What Format Should LCS use Going Forward?

[Traveller519]

This is spinning off from the Season 9 Finale Topic, where a lot of us had gripes with this season's bizarre format and some have been suggesting an "All Stars" format, or something else going forward.

 

Personally, what I'd like to see is a show that focuses more on the construction and making the comics better. In the past some of the challenges have focused on this, which has been good, but also can get hokey (the Universal Studios tour guide comes to mind).

 

My ideal format. Start with two semi finals episodes of 10 comics each narrowed down to ten finalists. All selection to get to the 20 semi-finalists is done before the show.  But each needs to be an actively touring comedian. Each comedian does a 3 minute set, with a minute of critique and filler. 2 minutes to announce who's going on, and remaining 2 minutes of filler.

 

In the first show with the 10 finalists, do a "behind the scenes show, where they work with some established comedians (producers and former finalists) on critiquing their sets and trying to punch them up.

 

Next 4 shows are challenges to whittle the field down to 5 through eliminations. Challenges are in different facets of comedy like Sketch, Improve, Musical (this could be terribad, and I'd love it.), etc. Final Five to Final Three, and then a Final Three.

 

That's still only 9 episodes. Get's us some time with the actual contestants to identify with them, and shows some of the work that goes into comedy, and doesn't just make it a performance show.

[Ohwell]

I have to give more thought to the format, but one thought that immediately comes to mind is that the producers need to do a much better job of finding comedians who are, you know, funny.

 

I'd also like to hear what posters like Dr. Spaceman and Amarsir have to say about format.

[Traveller519]

That comes down to money. You would basically need to be able to pay (or otherwise) a currently touring comic nearly what they'd make by doing road shows while on the show in addition to any ultimate prize. Getting comedians who are doing the circuit (and I'm talking headlining comedy clubs) and on the verge of breaking out will benefit from the increased exposure, and the show benefits from having generally more polished comedians.

 

Then seeing them work on the craft develops some attachment, and allows us to see if they're actually funny behind the scenes (Dave Mordall) or just someone who can work the stage (Dat Phan). Basically, I want this show to be more "Hard Knocks" and less "Star Search"

[Amarsir]

Well first, lets make sure they never ever do an off-the-street audition process for us again. That was a staple of the early seasons when they though they could copy American Idol. But that doesn't work. Bad singing is funny. Bad comedy isn't.

 

It also doesn't make sense to have more contestants than they can show us. Now the risk is that if you invite 20 people with airtime for 20, and 4 are terrible, you have several bad minutes of TV.  But if they were at least good enough to deserve an invite I think we'd rather withstand that than see a 1 joke montage or spot them anonymously in the background of a waiting room.

 

Episode 1-2: 20 invitees narrowed down to 10 via two shows is a good start.

 

Now what I want from the show is:

A) Who's funny outside their prepared material?

B) Who's funny in combination with other funny people?

C) Mentoring. Someone giving meaningful feedback about the craft.

 

So I think I'd do the next 5 shows like this

Episode 3: Group challenge. Let's say a sketch comedy.  Ideally with a guest mentor. Don't rush the prep time; give the comics enough time that they feel comfortable goofing around with each other. (But no so much they're bored.)  Pick 1 winner, then tell them they get to choose what 2 people go head-to-head. (Which could include themself or not.)

 

The 2 people competing get mentoring.  Then they do a set and 1 is eliminated.

 

Episode 4-6: Different types of challenges (improv, roast, heckler, tv pitch, whatever).  Again 1 winner is picked, then chooses 2 who haven't gone head-to-head yet. They get mentoring and then compete.

 

Episode 7: Now there are 6 people remaining. 4 won their head-to-head and 2 will get mentoring and compete in this episode. If rushing the season you could push this into the end of episode 6, but I like the structure of 1 elimination at the end of each episode. So instead I'd have an unrelated challenge with a separate prize for the winner. Like the Ellen interview, or a chance to open for someone huge, or even just cash.

 

Episode 8: Final episode. Five performances and a judge selection works for me.

 

It's not a long season, but it doesn't waste time on people who we barely see and yet doesn't drain the final 5 by making them do routine after routine. Here all they'd have to do is 3 sets plus whatever they put into challenges.

 

The only thing I don't like about that setup is that it doesn't ensure the best people make the top 5. (This is the "either of you could win this" scenario.)  What I'd like to do is somewhere between 7 and 8 have a chance for someone to come back. But sitting here off the top of my head I don't have an answer for that.

[whatsatool]

Less of th e judges and more of the comics. Have Whitney as host.

[topanga]

I agree with  that it would be nice to see the contestants (at least the finalists) have a chance to work on their craft and to get professional advice from working comedians, not just Norm's crazy comments and Roseanne's scary laugh. Similar to "Dancing with the Stars" or "American Idol."

 

I kinda miss the house from Season 1. Or maybe it's just that I liked those comics the best of any season. Ralphie May, Dave Mordal, Cory Caheney, Rich Voss, etc. (Some of the season 2/3 comics weren't bad either: Alonzo Bodden, John Heffron, Gary Gulman, Kathleen Madigan, Todd Glass).

[BoogieBurns]

My ideal format. Start with two semi finals episodes of 10 comics each narrowed down to ten finalists. All selection to get to the 20 semi-finalists is done before the show.  But each needs to be an actively touring comedian. Each comedian does a 3 minute set, with a minute of critique and filler. 2 minutes to announce who's going on, and remaining 2 minutes of filler.

In the first show with the 10 finalists, do a "behind the scenes show, where they work with some established comedians (producers and former finalists) on critiquing their sets and trying to punch them up.

 

I mis-read this, and thought you were saying they should start the first episode in the middle of the process. I'm gonna run with this idea.

 

First episode (filmed during week 8): See a live set of the top 10 - 20 comedians. After each performance, contrast it with their audition. So this episode, you would see 2 minutes of current day Rod followed by a clip of his audition.

 

Second episode (week 1): This will be the episode that happened after the auditions. We will see what the judges thought of their audition and how they could improve.

 

Following weeks (weeks 2 - 7): Watch them improve. All the episodes besides the first and last will be in the chronological order. These would be somewhat standard episodes that are in other seasons. No one gets voted off. 

 

Final episode (8 real-time weeks after the premiere): Show the well-polished comics LIVE. They will have not only learned how to be better from the middle episodes, they also will have seen themselves on TV and heard feedback from social media. 

 

I didn't watch last season, but I'm bored with reality show formats. 

Edited October 16, 2015 by BoogieBurns