The Comedians

The Comedians is a decently prepared entree with just enough bursts of flavor.

Though it has a ways to go before reaching the upper echelon of its subgenre, The Comedians’ likable cast compensates for its familiar premise.

Crystal is in fine form and Gad is appropriately irritating (and funnier than I expected). The Comedians is more of an acquired taste than a “must-see”--and will appeal to those who enjoy satire and winking, self-referential show-biz tropes.

As a team, they [Billy Crystal and Josh Gad] are better than the shows--both the real one and the fake one--they're in.

The joy here is watching Crystal and Gad play off each other. Their scenes together are a hoot, with each having no problem lampooning the other, or themselves, for that matter.

The Comedians boasts razor-sharp performances, but is ultimately toothless.

Dotted with celebrity cameos, the customary exaggerated Hollywood insecurities and an underlying commentary on the generational divide, the show generates enough solid laughs to overcome its arid patches.

Crystal being Crystal, Gad being Gad, you laugh enough. Sometimes. [10 Apr 2015, p.58]

Mr. Gad is utterly seductive. Mr. Crystal’s endlessly changing facial expressions flow into one another, each containing its own little world of loathing, of mockery. They’re perfect. He’s perfect. All that he, Mr. Gad and this series need is more coherently themed comedy of the kind in the pilot, which they don’t quite have down yet in some subsequent episodes, as one talent-squandering revel in a supermarket shows.

The 13 episodes are fun, not groundbreaking, but slickly produced and accented with musical comedy. Like the two stars, the series is endearing, loud and desperate for attention, but ultimately a love letter to comedy and comedy history.