Talk shows, in general, suck.
Most, particularly the late night ones (we’re not going to discuss the morning and afternoon shows that are just white noise at your doctor’s office), are glorified press junkets rife with poorly timed dad jokes, and/or they’re desperate showcases for hosts and celebrities trying to go viral with forced wackiness.
Then there’s John Mulaney Presents: Everyone’s in LA.
Netflix’s experiment at a live, late night(ish) talk show featuring Mulaney interviewing local Los Angelinos and celebrities alike in one of the most delightfully chaotic, weird and sublimely absurd shows since Conan O’Brien’s glory days on NBC.
To paraphrase Anthony Bourdain — Everyone’s in LA does not indeed suck.
Mulaney is the perfect host for this gig. He’s a charming, quick-witted everyman who is absolutely scrambling and making it up as he goes along. It’s the correct energy for a live show for two reasons. First, it’s a refreshing take on a format that feels so hyper-produced and rehearsed. Second, it oddly feels like the right energy for a post-COVID world as most of us are overworked, exhausted and just trying to make it in this weird time in history by making it up as we go along.
Everyone’s in LA chaotic nature is fueled by the unexpected left turns that come from Mulaney having recruited some of the best names in comedy to be a part of the show. Whether it’s having Will Ferrell completely hijacking the show, Jerry Seinfeld acting completely confused as what the show even is, or announcer Richard Kind (yes, that Richard Kind) manically interrupting everything — the unpredictability of the show makes it so much more enjoyable.
Everybody’s in LA is just flat out weird. It doesn’t make much sense to have a coyote advocate sitting next to Seinfeld or Jon Stewart cutting it up with an expert on palm trees. Nor does it make a sense to have a delivery robot as a running gag. Or how about the sketch where Richard Kind is attempting to score acid to take Mulaney’s Hollywood Bowl show? It’s all so bizarre and random yet, it all makes all the sense in the world for this show.
The concept of this being a limited series also works in the show’s favor. As Mulaney says in his opening monologue it ends before they really find their groove. Let’s face it — does this show need to find its groove? No, it never should. What works are all the mistakes, gaffs, and improvised fixes. The rough edges are the charm of this series. If it ever found its groove — would it be nearly as charming and hilarious? Given the talent on the show, it’d definitely still be a fun watch, but it wouldn’t be the chaotic slice of heaven it is right now. Sometimes less is more, and John Mulaney and friends have certainly created something special in the very short time they were on Netflix.
