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How To With John Wilson

Started by Ja'moke, October 24, 2020, 10:05:14 PM

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Ja'moke

Not sure if this belongs in Comedy Chat because it's really hard to pin down a genre. But I guess it would be classed as a docu-comedy?

Anyway it's a six-part documentary series that just started on HBO by filmmaker John Wilson and exec produced by Nathan Fielder. Each episode tackles a different "How To..." topic.

I really enjoyed the first episode. It's funny and silly and sweet and surprisingly touching in parts. And it has the great ability of finding odd but interesting real people much like Nathan For You did.

Worth checking out.

Small Man Big Horse

I'm pleased to hear this is good, I downloaded earlier after it was recommended to people in the Joe Pera Talks With You facebook group, and I'll definitely give it a shot tomorrow when I'm sober.

Liked the first episode, love the potential of the format where almost the entire thing is assembled from POV man-on-the-street footage. So far it's more of a pleasant slow burn than a riotous laugh-out-loud comedy, although the first episode did have a few big laughs.
Spoiler alert
The MTV producers getting mad at him for facing the wrong direction.
[close]

Ja'moke

Quote from: Pearly-Dewdrops Drops on October 25, 2020, 04:32:59 AM
So far it's more of a pleasant slow burn than a riotous laugh-out-loud comedy, although the first episode did have a few big laughs.
Spoiler alert
The MTV producers getting mad at him for facing the wrong direction.
[close]

That bit, plus the
Spoiler alert
Mankind joke
[close]
and the
Spoiler alert
ridiculous amount of hotel pillows in the bathroom
[close]
.

Ant Farm Keyboard

It's very promising. I know that the awkwardness and quirkiness is very reminding of Pera and Fielder, but the style in which it's delivered is quite novel, and the tone makes also a very interesting contrast with the harshness of New York.

backdrifter

Didn't laugh that much but still absolutely LOVED this.

Mobius

Really does feel like a Nathan Fielder / All Gas No Brakes / Joe Pera mashup doesn't it.

Enjoyable. The wrestling nonce catcher was terrifying

McChesney Duntz

Really lovely stuff - exactly what's needed in the midst of this nightmare hellscape we live in. Is it me or was that an unremarked-upon Kyle MacLachlan having a hard time getting through the subway turnstile about halfway in?

Ja'moke

Quote from: McChesney Duntz on October 27, 2020, 05:48:02 PM
Really lovely stuff - exactly what's needed in the midst of this nightmare hellscape we live in. Is it me or was that an unremarked-upon Kyle MacLachlan having a hard time getting through the subway turnstile about halfway in?

Yep, that was indeed Kyle MacLachlan!

Ant Farm Keyboard

Well, the disclaimer at the beginning of the second episode is there for a good reason.

Pseudopath

Quote from: Ant Farm Keyboard on November 02, 2020, 06:23:43 PM
Well, the disclaimer at the beginning of the second episode is there for a good reason.

I had to do a double take[nb]No pun intended[/nb] there, too. Didn't bother me in the slightest, but I'm surprised that HBO Max were allowed to broadcast it.

Hat FM

i missed the disclaimer. was it about
Spoiler alert
the hotel falling down?
[close]

Pseudopath

Quote from: Hat FM on November 03, 2020, 09:55:36 AM
i missed the disclaimer. was it about
Spoiler alert
the hotel falling down?
[close]

I didn't have a disclaimer on my copy either, but I suspect it might have been about
Spoiler alert
the gay porn clip.
[close]

Hat FM

Quote from: Pseudopath on November 03, 2020, 11:31:51 AM
I didn't have a disclaimer on my copy either, but I suspect it might have been about
Spoiler alert
the gay porn clip.
[close]

on HBO isnt it? all par for the course.

wish i had been in the production meeting where it was decided that the second episode would be about scaffolding.

Mobius

Does anyone have episode 2 please? This torrent won't fucking move.

PlanktonSideburns


Ant Farm Keyboard

"How To Improve Your Memory". It surely took some strange direction while at the Mandela Effect conference.

PlanktonSideburns

Liked this lots

Liked how in ep 1 he chased down that lonely guy with nothing to say, and showed all of their akward chat

Moribunderast

Quote from: Ant Farm Keyboard on November 08, 2020, 11:13:09 AM
"How To Improve Your Memory". It surely took some strange direction while at the Mandela Effect conference.

I've enjoyed the first two episodes but that third one was properly great. Really funny and veering in fun ways to weird discussions and characters. The matching up of images to his voice-over towards the start was hilarious, as was his "Memory Palace". Very much on board with this show now.

Ja'moke

Just caught up with the second episode. This show is so beautifully put together.

Ja'moke

I've watched the third episode as well now. Wow. Definitely the best so far. It has that same appeal as a Nathan For You of finding these unusual characters and then just going with it and seeing where it takes the story. The whole Mandela Effect portion was insane.

Mobius

Where'd you get episode 3? For the second week in a row I am having no luck with this torrent :(

PlanktonSideburns

still looking mobius? might have found one

pm if needed

Mobius

I got it, thanks though :)

Brilliant episode that.

PlanktonSideburns

the
Spoiler alert
is the internet made of crystals? then i have no further questions
[close]
bit was amazing

he seems to have an amazing collection of footage, - has he just been filming everything for years? beginning to want to know more about him as an artist

Ant Farm Keyboard

Episode 4 is basically made of very disjointed segments with some unifying thread, but it gets more and more insane in a casual but beautiful way.

Moribunderast

Quote from: Ant Farm Keyboard on November 14, 2020, 10:12:09 PM
Episode 4 is basically made of very disjointed segments with some unifying thread, but it gets more and more insane in a casual but beautiful way.

The abrupt turns this show can take, while still keeping vaguely within the theme, are quite thrilling. Genuinely unpredictable comedy. The way he utilises his seemingly endless array of footage is wonderful. It's such a unique show but it's reminding me of Nathan For You and even PFFR and Jon Glaser stuff just for how strange it can get at a moment's notice without coming across as try-hard or wacky. There's a real voice behind it.

RDRR

Third episode is the best thing I've watched in ages, and I also really enjoyed the Scaffolding one. Didn't enjoy the first nearly as much, but glad I continued.

Like Nathan For You I find the sense of it being borderline exploitative difficult to completely ignore, though easy to rationalise against. But it also lands so much better when the subjects are to some extent in on the joke, or happy to indulge him, as with the Mandela effect conference organiser.

Ja'moke

Quote from: PlanktonSideburns on November 13, 2020, 09:13:16 PM
he seems to have an amazing collection of footage, - has he just been filming everything for years? beginning to want to know more about him as an artist

Based on his (seemingly real) journals documenting everything he does for every day of his life for the past however many years, it wouldn't surprise me if he has years worth of film too.

Ja'moke

Quote from: Ant Farm Keyboard on November 14, 2020, 10:12:09 PM
Episode 4 is basically made of very disjointed segments with some unifying thread, but it gets more and more insane in a casual but beautiful way.

Just watched. I had to look up to see if the
Spoiler alert
TLC tugger
[close]
was actually real because it seemed so insane. It's real.