 |
| Trevor Noah |
Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.
Over the past two years, late night talk shows have gotten a major face lift. Most every established show has gotten a new host in this time as legends like David Letterman and Jon Stewart have retired after lengthy careers that have defined the medium for decades now. With Stephen Colbert lighting up audiences on The Late Show, it's interesting to see how different things actually are. There isn't as much bite nor is there a necessity to the medium as there once was. Yet, it is likely Comedy Central that will be the most interesting of everything, especially since The Daily Show now has a South African host named Trevor Noah who came into the game late during Stewart's run and won the title. Add that to The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, and it's interesting that it's the only place on TV for an hour of political comedy perspective from black hosts.
So, how does Noah transition into his own show? During his time as a reporter for the previous incarnation, he was more of a humble and observational humorist than an established personality. His jokes never got into ribald territory nor was he able to immediately be one of the most memorable personalities of his time. If he hadn't been chosen as the next host, it's likely that he would be just another person who was on the show. There was a lot of curiosity spinning as to what he would bring to the show, which is an interesting choice considering that the proceeding show, The Colbert Report, was finished instead of restaffed.
It does seem a little unfair to judge Noah's work on one episode, but it is inevitable to see the similarities. For instance, the format is almost the same. It has the opening riffs, reporter segments, and even the beloved Moment of Zen. The theme music is the same and the opening credits are now Neil DeGrasse Tyson-approved. Even if this is now his show and he could do things differently, it's important to note how much of an impact Jon Stewart made on The Daily Show. To change it dramatically from the opening is impossible without a strong criticism. For now, it just looks like Noah taking a seat and readjusting the desk to make it suitable to his style.
The show isn't without its charm. For all of the similarities that the show had, Noah was able to immediately bring his personality to the comedy. With segments about Pope Francis and Mars, he was able to do candid humor and quickly introduced his staff. There was an extended John Boehner routine that was itself a meta joke on missing another "Jon" in command. It was a solid tribute that didn't stray into pandering territory and allowed for some transitional respect to be given in the process. It may have not been the tightest segment, but the show still feels pretty strong as an introduction to an entirely new cast.
One of the more interesting, if subliminal, things about the show is that it feels more black. While Noah did several jokes about his heritage, the ideas were also present in most of the show's casting. With black correspondents and Kevin Hart as the first guest, the show already felt like it wanted to be a different perspective entirely. True, Noah is an immigrant so his take is inherently different, but the show's focus on global politics is strikingly different enough. Not all of his jokes landed, but you are able to quickly get an idea of what he plans to do over the course of the series to come.
It is impossible right now to think of The Daily Show as having a new host. The impact that Stewart has made is inimitable. Of course, that took years. I am unsure if Noah will be able to land, especially with a more humble personality, but he does show a lot of promise for doing something unique and different in a landscape populated with white voices. He is different enough that in time he may be able to form the show into his own and bring to life something funny and lively. If nothing else, Comedy Central has the most interesting hour of late night political comedy out there. It may not be the best yet, but it definitely has ambitions that I am looking forward to discovering as time goes on.
So, how does Noah transition into his own show? During his time as a reporter for the previous incarnation, he was more of a humble and observational humorist than an established personality. His jokes never got into ribald territory nor was he able to immediately be one of the most memorable personalities of his time. If he hadn't been chosen as the next host, it's likely that he would be just another person who was on the show. There was a lot of curiosity spinning as to what he would bring to the show, which is an interesting choice considering that the proceeding show, The Colbert Report, was finished instead of restaffed.
It does seem a little unfair to judge Noah's work on one episode, but it is inevitable to see the similarities. For instance, the format is almost the same. It has the opening riffs, reporter segments, and even the beloved Moment of Zen. The theme music is the same and the opening credits are now Neil DeGrasse Tyson-approved. Even if this is now his show and he could do things differently, it's important to note how much of an impact Jon Stewart made on The Daily Show. To change it dramatically from the opening is impossible without a strong criticism. For now, it just looks like Noah taking a seat and readjusting the desk to make it suitable to his style.
The show isn't without its charm. For all of the similarities that the show had, Noah was able to immediately bring his personality to the comedy. With segments about Pope Francis and Mars, he was able to do candid humor and quickly introduced his staff. There was an extended John Boehner routine that was itself a meta joke on missing another "Jon" in command. It was a solid tribute that didn't stray into pandering territory and allowed for some transitional respect to be given in the process. It may have not been the tightest segment, but the show still feels pretty strong as an introduction to an entirely new cast.
One of the more interesting, if subliminal, things about the show is that it feels more black. While Noah did several jokes about his heritage, the ideas were also present in most of the show's casting. With black correspondents and Kevin Hart as the first guest, the show already felt like it wanted to be a different perspective entirely. True, Noah is an immigrant so his take is inherently different, but the show's focus on global politics is strikingly different enough. Not all of his jokes landed, but you are able to quickly get an idea of what he plans to do over the course of the series to come.
It is impossible right now to think of The Daily Show as having a new host. The impact that Stewart has made is inimitable. Of course, that took years. I am unsure if Noah will be able to land, especially with a more humble personality, but he does show a lot of promise for doing something unique and different in a landscape populated with white voices. He is different enough that in time he may be able to form the show into his own and bring to life something funny and lively. If nothing else, Comedy Central has the most interesting hour of late night political comedy out there. It may not be the best yet, but it definitely has ambitions that I am looking forward to discovering as time goes on.
Comments
Post a Comment