Netflix’s reunion of Mr. Show’s Bob Odenkirk and David Cross will have you saying Heaven is Totes for Realz!
By Matt Fowler
All four episodes of W/ Bob & David – plus an hour-long behind the scenes “making of” – are now available for streaming on Netflix. This is a review for them all, without any major spoilers (as much as sketch comedy can be “spoiled”).
A small spark went off in my brain while watching a specific bit in Netflix’s new sketch series, W Bob & David, that seemed to really help connect this show – this reunion between Mr. Show’s Bob Odenkirk and David Cross – to the current resurrection movement happening in TV (and streaming) right now. It was a moment when the duo found themselves surrounded by nerd-ish, neckbeard-y fans who wanted to know when they were getting back together for more sketches… While also asking David questions about a possible Arrested Development movie. It was the only moment amidst these four With Bob and David episodes that sort of addressed the revival aspect of this new series. A small meta moment nestled within two hours of enjoyable, smart-as-hell comedy.
Just last night, I was watching a press screener for an upcoming Ash vs Evil Dead episode. And that information is apropos of nothing except to say that Ash vs Evil Dead is another project that was sort of willed into existence due to years upon years of fan engagement and demand. Granted, I don’t think Odenkirk and Cross felt as completely beholden to their cult following as Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Rob Tapert perhaps did, but all of this speaks to the pressure that must come with bringing back a beloved property from a decade, or decades, ago and having it now (hopefully) appeal to many more fans than just the small group who coddled it for so long.
HBO’s Mr. Show was a fantastic sketch series, but not a well-watched one. Comedy Central has made big strides in recent years with Inside Amy Schumer and Key & Peele, but for the longest time the juggernaut in the sketch comedy game has been SNL. Which is a machine that’s become great at regurgitating pop-culture for momentary amusement but not the first place one would go to witness the “craft” of comedy (unless you’re fascinated by SNL’s unique grind). So, I would say, that for a property to truly be successful in its return, there needs to be a want for it (which there usually always is) and space for it. And there is definitely room for Odenkrik and Cross.
David Cross and Bob Odenkirk.
And while we may be overwhelmed with programming choices these days, there’s also an abundance of networks and streaming sites that are willing to grant freedoms to creators and writers so that they themselves want to return to their old stories, characters, and co-workers. HBO used to be the “place to go” for this, but now Netflix seems to be everyone’s dream studio. To that end, Ash vs Evil Dead wound up on Starz because Starz placed no limits on the content.
Anyhow, after that long-ass spiel, With Bob and David, which features not only Odenkirk and Cross but all of the old Mr. Show performers (and most of the writers), is damn funny. A few dips now and again, but also some truly tremendous surprises. Four episodes doesn’t sound like very much content, but you’d be surprised how much savvy hilarity they’ve managed to pack in here. The question of whether or not this series is, essentially, Mr. Show with different packaging becomes somewhat irrelevant very quickly. Odenkirk and Cross will be able to explain some of the differences (as Odenkirk explained to IGN here), but I feel like the variations are more noticeable on the creative end of things.
Some of the strongest sketches on the show were actually released ahead of time, on YouTube, with the best being “Know Your Rights” (guest starring Keegan-Michael Key) and a strong runner-up being the music video for “All I Need” by country singers Banes and Dunfrey – which parodies “simple life” ‘Murica anthems by the likes of Tim McGraw and Toby Keith. Elsewhere, there’s the skewering of shows like Chopped, good cop/bad cop interrogations, the use of the C-word, nonsensical technology presentations, court room shows, a coma-child’s best-selling book about visiting heaven (based the 2011 Colton Burpo tale, who’s since admitted it was a sham), and hunting humans for sport.
Considering the last sketch mentioned above, the lengthy W/ Bob & David “making of” documentary that exists as Episode 5 on the list is just as enjoyable – if you’re a comedy dork who’s into the process – as the rest. Especially when you watch them go through a sketch and massage it into finality. The “hunting humans for sport” one was particularly fun to watch get dissected and then re-assembled. As was “Know Your Rights.” I’m treating the behind-the-scenes episode as part of this entire “Season 1” package too since, well, A: It’s long, and B: everyone talking about the process of getting back together after 16 years is essential to the experience. Sure, Mr. Show fans will probably appreciate it more, but the idea here is to also answer/explain “why this?” “Why now?” And to accentuate why it’s a happening.
W/ Bob & David may have a few dry patches, but the very best it offers more than makes up for the lulls. Because when these guys find that “in” – that very unique way into a topic or teachable moment – they’re unstoppable.
