Channel Surfing: Nathan for You - "Yogurt Shop/Pizzeria"

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.

One of the most fascinating things is how Comedy Central post-Key & Peele has actually branched out into a full fledged comedy network. True, the channel has always thrived with shows like South Park and now Futurama, but in a world where FX has It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Louie, it is hard to take a channel with the word comedy in the title. The network has gotten by with a bunch of premiere stand-up marathons and occasionally off the wall comedies. Nothing really that cutting edge has come, until the bizarre 2013 Winter season of TV when shows like the Ben Show, the Jeselnik Offensive, and Kroll Show all debut with high caliber performers and seasoned comedic veterans.

And then there is the Ben Show's partner in Thursday night hilarity: Nathan For You (check local listings for times). Hosted by Nathan Fielder, he plays a business specialist who helps failing companies get back on their feet. While this sounds like a knock-off of House of Lies, this is far more interesting and funnier. Nathan isn't exactly the best at his job, often suggesting that people trust him when he suggests that poop-flavored yogurt will be a big selling point. 

It is also fascinating because Nathan For You is almost reductive in its approach. Where the mockumentary phenomenon has turned into structural narratives over the past decade, this show approaches it more from a Christopher Guest, dry and straight forward model. With voice overs and behind the scenes action to drive the story, this show manages to make fun of the business specialist movement without playing things stupid. True, poop-flavored yogurt is a terrible idea, but like a good business specialist, the magic is in how he sells it:

What is so brilliant about Nathan's delivery is something that he states numerous times: confidence. Whether he is on street corners ingeniously giving out promotional materials by distracting a passerby or talking to the employees, he reeks of confidence. He also doesn't seem to be in on the joke, which only makes it funnier. While I am not one to enjoy a good poop joke, I do admit that it was an ambitious first clip to start this Freshman series off with. 

It goes even weirder with the second half, in which he helps a failing pizzeria get customers by suggesting that they lower their delivery time to eight minutes. If they don't make it in time, they get a free pizza. The catch is that they never more than 20 minutes late, and they get a miniature pizza while also paying for their initial pizza. Now that is genuine comedic genius. When Nathan goes in as a pizza delivery man to appease a disgruntled customer, things only get further out of control and this quickly becomes the most promising thing that Comedy Central green lit for the past few months.

While there is plenty of beauty in the execution, it is also great to see the behind the scenes action. Like everyone else, Nathan has to apply for his job through interviews. This is only made more fascinating when he insists that all he needs is confidence. Therefore, he hires a child, a chicken, and even Jon Benjamin to read him responses just to prove his point. At one point, Benjamin insists on Nathan admitting that he is a rapist. True, this segment may become way too much of a gimmick, but for the time being, it is a great example of how confident a performer Nathan is and how he is able to work his crowd while also saying complete nonsense.

I am not entirely sure if the scenarios are real or fake. Either way, this man on the street aspect is a fresh take on mockumentaries by separating itself from other shows. While it is the companies that have to deal with the ridiculous results, it is Nathan who receives the butt of most jokes. If anything seems too insulting, it is at Nathan, and that just makes it seem more like an endearing show.

Provided that this show maintains its quality through its brief run, I am sure that Comedy Central is looking at a new hit. While I have some bias towards the Ben Show because I really like Ben Hoffman, it pales in comparison to Nathan For You. Hoffman's program definitely is edgy and going for offensive humor, but Nathan For You attempts to pull the same insults, but only make them in more inspired ways. The set-ups are elaborate and the ideas, no matter how stupid, are fascinating to watch as they fail before a real audience. While the realism does confuse me and only makes me worry that when I discover if the show is actually staged, I do believe that it is onto something great. Maybe it won't last long or become quite as recognized as Key & Peele or the Jeselnik Offensive, but I still argue that it is the surprise favorite of the Comedy Central Freshman Class of 2013. 

If you are into mockumentaries that challenge reality while also not winking too much at the camera, Nathan For You is ideal viewing. It has plenty of great laughs, and I cannot wait to see episode two tonight. Maybe it is a fluke that the pilot was so funny, but I am holding out faith that Comedy Central has earned every letter of its title, and I hope that it continues to give new comics with something important to say a platform to present their comedy outside of the sketch-and-audience programs that built the network in the 00's like Important Things with Demetri Martin or Chappelle's Show.

Do you think Nathan For You is going to be the next big hit, or is it just waiting until cancellation?