Sadly Over-hyped

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

When the series started, and I saw that Zach Galifianakis was starring, I set my DVR to record the series. Yes, I started watching for Zack Galifianakis- I now watch it, primarily, for Louis Anderson. During last season I told my husband, If Louis Anderson doesn't win an Emmy I will be physically ill. Louis won the Emmy, I didn't have to get ill. So glad that Zach & Louis CK saw his potential outside of stand-up. The rest of the cast, it goes without saying, is so special, Scripts are so well written. Truly a gem, I feel very lucky to have found it.

I didn't like this show at first and Zach G can be insufferable at times, but the characterizations are quite strong, chiefly among them Louie Anderson as the mother. Every scene he does is so brilliantly portrayed, you can see layers and layers of depth to Christine. Is it funny? Well, no it isn't, but his performance walks such a fuzzy line between comedy and drama (much like Louis C.K.'s show) that I'm tempted to label it as an emblematic cipher of humanity; her anger, hopes, memories, limitations, strengths, and relationships to other people are all played out in her every mannerism and facial expression. Who ever thought Louie Anderson was this talented? That was a well deserved Emmy. I've watched every episode so far and I'm already looking forward to next season.

I have fallen in love with this comedy. On a scale of one (low) to 10 (excellent), I give this series a 10. I was drawn into each episode as I watched their past and present lives unfold. I was so impressed with Zack Galifianakis and Louie Anderson. They both deserve an Emmy for there performance. I loved each character and how they all interacted in each other's lives. Watching their past and present situations intertwine intrigued me and I could not wait until the following episode to experience their outcome. It was genus to watch how each tragedy played out into a livable situation only for another mishap to evolve. Please keep this form of entertainment on TV for another season. You don't see much in the form of brilliant writing, acting, and feelings of complex emotions these days. Most shows on TV are very mundane and predicable in their dialog, however, this series is fresh and very insightful. Different is not bad. This one makes you think.

Television is a funny thing. There was a day when it was entertainment for the common people. One only needed to purchase a set and plug it in. Free to air shows needed to hit a wide audience as entire nations were watching. Programs like "The Andy Griffith Show" appealed to these large markets and were very successful. It was funny and endearing. And as a wholesome, "down to earth" sheriff in a small town with virtually no crime it was "safe". Television really changed when things like "All in the Family" happened. It pushed the boundaries, made us reflect of issues like racism. It held a mirror to ourselves and made us think in ways we hadn't before. As host of Inside the Actors Studio James Lipton said, "All in the Family gave us not stereotypes but archetypes—Archie, Edith, Meathead—and drew a line between all TV comedy that went before and everything that has come after". Then came the advent of cable, and satellite television. Gone were the days of a handful of channel options for consumers as we entered into a universe that felt endless. This changed the game again. With more competition networks found themselves mining smaller target audiences to get numbers. This allowed for wider niche programing. The result has brought us some shows I loathe, but many of my favorites. Baskets is one of the later. Baskets is not for everybody, which will ultimately spell its doom, but it is one of the best things television has ever come up with. Super team - Louis C.K., Zach Galifianakis, and Jonathan Krisel have created a show that is funny, but at the same time complex, sad, hopeful, and gut wrenching. It explores themes that we drive past every day and don't acknowledge. Things like the town we live in may have two of the same brand fast food locations, but that we prefer the curly fries at one over the other location. Some might say the whole point of fast food chains is consistency. But at the same time it explores themes of the dynamics of favoritism within families. It's a show about dreams and how they can be crushed by the weight of the world, or our own families, or ourselves. It's a show about realizing what really matters, even in a vacuous place like suburban America. It's a show about self and our relationships with others, and about the space in between. And about how what appears to be insignificant to ourselves could be monumental impactful on others. It's about mental health, and the strange language we use to communicate and what the world hears. (see "The Picnic" episode). It's a story about dysfunction. Which that alone may be too confronting for many people. I hope people stick with it. Like therapy, it may be painful but what on the other side is immeasurable. I don't know if this is the Golden Age of television, but I've found Baskets to be one of the most intelligent, tragic, confronting, compelling, and frankly... humorous things I've ever watched.