This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

It's nothing new, really. Just Don Knotts as Barney Fife brought up to date. Self-puffery leading to embarrassment over and over again, plus friends who will put up with you--even LIKE you--no matter how absurdly conceited and self-serving you are. Burnham is good in this, but, being so young, he may not have realized that old-timers will have seen this all before countless times. It was even a regular Jackie Gleason shtick on The Honeymooners. My guess is that we will see more and better material from Burnham in the future, He's a clever stand-up with a very fertile mind. But the Zach Stone character is too hackneyed and the supporting characters here are both one-dimensional and given almost nothing to do but stare at the star. That kind of focus on a single character requires significantly more than we get from Burnham here. There are moments of fun and originality, and, of course, the cringe-inducing segments he's seeking can be found in every episode. But, in the end, I'd have to say this show was likely unsuccessful in getting the response it intended from its viewers, so it's unsurprising to me that it was not renewed.

This is BY FAR the funniest, smartest and most self-aware show ever offered to the Millenial set. By a million miles. Even as a huge fan of Bo Burnham (confession: I may have at some point had some of his YouTube raps memorized), the quality of the writing and Burnham's acting is astonishing. He plays a recent high school graduate who forgoes college to instead spend all the grocery store wages he has saved on a camera crew. They film his entire life, ostensibly for some nebulous TV show, with the end goal of making Zach famous. Any nature or degree of fame will suffice. The gimmick is believable mainly because Zach Stone is so delusional that he really would want cameras there all the time. His quest for fame motivates everything (well, almost everything) in his life, and he is willing to do anything to make it to stardom.It's easy to compare it to "The Office", and fitting that it is premiering within a month of that show's series finale. Both of them are ostensibly behind-the-scenes looks at the making of two documentaries that will surely never been made. Both handle moments of quiet And they both turn out to be showcases for movie-star-level character acting and charisma. That was certainly the case for Steve Carell as Michael Scott. And Burnham was much closer to being a movie star than we know. He was reported to be developing a "High School Musical" parody for Judd Apatow (at the peak of Apatow's box office success). Burnham decisively satirizes the MTV generation--the show's premise explores the idea that all you need to be famous is a camera crew. But his character is so likable and non- threatening that the satire might as well be delivered wrapped in marshmallow. (I don't mean to say the satire isn't dead on or cutting--it is.) And if you're familiar with Burnham's previous work, the character is even more clear-cut. He has always exhibited an overblown and carefully-crafted sense of egomania. There's more than a little bit of YouTube era Burnham in Zach Stone, but with the real Burnham (who has shown incredible depth in songs like "Welcome to YouTube" and "I Am an Artist") running the show.Everyone involved with this show has major cojones, especially the MTV execs who put a show on the air that could possibly have alienated most of its audience. They shouldn't have to worry, because Burnham plays Zach Stone remarkably likable and sympathetic. But great shows struggle for viewership all the time, so I might as well start the plea now. PLEASE watch this show to make sure it gets a second season. This show has the potential to be one of the best on television.How's this for irony? If you're looking for the smartest voice of our generation in television, it's on MTV.

I have a 3-episode policy when it comes to new series before I decide to ditch it. I am a huge fan of Bo Burnham's comedy, so I was really looking forward to this series but so far I've been pretty disappointed. It's just painfully awkward and sad and cringe-inducing. The only likable characters are Zach's nerdy 2 best friends and the whole thing is just kind of boring and unfunny. Considering Burnham's level of comic genius outside this show, I'm a little confused as to how this pilot made it to series.I'll definitely keep buying Bo's albums and show tickets, but I'm sad to say I don't think this series will make the 3 episode cut. Hoping the next show to come his way will be more on par with his talents.

This is my first television review. I usually review movies, because I never catch series premieres that I actually want to watch. But this is different, because I'm a huge fan of Bo Burnham. I have all of his albums, and I'm familiar with his stand up and his music on his YouTube channel. As most people know, Bo gained his fame from his songs on YouTube. He gathered millions of views and blah blah. About six years later, he is now the star and co- creator of his own TV show on MTV. "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous." If you are a fan of Bo Burnham in general, then you are sure to like this, because it is so Bo. The plot follows Zach Stone, who is basically Bo Burnham's persona with a changed name. It is a documentary style sitcom that basically chronicles pre-fame life. Zach Stone believes he is going to become famous, even despite the fact that he has no real talent. Due to this belief, he decides not to pursue college after he's graduated high school, just in the tiny hopes that he will become famous. The pilot episode follows Zach's quest to set up a great funeral "performance", since he is speaking on behalf of the deceased. Zach sees this as a chance to showcase his "talent," and along the way he tries to find a girl to bring with him. He basically treats the funeral like a party. The pilot episode was consistently funny with Bo's type of humor, and even if you don't know much about Bo Burnham it is still a funny pilot. It is funny in that dark, ironic way. There's a lot of dark humor, but there's also some irony thrown in, along with a few pop culture references. Most of the time it warranted some chuckles, but there were two or three moments where I did laugh out loud. For a thirty minute introduction episode, that's the best I could ask for from a pilot. Like I said, this show is probably not for the easily offended because there are some jokes sprinkled in there that might raise some eyebrows. Overall, for a pilot episode, it shows some potential. Unfortunately, that potential will probably not be carried out, or this show will get cancelled, because it's MTV. But we'll see. After a while a show like this could get a bit stale, but I'll stick around. It is a funny show and I recommend it for fans of Bo and fans of people who like funny and dark shows. This is definitely one of the better shows that has been on MTV for quite a long time. I will return for the next episode. ***UPDATE*** The show is now over, and MTV isn't renewing it. But as a whole show, this is one of the best shows I've watched. I don't know how Mr. Burnham did it but he created a creative and smart comedy, and the last three episodes I found myself getting emotional on several occasions. The last three episodes will probably be my favorite of the whole show, but the whole show is still amazing. A very strong 9/10. Hopefully this show will find a home somewhere else and get a second season.