I'm Dying Up Here

Like the tragically cancelled Roadies I'm Dying Up Here has not received it's due praise. It's funny and touching examination of the lives of upcoming comedians masks the true magic of the show, which is to relate universal struggle all of us face in trying to realize our future potential while nurturing healthy relationships and balancing responsibilities right now. Shooting for the top before fizzling out or exploding. Reconciling our past with our present.

I don't know why these amazing shows have so much trouble finding an audience or critical acclaim. It seems like if character arcs are not clearly defined then critics think it is muddled. This is not the case though.

I love this show as I loved Roadies. The history and trade knowledge serve to enrich the themes adding texture and ambiance. I love it. The critics got it wrong but an 80 percent favourable audience score on Rotten Tomatos sounds about right.

Stand-up is experiencing a renaissance and "I'm Dying Up Here" is the blueprint for building a masterful comedic series. This is the real deal. the show represents the period with authenticity, the plot and jokes are intelligent, thought provoking, engaging, and most of all -- funny, the characters have real depth and the comedians take it to another level by delivering brilliant performances as actors. Showtime has a hit on their hands.

When I started watching the show, it didn't seem great, I was a bit disappointed, but a few episodes in I felt it had started to move in the right direction so I kept watching. 7 episodes in I'm starting to love it, the characters seem more real, their stories more interesting and it's a lot funnier. I just hope there will be more seasons.

This show was an incredibly realistic portrayal of the 70's and it's criminally underrated by lame sources like Rotten Tomatoes (probably because it's very non-PC and shows an authentic dose of how much more crass social dialogue was back in the day aka lots of racial slurs). There are definitely moments of hilarity, but just because it is about comedians does not mean it's meant to just be a comedy show...it deals with lots of dark themes we all face in every day life (addiction, death, depression, failure...etc). Excellent show, can't wait for Season 2 because by the end of this last episode I was left wanting more and finally feeling intimately connected to each character.

You've definitely got to have some sort of comical education to appreciate this show. This history behind the comedy store is one thing but having that comedy mindset and understanding of the clever narrative of this show is a must. Possibly why it wasn't so popular on the mainstream. This show was awesome, refreshing, clever and an articulate comedy. I loved it.