The Chris Gethard Show is a live, semi-improvised television show that purposely puts itself into possibly chaotic situations and follows none of television's conventions.
The Chris Gethard Show (TCGS) is a program with humble roots. The public access, turn cable show (airing Thursday nights at 11 pm EST on TruTv), is unlike any show ever seen on mainstream television. It is acclaimed as being one of the best and most digestible avant-garde comedy shows of our time, but it is something much more than just that.
The first episode I ever watched was the now infamous dumpster episode: “One Man's Trash". It is also the episode I always suggest to people when they first start watching because it truly captures the chaotic nature of TCGS.
For this episode viewers called in throughout the hour and took a guess as to what was in a large dumpster located on the set.
And that was the entire episode.
Yet it is acclaimed as one of the best episodes of the shows entire run, because it captures that feeling of “oh something can go horribly, horribly wrong...or incredibly amazing."
And there's so many episodes that are unlike anything you'll see anywhere else.
In one episode the entire cast does a show completely geared to dogs, episodes where they have almost nothing planned at all, episodes where they don't want to laugh, where the viewers at home make up the characters for the show, where callers admit there greatest failures or duke it out to see who is the dumbest viewer of the show!
So, you may ask: “How does this show function with episodes so loose on their overall structure?"
But that is the beauty of the show, it's all genuine, real and unfolding all at once!
The show is completely interactive. Viewers call, Skype, tweet, chat on Facebook, participate in polls and livestream all as it is happening in real time. A few week back, a random person from the street was asked to stay for an episode and now she's an actual cast member on the show. One lucky fan got his face on their merchandise (a shirt I proudly own) and in episode the audience wrote what will be on Chris Gethard's actual tombstone.
The fan base for the show is unreal. Many shows have fans who are huge supporters, but most shows do not have fans that are pivotal to the series's plots.
It is a welcome space for anyone. Its not a show that merely says, “it's okay to be different" it is a show that says, “if it's not different, it's not worth your time."
The most heartwarming part of this show is that it helps people with their mental heath problems. Many times, viewers have called up to talk about how they're sad or lost, and how this show helps them have a glimmer of hope, if only for just once a week.
The show transcends what it means to laugh, it shows what it means to be happy.
I could go on and on about how this show is the best thing on TV, believe me I really could, but none of that matters unless YOU watch, and YOU get your own pleasure from it. Each person watching gets something different out of it, each viewer finds whatever they need in it. But the show needs more people watching. Chris Gethard has always been upfront about their low numbers, but it still has a chance. Yes, this show is niche, and yes, it is the definition of oddball comedy. But I think having just ONE show that's a little different in a sea of television conformity is necessary…it's worth having.
So please, give this show a chance. Watch it after that six-hour marathon of Impractical Jokers, I'm telling you its worth it. And if its not worth it, it's a least different.