In Middleditch & Schwartz, now on Netflix, the two comedians craft three hilarious episodes of long-form improv. Aarik Danielsen is the arts and entertainment editor at the. This dynamic is tested and verified in hilarious, living color by Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz. The pair’s set of three full-length comedy specials under the name “Middleditch & Schwartz” debut April 21 on Netflix. We could all stand to laugh a bit more these days. The second special, “Law School Magic” starts the shakiest of the three, perhaps because the chosen audience member gives so much information that working it all in seems like it might be impossible. It’s hard to evaluate comedy, really. Middleditch and Schwartz then catapult into longform variations on a theme. Already up to speed on the present and the future, we would glide smoothly through our days. Each episode begins with a conversation, a call-and-response with a random audience member. Middleditch and Schwartz are mastering the art of reaction; we need to develop a theology of being on the spot. Those of us apprenticing in Christlikeness should acutely understand the importance of honing our instincts, of tuning our internal frequencies to holy sounds. The not-so-hidden secret every good comedian—or disciple—knows: if you prepare, prepare, prepare, the good stuff bubbles up to the surface naturally, not under compulsion. What is producing excitement or dread? And yet the errors emerging from the pressure to keep it together qualify as some of the series’ most endearing moments. the best line of all three specials: “You can’t just say you’re a ghost and then disappear!!”. An important law school final exam becomes a flood of movie references, pairs of students with the same name (remembering the names of the various characters is possibly the toughest thing for Middleditch and Schwartz to do, and it’s funny every time they catch it), and a mystical closet. Middleditch made the most of his turn as Richard on Silicon Valley, earning an Emmy nomination. What brings one person to tears leaves another stone-faced, and describing comedy, particularly in words, is a whole other issue entirely. What leads up to (and from!) It still works, though. Today, Middleditch and Schwartz have blown up into one of the most celebrated hits in improv, packing soft-seaters with an act billed simply as “A completely improvised two person show. With Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz. Processing their story, his bewildered expressions underline the inherent absurdities in knowing anyone or doing anything. The mistakes they make only heighten the comedy, never detracting from the final product. Middleditch and Schwartz could take the scenarios they’re given, retreat to a comfortable room and return with a scripted show in hand. In their three-episode Netflix run, the duo makes the imperfectly perfect argument that life is neither something that happens to you nor something you control. Traditional sitcoms, with their tidy resolutions, leave us wanting. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! A life lived on paper leaves little room for learning, for trying, for refining the tendencies which move us along. Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz bluff their way through a trio of uproarious specials that teeter on the edge of chaos, like long-form improv should. During “Parking Lot Wedding” Schwartz does lapse a little into Jean-Ralphio, his Parks and Recreation character, but it’s hard to tell if this is deliberate or just a fallback. It involves several emotionally complex characters with interwoven storylines — and all of their inspiration comes from briefly interviewing audience members about their lives. They came in off-the-cuff reactions, as something deep inside me welled up and spilled out without notice or forethought. Comedy lovers will recognize the pair from their breakthrough roles. Megan Sunday is a writer, archivist, and cohost of Let’s Get Weirding: A Dune Podcast. Nearly paralyzed by the fear of saying the wrong thing, I cram for each meeting, studying relevant passages of Scripture, rehearsing talking points, mouthing doctrinal nuances to the point of memorization. Lastly is “Dream Job”, where the “wait, who am I right now?” reaches its peak and the modern job market (the audience member is awaiting news about a second interview for an internship) gets skewered while comedy photography goes up against warzone photography and no one wants to be a gazelle. They would certainly slip up less. These encounters, maybe five minutes in length, prime the comedians’ quick wits as they absorb plot details, character traits, and timelines. Middleditch & Schwartz is a perfect storm of eccentric audience members, well-timed improv, and charm that instantly draws viewers in and makes them really feel like they’re a part of something. Thomas Middleditch ("Silicon Valley") and Ben Schwartz ("Parks and Recreation") perform two-person long-form improv. I ready myself for the weirdest possible questions and most heretical statements. And, of course, instead of answering this interviewer’s question as to how they met, the pair made up a story on the spot involving an old painting from Schwartz’s father that had a treasure map on the back, which lead him to Middleditch’s home town of Nelson, British Columbia, at which point they ate porridge together with several dwarves and decided to go on an epic adventure. The improv of Middleditch and Schwartz ends up making a knot, but neither they nor the audience could have seen the end from the beginning. 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Each episode is a marvel of brilliance and perseverance. By the end of this hour neither comedian has any idea what is going on anymore, which lends itself to the feeling that we’re all hanging out with two of our silliest friends. The “getting suggestions” portions of the shows are the most uncomfortable: while they provide excellent fodder and both Middleditch and Schwartz are great while listening to these stories, there’s a distinct feeling of “book signing Q & A” and all of the social awkwardness therein. Will the happy couple get hitched? Sometimes those encounters brought flourishing; sometimes they felt stilted and, well, scripted. But if you ask them, the secret to that weird and wonderful art form is easier … The first, “Parking Lot Wedding”, begins with a groom having a simple case of the nerves on his wedding day, but soon there are secrets revealed, parents who aren’t handling things well, a spurned lover from the past, and a ghost all conspiring to throw a wrench in the works. The life script we would produce with time and a writer’s room would leave out moments that produce hearty laughs, heaving sobs, and the sensations that lie between. Or so we imagine. At the risk of quibbling with the Walrus, this might be the one time a Lennon lyric is too conservative, too conventional. Yes, that’s right. Generally speaking, there are three main forms of live comedy: sketch, stand-up, and improv. Life is not a sketch, read from cue cards, with a prescribed beginning, middle, and end. I flash back a decade or so to scenes from my own life. The moments in which I proved most helpful and gracious surprised even me. “I think one of the basic things that people talk about is, you start out with an idea and you say, ‘Yes, and,'” Schwartz said. In the first episode—the strongest of the set—the pair stage a wedding, complete with call-backs and context, plot twists lifted from comic books, and supernatural interventions. If you’re a fan of either comedian, sheer silliness, aliens named Jason, when people break on SNL, or just laughter in general, Middleditch & Schwartz is worth your time. The exchange begins as they ask the audience to share something waiting around future’s corner, a prospect producing excitement or dread. The story expands and contracts, but the tiniest details produce the greatest laughs. “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans. Podcast logo by Josh Hollis. The pair stops more than once to ensure they have their characters’ names right; they never hesitate to react naturally, honoring each other’s talents with laughter or applause. Facing the clear implications of a scenario of their own making, Middleditch admits, “This is gonna throw a real wrench in the spokes here… I almost don’t want to meet this guy.”.