The 1/2 Hour News Hour

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Season 1
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
2.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 380 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 97 out of 380
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 380
  3. Negative: 273 out of 380

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  1. MouseMouse
    Mar 15, 2007
    0
    Just sad... depressing even.
  2. PaulW
    Mar 15, 2007
    10
    Very funny stuff... Finally some balance to the Daily Show and other left wing show!
  3. Lance
    Mar 15, 2007
    2
    The satire is pedestrian and lame. It's "Weekend Update" at its very worst. It's very sad to know that people actually think this stuff is funny and that this show is getting good ratings. I knew conservatives had bad taste in comedy, but not THIS bad. Along with "Red Eye", another example of FoxNews' decline.
  4. BrendanD
    Mar 14, 2007
    0
    Anyone criticizing this program from the left or praising it from the right has no idea what makes good comedy. The fact is, I don't really give a damn what somethings political slant is if it's entertaining. I consider myself progressive, but Ted Nugent rocks (especially with the Amboy Dukes), and Charlton Heston was a great, great actor (anyone disputing that, tell me, who Anyone criticizing this program from the left or praising it from the right has no idea what makes good comedy. The fact is, I don't really give a damn what somethings political slant is if it's entertaining. I consider myself progressive, but Ted Nugent rocks (especially with the Amboy Dukes), and Charlton Heston was a great, great actor (anyone disputing that, tell me, who else could've played Moses?). "The 1/2-Hour News Hour" doesn't suck because it's a rightist show; it sucks because it's not funny. The Marion Barry joke, which was the funniest point of the Rip Obama segment, is a stale one. The rest of it just wasn't funny. "B.O.?" Really? Is that the best conservatives can do for comedy? I think not. Look, there are insanely talented conservatives out there, funny ones who deserve just as much recognition as anybody on the leftist front. Trey Parker and Matt Stone of "South Park," for example, are middle-rightists, if you pay attention to that sort of thing; but the difference between them, the real comic geniuses, and the hacks putting on this ridiculous display is that Parker and Stone are too funny to get caught up in partisan crap. They're not looking to win approval from a certain segment of society. As for those of you criticizing "The Daily Show" as "too liberal," I ask you, have you watched the show? I'll grant you that Jon Stewart is a liberal himself, but he would've been off the air years ago if he weren't funny. The fact is, the man's hilarious, as are the other writers and "anchors" on the show. Similarly, Stephen Colbert is a near-genius comic mastermind who channels both Bill O'Reilly and Keith Olbermann in one of the funniest pairings I can think of. See, that's what makes comedy funny: the ability to, y'know, BE FUNNY. I'd watch "The 1/2-Hour News Hour" again if it actually had something funny going on, but frankly, I don't need my ear jawed off by commentators who will do nothing but make fun of liberals the entire time. At least "The Daily Show" takes pot-shots at both sides.… Expand
  5. RobertH
    Mar 13, 2007
    0
    WOW! does anyone know what the meaning of left winged is? First this show is not funny, the jokes are so predictable, and just NOT funny. Second, the daily show is not left winged, it makes fun of both sides, and in recent weeks I've seen TONS more material on Democrats. Third, most networks are NOT left winged, it's just not in their financial interest, they may be democratic WOW! does anyone know what the meaning of left winged is? First this show is not funny, the jokes are so predictable, and just NOT funny. Second, the daily show is not left winged, it makes fun of both sides, and in recent weeks I've seen TONS more material on Democrats. Third, most networks are NOT left winged, it's just not in their financial interest, they may be democratic just because of their beliefs, but democrats are not left winged, they're between Republicans and Independents who are left winged.… Expand
  6. BenW
    Mar 13, 2007
    0
    This was by far the worst half hour of television ever, just awful. It's fine to do right wing humor however this was so unfunny it was shocking. I have never EVER watched a comedy that was so unfunny. I actually thought about sucide after watching this it was so bad.
  7. Rich
    Mar 12, 2007
    10
    Finally the liberals who control all of the newspapers, and 99% of television (we'll exclude FOX, for obvious reasons, but don't you dare try saying the other television stations and channels are conservative) have a program that makes fun of things that the lefties believe in so much. The show is done in satire. If you knew what satire is, you'd understand the show's Finally the liberals who control all of the newspapers, and 99% of television (we'll exclude FOX, for obvious reasons, but don't you dare try saying the other television stations and channels are conservative) have a program that makes fun of things that the lefties believe in so much. The show is done in satire. If you knew what satire is, you'd understand the show's meaning. And yes, we're all saying that this is a Conservative response to the Daily Show..to say this as a negative comment is invalid, because remember---the Daily Show is a rip of of Weekend Update (another liberal show that hasn't been funny since the 90s). Suck it up---if you don't like it, don't watch it.… Expand
  8. KCC
    Mar 12, 2007
    0
    Oh.....My.....God..... What are these people thinking? Better question: Why aren't these people thinking? I've seen better comedy on The Many Faces of Death series. Limbagh and Coulter? Again? Is this the level of creativity and diversity we're going to see? The same lame jokes *every* week? I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that considering this is a group that is Oh.....My.....God..... What are these people thinking? Better question: Why aren't these people thinking? I've seen better comedy on The Many Faces of Death series. Limbagh and Coulter? Again? Is this the level of creativity and diversity we're going to see? The same lame jokes *every* week? I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that considering this is a group that is still subsisting on Clinton jokes that are, politically speaking, older than the earth itself. No points for originality No points for creativity No points for diversity of material No points for diversity of topic One point for actually getting a chuckle out of me -5 points for the chuckle being out of pity rather than humour Can we give a negative rating?… Expand
  9. Stewartk
    Mar 12, 2007
    0
    I wish I could give this one a minus rating. It's hard to tell the difference between this show and regular Fox News Programming. Actually, there is a big difference. Regular Fox News is much funnier. When you have chuckleheads like O'reilly and Hannity and Colmes, how can anyone comedy show compete
  10. BoydP
    Mar 12, 2007
    1
    The 1 is for production values--this show is well-produced and looks much like The Daily Show and others you'd find on Comedy Central. But that is the problem: those shows are on COMEDY CENTRAL! This is on FOX NEWS! A news channel should not be airing comedy (as if to say Fox News's coverage isn't funny enough already). The Daily Show and The Colbert Report both air very The 1 is for production values--this show is well-produced and looks much like The Daily Show and others you'd find on Comedy Central. But that is the problem: those shows are on COMEDY CENTRAL! This is on FOX NEWS! A news channel should not be airing comedy (as if to say Fox News's coverage isn't funny enough already). The Daily Show and The Colbert Report both air very late at night, which is why they get lower ratings than a show airing at 7pm. That said, The Daily Show pulls in better ratings than this one--a midnight show trumping a prime time show? That takes some work. I watched two episodes back-to-back with my conservative parents. In the entire hour, I laughed only because it was attempting comedy and failing miserably; my parents laughed once. It is a sure sign of comedic failure when my conservative parents ask to change the channel. I'll give Joel Surnow credit for 24, which I watch and enjoy. But this Half-Hour News Hour is PAINFULLY unfunny. The show is filmed before a live studio audience and still needs to rely on canned laughter. Wow... that really says it all.… Expand
  11. TawneC
    Mar 11, 2007
    10
    funny..the ratings are good from the people..and negative from the liberal press. Your own medicine doesn't taste so good huh?
  12. scalex
    Mar 11, 2007
    9
    good satire. Lighten up all you lefties.
  13. andya
    Mar 11, 2007
    0
    terrible
  14. JIm
    Mar 10, 2007
    9
    Yes us right wingers do think it's funny. Even funnier than all the left wing people saying how horrible it is. I don't find idiots making fun of President Bush to be funny but the jabs at the ACLU are great and right on target. Deducted 1 point for the canned laughs.
  15. MikeB
    Mar 10, 2007
    0
    This is the worst show I have ever seen. Writing is terrible. The jokes are just stupid. The two News Anchors have no personality. The content simple is cheap, it's not satire, it's right-wing puke. There act on the ACLU is just baseless. Is there a live audience? It's pretty sad when the jokes are so stupid they need a laugh track...... I still don't understand why a This is the worst show I have ever seen. Writing is terrible. The jokes are just stupid. The two News Anchors have no personality. The content simple is cheap, it's not satire, it's right-wing puke. There act on the ACLU is just baseless. Is there a live audience? It's pretty sad when the jokes are so stupid they need a laugh track...... I still don't understand why a News Channel feels it needs to compete with a comedy show. Are they feeling that threatening!!… Expand
  16. TomB
    Mar 10, 2007
    10
    Outstanding!! Very funny!
  17. bk
    Mar 10, 2007
    1
    i didn't expected in to be 'daily show' quality but i did expect a lot more than this. is there such a thing as a funny conservative?
  18. RichardR
    Mar 8, 2007
    10
    Well, well. Almost all zeros or tens. Hmm. Could political voting be goin' on? Nah? Nobody here but us Wingnuts and Moonbats. And we're all fair and balanced.
  19. scott
    Mar 8, 2007
    0
    utter crap
  20. CharlesW
    Mar 7, 2007
    0
    This is supposed to be a comedy show - a conservative answer to "The Daily Show". I think Fox News has finally realized that its elderly current audience is going to eventually die (Bill O'Reilly's views median age is somewhere in the 60's and rising) and "The Daily Show" is attracting more and more young people every day. Of late most conservatives just plain avoid the This is supposed to be a comedy show - a conservative answer to "The Daily Show". I think Fox News has finally realized that its elderly current audience is going to eventually die (Bill O'Reilly's views median age is somewhere in the 60's and rising) and "The Daily Show" is attracting more and more young people every day. Of late most conservatives just plain avoid the tag-team of comic virtuosity that is Stewart followed by Colbert. Bill O'Reilly tried his hand on Colbert but I think Bill just realized that like most things that involve complex thought processes and ideas and concepts that aren't 100% with us or against us black or white type concepts - that he just didn't understand what Colbert was saying. Colbert just tired Bill out and left him looking like an old man gasping for some kind of gusto to propel a counter attack that never came. Cue - The Half Hour News Hour - Fox's own "Daily Show" for Conservatives. The supposed humor is kind of like President Bush's "Barneycam Christmas" videos. I can't help but feel that it probably has a similar effect on others as it did on me. It kind of engenders the same feeling as is someone forced you to watch a tape of your mom and dad attempting some form of passionate looking Latin Dance like "The Lambada" in a packed club on their wedding anniversary 15 years ago. You want to smile and politely cheer them on but it's so bad and so grindingly embarrassing that you just can't stand it. The anchors are so artificial they might as well have the name of a major japanese auto maker printed on their plastic chests. I suppose the funniest joke is when they do a bitter and mean-spirited attack on Barrack Obama and they give him an Oprah style magazine called BO Magazine (BO - Body Odor - Funny huh?) but the best bit is actually the fact that on the cover of the magazine one of the articles is "A life in politics: My 18 month journey". If they had more stuff like that which was actually true - Obama has little experience - and had some kind of comic punch, timing and talent this might have been a two. The show could never be more than a two because that would require that they actually have the ability to laugh at themselves - that they have humility, empathy, and good comic delivery. They have none of that. 1/2HNH Is doing a wonderful job of one thing - showing American conservatism up to be what it is - Out of touch with reality, regressive, hate and fear driven, arrogant and ignorant. This show is like pulling your own teeth. Slowly. With fingernail clippers. And no anesthetic. I hope Fox don't cancel it. I hope it's on forever. In the future this show will be used as a teaching tool for students of comedy. It's like one of those "How many fire hazards are in this picture?" type exercises - how many comic timing mistakes, tired out-of-date jokes and just plain bad attempts at humor can you spot? 0/10 - It's awful… Expand
  21. Ted
    Mar 7, 2007
    10
    Wow. It's amazing that the left thinks they have the corner on funny. Give the show some credit...the stuff on the ACLU was hilarious. While the Daily Show delivers mostly veiled ad hominem attacks, this show actually lets you laugh at the sheer lunacy of the left in this country. No name calling necessary. It doesn't surprise me that left-leaning critics didn't like it. Wow. It's amazing that the left thinks they have the corner on funny. Give the show some credit...the stuff on the ACLU was hilarious. While the Daily Show delivers mostly veiled ad hominem attacks, this show actually lets you laugh at the sheer lunacy of the left in this country. No name calling necessary. It doesn't surprise me that left-leaning critics didn't like it. And not for nothing, but The Daily Show didn't start off as successful as it currently is. I'm willing to give this a few episodes to finds its groove. The first episode was funny enough to deserve it.… Expand
  22. Mark
    Mar 7, 2007
    0
    It's as if Stalin in the 1950's tried to do a comedy show. It's scary to see just how hard these self-righteous, dogmatic, intolerant conservatives try to be funny.
  23. ChrisM
    Mar 7, 2007
    1
    I can't imagine the producers/writers do a worse job on this. However, I'm sure it's possibleolbutt, so I gave it a 1/10. I also cannot imagine anyone, on the right, on the left, or in the middle (where the majority sit) finding this anything but painful to watch. What's with all the trolls on here spamming this site with positive ratings? If you want great humor with I can't imagine the producers/writers do a worse job on this. However, I'm sure it's possibleolbutt, so I gave it a 1/10. I also cannot imagine anyone, on the right, on the left, or in the middle (where the majority sit) finding this anything but painful to watch. What's with all the trolls on here spamming this site with positive ratings? If you want great humor with a right wing slant, go read some PJ O'Rourke. It just doesn't get stinkier than this.… Expand
  24. Josh
    Mar 5, 2007
    0
    Why is everyone making this a political issue? I'm an ultra conservative and I still thought this sucked because it just wasn't funny. I happen to LIKE The Daily Show because it is, in fact, funny. I don't agree with Jon Stewart's opinions, but he does a funny show. This is just stupid.
  25. JamesM
    Mar 5, 2007
    0
    This thing is truly horrible, but it will play to the lowest common denominator, which is where it's aiming. Funny is hard work and it is difficult to write material that is satirical but not actually cruel or sophomoric. The Daily Show and Colbert have the unique ability to laugh at themselves which the right completely lacks. Also, Colbert and Stuart are much better at making fun This thing is truly horrible, but it will play to the lowest common denominator, which is where it's aiming. Funny is hard work and it is difficult to write material that is satirical but not actually cruel or sophomoric. The Daily Show and Colbert have the unique ability to laugh at themselves which the right completely lacks. Also, Colbert and Stuart are much better at making fun of the left. Their priority is humor. It works because politics, politicians and the media are all absurd and funny- on both sides. BTW I read the Wa Po article and I would hardly call it a rave review. He basically said it might not be a total disaster. He is probably right, Fox viewers are used to doing what they are told to do. If they are told to watch this crap, they will. I hope this show dies very quickly.… Expand
  26. StephenC.
    Mar 5, 2007
    0
    Why do people hate America? For a start, how about a show being aired on a cable NEWS network that spends 7 minutes making fun of Muslim names for no apparent reason than that they are alien and funny, that allows Ann Coulter to make jokes about wondering "which countries have we not bombed yet?", and... well, that should be just about enough.
  27. jackie
    Mar 4, 2007
    0
    this hurt. literally. :( the second episode was alright, until it became entirely bigoted. oh, haha, all the terrorists have been muslim, this means islam is not a religion, it's a terrorist organization. wow. congrats guys.
  28. GalenL
    Mar 4, 2007
    0
    this program was so dull I almost didnt notice it killing my soul.
  29. MikeP
    Mar 4, 2007
    10
    Great show!
  30. michaelc
    Mar 4, 2007
    0
    Deliciously awful. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Joel Surnow was a liberal genius who created some sort of self-referential parody of what conservatives find funny. Something along the lines of: "Let's tell Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter that we want them to appear on our new 'conservative' comedy show, and then film them making fools of themselves in Deliciously awful. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Joel Surnow was a liberal genius who created some sort of self-referential parody of what conservatives find funny. Something along the lines of: "Let's tell Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter that we want them to appear on our new 'conservative' comedy show, and then film them making fools of themselves in an intentionally unfunny skit." Punked! I'm giving The 1/2 Hour News Hour a rating of 4/10. (Note: this is NOT a rating of four out of ten, but rather, four-tenths of one point. Unfortunately, this site doesn't allow fractional ratings, so I'll have to round it down to zero.)… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

100
#100 Best TV Season of 2007
3
#3 Most Discussed TV Season of 2007
41
#41 Most Shared TV Season of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
13

Overwhelming dislike - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 10 out of 11
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Barry Garron
    20
    A look at the first episode suggests that, just as A.M. radio is the unassailable province of the right, TV might better be left to the left.
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  2. Orlando Sentinel
    Reviewed by: Hal Boedeker
    0
    "Weekend Update" on its worst night isn't this bad.
    Read full review
  3. Slate
    Reviewed by: Troy Patterson
    0
    You couldn't skewer a cube of tofu with material this dull.
    Read full review
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