Mulaney: Better than Seth MacFarlane

Fox’s Mulaney is a nearly perfect copy of Seinfeld – except that it isn’t funny. Stand-up comedian John Mulaney gets his “dream job” writing for entertainment king Lou Cannon – only to discover Cannon is a self-absorbed narcissist oblivious to common sense. Mulaney's support system includes his roommates, personal trainer Jane and fellow comic Motif, and a pair of wacky neighbors: gay guru Oscar and drug pusher Andre. The first episode included references to Mulaney lying to his doctor in order to get “drugged up enough for my job interview,” and undergoing a prostate exam; Jane reading her ex-boyfriend’s emails and stalking him; and Motif becoming famous for his constantly-repeated catchphrase, “problem bitch.” While during a Paley Center panel John Mulaney claimed his program taps influences as diverse as the play Our Town, the 1950s TV program Sgt. Bilko, and old-time radio comics like George Burns, Gracie Allen, and Jack Benny, in another interview he admitted the show’s true point of departure: “We just watched Seinfeld and copied it.” Indeed, the program is a bare-faced imitation of Seinfeld, down to the friends-and-wacky-neighbors cast set-up, Mulaney’s struggles as a professional comedian, and the program incorporating bits of Mulaney’s real-life stand-up act. The only major difference is that Seinfeld was funny. While Mulaney contains no grossly offensive content (at least in the first episode), neither is it particularly worth watching. Still, as a Sunday-night program on Fox, Mulaney is a welcome relief from Seth MacFarlane’s endless parade of ultra-violent, sex-slathered cartoons. Mulaney premieres Sunday, October 5^th at 9:30 p.m. ET on Fox. Take a look yourself and tell us what you think in our comments below!