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Critic Reviews
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It is cheerful, dark, surreal, profane, aspirational, meta-fictional and packed with people playing versions of themselves or other people entirely (or playing versions of themselves playing other people entirely); it plays with visual and verbal puns, with moods and acting styles and moves around in time and dimension. And while these are elements of many modern comedies--it owes something to "It's Garry Shandling's Show," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "30 Rock," "The Sarah Silverman Program," Hurwitz's "Arrested Development" and the cracked spirit of Adult Swim--I have never seen them assembled in quite this way, or with quite so much gusto.
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Courage or crazy, or maybe both, everyone involved is following the same directive: to blow up the traditional sitcom. It’s just crazy funny.
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A show that relies so heavily on self-awareness has to have a beating heart and a big helping of humanity, and by focusing on Bamford’s mental health struggles, Lady Dynamite turns into something deeper, more challenging, and ultimately, more rewarding than a winking self-parody.
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Yes, anything can happen in Bamford's world, and that sense of endless possibility make Lady Dynamite a joy to watch. [20 May 2016, p.50]
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Witty, airy, convoluted Lady Dynamite is no exception, showcasing a brilliance of concept and bizarre execution that would be hard sells on many other networks.
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Lady Dynamite has its own bizarre-sincere voice and its own dream logic. It’s something else, in a good way: a journey to the center of Ms. Bamford’s mind that dives through fantasy after loopy fantasy and emerges with something real.
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It is part showbiz satire, part alt-comedy showcase, part plaintive character sketch, and all ambitious gonzo, a show that feels like nothing else on TV, a cult classic that, in the age of Netflix, may appeal to a horde.
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I didn’t laugh very frequently watching Lady Dynamite, but I was never less than absorbed by it.
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With the confidence of a show that knows exactly what it wants to be--and with the titanic Bamford anchoring every scene with incredible empathy and generosity, Lady Dynamite manages to stand out amid the constantly churning fray of television by being entirely, proudly itself.
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More deeply and uniquely, Lady Dynamite delivers a knowing, if satirical, glimpse of bipolar disorder--sort of like the Carrie Fisher story with a whole lot more Kimmy Schmidt thrown in.
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The show’s star Maria Bamford and its co-creators Mitch Hurwitz and Pam Brady have taken that well-worn formula and turned it into a uniquely bizarre comedy for Netflix--one that manages to tap into dark, emotional territory while remaining a cheerful, unconventional delight.
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Ultimately, Lady Dynamite presents such an amusing combination of humane wisdom and goofy wit that it quickly establishes itself as must-see fare. But don’t binge on this distinctive concoction. It’s best savored over time.
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All these different time periods and tones don't always fit together comfortably, and the four episodes Netflix made available for review are trying so many different things each time out that some feel like they're from entirely different series. ... But when Lady Dynamite hits on the right absurd note, it is spectacularly funny and feels original and vibrant.
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Lady Dynamite feels like it's delivering Bamford's wounded psyche in whole chunks, sometimes eager to please, sometimes awkwardly confrontational and generally compassionate.
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A unique series with an unusual premise, Lady Dynamite is awkwardly addictive.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 58 out of 94
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Mixed: 14 out of 94
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Negative: 22 out of 94
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May 22, 2016
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Jul 12, 2016
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May 23, 2016