I'm Dying Up Here

I’m Dying Up Here convincingly recreates both a period and the primal scream existence of would-be star comedians who seem to most enjoy trading very barbed insults during frequent gatherings at a local diner.

The series, created by David Flebotte, doesn’t break any particularly new ground--dying is still easy but comedy is still hard--but it is a compelling character-driven attempt to capture a moment in time when comedy and the culture were evolving.

This fictionalized version has strong moments, and the cast is so deep and the level of incidental detail so rich that it’s an eminently watchable show, but one that hasn’t quite figured out how to properly exploit the setting it knows so well.

The drama has a lot going for it, with a strong ensemble of actors. ... There are many people we're supposed to care about, whose lives are not particularly happy, but none has enough screen time to make them sufficiently sympathetic. Too often, they come off as personality types rather than specific people. .... And then the entire ensemble is somewhat overwhelmed by the show's bold, frenzied filming style.

Dying drops a killer set but doesn’t know how to close the room.

I’m Dying Up Here never manages to find its footing amidst the challenges it created for itself, and audiences suffer for that. Only give this one a watch if you’re a die-hard comedy fan--but don’t expect to laugh.

The comics’ jokes aren’t funny. Because of that, we don’t buy into their talent and can’t get invested in their journey. And as soon as they step offstage, any semblance of humor dries up completely.