Golden age of comedy: ‘I’m Dying Up Here’ returns for season 2
Standup comedy is hard, and it’s definitely not for everyone. It takes a special someone to bare it all and try to make a crowd full of strangers laugh. Accurate depictions of standup comedy and comedians on the big and small screen are arguably even harder to pull off, but “I’m Dying Up Here” seems to have finally succeeded where many have failed before. The highs and lows of those trying to make it big in Hollywood continue in the second-season premiere of the comedy-drama, airing Sunday, May 6, on Showtime.
“I’m Dying Up Here” is hardly the first series to examine comedians working on their craft, but such shows generally tend to be over-the-top portrayals of behind-the-scenes antics. Fan favorites such as “30 Rock” and “The Larry Sanders Show” depict how comedy shows come together, but not the grueling lives of the comedians who work on them.
Based on the 2010 bestselling book by William Knoedelseder, the series produced by Jim Carrey (“Man on the Moon,” 1999) explores the famed Los Angeles standup scene of the 1970s and follows a group of young comedians attempting to make it big by performing on Johnny Carson’s “The Tonight Show.” Before they can go mainstream, however, these up-andcoming comics must succeed at Goldie’s comedy club.
When we were first introduced to Goldie (Melissa Leo, “The Fighter,” 2010) and the club that bears her name last season, they were on top of the comedy world. Her club was the place to be, and through her in-yourface toughness, encouragement and mentoring, she helped rising stars gain confidence and succeed, as we saw with fresh-faced Boston buds Eddie (Michael Angarano, “Sky High,” 2005) and Ron (Clark Duke, “Hot Tub Time Machine,” 2010). She also helped the comics get sitcom roles, radio gigs and other solid work, but by the end of the season, Goldie and her club were in a downward spiral.
The first season finished in a literal blaze of glory when rival club, King Theodore’s, was burned to the ground, and the new season picks up in the aftermath of the fire. Leading up to it, we saw many comics, including superstar in the making, Adam (RJ Cyler, “Power Rangers,” 2017), desert Goldie’s for Teddy’s due to the former’s policy of not paying comics.
The new season addresses the deserters and also explores Nick’s (Jake Lacy, “Girls”) sobriety and its influence on his new act. Will audiences accept his new, raw act, and, more importantly, will he manage to stay on the wagon? Cassie’s (Ari Graynor, “Bad Teacher”) television pilot, “Girls Are Funny, Too,” is once again a focal point of the new season. Additionally, we will see if Ralph (Erik Griffin, “Workaholics”) finally starts to incorporate his time in Vietnam into his act and transition into a more topical comic in the politically charged post-Watergate climate.
The second season promises a bevy of guest stars but also several new characters who play an important role in the lives of Goldie’s comics. The evertalented Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) is set for a seasonlong arc as Roy Martin, a veteran and comedy legend. Throughout the season, he will impart his wisdom on the young comics and, much like Goldie, he doesn’t shy away from dropping hurtful truth bombs and breaking a few spirits. Trying to recover from her downward spiral, Goldie tries to form a business partnership with the old pro in order to expand her comedy presence.
Making a particularly inopportunely timed arrival this season is Goldie’s 17-year-old estranged and troubled daughter, Amanda (Stefania LaVie Owen, “Chance”), who reappears in her mother’s life after running away from home. Sure to cause trouble elsewhere is Gloria Whitfield (Nicole Ari Parker, “Time After Time”), a recently divorced, successful producer of the hit series “Soul Train” who becomes romantically involved with one of the comics.
Trying to make waves is Dawn Lima (Xosha Roquemore, “The Mindy Project”), a fearless preacher’s daughter who has something to prove to herself and the world. She’s recently arrived to L.A. after performing in Chicago and Detroit and finds herself struggling with her sexual identity.
Dana Gould (“Stan Against Evil”) is set to recur as Bruce, Adam’s alphamale agent who doesn’t understand comedy or artistic integrity and is solely motivated by money. After the events of last season, Adam is in a very precarious position, and his agent can make or break him. Saul Hudson (Beau Mirchoff, “Awkward”) joins Bruce as an ancillary power player. A friend of Ralph’s, he’s a wannabe playboy and the son of a comic who is now a television producer.
In 1972, the mythical Johnny Carson moved the storied “Tonight Show” from New York City to Burbank, Calif., and the coast-to-coast move forever changed the landscape of the entertainment industry. Throngs of hungry comedians hoping to get discovered by Carson flocked to Los Angeles, instantly making it the comedy capital of the world. At the same time, The Improv (and later, The Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory) dominated the scene and provided future legends time and space to flourish. This is the world of “I’m Dying Up Here.” The dramedy continues to explore this fascinating era over the course of its sophomore season, premiering Sunday, May 6, on Showtime.