Rating: 4.5/5 stars
After taking a nearly two-year break between the start of this season and end of the previous, “Nathan For You” is back up and running. The gap between seasons left many fans anxious and uncertain of the series future. Although, when taking into account the clever strategies put together by the show’s star Nathan Fielder (“The Night Before”), it seems to make a lot more sense.
These elaborate strategies have been a signature quality of the show through the first three seasons. The season four premiere was no exception. Asking for Fielder’s help this time around is Steve Mullen, owner of Joe K’s Deli in Vernon, California, who needs a fresh new marketing strategy to bring in some more customers.
As always, Nathan thinks outside of the box and hatches a plan that includes wild ideas such as auditioning celebrity impersonators, taking out a $10,000 loan and even handcuffing himself to another person overnight, as well as plenty others. Another returning quality to the series is the awkward small talk that occurs between Fielder and whomever he encounters.
Whether they are pertaining to the topic at hand or not, these conversations definitely fly under the radar of what is an already underrated show. Fielder also has a distinct way of undermining his guests and making them look silly, usually by convincing them to do something outrageous in an effort to benefit their business or even simply by asking them a question.
Something about this show that really sparks wonder from viewers is also his former guests (with whom he mostly causes stress and anger) willingness to continue working with Fielder time and time again. Not only were there old friends in the first episode of this season, but as a matter of fact, Fielder dedicated an entire one-hour preseason premiere special to revisiting a good deal of the people he had worked with in the past.
Of course, the element of this series that really makes it stand out from many of its sitcom peers is that Nathan is unloading these wacky ideas on real businesses and real people. While keeping in mind Fielder’s awkward tendencies, this gives the show some (very humorous) added suspense as to whether or not they will be able to handle what they have just gotten themselves into.
As viewers know, sometimes the business owners can handle it with ease, and others not so much. Overall, this episode brings back “Nathan For You” to Comedy Central with a huge splash.
Based on the episode as well as the season’s trailer, there is still plenty to look forward to with this show as the season progresses. Viewers both old and new will have difficulty keeping themselves from seeing how outrageous and goofy Nathan’s strategies can get.
Photo: by Comedy Central via Youtube
