I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE - Season 2 - Best Sketches / Discussion (Patreon)

I’m so happy Tim Robinson helped take up the mantle of the sketch show.

Depending on how old you are, the mantle’s kinda important. There’s been so many cultural rallying points around the absurd comedy of shows like Monty Python, The Carol Burnett Show, Kids In The Hall, Mr. Show, Chapelle’s Show, Key & Peele, etc. They feel like they bring you right to the edge of the proverbial “new” in this remarkable way that often creates this invisible culture shift in their wake. Which is why I feel like there should always be a few sketch shows on TV at any given time. But with that observation comes the acknowledgement that for a long time it was THE medium gave us collective comedy in its purest, most digestible form.

Now, most popular sketch work has understandably moved to TikTok (and forever RIP to Vine), where there sheer volume of what’s produced means you’re gonna 1) get a lot of bad, broad bullshit and 2) get a TON of diamonds in the rough. And honestly, if you’re algorithm is in good shape you can probably get an even better hit rate of what you want than from quality TV. Honesty, I love so much of what’s on there and happily understand it’s our future. But it’s also why shows like I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE or A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW are even more important. Because they help prevent things from getting lost in the diaspora of endless, cyclical consumption. By pure virtue of being “a show,” they get you to stop, consume sketch en masse, and create better water cooler conditions. But the same time it comes with another important acknowledgement…

Which is the fact that sketch shows are incredibly difficult to make. It’s a medium where a 50% good sketch rate is killer. Fuck, SNL makes headlines when they do one good sketch in 90 minutes. And the success rate is not from a lack of effort, nor a lack of great minds. It’s just really, really fucking hard to make a great sketch. Which is part of why I was genuinely worried THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE’s sophomore slump. I mean, I adore the first season, but if there is one criticism to levy at it, it’s that it tended to over-rely on the sketch construct of “I’m not doing the thing I’m clearly doing” and I was terrified they’d go back to the well on that one. But rather than recede into the familiar…

I am overjoyed to tell you that season 2 is even sharper and more expansive.

They’re just in the zone now. One person commented on twitter and said it felt like like they were in a full on “sprint” mode now (I’m sorry I can’t find the stupid tweet to credit, I hate the twitter search function). What’s more, they didn’t make any mistakes in going for nostalgia laughs AKA where you bring out old characters or bits from before. This is the pro move because while nostalgia laughs are comforting, they silently kill your show. Really. Because a comforting chuckle is never as good as the first gut laugh. So never coast because it’s the literal reason you don’t tell the same joke twice.

Understandably, so much of the show’s success is centers around Tim Robinson. And the thing I love most about him is that he understands is that comedy is about holding dramatic tension (and thereby creating surprising relief to it in absurd ways). Where I think a lot of other shows instinctively understand that tension is a necessary component - what with all the awkward cringe comedy and what not - what I love about I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE is that it always rallies around the absurd energy or the conflict, rather than let it sit there. In other words, the cringe is made for the people on screen, not for YOU. Plus, it just fully understands sketch structure, especially when they build up the normalcy so that the audience is just there waiting for the drop to hit. You know, like you’re clubbing or something.

It also makes great use of Robin’s persona and skill sets. He basically has three killer modes: 1. Angry, confused man who cares about something way, way too much 2. Sad, scared little boy who can’t understand why other people DON’T care as much as him and 3. He’s also a shockingly good straight man who can play soft. Not only does mixing it up between these three modes help create perfect surprise in each sketch for “where the joke comes from” - they work because, as absurd as he is, Robinson’s coming at it in that actorly way where he’s plays the truth, not an affectation. And in sketch this is EVERYTHING because it’s what helps ground that tension. Seriously, go back and watch Key and Peele. Keegan had incredible affectation, but Peele was the actor who was playing THE TRUTH of the scenes (Phil Hartman was maybe the all time best at this). You really need it. And what I also like about Robin’s third skill of being a straight man is that it highlights one of my absolute favorite things about the show…

He doesn’t fill it with a lot of other known comedy people. Sure you’ll get Sam Richardson or Patti Harrison (or other Detroit crew), but mostly it’s faces all all walks of life that I’ve never seen before. This not only creates a weird believability in what we’re seeing, it also proves a coup of central casting (or whatever other LA casting agencies they are using). Basically, there’s this incredibly talented pool of actors (and weirdos) who are just out there waiting to shine. Some of them having been working pros for years in these tiny parts. Some of them are out of nowhere. But either way, they’ll find the most amazing people, understand what makes them funny, and then let them shine. And even with weirdos it’s not in a way that feels like they’re making fun of them either. Again, there’s no real cringe here even if they subject is akward. It always plays to the absurdity with full conviction.

The final thing I love about I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE is that I hope it helps normalize 16 minute episode lengths. There’s no reason to pad it out to 22 with stuff that doesn’t make the cut (also I wonder how much this show leaves on the cutting room floor? I genuinely love it if they leave a lot). Anyways that’s enough general talk.

Let’s just get into best sketches, where more comedic function insights await!

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1. CorncobTV’s Coffin Flop - I can’t remember the last time I had that insane a physical reaction to a sketch. I was in tears. Yes, it’s pure physical humor, but tailor-made for Robin’s aggressive yelling and knack for phrasing in conjunction: “Just body after body fallin’ outta shit wood and hittin’ pavement!” The direction is impeccable on this (Also love the spectrum dig).

2. The Opening Hot Dog Sketch - I love any show that comes out swinging and this is a perfect swing. What I also love is that it only lightly touches the “I’m not doing the thing i’m clearly doing” bit and more relies on the physical hilarity of watching Tim try to casually eat a hotdog out of his sleeve. All before the sketch turns nuclear. Perfect show opener (and while we’re here, the follow-up on his new business venture / being fired is a perfect little capper).

3. Gimme That Burger - This is one of those “coup of central casting” things I mentioned above. They build up the normalcy so and you have absolutely no idea where the joke is going to come from, then that professor guy starts in. They so capitalize on that dude’s little mannerisms / “I’m just joking.” But he underplays it so beautifully. Even by the time he’s saying “let me take a video of you saying you’re gonna kill the president” I was in tears (BTW I’d normally have these actors names but IMDB isn’t updated yet).

4. Shark Tank / Charlie Brown - No, Patti Harrison isn’t a central casting person, but she’s just so fucking funny to me. This sketch isn’t just a great example of why she is, but it also represents another thing I love about I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE, which is “where” it finds the joke. Because it’s a great conceit, right? A new money person / non-shark being brought into the shark tank (which is also the kind of conceit that makes you genuinely wish you could see her interact with the inventors) - but the show doesn’t turn into any of the obvious conflict. Instead it finds most of the comedy in her promo-video emphasis on her life’s sudden turns. “I’m not used to be rich. I can’t stop having wine.” That’s where the real joke is.

5. Crashmore - The trailer was reasonably funny and captures that “here’s this weird regular guy we’re putting in one of THESE action movies” But it’s part two of the sketch where it takes off into the stratosphere. Not just because it accurate captures weird junket energy and the way Santa Claus talks about the film as “cosmic gumbo” - it’s how that’s all precursor before it goes for the throat with “What are we 10?!? I’ve seen every cock on the planet!!!!” I literally had to spit out my espresso back into my little cup (or as I call it, the gentlemen’s spit take).

6. Tim Heidecker’s Sensitive Bar Convo - First off, I’m pretty sure this is a great little in joke about “Scum & Villainy” AKA the Star Wars themed bar in LA - but I love that Heidecker shows up in Tim Robinson’s world so much because he’s another of “guy who plays the truth over affectation” (which was a part of duality that made Tim and Eric work, too). But you need that reality for the way the sketch ping-pongs between the sensitivity of the conversation and playing fast and loose with absurd details. I genuinely can’t believe how hard I laughed at ever alien facial reaction. “So don’t say I can’t please a woman!”

7. The Henchman / Jamie Taco - A perfect example of how good they are at Russian Nesting Doll-ing some of their sketches. There’s the guy really loving his wife and not going along with the sexist bravado - the entire play subplot - the idea that acting is who says the lines faster - the central casting dude they found to play Jamie Taco - but it all builds to the biggest laugh when the guy said, “Scott stay, it’s my birthday!” and it whip pans over to five sleeping bags all laid out. Love a good whip pan joke (BTW hint: to make a whip pan joke work the set-up/punchline itself has to be genuinely funny. Like the “look at these assholes” in Darjeeling Limited. It can’t just be hey look at that funny thing).

8. Sloppy Steaks Kanye Montage - The first part of the sketch felt a little rambling for me, even though there’s killer lines like, “Hey Meredith, I’m worried the baby thinks people can’t change,” but it’s all about the way it builds into the Sloppy Steaks montage with the Kanye song. This is a PERFECT example of how a sketch can slowly win you over by sticking to it’s guns and going to the furthest possible point with it.

9 . Surf Desk - Just a perfect example of a sketch where you waiting for the turn and it being super sudden. The table throw / out of nowhere physical gag is just amazing execution (and great comedic stunt work!).

10. Ron Tussbler’s Ear Piercing - Man, this is show is as good at coming up with funny white people names as the Coen brothers are. But this really is an amazing way to end this season. Not just in that it shows a way a sketch can go anywhere, but that its last thoughts are just super dark existential ideas told right to camera without a hint of irony???? *chef’s kiss*

MORE JOKES / RANDOM NOTES!

-Haunted House - I love that people adore this one, but I’m not a huge “inventive swearing” person? Like, I genuinely appreciate how hard it is to come up with funny sounding swears and you absolutely need to do it less you end up being inane (EASTBOUND AND DOWN was really good at this), but weirdly the parts that stick with me most from this sketch are the moments like they guy saying, “This is the worst day I’ve had on this job!” and his mom asking him if he made any friends.

-Dan Flashes is a perfect example of a “comedy earworm” where I was kinda laughing, but the idea is repeated so many times I can’t get it out of my mind and it just becomes funnier with time.

-A surprise pan over to Bob Odenkirk will ALWAYS be funny to me (especially when he gets to brag about triples of his Barracuda). But it also makes me realize this season had even less guest stars and I dig that so much. It shows confidence.

-“Little Buff Boys” is such a funny phrase and Richardson can sell anything, but I think it’s a perfect example of trying to return to the same kind of sketch being a mistake? Thoughts from others?

- I’m not kidding when I say my dad had a blue hiking hat that kind of looked like that Fedora w/ Safari flaps and he wore it all on our big hikes and as embarrassed children, my brother and I were mortified about it. But he just ate it up and then bought us all the same hat the next Christmas. The sketch on the whole is a perfect example of one I’m sort of smiling along with and then still gets a big laugh when he declares: “I’ve never fought for anything in my entire life.”

-The dancing / barking dog one is one of those sketches where it has all this amazing tension and energy - and even good lines like “she’s doing what’s right!” But without a capper or second turn, there’s no payoff that relieves that tension in the right kinda hilarious way. It just kind of lets the air out. This is great example of why you need that capper to really hammer something home.

-The drops of pee sketch is an example of one that turns into the other guy’s normalcy / cringe tension a bit too hard, so it wears out welcome (it feels looooong). But it still works cause it’s punctuated by some amazing moments like him yelling: “you wore that dress yesterday!” / They grew up together! / She just keeps eating batteries / “You hit me in the cup.”

-I didn’t know Alice Mathias before, but she’s a hell of a director. Everything felt so on point.

-Anyone else feel like the “he can hit!” Johnny Carson sketch was weirdly inspired by the Nathan For You impersonator episode? Anyway, my favorite part was all the 20 somethings thinking that having a Johnny Carson impersonator at your party was rad. Also, when he complains there’s no cute restaurants around her house? Just a perfect out of nowhere joke.

-The fact there was an actual logical payoff to the Tables / “Her job is so confusing” sketch is the last thing I would have ever expected. Amazing.

-Child actors sometimes scare the shit out of me when they’re that good. Like, there’s no way I could get through “the disgruntled employee who was farting in their heads was mad they were treating their full-time employees as contract employees” without breaking… Maybe it’s that kids don’t know how funny that is?

Damn this season had so many great sketches.

What an embarrassment of riches.

<3HULK