That Damn Michael Che

What the series lacks in laugh-out-loud moments, it more than makes up for in thought-provoking ones, especially if you’ve found yourself wondering what Che would do if he had more agency and authority in selecting the sketches on SNL.

The comedy and the intimacy of Che’s personal experience creates a show that feels funnier, more resonant, and more current than he could ever hope to be on SNL.

Based on the first two episodes, “That Damn Michael Che” is a good show with the potential to be great.

Che’s truths aren’t always lacerating, and its jokes aren’t always potent. ... Like Saturday Night Live, it’s pretty fun when it’s not second-guessing and overthinking itself into a liberal fog.

Thede and her cast take the kind of risks Che chooses not to, even though he enjoys safe harbor at “SNL.” And just as he’s been upstaged on “Weekend Update” by titanic impressions from the likes of Bowen Yang this season, Che is absent from many of his own series’ high points. ... When the center of the show looks like he’d rather be anywhere else, it’s near impossible to stay invested. Humor with impunity is rarely funny.