What does everyone think? I liked it better the first time, when it was called The Colbert Report. It kind of feels like Comedy Central was thinking "Wow, Colbert was great for us. Now maybe if we retrace our steps..." Not that Jordan Klepper is bad at it at all or that the jokes aren't funny, so much as his reactions to things seem almost exactly how Stephen Colbert would have reacted only not quite as clever or on point.
Yeah, I can't see myself watching a second episode anytime soon. Jordan Klepper should have stayed on the Daily Show. He doesn't have the charisma of Stephen Colbert, so the act doesn't work as well over long periods (particularly during interviews).
I like Jordan Klepper but I'm still surprised they gave him his own show, especially one that's essentially a cross between The Colbert Report and Mike Yard's conspiracy theorist character on The Nightly Show. I guess Comedy Central decided they needed to have another fresh show after The Daily Show since abruptly canceling The Nightly Show. I'll give the show a chance for at least a couple of weeks, but I would've much preferred The Nightly Show back.
I liked The Nightly Show but I felt by the time they were spending half the show just discussing things among a panel it'd lost its inspiration. We'll see, if they can add all kinds of themes and recurring segments on the level of the 'On Notice Board' and other Stephen Colbert themes it could turn out to be a really good show. But I also kind of feel like, okay, when it was Bush making fun of the president was fun and felt like I was being irreverent and fighting against the mainstream. Making fun of Trump is so easy it's not even funny, it's just pointing out the obvious. I hear about Trump all the time. The TV in my work's break room is usually on CNN, every time you go to any social media site you hear something about Trump. Now I kinda want him OUT of my comedy. Give me SOME part of the day where I don't have to hear about something terrible Trump did.
Last night's episode was a big improvement. The segment about the stealth repeal was spot on. You don't have to like Colbert to attribute him charisma. Plenty of performers I don't like have charisma.
Also now that I think about it. They put Stephen Colbert lite in competition literally with Stephen Colbert.
I didn't even notice since I watch all of the shows the morning after, but that is pretty funny. So far the show isn't doing it for me. The interviews have been pretty engaging despite Jordan's in-show character, but otherwise everything else is falling flat for me. Makes me wish we still had The Nightly Show. Very much so.
Two months in, I think the show has come into its own. It's no Colbert Report, but it scratches the same itch.
I'm not quite there, but I agree that the show is improving. My biggest problem is probably the contributors, but I keep coming back because the interviews are great.
I agree there, a lot of the contributors are very one note. But I loved the segment where they were talking about sexual assault and only invited the male contributors to the conversation.
I mostly skip the interviews on The Daily Show and have been doing so for about 10 years now. If the person is interesting, I'll watch it, but it's the weakest part of the show. With The Opposition, though, the interviews might be my favorite part. It's also the most Colbert-esque, especially when he begins by saying, "I'll ask him/her..." It took me a little while to realize that it's the Colbert Report of the late 20-teen's. While Colbert parodied the leading Conservative talk shows/hosts (O'Reilly, mainly), The Opposition is doing the same thing for the current crop of Conservative talk show notables, such as Alex Jones. While I do miss The Colbert Report, it's core conceit is arguably dated at this point, especially as the people it parodied are on the wane. Of course, Jordan Kelpper is no Stephen Colbert, but he's competent.
Odd that you stopped watching The Daily Show interviews. I always found Jon Stewart's interviews very enlightening, particularly interviews with any political figure, writer, or documentarian. Likewise, while I struggled with Trevor Noah's style for the first year of his run, his interviews were the diamonds in the rough for me. It's probably from that experience that I've stuck with The Opposition because Jordan Klepper does such a strong job in interviewing, which was something I didn't expect going into the show. I agree about the change of parody targets and Klepper does a good job channeling that aspect, a role that he honed in well during his tenure on The Daily Show as a "Trump supporter." Klepper is definitely no Colbert, but he does well with what he can.
I always found Stewart's celebrity interviews to come off as almost a desperate "I'm a part of your world" in how he tried to connect with them or bring up his terrible acting jobs (as in him admitting they were terrible). It's possible to do a "We've been friends for years" bit and still have an interesting discussion. I never found Stewart to have that ability. His political interviews were better, yes, but sometimes he came off a bit too clever, if that make sense (and I say that as someone who agrees with his political views). I also don't like the "go to the web for the extended interview" edits. I understand why they do that, but it usually makes for a difficult viewing experience. I guess I got into the habit with Steweart's run and continued with Noah's. The ones I've seen have shown he's growing, but it's more habit now to just skip them.
I can understand why the extended interviews can be frustrating, but considering I've been watch the show on the website for the last ten years, that hasn't bothered me. The online shows play the whole interview with the regular program.