Nathan Fielder is a comedic genius.
Pictured Above: Genius
"Nathan for You" is a television show on Comedy Central, and it is unlike anything I have ever seen. Nathan Fielder is a writer/comedian with a business degree from the University Of Victoria. In the series, Nathan goes to struggling businesses and creates out of the box ideas to try to boost the business and "save" it from going under. The catch is that Nathan's ideas are far from ordinary, ranging from creating a hero-pig to offering discounts to those willing to scale a mountain, and this is where the series strikes gold.
Nathan is excellent at creating incredibly awkward situations and playing every ludicrous idea as if he was 100 percent sincere. Shockingly, the business owners will more often than not go along with Nathan's insane ideas. Did I mention he is the only one in on the joke? Everyone Nathan interacts with, except for a few of his friends, has no idea that the whole show is a joke. All of the business owners are told that they are going to be giving actual guidance from a business consultant for a new business-saving television show. And the best part is that Nathan never reveals that the whole thing is a farce.
The show gives a whole new meaning to the word "uncomfortable". The show feels like the visual equivalent of eating a hot pepper. Viewers will cringe at every interaction as Nathan has completely mastered the art of social awkwardness. He seems to be unshakable in every uncomfortable moment he creates, though he has nearly broken once during a paranormal investigation (link NSFW) to ensure a home was not haunted...I'm not joking. Nathan's super-human ability to stay completely serious during the most insane situations just adds to the whole experience.
Nathan, managing Dumb Starbucks. (S2E5)
Another aspect of the show that makes it such a unique experience is that occasionally, Nathan's "ideas" will go viral before the episode even airs. You may have seen the video of the pig saving the goat from drowning, or possibly even hear of the new chain of Dumb Starbucks opening on the west-coast. Both were products of "Nathan For You" that made global headlines before being revealed as hoaxes when their episodes aired. As a viewer, it starts to feel like you are witnessing an inside joke between Nathan and his audience. No other show, save for "Arrested Development," has done so on this level.
Nathan with Private Investigator Brian Wolfe (S1E8)
At the end of most episodes, Nathan will pull everything together and try to create some kind of morale or theme for the episode. The business owners are typically left dumbfounded by the idea that the man they've just met somehow has a business degree, let alone his own show.
Nathan. Standing.
Unless you have seen the show, you can not imagine the level of cringe worthy content this show produces. I challenge you to get through this one scene (link NSFW) in which Nathan interacts with men one-on-one in a "Man Zone" and tries to bond with them. Watching Nathan interact with customers and owners is one of the most painful, albeit satisfying, experiences on television. If you haven't seen "Nathan For You," I strongly suggest you give it a try. You can find it streaming on Hulu, or catch new episodes Thursday nights on Comedy Central.
