When the trailer for John Mulaney's sitcom, Mulaney, was released, TIME published an article titled "8 Ways the Trailer for Mulaney Resembles Seinfeld." Because Seinfeld is widely considered to be one of the best sitcoms of all time, the comparisons were pretty much setting Mulaney up to fail before it even began. "Of course, all this is based on just over two minutes of footage, so it's entirely possible the Mulaney barely ends up resembling Seinfeld in terms of storytelling or tone," the TIME article concluded.
Once the sitcom's pilot episode aired, it became pretty clear that the Seinfeld comparisons were just getting started. The show's critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes is simply, "John Mulaney, we know Jerry Seinfeld. Seinfeld was funny. Mulaney, you're no Seinfeld." (Still, while the critics' score was a "certified rotten" 17 percent, the audience score is a slightly less brutal 42 percent.)
Entertainment Weekly even went so far as to count Mulaney among the "5 Worst TV Shows of 2014." "His stab at a new-century Seinfeld was stunningly not funny despite his affable (if stiff) presence and a game (yet wasted) cast," read the accompanying blurb. "There still might be a winning sitcom in him, but he'll have to become a bolder, more seasoned performer first."
Mulaney is now, undoubtedly, "a bolder, more seasoned performer." The comedian has achieved widespread acclaim for his work on stage and screen, even earning an Emmy for his 2018 comedy special Kid Gorgeous at Radio City.
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