Season One Talk: FFwSB

[formerlyfreedom]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[Victor the Crab]

Her show is on here in Canada at 10:30PM Eastern time on Comedy Network, just before TDS, so I'll be tuning in.

[Lantern7]

Anybody else see the premiere? It was broadcast on lots of Turner cable stations . . . even Cartoon Network. I thought Sam did a good job, and that she's a worthy successor to her old boss. As a bonus, TBS will run it right before The Daily Show, so there are no DVR complications.

 

Who was narrating the Jeb Bush segment? I would have guessed Werner Herzog, but the guy was openly swearing. Anybody else feel bad for Jeb? I keep flashing back to the SNL takes of debates, where Trump mocks "Jebra."

[Irlandesa]

I watched.  I loved it.  I think the last time I watched The Daily Show regularly was when John Oliver hosted.  I can't take four days of this kind of show.  But watching John Oliver with his long form comedic journalism and Sam Bee on Monday sounds almost perfect.  The first two segments were really strong. I especially loved the cold open with the reporters asking how she'd do everything....as a woman. 

 

The only segment that dragged for me was the final bit on Jeb Bush.  There were some funny bits but a lot of it didn't work for me.

 

 

Anybody else feel bad for Jeb? I keep flashing back to the SNL takes of debates, where Trump mocks "Jebra."

I had that thought last week when the "please clap" clip came out.  But then I thought back to the whole Terry Schiavo situation and nope...I don't.

[peeayebee]

Who was narrating the Jeb Bush segment? I would have guessed Werner Herzog, but the guy was openly swearing. 

I don't think Herzog is averse to swearing. Still, I'm not sure it was him, but I wouldn't be surprised. Whoever it was was awesome.

 

I wasn't sure I was going to try out this show, but I'm glad I did. Great premiere. Every segment worked.

 

I'm going to have to pick a different channel to record, however, because this one was all stretched out horizontally. I hate when that happens.

[teddysmom]

Paul F. Thompkins does a killer Herzog impersonation, he does it sometimes on Doug Loves Movies podcast.  Maybe it was him. 

 

I laughed more at this one 22 minute show than at all the Trevor Noah Daily Shows combined that I've seen.   

 

I don't know if Sam took off with their best writers or if it's just that she's, what's the word, funny.   

[possibilities]

Wow, I had low expectations because I never found Sam Bee particularly funny on The Daily Show. I didn't dislike her, but I thought she just wasn't my favorite. And in interviews (where she's the interviewee, she always seems to be apologizing for being angry about sexism or for having an edge. So I thought putting her in the host position might give us a lukewarm show that was full of ambivalent goofiness more than actual commentary. Was I ever wrong! This show was all hit. I loved it. Even though I'd seen the Republican Debate mocked about 5 times on different shows this week so far (and it's only Tuesday!), she managed to make me laugh, and to make a few new jokes and pull a few different clips than what everyone else is using. Good job!

 

Surprisingly, the least funny segment was the pre-taped Jeb "documentary" but even that was good enough.

 

I hope she can keep this level going, and that it's not just a reflection of having an extra long time to prepare the first episode. A lot of other shows take a while to warm up and find a voice, but this is great on night 1.

 

I watched the 1 am showing on TBS and they didn't even bleep her saying "fuck"-- I guess if you call the show Full Frontal, you have to give something to the randoms who show up not realizing it's going to be fully clothed, and the rest of the viewers can at least say they were warned. I don't mind-- I just found it notable that they didn't pull punches or use bleeps.

[Victor the Crab]

Samantha will be fine with this show she created. Her manic style showed she would have been ill suited to host TDS (especially since she would have had to conduct interviews, which this show does not). She was like a machine gun rat-a-tat-a-tatting the humor, whereas TDS gives us a more nuanced, detailed account of the funny. Trevor was better at explaining the RNC debate in a very humorous way last night than Samantha did, with no knock against her as her opening segment was pretty funny.

[cattykit]

I made it through exactly one of Trevor Noah's TDS and less than one of Larry Wilmore's show, so I only tentatively recorded one episode of this.  I liked this show better than I thought I would and I'm going to set the DVR to continue recording.  It's a lot more like LWT than TDS (and I like that, since the interviews almost always bored me, even when it was Jon or Stephen) and I think Samantha has a lot of potential.  Isn't Jason supposed to be on here, too?

Edited February 10, 2016 by cattykit

[Grommet]

I thought this was fantastic. I laughed more than I have in a while. I always liked Sam on TDS so I'm glad she's living up to my hopes, since Colbert has been such a disappointment. I think the no-interview, weekly format will give her a great opportunity to do good, smart humor.

[SomeTameGazelle]

Was that Wyatt Cenac up in the back of the audience?

[Unusual Suspect]

This was really good. I'm sold.

[Milburn Stone]

Sensational.

 

The only parts that were less than great were the parts that Samantha Bee wasn't on camera.

[Sesquipedalia]

I thought Sam Bee was one of the gutsiest correspondents on the Daily Show, so I have high hopes for this show. The first episode was razor sharp. She is so harsh! And I love it. 

[A Boston Gal]

Yup, I agree...I'm all in, especially if the following shows live up to the level of the premiere.

 

Slightly OT: During the the very first taped bit, my heart sank...but only because I thought they were using a laugh track. Who the hell uses a laugh track anymore? Then the show pulled back to show the studio audience, laughing perfectly on cue.  Ahem....sorry, Samantha, for doubting you. ;)

[Ruby25]

Wow, what a phenomenal debut! This might be just what the doctor ordered, in terms of replacing TDS/Colbert for me, because I've been sorely missing it. Trevor Noah isn't cutting it for me at all, and I've been totally let down and disappointed by Colbert on The Late Show, but man- this was fantastic!

 

I can't believe it was this good on Day 1. I laughed throughout the entire thing. Sam was totally on fire and every bit hit. I'm all in. 100%.

[Clanstarling]

I caught this on On Demand, and now it's in my DVR list.

 

I'd liked Samantha on TDS, but we watch them all (John Oliver, Trevor, Larry and yes, even Stephen), so we've been on overload and another show wasn't really on my wish list. I like all of them for different reasons, even if every piece of every show doesn't work for me. But Sam's show is once a week, so that's not too much to add, and we're in the process of deciding which show to weed out. (likely to be Trevor, whose South African perspective I like, but the rest of it is more miss than hit - now if only Jessica could move to Sam's show!)

 

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would - even the long drawn out bit (which I usually hate, I tire of them easily). I enjoyed that to the langorous end. The political jokes were sharper than any of the above, and it had me laughing more than I have been during this starting to get frightening campaign season.

 

I saw Samantha on Colbert (I think) and she said something about hiring based on blind submissions - that she had a set piece/topic and specific deliverables - so people without previous experience on the boys' shows could get in the door. I really admire that approach. I believe she said her staff was mainly women.

Edited February 15, 2016 by clanstarling

[attica]

The stat I read was her staff is 50% women and 30% non-white. Which is phenomenal, not only for her show now, but for all the shows those people will work on, create, develop, and hire for down the road.

[iMonrey]

 

I laughed more at this one 22 minute show than at all the Trevor Noah Daily Shows combined that I've seen.

 

Me too. I finally gave up on Trevor Noah and this one show just reinforced my opinion that the host either works or doesn't work. I know it's a subjective thing but Trevor Noah just does not work for me. Sam Bee does. I wish they'd chosen her to succeed Jon Stewart. They blew it by letting John Oliver get away and they had a second chance with Sam and blew that too. 

[Clanstarling]

The stat I read was her staff is 50% women and 30% non-white. Which is phenomenal, not only for her show now, but for all the shows those people will work on, create, develop, and hire for down the road.

Thanks, I couldn't remember exactly what the breakdown was, just that it was impressive.

[tenativelyyours]

I'm so glad Samantha had her deal in before Stewart left The Daily Show because not only do I think her energy is more suited to this type of show, but I like having a weekly show that can capture all the insanity of the campaign in an overview manner like the premiere episode did.  I don't care for Larry Wilmore at all and while I love Trevor and his energy on TDS it is different than a weekly show.  And I simply like having more of this type of show period.  If Sam was doing TDS I have my doubts it would be better for me and I would not have this show to look forward to once again with the ability to put together a bigger theme of ideas that they have some time to set up and pick apart.

 

I hope the same level of energy is present tonight.  I think Scalia's death probably will provide plenty.  Though I do feel a little sorry for writers on this show and Last Week Tonight since they probably scrapped stuff they worked and honed all week and then had to scramble.  But I'll bet the writers and talent thrive on this sort of stuff.  Poor Trevor.  He is really getting the learning curve shaft of TDS going on hiatus and all hell breaking loose.

[possibilities]

That was fantastic! Episode 2 may have been even better than Episode 1!

[Lion]

Wow.  I never knew I could like Samantha Bee.  I never connected with her comedy on TDS and had no intention to follow her to her new show.  A comment in the Last Week Tonight forum piqued my interest and I figured I'd give it a shot.  She's so sharp!  Episode two was even better than the first.  Looking forward to more. 

[Kromm]

VERY funny. She really hit the ground running.

 

My only objection is that for some reason I really hate those titles.

Wow.  I never knew I could like Samantha Bee.  I never connected with her comedy on TDS and had no intention to follow her to her new show.  A comment in the Last Week Tonight forum piqued my interest and I figured I'd give it a shot.  She's so sharp!  Episode two was even better than the first.  Looking forward to more. 

Ditto. I didn't particularly see any reason to follow this show, but what we've seen so far has impressed me. It took Larry Wilmore months to get this self-assured on his show (and Trevor Noah never is freaking going to be).

Me too. I finally gave up on Trevor Noah and this one show just reinforced my opinion that the host either works or doesn't work. I know it's a subjective thing but Trevor Noah just does not work for me. Sam Bee does. I wish they'd chosen her to succeed Jon Stewart. They blew it by letting John Oliver get away and they had a second chance with Sam and blew that too. 

I might not have thought that before seeing how well she did with this. Based JUST on her TDS work I don't know if I'd have been as sure (whereas Oliver had a rather awesome long audition process running the TDS anchor position while Stewart was away--although if we're being honest he stepped things up even more than expected on his weekly show too). 

[TV-junkie]

SMMD (Samantha made my day): "Fraudulent rage prophets" - feel free to replace it with people in FOX holes and in bubbles.

 

I like the energy of the show and for her to being a woman - ok, that's something she can't control ... ;-)

 

I never liked her on TDS too but here it works out fine. Maybe the producers over on TDS were too controlling. Good for her then she found her way out and do her own thing.

 

The show already replaces The Nightly Show and together with LWT ensures a nice start of the week. Unfortunately, both shows are weekly shows. I'd like to see more of Samantha (erm, you know what I mean). :-)

[tenativelyyours]

When she said "and that's are show" I was almost in a daze and wondered how the heck it was over already.  A real indicator to how much I was enjoying it.  Got a little dusty where I live when they played the Canadian welcomes for the Syrian Refugees despite the freezing rain outside. 

 

Samantha was always one of my favorites in the field pieces on The Daily Show and during their convention coverage so this type of show lets her be both the host and do pieces like we saw the first part of last night.  I think every dumbass desk jockey that calls itself a journalist that lets all the fear mongering politician continue to babble this nonsense be forced to watch that segment and not be allowed back on air if they don't utilize the simple truths.  It always amazes me that shows like this constantly take five minutes or less to sort it out in such simple factual ways and the so called real media simply refuses to for the most part.   I've watched George Stephanopolis, Chuck Todd (blech) Brian Lyin' Williams (double blech) among others sit and let such nonsense be said and never once truly shut it down. 

 

Second show in and all I can say is I'm so happy.  Now all I need is for Wyatt and Aasif to get their own weekly shows and bring back W Kamau Bell with a weekly show and I would think I ended up with the sole winning ticket of the Billion Powerball

Edited February 16, 2016 by tenativelyyours

[peeayebee]

Another great show. I'm so happy that this is going great, esp since I wasn't at all interested in watching it at first.

[attica]

"Holy shit, you guys!!!!!" is the single best opening to a news show in the history of ever. Because who can have any other reaction to all the stuff that's happening here in the year of somebody's lord 2016? That the networks can't use profanity just dilutes their broadcasts. I need somebody to assure me that it's not me that fucking nuts, and I'm so happy Sam's on the job.

[zxy556575]

Sam wasn't a favorite of mine on TDS, maybe because she did so many of those correspondent field pieces that, in my opinion, hold the everyday people being interviewed up for ridicule. Those give me a hard cringe and I have to FF.

 

I wasn't sure if I was interested enough to watch, but ended up mildly liking it. I'm a flaming liberal but may get tired if it turns out to be nothing more than Fox News in reverse, with no balance. Sam did say last week that they had jokes prepared about the Democrats but no time for them, so we'll see.

[iMonrey]

The only problem here is that there's bound to be some cross-over between John Oliver and Sam Bee; the piece about Scalia was very similar to John's piece the night before. Otherwise, Sam's take on current events is great. And the field piece on the Syrian refugees was really top quality. I look forward to seeing Part 2.

[trow125]

Second show in and all I can say is I'm so happy.  Now all I need is for Wyatt and Aasif to get their own weekly shows and bring back W Kamau Bell with a weekly show and I would think I ended up with the sole winning ticket of the Billion Powerball

Your wish re: W. Kamau Bell will soon be granted, since he's been working on a CNN show called "United Shades of America" that will be debuting this spring. (He also hosts a monthly live show called "Kamau Right Now" that you can listen to via KALW.)

 

I also agree that last night's half-hour flew by! I kind of wish Sam's show was commercial free like John Oliver's, but heck, I'll take it -- I hope this stays on the air for a long, long time to come.

[cattykit]

I still like it.  She certainly has the Republicans at the tip of her skewer but she's not giving Hillary or Bernie a free pass.

 

I think she's more natural and less forced than John Oliver.  I still watch him but I don't like how he laughs at his own jokes or drags out scatological humor way past its three-second shelf life, as he did this week with the NZ thing.  Sam's Syria piece was very nice and a good throwback to her days as a TDS correspondent.

[Grommet]

Like last week, I loved every minute. The writing is sharp and her delivery is fantastic. I am very impressed.

[Kromm]

I noticed in the second show (didn't go back and check the first show) that she sometimes leans into the camera. Since she's not behind a desk--since she's standing I mean--that highlights it even more.

[tenativelyyours]

I still like it.  She certainly has the Republicans at the tip of her skewer but she's not giving Hillary or Bernie a free pass.

 

I think she's more natural and less forced than John Oliver.  I still watch him but I don't like how he laughs at his own jokes or drags out scatological humor way past its three-second shelf life, as he did this week with the NZ thing.  Sam's Syria piece was very nice and a good throwback to her days as a TDS correspondent.

 

I hate the whole idea I have seen in many places including this forum, that there has to be some kind of equal mockery or else it is not fair.  Or the mockery itself can't be as sharp because something as sharp is not said about the other side.  I like my ridicule where it springs and I want the elements that deserve the most ridicule to get the most time no matter which side it is on even if one side ends up being the most stupid.

 

But I also liked how she and The Daily Show have done a good job in making sure the chorus of asininity on the Republican side is not drowning out some rather funny and interesting moments on the side of the Democrats.  Though I am rather disheartened by all on both sides somewhat.  So that might help my appreciation of seeing the Clintons both get a jab since I really don't like them.  And yet will probably till vote for her over Bernie.  I do think the comment Sam made to a friend that got her autograph the other week should make it to the show in some way:  something about how with this entire field of candidates, we will start hoping having a Black President means we still have time for cataclysmic meteor strikes before next January

[iMonrey]

 

I hate the whole idea I have seen in many places including this forum, that there has to be some kind of equal mockery or else it is not fair.

 

There's not an equivalent amount of mockery to be had for the Democratic candidates though. What about Sanders and Clinton do you make fun of? He's old, he's got funny hair, he looks like he was trying to flag down a waitress. Her suit was an odd color. That's about all you got. The Republican candidates? There's a plethora of material in any one of them.

 

There's just not a whole heck of a lot you can make fun of with regards to what the Dems say, versus what the Repubs are saying. People should take note of that, comedy shows or not. 

[FartyPants]

First off thanks to people in other forums (daily show and LWT) to point out how terrific this one is. That made me check it out .. AND it has been terrific. I did not always like Sam's field pieces, so was not sure about this. However, so far I have loved it the most of all late night shows. 

 

The pandering fail of Bernie and pander express of Hillary was nicely pointed out. (Bernie, old man, you lost my vote for choosing Churchill )

 

A black guy gave it to me .. (about the PAC) 

 

we need a thread with best lines of the show .. because I would like to read those again

Edited February 17, 2016 by FartyPants

[zxy556575]

I personally don't care about the show being "fair" to both U.S. political parties, but I would start to mind if the focus was narrowed to aim its barbs primarily at conservative U.S. politicians. I'd also like to see deserved vitriol aimed at other blunderers of the world: journalists and pundits on either side, PACs, lobbyists, banks, international leaders, dogmatists of all stripes, etc.

 

As of now, I am trusting that Sam will do that.

[Ruby25]

I think it's fine to make fun of both sides when there's stuff to make fun of. With Hillary and even Bernie, it's easier to mock Democrats again, because Obama had kind of this quality that was more unique to him rather than the party, that just made it harder to mock stuff like his personality, intelligence, etc. You can see it in places like SNL, which never got a real handle on how to mock him the entire time he's been in office.

 

It's a little like Reagan I guess- his personal style and sense of humor didn't lend itself easily to the kind of mockery most politicians do for some reason. I would say it has something to do with authenticity, but Bill Clinton obviously had that too and was still easily mockable. I'm not quite sure what it is, but I know it's been there with Obama, because I can see again how much easier it is for comedians to make fun of the Demcrats running now, even while acknowledging they're miles better than the Republicans.

[Clanstarling]

It's a little like Reagan I guess- his personal style and sense of humor didn't lend itself easily to the kind of mockery most politicians do for some reason.

I have some old tattered t-shirts and cartoons that would beg to differ. My recollection is that he was eminently mock-able.

[Kromm]

There's not an equivalent amount of mockery to be had for the Democratic candidates though. What about Sanders and Clinton do you make fun of? He's old, he's got funny hair, he looks like he was trying to flag down a waitress. Her suit was an odd color. That's about all you got. The Republican candidates? There's a plethora of material in any one of them.

Hillary is robotic and constantly looks foolish trying to emote, look "hip" or spontaneous. Tons of comedy shows have used this angle with her, and it's a fount of almost as much comedy as Trump being Orange and Loud.

 

Bernie isn't just old with funny hair, he's a SOCIALIST. The very nature of people's understanding (or misunderstanding) about that is also a fount of comedy.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Kromm

[Victor the Crab]

Samantha made a very good point about Bernie Sanders' answer as to how to fix race relations in America. Basically, it won't change a fuck. If the quality of life and income were to drastically improve for the mostly African American population of Ferguson Missouri, the police there were just go "Great! More money to shake down from these types." And people wonder why Sanders polls abysmally with minorities.

 

And Samantha's piece on Syrian refugees was solid throughout. With the right balance of intelligence, seriousness, and hilariousness (the video game mockup was hysterical) This should be required viewing for anyone who casts doubts about the refugees' intent on starting a new life in a new country - Bill Maher, I'm fucking looking at you! Can't wait for next week's follow up.

[trow125]

I think it's fine to make fun of both sides when there's stuff to make fun of. With Hillary and even Bernie, it's easier to mock Democrats again, because Obama had kind of this quality that was more unique to him rather than the party, that just made it harder to mock stuff like his personality, intelligence, etc. You can see it in places like SNL, which never got a real handle on how to mock him the entire time he's been in office.

The only really good satire of Obama that I saw was in Key & Peele's Anger Translator sketches. They figured out the perfect angle, though unfortunately they couldn't use it all that much because the show was so resolutely un-topical (I think it was filmed way in advance of airing due to the elaborate sets, costumes, locations, etc.).

 

"Full Frontal" is doing some additional stuff on Medium.com.

[Victor the Crab]

Loved Key and Peele's Obama and Luther.

[Irlandesa]

I never liked her on TDS too but here it works out fine. Maybe the producers over on TDS were too controlling. Good for her then she found her way out and do her own thing.

I liked her on TDS but I don't necessarily think the change is due to controlling producers but rather on TDS her persona was "correspondant" Sam Bee.  Here, her persona is anchor Sam Bee.  When John Oliver subbed for Stewart, I seem to recall him talking about it. 

 

I might not have thought that before seeing how well she did with this. Based JUST on her TDS work I don't know if I'd have been as sure (whereas Oliver had a rather awesome long audition process running the TDS anchor position while Stewart was away--although if we're being honest he stepped things up even more than expected on his weekly show too). 

Oliver's first week at TDS was just okay but by the second, he was in control.  And I think there was maybe a week of Last Week Tonight before he was settled. And I was impressed with how fast he figured himself out.  Sam got up to speed even faster.  I wish this show were on HBO. I think that would be one kiss ass power hour.

[Qoass]

I agree with all the positive comments here and my favorite segment was the wordless shots of Bernie Sanders "conducting" the music.

 

I'm looking forward to watching every episode especially now that I've figured out that Full Frontal is On Demand under "S" for Samantha.  Xfinity is stupid.

[Clanstarling]

I agree with all the positive comments here and my favorite segment was the wordless shots of Bernie Sanders "conducting" the music.

 

I'm looking forward to watching every episode especially now that I've figured out that Full Frontal is On Demand under "S" for Samantha.  Xfinity is stupid.

It's not just xfinity. My cable provider does the same thing. I couldn't even find it using the search feature on my TV, just to put it on my DVR list.

 

I think it's because of  the "million mom" ( I think that's what they call themselves) protest about having even the title "full frontal" in tv guides was offensive and harmful to children. I find the compliance (if that's what it is) offensive. Their kids see more boobs and ass just watching a Carl's Jr. commercial for goodness sake.

Edited February 18, 2016 by clanstarling

[zxy556575]

Interesting about the objection to the name. DirecTV has it listed and searchable under Full Frontal, so I guess they wave their private parts in the general direction of one million moms.

 

But oh, dear. I do hope the tremulous moms take Nikki Glaser's show title "Not Safe" to heart.

[attica]

I suppose there's space for a comment about how all these shows with funny women seem to require sexual innuendo in their titles (including Inside Amy Schumer), and wondering whether that's a network ploy to either draw in bro-viewers and/or to minimize how seriously women can be taken in comedy, but I'm just too exhausted to do it today. 

[Kromm]

I suppose there's space for a comment about how all these shows with funny women seem to require sexual innuendo in their titles (including Inside Amy Schumer), and wondering whether that's a network ploy to either draw in bro-viewers and/or to minimize how seriously women can be taken in comedy, but I'm just too exhausted to do it today. 

I'd noticed that trend too and wondered why Bee thought it was necessary.