Netflix's "W/ Bob and David" revives '90s HBO favorite

Sketch comedy is making a comeback. Though this brand of comedy first became popular in the '80s and '90s, it has, in recent years, reasserted itself as a mainstay of the living room and, now, of the mobile screen. “Portlandia” (2011 - preset), “Key & Peele” (2012 - 2015) and “Inside Amy Schumer” (2013 - present) are just three of the myriad -- and most loved -- sketch comedy shows currently on the air. 

Netflix, perhaps best known for its original series -- such as “House of Cards” (2013 - present), “Orange is the New Black” (2013 - present), and “Narcos” (2015 - present) -- is also in the business of resurrecting the shows of yesteryear. For example, the online streaming giant has brought back fan favorites like “Arrested Development” (2003 - 2006; 2013), betting on viewers’ nostalgia to boost its subscriber base.

The latest object of Netflix’s otherworldly resurrection powers is “W/ Bob and David," a revival of the HBO classic “Mr. Show with Bob and David” (1995 - 1998). The Bob and David in both of the aforementioned shows are Bob Odenkirk of “Breaking Bad” (2008 - 2013) and “Better Call Saul” (2015 - present) fame, and David Cross, who is well-known for his starring role as Tobias Fünke on “Arrested Development.” Implications of a show moving from HBO to Netflix aside, Netflix clearly saw potential in reuniting the two comedians.

A direct descendent of its HBO predecessor, “W/ Bob and David” uses a similar formula and brings back many of the same faces -- Brian Posehn, Tom Kenny, Jay Johnston and others. Unlike other sketch comedy shows like “Saturday Night Live” (1975 - present), this one has a consistent narrative, at least within each episode. Skits flow from one to the other and either make direct use of characters and events from preceding skits or make reference to them. Within the span of the first episode, viewers are befuddled by a remarkably un-funny, slightly meta theatrical interaction between a character and his doctor, repaid for their confusion by a hilarious introduction and expansion of this character and his friends and, finally, caught between grief and laughter when he passes away. The 30-minute route from point A to point B is serpentine and unexpected. Along the way, Odenkirk and Cross make reference to their previous show with a time travel skit that will have grammarians and die-hard fans in stitches.

With such layered and long-running jokes, the show requires avid attention for maximum effect; anything less, and viewers may chuckle along, but the real comedic gold will remain lost to them under a layer of obscurity. The jokes are, by and large, targeted at popular culture, and some of them -- such as the ones about television judges, smartphones and religious figures -- may seem passé and dull with age, but others -- such as the one lampooning politically correct language -- are rather pointed and cut close to sensitive areas.

It seems obvious while watching “W/ Bob and David” that this is a show put together by friends doing what they love. The actors are having a genuinely great time goofing around on the set. To wit, in an interview with Vanity Fair, Cross said, “I think so highly of [Bob] and his mind that it’s hard to put into words. It feels pretty goddamn special, more than you want it to be almost.” Their chemistry goes a long way toward making the show so fun to watch.

All four half-hour-long episodes launched on Netflix on Nov. 13, along with a one-hour special on the making of the series. While Netflix may have banked on nostalgia when creating this show, clearly the show does not have to rely on the good will of viewers for success. Anyone who enjoys involved, nonsensical comedy is sure to like “W/ Bob and David.”