The Comedians

If you like Billy Crystal, you will probably like this show. A couple of reviewers suggested that the humor might be over some viewer's heads. I thought that was silly, but other negative reviews and the score of "6" make me wonder if they were on to something.

The shows is a docucomedy about the making of the Billy & Josh show, starring Billy Crystal as a character named Billy Crystal, who has a lot in common with the actor, and Josh Gad as a character...well, you get the idea.

The comedy runs the gamut, from physical shtick, to witty understatement, to bits about awkwardness. Much of it revolves around the difference in age between the two stars. Gad has trouble understanding what "classic" means when it pertains to comedy, because he has never been exposed to the classics. Billy doesn't get where Gad is coming from, in part because Gad is a pseudo-liberal poser who understands only the forms of diversity and inclusion, not the actual belief systems.

Inside jokes abound and both stars are willing to poke fun at themselves. They are backed by a fun cast and some great guest stars. The series has started off strong, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

Update 5/11/15: After five shows, I am really enjoying this show. Watching Billy Crystal and Josh Gad in these roles reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza, but like they did not go to school together and they are meeting for the first time and they don't really like each other that much and Jerry is thirty years older. And maybe they're both Jewish...or they are just pretending to be Jewish for the jokes.

The Comedians is not your typical comedy because I think it brings quite a bit more to the table. It is funny, I laughed out loud many many times, but this show also delivers some vulnerability without losing it's humor.

Billy Crystal and Josh Gad are obviously very talented performers; but the documentary aspect of the show is extremely convincing because they each give a very honest performance. And Stephanie Wier is perfection! Every moment she is on screen she is magnificent. She really thinks about the details and the result is flawless. I wish she were in more. Give the woman an Emmy.

I think the reason this show flopped, is because FX has a very brief window for anyone to watch their stuff on demand and binging tv is the preferred method of consumption now. It was a new show and if you didn't see it within the first two weeks of airing, you just didn't see it. I loved this show when it originally aired and I just watched it a second time. My favorite scene still holds up and had me doubled over in laughter.

The legendary Billy Crystal and the always funny Josh Gad come together in this fine new FX Comedy about fictionalized versions of themselves in a Faux-Documentary style - ala Parks and Recreation or The Office.

It's a bit like Curb Your Enthusiasm in terms of style and delivery, but the Mockumentary outfit gives them lots to play with and despite the fact that the story is about these two actors forced to work with each other on a Sketch-Comedy show, who clearly hate each other in the beginning, it's not hard to see that they have a nice chemistry and overall dynamic.

Billy plays himself in a grounded, but arrogant kind of way, which beautifully plays off of Josh Gad's overly friendly, but very awkward character. The dialog is well written and the delivery by Crystal and Gad is pretty flawless, it definitely suits the material.

The Comedians is by no means a masterpiece and certainly not for everyone, but it's funny and interesting enough to keep your attention if you give it an honest chance. I watched all episodes so far and I really enjoy it, I highly recommend the show to all fans of the Mockumentary genre and/or the actors!

Billy Crystal is certainly an asset for the world of comedians. Josh Gad was the least interesting part of 1600 Penn which I was watching because of the great Bill Pullman.

So how about a TV-show with these two? This is supposed to be a crossing between a mockumentary and a sketch based show.

Well, if you have Billy Crystal you obviously can expect some "old school" staff. Jokes that are based on recipes and forms. Searching for the laugh in the words or the sounding of the words. Talk about the acting method. How to deliver them. Also lots of self-mocking. And "funny" stories about their grandma and their uncle.

In the end of the day, is how funny it actual is, and ...sorry..this not funny enough. Don't know where the "recipe" failed but you can get good laughs with this material.

At least it doesn't have fake laugh track.

This show can be fairly formulaic at times, it does seem to skate a thin line between "we're just filming ourselves talking" and "It just looks like that due to skill and subtlety". I don't believe this show should be viewed too negatively, It doesn't always have me in stitches, but it's at least a wonderful standard in its type of Television program. The Comedians COULD have been edgier, less apologetic and sharply exploratory of more serious or obscure issues and themes, but so early on I don't think that would really suit the format.

I imagine the interesting blending of different perspectives, comedic styles, would have confused much or some of the general television watching population, a confusing blur between parody/satire and "earnest" human interaction.

It really could have grow into something very beautiful, I personally believe clear enough audience feedback and articulation was an issue contributing to its demise.