Garfunkel and Oates

Garfunkel and Oates play themselves, i.e. two 30-something comedic musicians who write and perform parody songs that are not as clever as the Tom Lehrer songs of the 1970's, but are a homage. The shows are about their real life experiences as a female duo sort of like "Laverne and Shirley".

While the first two episodes are kind of bawdy, the third episode ("speechless") about not talking on dates, and watching sports, is hysterically funny and very creative. I started watching, hoping for something like Tom Lehrer, but what can you expect when these two women are doing IT ALL, producing the show, writing the shows, writing the songs, performing them, and acting in the leading parts? I am amazed.

I am pretty certain there has NEVER been a show like this on TV, about a comedic song group. The successful big-budget musical shows of the 60's (Monkees, Partridge family) had only very serious songs, and hoardes of backup staff to make them successful. The monkees sang their own songs but I think that David Cassidy had backing vocalists for the Partridge Family recordings. While a fraction of the songs from those shows were from singer-songwriters, this show is from singer- songwriter-show-writers-producers, which is frankly, amazing.

Of all the inexplicable cancellations and failures to renew of TV shows this is one of the most puzzling. This is one of the most truly creative, intelligent, insightful and funny TV shows ever. Why wasn't it renewed for season 2? I know I'm a bit late saying this but I've only just stumbled across the show on Netflix. Come on Netflix pick up the baton - fund it! Make season 2! Catch up folks and watch this show. It's brilliant. The song writing is inspired and funny. The script is literate (in a good way) and funny. The acting of the two stars is spot on and funny. The guest stars are note perfect and funny. There aren't many shows out there with the continued level of inventiveness and wit of Garfunkel and Oates.Someone please make season 2.

I'm writing mine, I'm surprised there are only two IMDb reviews of Garfunkel and Oates, and both those reviews are by people who either didn't pay much attention to the single episode they watched or they think "to critique" a show means "to criticize" it. It certainly is OK to criticize a show, if you watched it with an open mind, and actually watched more than one episode.

For one thing, how could anybody have actually watched more than one episode and think, "most of the jokes revolve around them being 'super bad at sex.'" Doesn't matter what a joke is about. What matters is it being funny. Riki and Kate are funny. Even in the pilot episode, there was a lot more going on than a single subject joke. Garfunkel and Oates is humorous fictionalized personal anecdotes and social satire. Those reviewers who didn't understand the pilot episode wouldn't understand any of the others, so it's a good thing for them they've stopped watching.

Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci are not yet on the level of Marc Maron, Louis CK, or Amy Schumer, but they're getting there. Instead of stand-up before, after, or during their half hour skits, Riki and Kate use song parodies. The songs are short and humorous and always have something to do with the theme of the episode.

"As for the ukulele." OK, where are all those other ukuleles I've read complaints about? I watch a lot of TV and I've never seen any recurring character playing a ukulele except Kate Micucci as Shelley in Raising Hope. Actually, I've never seen many characters in recurring roles play any type of musical instrument.

Garfunkel and Oates is a lot better than the nitpicking contrarians will have you believe. Give it a chance. Entertaining, insightful, and funny. You might even learn to appreciate the ukulele, or maybe even get one of your own. You might not like Garfunkel and Oates, but those negative reviewers are grossly misrepresenting that show.

This new comedy has a lot more preparation and work than you might think at first.

Except the scenes where actress–songwriters Kate Micucci (Oates) and Riki Lindhome (Garfunkel) talk to each other, delivering some quirky and funny dialogs, the show includes some unique musical cuts that have an almost surrealist feel! These musical interruptions (sang by the duo) are related to each episode's plot but presented in a unique way, that may include animations or even ...muppets! They are carefully designed and you might even get 2 or 3 in each episode.

Because Garfunkel and Oates are 2 single, liberal young women, relationship and sex themes are inevitable, but think of it more like a lighthearted, easy going, relaxing comedy with music and songs.

Also they spared us from any annoying fake laugh track.

Overall: Check it out and decide.

The show description is wrong - the show is not about 20-somethings but rather two 34yo women. I mean, they both say their ages at various times in the series, how can they get this wrong? One of my favorite comedies ever. Great guest actors, too.