Late night talk shows may never be the same. This is a sentiment that was uttered by yours truly when comedian John Mulaney debuted his experimental late-night special on Netflix last year, “John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A.” An offbeat and quirky inclusion to the “Netflix as a Joke” series, Mulaney’s entrance into what was once considered a network television stranglehold is morphing on streaming seemingly by the day. Though it was a six-episode special for Netflix, Mulaney’s star power behind the desk has convinced the streamer to give him a more permanent solution.
Enter “Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney,” the newest addition to late night talk show options that gives the comedian the space to do what he does best: Talk and ask questions. Accompanied by Mulaney’s trusted announcer, fellow comedian Richard Kind, the new series debuted on Netflix Wednesday and has already been renewed for a second season. Unlike talk shows of similar genre, like those hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, Mulaney’s version is actually live as it streams on Netflix, meaning anyone in the world with access to the streamer can watch the shenanigans unfold in real time.
Tonight’s premiere, the first of twelve live shows airing weekly, opened with scenes of Los Angeles and Mulaney driving a convertible to a studio set to the show’s opening song, “To Live and Die in L.A.” by Wang Chung. Kind, having a moment after his supporting role on the latest season of “Only Murders in the Building,” was on hand to act as Mulaney’s loyal sidekick. A bit announcing celebrity birthdays of the day following Mulaney’s monologue detailing his wife Olivia Munn’s breast cancer battle and the lewd jokes she makes with her cancer brain felt mixed at best.
The set, feel and overall structure of “Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney” are eerily similar to “Everybody’s in L.A.” So much so that similar bits from that special make their way into the premiere episode of this new iteration, including welcoming Saymo the Robot and taking calls from folks around the country. The first celebrity guests welcomed to Mulaney’s couch were actor Michael Keaton and financial columnist Jessica Roy.
Not surprisingly, Mulaney asked his guests to help take the calls with him, and Roy answered financial questions live.
It’s a peculiar format, and Mulaney exhibits a lot of humor in presenting it to a willing audience. “Love Line” meets “The Graham Norton Show” is the first combination that comes to mind to explain the late night show’s unconventional composition. While most shows of the genre often pride themselves on promoting their celebrity guests’ current projects, “Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney” barely mentions them.
Activist and iconic singer-songwriter Joan Baez and “Saturday Night Live” alum Fred Armisen joined Keaton and Roy on the couch to add to the conversation. Baez spoke openly about her fear for democracy’s future and experiences with Martin Luther King, Jr., while the rest of the cast of eccentric characters threw jokes around. In between political discussions and financial advice, Keaton provided impressions of Jack Nicholson while Armisen spoke about his album of sound effects.
Before Cypress Hill closed the show as the musical guest, Armisen’s new song reflecting the sounds of a car door closing was played.
“Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney” is an odd duck of an interview show that could either redefine the way viewers consume late night television or just another of Netflix’s iffy experiments to bring live content to subscribers. Mulaney leans heavily on his relationships with former “Saturday Night Live” colleagues like Armisen and Tracy Morgan, the latter appearing on tonight’s episode as a fictional African leader named King Latifah. Like Graham Norton, Mulaney delights in bringing on a mixture of guests to regale his audience with humorous stories from their past, but the other segments simply don’t land as much as the host wishes they would.
Much like “Everybody’s in L.A.,” the whacky approach that “Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney” takes is an acquired taste that ignores its studio audience by relishing in its own absurdity. Mulaney looks comfortable in his new hosting gig, while some pre-recorded bits and eclectic guests assist in the ridiculousness the show provides. However, throwing everything in but the kitchen sink feels like a convoluted concoction that confuses more than it entertains.
“Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney” airs Wednesdays on Netflix.
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