This comedy troupe has some talent. James Perry, for one, is a fun character comedian - the bisque guy and the library janitor come to mind. Sadly, he is underused and rarely given roles that suit his style. Likewise, Matt Meese is probably good enough to have a career outside of YouTube and possesses a sharp sense of comic timing in nearly every role he's given. Mallory Everton is best when she is awkward and goofy, Stephen Meek when he is clueless, Stacey Harkey when he is Instagram-obsessed, Natalie Madsen when she is birdbrained, Adam when he is dressed ridiculously, and Whitney Call when she is... being bossy?
First of all, and I hate to say this, it's all too obvious that this is an amateur comedy troupe. While each cast member has a strength, they seem reluctant to typecast any of their members. For example, imagine if The Office decided to constantly change up Dwight's character from episode to episode. One day he is the stereotypical geek, the next day a self-absorbed jock - it would feel totally wrong. Imagine if they had fleshed out Creed's character and made him more prominent in the show - it would have spoiled the 'unwritten rules of the Office Universe' one of which is 'Creed must always be mysterious and predictable no matter what.' When characters and actors constantly act 'outside of character' the humor loses its sense of logic. For things to be funny, there has to be a logical context and sense of risk in which the jokes exist. In I Love Lucy, Lucy Ricardo is funny because you are imagining 'what will Ricky think when he gets home?!' Stan Laurel is funny because you're thinking 'what will Oliver Hardy think?' There must be a straight man as well as a logical, predictable universe for these people to exist inside of. This is why I feel that episode 1 of Freelancers had the only truly funny jokes.
At first, Natalie's boss character was a little absurd and funny; by the end of the episode, she had totally derailed and was offensively stupid. James' character was relatable and funny - the pencil bit was funny but ultimately dwelt on for too long. The bed sheet sketch worked - it was relatable and well timed. I loved how during the first half, each character seemed to have a way of thinking and it fit the actors very well - it was exciting to watch!
Although the episode started off funny and I laughed out loud several times, it fell apart half way through, and this absurdity and stupidity has continued through eight episodes. I feel stupid for watching the episodes. I wish I could love JK! Studios. I'm aware that Studio C has had countless uninspired sketches ,but every once in a while they would strike gold: Scott Sterling, Lobster Bisque, Labor Pains, TV show parodies, the Kyle sketches, etc.
I've seen every Studio C sketch several times and I plan to continue watching JK! Studios. They fill a niche in the entertainment industry: clean, clever comedy for all ages. It's nice to be able to binge on YouTube videos without worrying about profanity, crudity, sexual humor, or other things. This is why I love Studio C and plan to continue watching JK! Studios. I believe they need to improve some things if they are going to move to the next level. Their writing has become totally stale, the actors are too self-aware, the jokes lack cleverness, they come across as totally insecure (how many times do they have to try to convince the world of their smartness by adding cliché, tongue-in-cheek social and political commentaries?), they don't play according to their strengths, there is a shortage of inner logic to their universes, and they run jokes into the ground. It's frustrating to see such a talented group of people act so amateurishly and immaturely - sometimes their shows have the same flaws as a six-year-old comedy routine: sure, they're creative, but it's not cute to make these mistakes when you're in your thirties.
If they can get out of this rut, play according to their strengths, and rediscover their inspiration, they could be an unstoppable force. Saturday Night Live! is dying and people are hungry for clean, apolitical humor. Matt and James are absolute treasures and could be the keys to their superstardom if only they'd use them.
Just some honest thoughts. Good luck, JK! Studios! I'd love to change my rating, so prove me wrong.
