![]() ![]() To the show's credit, there's not a bad performance in the bunch here. But the truth is that the characters are often more funny and entertaining in their downtime, whether blowing off steam at a local diner, butting heads with Goldie or simply wallowing in the poverty-fueled misery of their lives. Granted, you can't really expect groundbreaking humor from a show set over 40 years in the past. There's a lot of observational humor and riffs on topics of the day - Roe v. It doesn't help that so many of the stand-up routines in this episode are similar in style and delivery. Too many characters can be summed up with the same phrase - "struggling stand-up comic." Too many characters tend to blur together after a while. Trim a few faces from this crowd and you have a better show.īasically, there are a lot of names and faces to keep track of in this first episode, and even with the run-time clocking in at almost exactly one hour, this episode doesn't do a great job of establishing the main cast. Stan's Clay in particular is captivating as a man who seems surprisingly unhappy about having reached the pinnacle of his chosen profession. Both actors are easily and rapidly able to rise above the crowded surroundings and establish their respective characters as compelling players in the unglamorous world of stand-up comedy. Molina plays Carl, a combination mentor/talent manager to Cyler's character. Stan plays Clay Apuzzo, a rising star whose newfound success is a source of delight and jealousy for his friends. The pilot features added star power in the form of guest stars Sebastian Stan (Captain America: the Winter Soldier) and Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2). The pilot also focuses a great deal on Boston transplants Ron (Hot Tub Time Machine's Clark Duke) and Eddie (The Knick's Michael Angarano), who quickly discover just how hard it can be to make it in Hollywood. That community includes Southern belle Cassie (Fringe's Ari Graynor), youngster Adam (Me, Earl and the Dying Girl's RJ Cyler), the zany Sully (Happy Endings' Stephen Guarino), Vietnam vet Ralph (Workaholics' Erik Griffin) and veteran comic Bill (Mixology's Andrew Santino). Melissa Leo (Homicide: Life on the Street) stars as Goldie, a hard-edged comedy club owner who either nurtures a community of struggling comedians or exploits them, depending on your point of view. The pilot doesn't focus on any real-life comedians of the era (apart from a small appearance by Johnny Carson, played by Dylan Baker), but rather a group of composite characters loosely based on the real thing. And with 50/50 and Warm Bodies director Jonathan Levine directing the pilot, I'm Dying Up Here has a pretty impressive comedic pedigree. ![]() The series is also executive produced by Jim Carrey, who brings to the table his own experiences on the improv and stand-up scene. The new series is helmed by creator/writer David Felbottle (Masters of Sex) and based on the nonfiction book by William Knoedelseder. ![]()
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