There are a variety of reasons why a show only appeals to a select group of people. A lot of comedies tend to fall into that category, due to how subjective humor can be. Baskets, the FX dramedy, is one such show that doesn't appeal to everyone, and Zach Galifianakis has no trouble telling people that before they sit down to watch an episode. The Hangover star created Baskets, and even he admits that there's a pretty good chance that you aren't going to like his show. Check out what Galifianakis had to say about the specificity of Baskets.
It's just a weird mix. It's not for everybody... That is the first thing I say to people. Well, firstly I usually say, you know, 'I'm in it. Don't watch it.' And then I say, 'It is an acquired taste.' And that was the point.
In an interview with NPR, Zach Galifianakis spoke about the appeal of his show Baskets, airing its second season on FX. The show has a bit of an odd flavor, which Galifianakis mostly attributes to its balancing of drama and comedy. Baskets is a "weird mix" of drama and comedy, a show that can be strange and dramatic and then immediately undercut it with a joke. That offbeat sense of tone isn't for everyone, but the more that a viewer sticks with it, the more they'll enjoy the show. Galifianakis admits that that's intentional on their part, creating a show that gets better the longer you watch it.
In case anyone hasn't watched the show, Baskets stars Galifianakis as Chip Baskets, a man with dreams of being a professional clown. But after he fails to get a degree from a prestigious clown school in Paris, he moves back home to work as a rodeo clown in California. The show follows Dale as he contends with his family while trying to find a place for a clown in this already clownish world. Galifianakis also pulls double duty as Chip's twin brother, Dale Baskets (yes, that's Chip and Dale), while Louie Anderson plays their mother Christine -- a role for which he won an Emmy.
Now that sounds like a very silly and strange show -- which it is -- but it also has its moments of drama. It's actually a little depressing watching Chip and Dale basically fail at most things and coupled with the show's offbeat tone and sense of humor. It's not really a show built for everyone, though that's not a bad thing.
Check out this clip of this week's episode of Baskets, "Marthager," for a small snippet of what the show is like.
Baskets airs on Thursday's at 10 p.m. EST on FX.
