarious comic performer on Comedy Bang Bang, and also BFF, which no-one watched and is an absolute bitch to find. Those are two really solid improvisers and comedians there at the helm.

Point is, get interested, buddy. This could be great and a really unique thing.

Or maybe it'll be shit. I don't know. Probably.

[Moribunderast]

I too have high hopes for this show. I liked the original but agree that it didn't reach the heights it's premise perhaps allowed. I felt it got a bit caught up in trying to be dark most of the time without having strong enough comedy, satire or pathos behind it to make it work. It still had some great ideas and I'm very faithful that Daly and his team can take that source and come up with some really good stuff. Even if they get dark with this version, Daly has shown a great knack for finding the perfect point between dark and absurd and he just sits there mining great material. That assertion may be down partly to the obvious joy you hear in his voice when he's going on a horrific tangent on CBB - it's impossible to believe he means anything cruel or sinister with it as his tone portrays such joy and silliness whilst his words paint gruesome pictures. It's a fine balancing act and if he can take that to this program, it could be something really special.

[Bored of Canada]

I too have high hopes for this show. I liked the original but agree that it didn't reach the heights it's premise perhaps allowed. I felt it got a bit caught up in trying to be dark most of the time without having strong enough comedy, satire or pathos behind it to make it work. It still had some great ideas and I'm very faithful that Daly and his team can take that source and come up with some really good stuff. Even if they get dark with this version, Daly has shown a great knack for finding the perfect point between dark and absurd and he just sits there mining great material. That assertion may be down partly to the obvious joy you hear in his voice when he's going on a horrific tangent on CBB - it's impossible to believe he means anything cruel or sinister with it as his tone portrays such joy and silliness whilst his words paint gruesome pictures. It's a fine balancing act and if he can take that to this program, it could be something really special.

Totally agree. My only concern is that Andy Daly often seems to get stuck playing a bit more of a straight-man outside of CBB. Miles Barlow was a fairly mild-mannered person who did some crazy things and went off the tracks, but honestly was fairly forgettable as a character. But Andy Daly does have a huge range with his character work, so I'd love opportunities for him to show that off in this character. I'm sure through the situations he could, but I do hope he's not merely a slave and surrogate to allow the premise, as opposed to actually bringing the funny himself as a character as well as the situations. I don't know. I don't think I'm verbalising what I'm thinking here properly but whatever! I'm really looking forward to this.

Other than the Third Season of CBB and Rick and Morty, there doesn't seem to be any other comedy shows in 2014 that have the potential to be completely inventive and fresh whilst also being genuinely funny. This has a heap of potential, so I'm looking forward to it.

[mikeyg27]

I've just noticed he's got an album of all his characters, here, which I'm about to buy, which has all of his in-character appearances at Comedy Death Ray live shows at the UCB.

Nine Sweaters is perhaps my favourite comedy album, certainly my most listened to. I do wonder if the experience of coming to it after CBB will be any different (the reason I started listening to CBB was because I heard Daly was on it) since I think that one of the joys of Daly on CBB is his riffing ability and playing off others which obviously doesn't really translate to a stand-up album. In fact, his earliest work on CBB is often attempts to just do the material from the album which doesn't really work with other people (I'm thinking of the Shooter bit in particular, where people in the studio pointing out the joke ruins it).

Now, am I enough of an Andy Daly completist to watch Yogi Bear?

[Tiny Poster]

Other than the Third Season of CBB and Rick and Morty, there doesn't seem to be any other comedy shows in 2014 that have the potential to be completely inventive and fresh whilst also being genuinely funny. This has a heap of potential, so I'm looking forward to it.

Have you watched Nathan For You yet?

[Bored of Canada]

Have you watched Nathan For You yet?

Ah, shit, no, I haven't! I have such a reticence about prank stuff, but the amount of recommendations on here is really reaching breaking point.
I really need to watch it. The amount of people here who said it was their show of the year was ridiculous. Might try and start on it in the next couple days.

[Moribunderast]

Ah, shit, no, I haven't! I have such a reticence about prank stuff, but the amount of recommendations on here is really reaching breaking point.
I really need to watch it. The amount of people here who said it was their show of the year was ridiculous. Might try and start on it in the next couple days.

Watch it NOW or I'll egg your house. Seriously, I'm averse to prank stuff too but the show mainly avoids cruelty and is just sublime.

I understand your worry re: Daly's performance being subservient to the premise/situation rather than his comic talents leading things. I hadn't actually considered that but it's a fair point. In the original, Miles' main role is to react or be affected by the things happening to and around him and whilst I'm sure Daly could do good things in that role, it does limit his performance somewhat.

What are you trying to do, BoC? KILL my interest in the show? Well, you have, so there. Now I'm going to go and burn all my Andy Daly CBB episodes... to disc so I can listen to them in the car. Leave me alone.

[Bored of Canada]

Nine Sweaters is perhaps my favourite comedy album, certainly my most listened to. I do wonder if the experience of coming to it after CBB will be any different (the reason I started listening to CBB was because I heard Daly was on it) since I think that one of the joys of Daly on CBB is his riffing ability and playing off others which obviously doesn't really translate to a stand-up album. In fact, his earliest work on CBB is often attempts to just do the material from the album which doesn't really work with other people (I'm thinking of the Shooter bit in particular, where people in the studio pointing out the joke ruins it).

Now, am I enough of an Andy Daly completist to watch Yogi Bear?

I picked up Nine Sweaters last night and I've already listened to it twice. Going through again in bed. I love this so much. Testament to just how good his gleefully dark ideas and pitch-perfect delivery. It's funny how you said him about trying to shoehorn the material into tHe CDR appearances. You're definitely right but we're coming in from different beginnings, I heard those long before this album obviously and I never realised they were all so deliberately written and now the origins of trying to throw obstacles at him, like asking him how he kills himself, trying to get all the details about the heavy coat he uses, etc from Scott and that make a lot more sense if they are trying to mess with his scripted material because, well, it's funny to mess with people like that. But clearly his ideas shine off the cuff as well.

This is a great album, and the characters are all so different and I fucking roared so many times at this. They work so well on their own, but they work even better if they have someone to bounce off of and to keep riffing and building with.

What's exciting is that Andy Daly's Pilot Project is clearly just going to be an episodic version of this, and the fact that's also coming out February suggests that him and the co-host guy are probably writing up the material and putting effort in advance, which is exciting.

And I'll watch Nathan for You tomorrow. Get off my back or I'll not be responsible for my actions.

Spoiler alert

Except by the legal authorities who I respect and love dearly.

[close]

Edit: A Star is Born is such an amazing set. Hardest I've laughed at something in a long while. The delivery of his fear of flying and the follow up is just a three punch layered cake of comedy. I'm not good at analogies. Or metaphors. Or whatever.

[Paaaaul]

The CD version of Nine Sweaters has, apparently, got two extra 'Sweaters'. I haven't heard them, but have spent a while hunting them online, to no avail.

[Bored of Canada]

The CD version of Nine Sweaters has, apparently, got two extra 'Sweaters'. I haven't heard them, but have spent a while hunting them online, to no avail.

You can order in a physical copy from the website. I know because I almost did last night before I realised it was a physical copy. I don't want physical things anymore. Give me abstract concepts and give them to me immediately. Ain't got time to wait a couple weeks for a clunky archaic compact disc to come in and take up my precious space.

[mikeyg27]

The CD version of Nine Sweaters has, apparently, got two extra 'Sweaters'. I haven't heard them, but have spent a while hunting them online, to no avail.

One of them is a longer version of his Jerry O'Hearn character, which he did on the CDR album and still trots out from time to time. I even vaguely remember him putting out a press release in this style when SNL did a very similar character.

Edit: A Star is Born is such an amazing set. Hardest I've laughed at something in a long while. The delivery of his fear of flying and the follow up is just a three punch layered cake of comedy. I'm not good at analogies. Or metaphors. Or whatever.

I believe the reason I bought the album was because 'A Star Is Born' was played on The Sound of Young America (certainly this is where I became aware of Daly's work). Definitely one of my favourite bits of all time - the list of things that he's ashamed of may have literally had me rolling on the floor laughing. It still annoys me how little of the album is on Youtube for sharing purposes.

[kitsofan34]

Trailer
http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/d1yfl1/review-everything-is-up-for-review

[Bored of Canada]

YouTube link for the same trailer just been released. I couldn't get the above one to work for me, and tried to change my VPN to see it, yet it still wouldn't work, unfortunately.

Anyway, this looks excellent. The trailer has me even more excited for this.

[Bored of Canada]

Apparently this is just called "Review" now, and the date of it's screening has been pushed back to early March.

[gmoney]

http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/ybe3ad/review-racism - Forrest reviews being a racist.

[Ant Farm Keyboard]

I (and the world) won't mind having more Jason Mantzoukas or Maria Thayer on TV.

[Bored of Canada]

Just watched the Racism segment on the Comedy Central YouTube page.
I really enjoyed that. Still very excited about this.

The first episode is available right now from the Comedy Central website, but I can never seem to get that one to work due to my location.
http://www.comedycentral.com/episodes/coh418/review-stealing--addiction--prom-season-1-ep-101?xrs=synd_facebook_021814_rev_73

[Ty Lookwell]

Thanks for the link.
The first episode was quite good with Forrest MacNeil reviewing

Spoiler alert

stealing

[close]

,

Spoiler alert

addiction

[close]

and

Spoiler alert

going to prom.

[close]

Has them all tying together nicely at the end as well.
My favorite parts were Forrest being driven off at the end of the second review and the bathroom scene towards the end of the episode.
Looking forward to the rest of the season, Andy Daly is a gem.

[Hank Venture]

How did you get to see the episode? Hola Unblocker doesn't work, and it's not out as a torrent.

[Ty Lookwell]

I have something called "Media Hint" on my firefox that might be responsible for allowing me to view it on the link Board of Canada provided. (also I'm in Canada, which may or may not factor in as well.)

Watched the "Racism" clip with some friends today, the dancing demonstration with the Neo-Nazi was truly lovely.

[amoral]

Watched the first episode. I thought the whole tone of it was just perfect, and I can't think of a better person than Andy Daly for this role. I'm curious if it will get quite as dark as the original. I love how Daly plays Forrest. It's a refreshingly earnest and enthusiastic character. Andy Daly's just an absolute joy to watch and I hope this show gets him the recognition he deserves.

[Bored of Canada]

Ooh! This media hint plugin seems to have fixed the problem for me. Going to watch now!

EDIT:
So yeah, enjoyed that. It is being shot very much like it's a prank show, wouldn't be surprised if the DOP's the same guy doing Nathan For You or something, but it kinda invites comparisons to something more bold like Nathan For You by doing so. It's acting as if it's interactions with the public in the same way, purely down to the way it's shot, and it feels a bit weaker because of that...because it's not. It's entirely scripted.

It's definitely really good, and I enjoyed it, but I don't know...It's no Nathan For You.

[Hank Venture]

Haha, I liked that. Andy Daly is great.

[Paisley]

Andy Daly pops up to promote this on Monday's (Jon Ronson) WTF podcast. I guess Comedy Central have been sitting on it unti they had enough money to do a proper promotional push.

[Paaaaul]

Andy Daly pops up to promote this on Monday's (Jon Ronson) WTF podcast. I guess Comedy Central have been sitting on it unti they had enough money to do a proper promotional push.

He says as much on today's Never Not Funny podcast.

[mikeyg27]

I guess Comedy Central have been sitting on it unti they had enough money to do a proper promotional push.

but perhaps more importantly:

[Bored of Canada]

but perhaps more importantly:

Someone removed the watermark for Andydalypointingatbillboards.tumblr.com

[Bored of Canada]

First episode's out for this tonight or tomorrow, depending on the timezone, which is the same one you can see in the Comedy Central link above. 

There's also an interview with Daly about the show on the AV Club:
http://www.avclub.com/article/andy-daly-found-his-perfect-tv-show-then-had-wait--201855

Also, don't know if everyone worked this out, but it's just called "Review" now.

[kittens]

Spoiler alert

hey psst can someone give me a linkto a download or stream of this thank you

[close]

[Ant Farm Keyboard]

If you have Chrome or Firefox, just install an unofficial extension called "Media Hint." You'll be able to access Hulu and a few other sites, as if you were in the US, and you'll be able to watch the premiere on the Comedy Central site.

Anyway, the episode hasn't aired yet, so it isn't available otherwise.