"The Colberr Reporr": Excellahhn

(Update: The entire episode is online.)

Has there been a more nearly perfect first half hour of a television series than last night's debut of "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central? I can't recall one.

Of course, Stephen Colbert is not inventing a new TV character, or even creating a new situation for himself (as spinoffs tend to do).  So right there, he has a leg up on the "CSI: Miamis" and "Joeys" of the world. But as the most talented and distinctive correspondent on "The Daily Show," Colbert has clearly thought about what he would do if given the chance to helm his own program. The result was a 10-minute opener -- a satirical manifesto, it was -- that simultaneously defined his own on-air persona while friccaseeing another, the one belonging to that dark prince of cable whose name, well, frankly, isn't even worth bringing up here.

I just want to take a moment here. Now I know that this is my show, and that my name may be up there in the title ... and silhouetted on the back wall so it looks like we put it up there twice ... and on this plasma screen here .. and on the chaser lights on the bottom of this platform, and on either sides of the desk ... which is itself shaped like a giant "C." Can we get a jib shot? "C" for Colbert. (Applause.) Thanks. But this show is not about me. No, this program is dedicated to you, the heroes. And who are the heroes? The people who watch this show. Hard-working, average Americans. You're not the elites. You're not the country club crowd. I know for a fact that my country club would never let you in.

The intro almost went a little too long, but Colbert was emptying his clip, and we'd waited long enough for the show, so it was worth the extra indulgence of self-indulgence.

The second half of "The Colbert Report" was as good as the first -- the host invited Stone Phillips on to make fun of himself and his heartbreaking body of staggering gravitas. They took an old Letterman routine and made meaningless phrases sound important just by reading them, Stone and Stephen trading lines. What made the routine fresh was the fact they were reading teasers from your late local news, of which by far this was my favorite:

If you have ever sat naked on a hotel bedspread, we have got a chilling report you won't want to miss.

The only question one has after being bowled over by a show like this is: What do you do on Tuesday? But that's probably a silly question -- you do the news! You go topical. Last night's show could have been done over the summer, for all I know. From here on in, the "Colberr Reporrr" will need to think fast and write faster. Something tells me, though, that those involved are up to the task. (Jon Stewart's company is producing the show.)

Is "The Colbert Report" destined to play "Laverne and Shirley" to Jon Stewart's "Happy Days'? Tune in tomorrow ... and tomorrow ... and tomorrow. And say that with gravitas.

In other highlights:

Link: Kansas City Star | 10/18/2005 | Aaron Barnhart: TV science not good for PBS.

Comments

[eastick]

Let's see if it is more "Joanie loves Chachi" instead of L&S.