Lewis Black's Root of All Evil

2008

Seasons & Episodes

  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
6.6| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 12 March 2008 Ended
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Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/root_of_all_evil/index.jhtml
Synopsis

Lewis Black's Root of All Evil is an American television series that premiered on March 12, 2008, on Comedy Central and was hosted by comedian Lewis Black. The series producer was Scott Carter from Real Time with Bill Maher and the writer was David Sacks from The Simpsons. Sometimes there were pre-recorded video segments directed by supervising producer Michael Addis. Lewis Black's Root of All Evil is formatted as a mock trial acted in deadpan. Black presided over two opposing people or issues; and guest comedians acted as lawyers/advocates arguing that their client/Evil is the Root of All Evil. The series ended on October 1, 2008, with a total of 18 episodes. The series' cancellation was confirmed by Lewis Black in September 2009. The entire first season of Lewis Black's Root of All Evil was released on DVD in the United States on September 30, 2008. The remaining episodes from season two are not currently available on DVD.

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Reviews

Pluskylang Great Film overall
Mandeep Tyson The acting in this movie is really good.
Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
bob the moo On paper I liked the concept here. With my experience of Black mostly limited to his rage-fuelled bits on The Daily Show, it sounded like a show totally set up for him to lay judgment into things that wind him up would work really well. Unfortunately the delivery of this doesn't make the most of its strengths and, although has some good bits here and there, generally feels a bit average throughout.The format, while sounding good, is actually part of the problem. In a 20 minute show it is very fragmented and scripted; I get that it is television, not improv or stand-up, but the stiffness of it and the very precise delivery of bits tends to rob it of energy and life. The comedians deliver their short bits in a way that never feels natural – indeed even the moments of banter between them feel over-rehearsed and lacking spark. The subjects chosen offer potential and to be fair in each episode I would say there is at least one or two good laughs or chuckles to be had, but mostly it is material that feels like it needed a bit more work on the writing in order to have some flair to it, and then a bit more freedom to deliver it.This feeling extends to Black himself; he is really hemmed in by the format, delivering his material in very strict blocks and never having the time and freedom to build as well as I have seen him do on TDS. His lines may occasionally be funny, but not very often. The sense of material lacking refinement, a format that seems to know it is not really working, and comedians not really consistently on their best form, is all made that little bit worse by the production itself. The set itself looks a bit second-rate, but it is the audience that is the issue – well, not so much them, but the way the audience is presented. All through the show we have what is clearly canned laughter, and I found it really quite annoying and distracting to have the taped audience trying to force me to believe that a rather so-so line was actually the most hilarious thing ever. It doesn't help again that we can actually see the audience in the background of many of the shots and thus we see them let out a sort of smile/snort reaction at a time when the laugh track would have us believe everyone is rolling in the aisles.It is a shame because maybe with a bit less production and a bit less rigidity, this could have been quite fun, but unfortunately it is really very little to talk about. The most immediately noticeable mistake is that Black himself is wasted as a resource due to the format, but sadly it is only the first of many things that really fall below the required level in this show.
PinnokkioX The applause makes it seems as if there is a large audience and they're laughing head over heels but whenever they are shown on camera, there are only a few people applauding which makes me suspect there is a laugh track.Anyway, I saw the first episode and it was funny throughout, especially if you like Lewis Black's rants. They covered politics, religion and celebrities which makes me hope there will be more of this show in the future.Despite the suspicious audience, this show deserves to be given a chance.
jmbwithcats I love Lewis Black, I've been a big fan for a long time. So when I heard he was finally getting his own show, I knew it was going to be darkly ironic, cutting, and different.And boy was I not disappointed.The first episode puts on trial Oprah Winfrey and The Catholic Church. To decide once and for all which is the root of all evil between them.I won't tell you how it ended, but I will say this. The debates on both sides were sharp, and funny, and with Lewis Black as the much deserving judge, I very much enjoyed the show, and intend to keep watching.Good stuff Mr. Black, good to have you back.
tdi1985 That's my prediction! I can't even finish watching it. So unfunny, that they had to use a laugh track over the studio audience! Seriously, you can see people sitting there perfectly still, and unimpressed, while it sounds like the audience is breaking out in riotous laughter. Unbelievable. Just another example of Comedy Central thinking it has some great newsy show that people will look to for some sort of legitimate opinions. Instead it's just perpetually unemployed angry comedians. It's just a tired concept... "Let's complain about people and religion, they're so controlling and they think they're better than us!" Get over it.

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