The Carmichael Show

The Carmichael Show is back for a longer season, and it hasn’t lost a step--it’s still one of the most audacious comedies currently airing.

The first two episodes of the new season don't suggest a huge creative leap--Carmichael is still finding his way as an actor, for instance, though the creative team recognizes that he's best used to say incendiary things that his co-stars can react to-but even if it never improves from its original baseline, it's funny and well-crafted enough to be worth watching for more than just its ambitions.

The Carmichael Show consistently feels surprising, not formulaic, partly because of the talent assembled, partly because of Mr. Carmichael’s comic philosophy of prodding his audience.

The Carmichael Show does not set out to re-invent the comedy wheel, but it proves that paying attention to the basics and generally writing to the strengths of a well-calibrated ensemble can pay major dividends. The continuing existence of this lively, well-crafted series is something of a miracle, and so far, it’s one worth celebrating.

“Black-ish” has found a great way of talking about current events without sounding like “Meet the Press.” The Carmichael Show will get there, too, once it lets its very good supporting cast get out and do more.