Hello all! I’m going to get this out of the way right now: I’m not going to talk about any comic books this week. It’s just that kind of week where most of the comics I’ve read have been okay-to-middling, and I’m not going to try and force myself to come up with something positive to say about them. Especially not when there have been so many other awesome things in television, music, and movies this week. Comics will be back next week, I’m sure, but for now: onwards!!
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I’m not quite halfway through Netflix’s Lady Dynamite, but the amount of time I spent scream-laughing at the first five episodes means that I’m pretty confident recommending that people watch it. I mean, I’d recommending it anyway, as I am a big fan of the show’s star Maria Bamford, who stars in the show as “Maria Bamford.” The show is based on her life, going from being a fairly successful standup comic to having a breakdown and spending some time in institutions and now trying to figure out how to live life on her terms. The show is non-linear, metatextual, irreverent, experimental, and hilarious; the first five minutes of the first episode involve Maria talking directly to the camera, which slowly morphs into a commercial parody that starts eating itself, which turns into a daydream that Maria was having while she was forgetting to film her show. The supporting cast is full of solid comedic talent, including Fred Melamel as Maria’s struggling manager Bruce Ben-Bacharach, Mary Kay Place and Ed Begley Jr. as Maria’s parents, and Mo Collins putting in a commited and hilarious performance as Maria’s childhood friend. It’s really Bamford who holds the entire thing together; it’s a showcase for her amazing talent, and she throws herself into every scene, whether it’s the bleaker scenes when she’s in the midst of recovery from bipolar disorder, the full-colour intensity of the first chapter of her success, or her trying to keep things together in the present. Lady Dynamite is a show that is the perfect showcase for her comedy, brilliant and hilarious and smart, and I am going to relish finishing it this weekend.