One of the greatest skills stand-up comedians possess is the ability to build a concise, humorous thought on a topic. You could make the argument that each bit in a stand-up set is like a mini-essay.
Combine that with most comedian’s knack for storytelling, and one can begin to see the fundamentals of why Aziz Ansari’s “Master of None” works so well.
Few are better than Ansari at spinning a yarn with a greater goal in mind but having you laugh consistently along the way.
These episodes are based off topics like becoming a parent, feminism and the lack of Indians on television. Ansari never claims to be an expert on these things and often plays the fool.
But by no means take this as a serious show. It’s a comedy first and foremost. “Master of None” is mostly compared to a young person’s “Louie,” as it has its dark moments, but knows its job is to make you laugh.
There has been criticism of the acting at times, which is fair. But there have also been some stunning performances.
The lone consistent storyline in the show is Ansari’s romantic relationship with Rachel. Noël Wells charmingly bursts off the screen. My girlfriend and I were genuinely enamored by their relationship and we would get all ooey and gooey each time they had a cute moment. This is a true accomplishment and a testament to the performances.
Supporting roles by Eric Wareheim, H. Jon Benjamin and Colin Salmon, among others, complete the show. And an incredible cameo by Claire Danes in “The Other Man” might have resulted in my favorite episode of the season.
Most importantly, “Master of None” enhances the momentum of Ansari becoming one of the premiere comedic thinkers of our generation. His standup specials have earned massive successes, now I can’t wait for next season to see what he’s thinking about.
