Comedian Wyatt Cenac examines a wide range of social and cultural problems facing Americans.Comedian Wyatt Cenac examines a wide range of social and cultural problems facing Americans.Comedian Wyatt Cenac examines a wide range of social and cultural problems facing Americans.
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Support the topic, but Dark Humor doesn't work for me
I believe in criminal justice reform so much that I literally moved to Washington DC to work for a criminal justice non-profit. And I love edutainment shows such as The Daily Show, Adam Ruins Everything, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. I've enjoyed Wyatt on The Daily Show and on podcasts.
Unfortunately, Wyatt Cenac's jaded and cynical approach just isn't engaging, and the cutaways and digressions seem to muddy the topic instead of adding to the fun. Of course, society's problems can certainly lead to cynicism and anger. He is right to feel that way! But it's just not enjoyable to get brought down, and putting full stops in the show to sigh and make snarky comments destroys its momentum.
The show tends to assume audience support rather than building support through argument, and the topics meander. More structure is needed, and as a super-liberal I would even question some of the points being made. Is Wyatt seriously suggesting that Hollywood movies should cut back on gun violence? Or that we should be recycling our chicken bones? If so, why should these topics take precedence?
Finally, I'm sorry to say that the show seems underfunded. The direct-to-camera approach walking in a small studio with no audience, and the strange decoration, are hard to get a grip on. The editing of the field pieces into a coherent narrative isn't as top notch as we expect for a scripted show. Creative risks take courage and should be appreciated, but in this case, it just didn't work for me.
It's a 5-star show, but I have given 6 stars because of its important topic.
Unfortunately, Wyatt Cenac's jaded and cynical approach just isn't engaging, and the cutaways and digressions seem to muddy the topic instead of adding to the fun. Of course, society's problems can certainly lead to cynicism and anger. He is right to feel that way! But it's just not enjoyable to get brought down, and putting full stops in the show to sigh and make snarky comments destroys its momentum.
The show tends to assume audience support rather than building support through argument, and the topics meander. More structure is needed, and as a super-liberal I would even question some of the points being made. Is Wyatt seriously suggesting that Hollywood movies should cut back on gun violence? Or that we should be recycling our chicken bones? If so, why should these topics take precedence?
Finally, I'm sorry to say that the show seems underfunded. The direct-to-camera approach walking in a small studio with no audience, and the strange decoration, are hard to get a grip on. The editing of the field pieces into a coherent narrative isn't as top notch as we expect for a scripted show. Creative risks take courage and should be appreciated, but in this case, it just didn't work for me.
It's a 5-star show, but I have given 6 stars because of its important topic.
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- johnnymonsarrat
- Jun 4, 2019
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- Runtime30 minutes
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- 16:9 HD
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Top Gap
By what name was Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas (2018) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer