Want to watch a fifteen-year-old episode ofThe Office? No? How about a decade-old episode ofParks & Recreation? Not interested? Oh, check it out – a twenty-five-year-old episode ofSouth Parkright after a thirty-five-year-old episode ofSeinfeld! And, uh, well – that’s it, that’s the total sum programmingavailable currently fromComedy Central. New viewers setting up satellite services or those signing up for streaming entertainment may have noticed something: Comedy Central isn’t what it used to be.
The comedy destination and the station that used to boast weekly roasts alongside brand-new episodes ofChappelle’s Show,Kids in the Hall,Short Attention Span Theater, theStand-UP Hour, andMystery Science Theater 3000has completely failed. Enthusiasts have been watching the station as it slowly falls apart. The channel is flat-lining, and we’re not even sure whether or not they’re aware of it.
Other Stations Do It Better
Are you looking for comedy? Don’t go to Comedy Central. For the freshest stand-up routines, that’s over onComics Unleashedwith Byron Allen, and that’s usually available for free late at night over the air, with no pay service or subscription needed. Even other similar titles toReno 911that comedy enthusiasts would assume came from Comedy Central – shows likeBrooklyn 99orTacoma FD– are produced and released by TruTV or NBC/Fox.
Sometimes a quick laugh can help. How aboutAqua Teen Hunger Force, Praise Petey, or maybe a bit ofTeenage Euthanasiafor your levity needs? Well, guess what? Those shows are all on other stations –namely Cartoon Network’sAdult Swim brand. When a Nickelodeon underdog competitor has beaten an entire comedy channel with new programming, amusing characters, and interesting situations, perhaps it’s time for “the ultimate comedy network” to rethink its modus operandi.
Related:Adult Swim: What Is Checkered Past, and Why Is It a Big Deal?
Can It Be Fixed?
Comedy Central is owned by MTV (Music Television), which is itself, in turn, owned by Paramount Global. Paramount+’s streaming service includes many amusing shows that Comedy Central proper simply doesn’t air anymore:King of the Hill, 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour, Key & Peele, Tosh.0, Reno 911, The Colbert Report, Chappelle’s Show, Workaholics and Drunk History.
Meanwhile,Paramount has newBeavis & Butthead; FX has newPraise Petey;TBS has brand-newAmerican Dadepisodes; Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim hasTeenage Euthanasia, and – of course –Rick & Morty. What, exactly, does Comedy Central have – “Movies with Breaks”? Spare us the eightieth showing ofWe’re The Millers. Yes, it was a funny movie – ten years ago! Time to move on, Comedy Central.
So, it’s apparent the problem isn’t that Comedy Central doesn’t have the potential to create good shows or ground-breaking series. The problem is they just won’t. As in – Comedy Central refuses to. And, to be fair, the old warhorse cable station can’t even air newBeavis & Buttheadepisodes (one would have to flip over to Paramount network for that), which must put a damper on viewership.
The fact is, yes, an ongoing writer andactor strike is affecting Hollywood. But that is a recent development compared with the fact that Comedy Central has been showing old shows (over a decade in vintage, at least) for months and months, way before WAG / SAG AFTRA took to the streets. At this point, Comedy Central blaming writers or actors for their lack of channel content is a blatant and transparent lie.
Related:If You Loved Cowboy Bebop, Adult Swim’s Upcoming Anime Is For You
What’s Next (And Does It Matter)?
That’s up to Comedy Central.After losing Trevor Noah, who stepped down from his hosting duties for Comedy Central’s flagship title:The Daily Show, Comedy Central has been reeling. Filling in for the missing host has been a rotating crew of comedians and temporary fill-ins, such as Leslie Jones and Sarah Silverman, none of which will likely end up hosting full-time. It bodes poorly for Comedy Central, as the station will be left with literally no new or original broadcasting whatsoever.
Other stations, namely FX, TruTV, and Paramount, are beating Comedy Central badly, like – beating the channel into a coma. With FX receiving over 150 nominations from various industries for best comedies, original programming, and music, one wonders why Comedy Central won’t take a cue. Why won’t Comedy Central evolve? And even if the self-proclaimed “humor destination” won’t create new content, new shows, or try out new ideas, Comedy Central could at least do a better job of varying its current programming.
If Comedy Central choosesto follow none of these paths? The best thing for the channel then would be to air its older and oldest shows as a nostalgic nod to those olden days, back when the station was fun to watch.
