"The Pete Holmes Show" is a new late-night talk show that is centered around comedy sketches. It premiered Oct, 28 on TBS,
Stand-up comedian Holmes has a different idea of what late-night viewers want to watch. Instead of an opening monologue and interviews with various celebrities, Holmes divides his show is into four segments and begins with a comedy sketch followed by the opening titles and monologue. Next is a live comedy bit and a short interview. The last segment includes another comedy piece.
While Holmes is a stand-up comedian and has his own podcast, his humor is off to a slow start in the late-night television world.
The first episode garnered 407,000 viewers, only half of the viewers who watched its "Conan" lead-in. Holmes was overshadowed by his guests as they took the lead in the conversation while he simply laughed at their jokes. Some of his mannerisms were distracting and took away from the comedy.
For example, he continued to laugh before he told a joke, covered his face every single time he laughed, and yelled during the transitions. However the later episodes of the week improved in humor and content. Holmes seemed more comfortable in his own skin and with his jokes. The guests on the show also made it a better viewing experience because they were charming and witty.
Unfortunately, Holmes only has a 30-minute time slot, Monday-Thursday at midnight, so the show is very rushed. Each comedy sketch and interview lasts about two minutes, while the opening monologue runs about 10 minutes, which hinders the shows fluidity.
Another notable difference between "The Pete Holmes Show" and other late-night shows is the set design. The set provides a comfortable home environment that most talk shows struggle to achieve. The stonework feels warm and inviting, a welcome change from the typical set.
Holmes' late-night talk show is very different from his competitors; however, it is unclear whether he can enough viewers to earn a renewal for a second season.
Rebecca White can be reached at rebecca.white@student.shu.edu
