Colbert and Stuart are better without writers

After four days of seeing how Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart fared without writers after returning to the airwaves, I can issue my review:

The Colbert Show and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (now called A Daily Show) are more entertaining without the writers.

So even though my progressive sympathies are with those on strike, my TV watching sympathies say, "Stay away; let Colbert and Stuart keep on doing their own thing."

I've always enjoyed The Colbert Show more than The Daily Show, because Stephen Colbert is more of a natural improvisational comedian. His interviews are terrific, filled with witty spontaneities.

But now The Daily Show is almost equally pleasurable for me to watch without the irritating, and often infantile, sketches featuring other members of Stewart's fake news team.

This week the only time I reached for the fast forward button on my DVR was when John Oliver returned for a sketch about global climate change. Dreadful.

Colbert and Stewart clearly are capable of coming up with their own material – which I assume is what they're doing (some are suspicious about this).

If I were their writers, I'd be nervous after watching this week's "unwritten" shows.

Now that Colbert and Stuart are free, or forced, to make the content of their shows more purely reflect their own sensibilities, we're seeing that these guys can carry their own comedic water.

And that it's actually better tasting than what the writers had been pumping out for them.

(Some other opinions about the return of The Colbert Report and The Daily Show are here, here, and here.)

Comments

[Rain]

I agree. Improvisation is what makes them good. The writers better watch out if they hold out too long. They think they are unique, nobody can make a show like they can, but the reality is there are many gifted writers who would be happy to step into those shoes. When I came online, some years back, I realized how many people have writing talent. It's not as rare as some would think

[torridjoe]

aren't they members of WGA, though? So aren't they scabs, strictly speaking?

[Rain]

the argument is they (Stewart and Colbert) have to not write it down. They can come on and talk. There is no rule about that but if it's written even by themselves (what they accuse Jay Leno of breaking) then they can accuse them. I just think they could find this breaking their union if they keep it up too long