"Last Comic Standing" (2004) More at IMDb Pro »TV series

Network: NBC; Genre: reality/game; Content Rating: TV-14 (for language); Classification: contemporary (Star range: 1 - 4)

Season Reviewed: Complete Series (2 seasons)

At it's concept, 'Last Comic Standing' is a respectable and welcome change of pace from the average network reality show. Finally, I thought. A show that isn't a popularity contest or self-indulgence in dating, but something based on substance and merit. Comics get eliminated by competing in literal head-to-head stand-offs on stage to get the most laughs. And it's a stand-up comedy show, so right there it would seem to have a leg up on the entirely humorless reality genera. However, in execution, 'LCS' is very different and sometimes tedious to watch. Like a dating contest where the entertainment relies of cat-fights, this show is only as entertaining and funny as the comics that are on it and unfortunately, many of them aren't that funny. They aren't that funny but even they upstage host Jay Mohr.

There are certainly comedians on this show that are funny and innovative, but to get to them we have to wade through a lot of bad ones, a lot of limp gags, stale acts and old punch lines. All the black comics talk about getting pulled over by the cops, all the white comics talk about being cops and pulling over black people and all the women talk about boyfriends that can't commit to marriage. Has the stand-up comedy scene really not changed at all in the last 20 or 30 years? The comics that are genuinely talented and innovative (Rob Cantrell, Ralphie May) usually get tossed off the show in the head-to-head matches by the idiots in the audience for someone simpler and more mainstream. In season 1 this ultimately lead to a disappointing ending in which the forced comedian-with-no-sense-of-humor Dat Phan won the whole thing more for his sob story background than doing the same act impersonating his mother over and over and over. The result was so irrevocable and lame for me that I don't care what happens in coming seasons.

There are a lot of unnecessary standard reality show elements here. What does it serve to isolate the comics in a house together? Why are there 'immunity challenges' if only to make it more blatant that NBC executive have no ideas and this show is cut from the exact same unoriginal cloth as 'Survivor'? Still, arguing over who is funniest is a more worthy endeavor than who will "get the guy". Well, I'll give NBC one thing. At least they are keeping this show exactly where reality shows belong - in the dead of summer.

* ½