TV Review: The Jim Gaffigan Show Season Two (2016)

The Jim Gaffigan Show Season Two (2016) created by Jim Gaffigan and Peter Tolan

The Jim Gaffigan Show is about a stand-up comedian who lives in New York City with his wife and five children in a two-bedroom apartment, so it's very much like Gaffigan's actual life. The first season is fairly hilarious so I was happy to see the second season (along with the first season) show up on hoopla, a streaming service from public libraries.

The second season follows the same idea as the first season, finding typical life situations and exploiting the comedy potential, like going to couples therapy with your priest or visiting the museum with five uninterested kids. A few episodes have Gaffigan playing his father from the 1970s (Ashley Williams (who play wife Jeannie) is Jim's mom in the flashbacks). This season leans heavily into self-deprecating situations with mixed results. Some moments are hilarious, like Jim trying to audition as himself in a show about the life of his best friend. Some moments are winsome, like remembering his relationship with his dad. Some are a little too painful, like Jim audition for the role of an ugly guy as a bit part in a movie. The roster of celebrity cameos (everyone from Macaulay Culkin to Alec Baldwin to Will Ferrell) is impressive. I liked most of the season but it was not as funny as the first.

Mildly recommended.