I checked it out after I saw a commerical that said it was ‘the best thing to happen to Comedy Central since South Park’. Generally you can take such comments with a grain of salt, particularly in such a context, but that’s rather high praise nonetheless, and so had me intrigued.
The premise is sort of a mixture between a reality show and Candid Camera. Four members of a ‘news team’ (the cast) essentially satirize journalism and mainstream local television news, and proceed to interact with unsuspecting people (not actors) who are thereby subjected to the usually absurd and often hilarious antics of the cast.
For example, with the team’s anchor conducting a practice interview in a very serious tone with a gay male (non-actor) for a story on homosexual discrimination, the producer (actor) interrupts the conversation to suggest he ‘throw in a girlfriend at the end … you know, that and maybe snap your fingers - because I don’t know if you’re coming off gay enough’.
Most of the show’s humor is in a simlar vein; I’d list a few more examples, but it’s difficult to capture such dry, sarcastic-ironic humor in this medium. Ultimately, the show’s appeal lies with the cast’s exceptional ability to maintain their characters (i.e. a straight face) in such circumstances. Their consistency and personalities really are rather brilliant.
That said, I’m still on the fence as to whether I even like this show. Many (if not most) of the scenes are downright uncomfortable, and while every episode I’ve seen has offered a few laughs, the general entertainment value is essentially limited to the utter preposterousness of it all.
Highly recommended if only to witness the genius of the cast, yet with reservations regarding the frequency with which I’m forced to turn the volume down to avoid the many moments of awkwardness.