I wasn't going to watch this. I like Myers, but much of his comedy has left me cold and the early buzz about this wasn't good. What convinced me to try it was his appearance on the 'Smartless' podcast and the talk about utilising Tim Kirkby as the director, as he's been involved with a lot of British comedy I do like. Overall, I think I should have stuck with my initial impulse.
Ken Scarborough (Mike Myers) is a Canadian journalist about to be put out to pasture as his charming, homespun style isn't pulling in many viewers. Along with Reilly (Lydia West) he goes to a conspiracy convention and Is convinced by Anthony Lansdown (Mike Myers) to investigate The Pentaverate. The Pentaverate do exist but are a benevolent society out for human improvement. Co-incidentally, at the same time they are looking to recruit a new member, Hobart Clark (Keegan-Michael Key) a climate scientist on the cusp of cold fusion.
Ultimately, it's going to live or die (in my case, mostly die) based on how much tolerance you have for the style of humour that Myers has infused the show with. There's a little bit of mild satire, poking fun at right wing conspiracy nuts - though none of this is very subtle or clever. It's high art though, comparted to the scatological poop, fart and nudity jokes that make up most of the rest of the humour. I say most, because occasionally there is some referential humour, either to Myers career or Netflix at large that works OK. The best example is probably the introduction to each episode that is provided by Jeremy Irons.
The feeling that it's a vanity project isn't dissuaded by the fact that Myers plays multiple characters, all of whom (with perhaps the exception of Scarborough) are charmless broad caricatures. He's not the only one though as Jennifer Saunders gets to play two unfunny awful characters, Ken Jeong arrives later on and plays the character he always plays and, would now be a good time to say that I don't know who Maria Menounos is.
Whilst I can see that it's rubbish, for some reason I wasn't able to generate as much hatred for this as have for similar failed projects and it was brief enough for me to make it all the way through it. No more though, please and thank you.
Ken Scarborough (Mike Myers) is a Canadian journalist about to be put out to pasture as his charming, homespun style isn't pulling in many viewers. Along with Reilly (Lydia West) he goes to a conspiracy convention and Is convinced by Anthony Lansdown (Mike Myers) to investigate The Pentaverate. The Pentaverate do exist but are a benevolent society out for human improvement. Co-incidentally, at the same time they are looking to recruit a new member, Hobart Clark (Keegan-Michael Key) a climate scientist on the cusp of cold fusion.
Ultimately, it's going to live or die (in my case, mostly die) based on how much tolerance you have for the style of humour that Myers has infused the show with. There's a little bit of mild satire, poking fun at right wing conspiracy nuts - though none of this is very subtle or clever. It's high art though, comparted to the scatological poop, fart and nudity jokes that make up most of the rest of the humour. I say most, because occasionally there is some referential humour, either to Myers career or Netflix at large that works OK. The best example is probably the introduction to each episode that is provided by Jeremy Irons.
The feeling that it's a vanity project isn't dissuaded by the fact that Myers plays multiple characters, all of whom (with perhaps the exception of Scarborough) are charmless broad caricatures. He's not the only one though as Jennifer Saunders gets to play two unfunny awful characters, Ken Jeong arrives later on and plays the character he always plays and, would now be a good time to say that I don't know who Maria Menounos is.
Whilst I can see that it's rubbish, for some reason I wasn't able to generate as much hatred for this as have for similar failed projects and it was brief enough for me to make it all the way through it. No more though, please and thank you.