Comedy is very personal. I think it's harder than drama- as to tastes- I think something is over sweet or too salty and it's some one else's favorite food. Often, I can't get a single laugh from some comics others think are funny.
I can't say all the skits are even; some better. Is it ha ha funny, not always. But I found it entertaining and original. and I like a different voice. they break through sexual and social stereotypes by displaying them. Carrie as a man and Fred as a woman pull it off, not by their physical, but by the spirit and mimic of the essence.
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braquecubism17 September 2019
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jjnoahjames13 February 2011Portlandia is a sketch comedy show that contains two main characters played by Fred Armisen of SNL fame and Carrie Brownstein of popular band Sleater Kinney. These two come up with rad skits in which they play Hippy Vegans, Cult members, Cos Play characters, and Yuppies just to name a few. Every episode contains famous actors, which add to the fun!!
Port goes stageless! SNL, and Kids in The Hall take place on stages or sets. Port does not. This gives it a more authentic reality show feel which makes it more accessible and less artificial.
This show makes me feel like I know these people or grew up with them. They make fun of things me and my friends make fun of. Everyday young adults, who understand punk, politics, indie rock, college life, and getting over all of that will relate.
Portlandia is a 9 1/2 star show yet it's not over the top. It's not pretentious. This is why Port is for now. This generation. It's almost like a consistently funny SNL. An SNL that doesn't make fun of pop culture but rather everyday life. Therefore it's easy to laugh at again and again.
Though it's great Port lacks just little in two areas rewatchability and characters. If they could just some more stable characters and focus a little bit more on consistent relationships (non sketch stuff) to give the audience something to look forward to than maybe next season it will be a 10. -
margiehalls16 April 2021I think the funniest sketch of all time is the pretentious thrift store one, and that alone gives this show a 10. Brownstein and Armisen are the best comic duo in recent memory - there unique brand of irreverent humor is so smart and can be so delightfully crass at the same time. Also the running format of the show is so brilliant. Want more of this!!
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salvodaze28 February 2011Sketch shows are generally not my thing since they tend to follow a tradition of being campy. Portlandia, on the other hand, is damn straight (and most importantly consistently) funny. I mean where else could I look to see a smart parody of a radical feminist lesbian played by a feminist lesbian? Or catch a glimpse of Kaia Wilson as a cafe customer during a sketch? I realize that these are partially (OK so the latter, completely) personal reasons to enjoy the show only more. However I think that anyone who enjoys absurd comedy with some social criticism would really appreciate the show.
I don't believe that creativity and the will to work on it comes by easily, so call me old fashioned but when I see someone showing a good bit of it, I support it. -
dunks589 September 2012If you like sketch comedy but have not yet discovered this series, take my advice - see this show. 'Portlandia' is, for me at least, the best American sketch comedy series I've seen since 'Upright Citizens Brigade'.
I don't know how accurately it depicts Portland and its denizens, but I do know that (A) it really makes me want to visit there and (B) it really, really makes me laugh.
Carrie Brownstein is new to me as comedian, though I of course know her musical work with indie darlings Sleater-Kinney. The brilliantly versatile Fred Armisen has deservedly earned a big fan base (including my family) through his work on SNL. Yet, who could have predicted that this combination of talent, in such an off-the-wall concept, could work so well? It really does, and I want to congratulate all associated with the series, notably the legendary Lorne Michaels for once again nurturing talents like Fred and Carrie and giving them the chance to do a great show like this.
Once you get the style and shape of the show, you'll be hooked. The sketches are, for the most part, really good and some (e.g. Chicken Farm, One More Episode of Galactica) are destined to become enduring classics.
The stars (in their multiple roles) are ably assisted by a fine cast of supporting performers and a BIG highlight of the series is the many surprising and hilarious cameo appearances, including people like Edward James Olmos, Aimee Mann and Greg Louganis (playing themselves) and of course the wonderful Kyle McLachlan as the Mayor. These bits work not only because of who the stars are, but also because in just about every case they are perfect for and in the sketch (c.f. Eddie Vedder's great cameo in the "boyfriend's tattoo" sketch).
Thanks Fred and Carrie and all the cast and crew - it's been a real delight to discover such a clever, quirky, inventive comedy series that consistently takes unexpected turns, gives a lot of laughs, and leaves you wanting more every time. -
dbarr1235 June 2021😂Ha. Every scene is sarcastic humor. This show is so much fun to watch. You are literally never bored watching this. You can start anywhere because there virtually isn't a plot. This is a "sitcom". "Situation comedy".
I laugh in every single scene. I feel somewhat sorry for people living in Portland because it seems to make fun of the city. -
nestle_snipes1 August 2011The first episode I saw of this was the one with Aimmee Mann and Sarah Maclaughlin, I LOL'ed in real life and I am far from a person to LO. Sometimes I might chuckle or give a fees hearty laughs, but this show had my stomach hurting from laughing. My girlfriend was laying on my stomach as we it started to come on and she had to angrily huff as she flounced from laying on my chest. I was laughing so hard and I don't know if my laughter vibrations disturbed her or she is genuinely disturbed by me being happy. Either way I said to her "Come back over here" as I chuckled continually. The show itself is like the best skits of "Saturday Night Live" and each showcases the unique people of Portland and it makes me want to go to Portland and check it out.
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qormi1 January 2012This show completely cracks me up. The strange characters portrayed by these talented people are too funny. The subtle humor and lack of a laugh track is something that is lacking on television. The mayor is a total pretentious jerk that probably reminds a lot of us of our bosses. The bizarre humor in the show is completely original and unrelenting. I hate it when they have back-to-back episodes on Saturday mornings because I can't get out of bed - can't turn it off. The bookstore women, the cult, the dumpster divers, the gender-reversed couple, the Portland "Thinkers"....too funny. It's the best thing to hit television since "Fernwood 2 Nite", circa 1975. This just in...the second season sucked. I removed 4 stars.
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LouHalsey23 April 2023Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein are comedic powerhouses and I sincerely hope they continue to share their talents with the world. This show is a great lesson in all sorts of comedy ranging from improv to post-irony, but it's the satire that shines the most. This show manages to be stupid and brilliant at the same time. I'm willing to bet money that quite a few of the next great comedy writers will have taken notes and inspiration from Portlandia. I have so much respect and admiration for all of the folks that were involved with the show. This has been, and probably will be the show that I always come back to for comfort and a good laugh.
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mymtproject3 January 2017I started watching PORTLANDIA one night when I couldn't find anything else and thought "Why not see what this is all about?" I am so glad I did.
This is one of the most original sketch comedies since KIDS IN THE HALL from the 1980's. Armisen and Brownstein have created a zany collection of well-meaning oddballs, politically correct, former hippies and smug yuppies all occupying a quirky universe within the confines of Portland, Oregon.
This is intelligent, satirical comedy that requires the viewer to notice the eccentricities of each new character they encounter, from the city's Reggae-loving mayor to the two militant feminist that run the "Women and Women First" bookstore. Both observational and situation gags abound! I personally have enjoyed it and I'm finishing up Season 2. Can't wait to see what new characters are introduced in the next few seasons.
If you're a fan of sketch comedy or if you're just looking for something a little different, give it a shot. Great stuff!! -
lee_eisenberg27 September 2012"Portlandia" is a parody of/homage to the City of Roses, depicting scenarios that look like typical Portland occurrences. "Saturday Night Live" cast member Fred Armisen and singer Carrie Brownstein play various characters that truly represent the city, with occasional guest stars. This is not a sitcom in the common sense. It's filmed on location, and the humor is sort of like the kind in Christopher Guest's movies. "Portlandia" isn't a masterpiece of a show, but it's a very fun look at my hometown. I can affirm that it's a pretty accurate portrayal. And a very funny one. This show probably won't be for everyone, but if you like quirky stuff then you'll probably enjoy it.
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kingbk-27 February 2017I'm not from Portland, but I live there now. Portland is a beautiful place to live. Breathtaking scenery, an excellent public transit system, awesome restaurants, great beer and coffee, close proximity to mountains and the ocean. There's a lot to like about living here. Sure, it rains a lot, there are a lot of homeless people, and hipsters are pretentious douchebags, but most people are hard working, friendly and inclusive. Some people get annoyed by the "small town" locals and some people get annoyed by the "yuppies for California." I think most people are good people in this city. IFC plays on many of the Portland sensibilities in their satire sketch comedy show "Portlandia".
I enjoyed the show when it first started, but my enjoyment has dipped since then. Maybe it's because when it started it was still a place for young people to retire. Now, not so much. It's a booming economy, a lot of new money pouring in, and things are changing, I think mostly for the better, but that's not how everyone sees it. Rent has increased, so has traffic, and some of the charm has disappeared. I guess you can look at it both ways, positively and negatively. Also, jokes about hipsters, weirdness and more grow stale after being told over and over again.
Overall, I enjoyed it when it first started, but maybe it's time to let it go. Like one of their famous sketches suggests, it's over. -
I'm not sure if I just don't understand the subject or what the show was trying to accomplish. I was in high school in the early/mid 90s and very little of the material in the show resonates with me.
I suppose there's the odd laugh, but it appears to be a show written entirely as an in-joke and I'm afraid I'm missing almost all of it. The jokes that were accessible, like the bookstore, were funny for the first minute or two but after several long drawn out minutes of the same material I was just eager for the scene to end - meager laughs were simply replaced with despair.
I've never actually seen or experienced an adult hide and go seek league, have you? Let alone something as obviously over the top and ridiculous as the one portrayed in this show. Does anything like that even exist? Outside of the fake social pages set up as (maybe) marketing for this show? It's just so 'out there' that it loses any of its potential humour. If it had stuck to poking fun at the ludicrous reality that *does* exist, it could have been brilliant.
Then there's the scene where they go to see the location of where their chicken (I think, right?) was farmed. I understand that there are those who are interested in knowing the origins of their meal, and this bit could have been very well done if it ended in the restaurant. The show just takes it to a painful degree where the laughs have dried up and it's just simply sad and unfunny in the end. I was just wishing they would wrap up and move along.
To sum up, I'm really not sure how this got a 7.8 rating - but I can guess: It's a collection of scenes strung together, desperately attempting to make a funny, they fail so miserably that your just feel bad for the actors and creators that you want to give it a higher rating in the hopes that it will redeem yourself for taking the time to actually watch it.
Maybe next time you will be carrying exact change so you can get out of the bookstore that much faster and won't get locked in.
Awful joke right? I know. -
This show is incredibly funny. It is very dry, and there is no laugh track, so if you aren't into that type of humor/show, this isn't the show for you. They are particularly good at making fun of hipster overly sensitive liberal culture, while also making fun of the other side of the isle. There is something in each episode for every type of person. Sometimes, the humor isn't obvious. It isn't quotable. Its not something you can go tell your friends or share on twitter. A lot of it relies in the actual plot itself, or the subtle delivery from the actors. Sometimes it makes fun of movies, TV shows, or other traditional forms of entertainment. It doesn't stick to making fun of one type of person, and it doesn't stick to one type of humor. If you have a broad sense of humor or can at least appreciate their varying forms of humor, you'll love this show. If you only think very specific types of humor are funny, you won't like this. This show is brilliant, creative, and doesn't care about if it hurts your feelings.
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emymc-3543815 April 2019This sketch comedy show has it all! It's witty, comical, intriguing, and addictive. Every single episode can stand alone or follow the preceding episode. Amazingly funny and worth binge watching multiple times over and over. I only wish more shows had this much thoughtful comedy.
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Portlandia is a wonderful mockery of a sort of the silliness of the modern age, poking fun at obsessions with food and authenticity and playing with concepts of gender.
Portlandia walks that very thin line between so weird it's funny and too weird to be funny. That means you can see something truly inventive, original sketches, but also that you can watch an entire episode without a single funny thing in it. This has become increasingly true as the series has progressed - as of season 8 the humor has been somewhat patchy, although it is still sometimes brilliant.
If you haven't seen this series, you should definitely check it out. Start with the early episodes to get the most bang for your buck. -
scottrowley16437 February 2012This is brilliant. It is so offbeat and quirky..very enjoyable. It may not be for everyone but you'll know right away if it's for you. The writing is so good. This isn't your ridiculous run-of-the-mill network comedy. You have met some of the characters before...self involved do-gooders, aged hippies, counter culture losers, the politically correct, protect the dogs but forget the people, people variously stuck in the 70s,80s and 90s all offbeat and most amusing. Portlandia will not appeal to people who enjoy: Jersey Shore, 2 1/2 Men, WWE. It may appeal to people who like: Walking Dead, Jericho, Breaking Bad. However, give it a go...you will know..."the dream of the 90s is alive in Portland".
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kbone5430 August 2013There is stupid and then there is beyond stupid..Watching this show I wondered (honestly)if this was a comedy. The humor is lame and although there are some very funny parts they are very few and very far between. The characters are perhaps the most annoying I have ever seen. The only way to fix this show is either to cancel it or make it so the two main characters die some kind of horrible death at the end of each episode due to something they did during the show, such as in the episode where they let the guys dog go that was tied to the pole. Perhaps the dog could come back at the end and upon seeing the two main characters, jump up on them to greet them accidentally knocking them back into the street and into the path of an on coming truck. The show may still suck but at least a person could come away feeling good at the end.
UPDATE
Heading into season 2 the show got much better. The first episode was typical of what one saw in season one and I thought well more of the same. The show after that just got better and funnier. The jokes were better, the characters were better. As the show entered season 3 it was not in my opinion as funny but it was entertaining. My initial rating of 1 I have to raise to an overall rating of 7 based on season 2 and 3. I Challenge anyone not making it past season 1 to try season 2 as I am curious if anyone else catches the change. -
Written by and starring Carrie Brownstein, of Sleater-Kinney fame, and Fred Armisen, of Saturday Night Live fame, a sketch comedy show set in Portland, Oregon.
Funny, clever and original comedy. Captures well the absurdities of everyday life as well as parodying many organisations and types of people. Often irreverent in the institutions and people they take on.
The humour spans subtle to over-the-top. Therein lies the main problem with the show - the subtler stuff can be too subtle and you miss the joke. Some skits just don't work. In addition, while having regular characters helps familiarity and engagement some of the characters are just plain irritating, limiting engagement. There's also a degree of repetitiveness too.
Brownstein and Armisen are wonderful as the lead actors. While Armisen's comedic credentials are already well known and respected, Brownstein is a revelation. Her background, through Sleater-Kinney, is in socially-orientated rock music, and here she takes on sketch comedy, and does so extremely well.
Kyle MacLachlan is also great as the Major of Portland.
Another great feature of the series is the star-spotting as just about every episode has a major star (or several) in the cast, often as themselves. I can only imagine the clout Brownstein and Armisen must have to get those names on their show. -
meliadeters5 August 2020Portlandia depicts life in Portland, Oregon for many characters played by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstei. Each episode is a collection of sketches featuring reoccurring and cameo characters played by Fred and Carrie.
This show is 8 seasons of consistently good sketch comedy. I didn't realize that was still possible.
I am forever in awe of Fred and Carrie's work and relationship. I highly recommend this show. -
cimirie23 January 2014I love dry, low key, intelligent humor. And this show advertises that this is what it delivers. Trouble is, this simply is a poorly thought out sketch comedy show that only pretends to deliver these things. It's not creative. It's not witty. It's simply a show that preys on stereotypes and relies on the counter-culture visibility of hippie and hipster culture to attempt to evoke a coolness factor that just falls flat in this show. And while Fred Armison is extremely talented, and I occasionally chuckled at his straight-faced deliver of some absurd line or facial emotion, it doesn't come close to making up for the boredom.
The best way I can describe this show is to ask you to picture Saturday Night Live. On most SNL episodes, there are about 3 sketches that kill, 4 that bore you, and 2 that make you want to gouge your eyes out. Portlandia falls between categories 2 and 3.
Now I will give the show props for being original. It's charting a course I haven't seen before. That alone is hard to do in today's cookie-cutter Ratings-driven Hollywood culture. And as far as cameos go, few shows beat it. There is a revolving door of A and B listers that show up which at times makes the show bearable.
But do yourself a favor and just pass. Unless, of course, you are trying to repent for something. -
saboyagregory11 April 2015I never would have guessed that punk rocker Carrie Brownstein was this funny, and as for Fred Armisen, after 12 years on SNL, I naturally assumed those to be the peak of Armisen's sketch comedy genius, but then: Portlandia.
The characters are memorable (i.e. Feminist bookstore ladies) and the sketches are spot on at capturing the essence of hipster culture, various more generalized societal woes and everyday struggles.
Excerpt from Shocking Art Supplies sketch: "We've got baby doll parts; you can put them together any way you want" "Here's a radical juxtaposition; the butt is in the front" "What does that say about society"
As an art student,I took to this one, however every episode is packed with hilarious critiques and comedic genius from the dynamic duo Armisen and Brownstein. -
Tomorrow43713 June 2018When I finally got around to checking this show out I was so excited that I had a few seasons to watch all at once... It is a very simplistic and dry approach to sketch comedy that you may not laugh out loud at constantly but it will for sure leave you smiling... I wish it would not be ending and could go on forever...
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bluecouchpotato16 January 2018Far too true in too many ways. Best enjoyed while drinking home-brewed Kombucha and eating chia seeds soaked in coconut milk...
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julia-9053821 November 2017Every time I watch this series it gets funnier. I don't even need local- grown organic weed to feel happy about it, the joy just emanates from my fair-trade TV, even my 12 year old adopted rescue alpaca thinks it's dope. I swear I've met every single Portlandia character, and there are a lot of them, in my own home town... all their foibles, their nuances, their ridiculousness... so brilliantly captured by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. I am Portlandia. No, we are Portlandia. This is observational humor on a whole new level. If you don't take life too seriously and like to laugh at those who do... this show is for you. TVTropes will need to add 100 more tropes after this show, because the characters are so precisely cut from the social fabric there is no ocean-polluting waste. I need more episodes.