Joe Pera Talks with You

Joe Pera Talks with You is the new show I never knew I wanted so badly. I turn to Cartoon Network for entertaining short-duration shows, such as Mike Tyson Mysteries. They're blessedly brief and to the point, and I can watch them as a matter of convenience on my DVR. Joe Pera's schtick is a grandfatherly teacher who presents the various minutiae of life from a thoughtful perspective. My take is that if he weren't such a well-intentioned, sincere character he would be mostly rejected by "normal" society. But our hero manages to win the day while living comfortably between two worlds - the outside world where we meet life, and his inner world of perspectives, knowledge, and values. The overall mood of the show is calming, with "Joe Pera Reads You The Church Announcements" (S1E6) becoming surprisingly edgy. So I've seen 6 episodes so far, and have become a huge fan. Although each episode is self-contained enough that you can dive in, the episodes also present threads relating to themes and personal relationships that you can follow - not knowing some of them will make scenes in some episodes seem random. Thank you, Joe Pera, for talking with me.

Set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in the town of Marquette, the viewer is invited into the daily world of a socially awkward middle school choir teacher and his local friends. Far from the worn-out & predictable sarcasm of so much television comedy, Joe's humor is subtle, dry, charming, and incredibly endearing to the point of making you want to know the character personally.

By way of each episode, Joe takes us on a journey through various topics such as: how great breakfast is, Jack-o'-lanterns attaining 1/16th of the pumpkin carver's soul & how to re-grow your soul, talking you back to sleep since you are awake so late, what it's like to hear an amazing song for the first time before you heard it played 20 billion times, and even the Rat Wars of Alberta, Canada and more!

Accompanied by a cast of fantastic characters, the show's often-humorous - and sometimes subtle - references to the odd qualities of Michigan's Upper Peninsula culture are so sharply accurate, it really makes me wonder if one of the producers of the show might have spent significant time there.

Do yourself a favor and take the time to really watch this wonderful show. You'll love it.

I very highly recommend you watch it. It is my new favorite show. This stuff is truly breaking new territory. There is nothing quite like it. I hope this show gets the recognition it deserves. True warm and fuzzy feelings in a sometimes scary world we live in

I was being evicted from my home, my husband was about to divorce me because I couldn't have children, and my mother was soon to be dead. I moved in with my sister and her husband and children, was staying downstairs on their couch. I turned this on. Apparently it was the premiere night. I cried. Of sheer joy. Because so many of these things are relatable to me. Especially the fact her was a teacher. As so was I. For 14 years. And now. I feel like as though Joe is my godsend. My spiritual husband. Thank you Joe. For giving me the strength to move on and build my life back. It's been over a year since this show premiered. And I'm still here. I have my own home again, my life is getting back to normal. And I'll always remember just how much this show and Joe helped me in that dark time. Please. Adult Swim. I bet you. Give us season 2. I've been so patient and good this year. And I'll consider it my *Pera-Sonal* ;) Christmas present if you please just give me if any just ONE more season. Please and thank you. :)

My first experience saw this show coming on right after more traditional Adult Swim fare, so my expectation were that Joe would turn into The Joke at some point.

Thankfully that never happened.

Instead I discovered a thoroughly enjoyable, bite-sized experience of a different life. That life may be fictional, but it is entirely believable and sympathetic.

This show is staffed with extraordinary talent throughout. The writing. The cinematography. The acting. It is rare that any of it fails to deliver a result closing on perfection.

I would never have tried this show had I read the synopsis, or understood its sincerity. The premise is one that I just wouldn't believe they could deliver on. So instead I went in expecting something mean-spirited caustic, and paradoxically those low expectations brought me this wonderful show.