Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz's Middleditch & Schwartz Netflix special succeeds where other TV improv fails

The A.V. Club

"There is nothing more excruciating than watching bad improv," says Brianna Wellen. "But the joy of improv is that the same thing will never happen again—even if things go really haywire, it can be left behind in that blackbox theater with the possibility of greatness the next time around, wiping a bad set clean. Perhaps that’s why it’s an art that’s rarely committed to film in its most basic form, mostly existing in our public consciousness as something that sitcom actors and Christopher Guest characters are allowed to do on set. Even then, it might be rehearsed or tweaked or left on the cutting room floor altogether. Depending on the audience, the suggestions, and the way the performers vibe on any particular night, it could be a huge risk to say, sell a live improv special to Netflix. It’s a risk that Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz were willing to take, and thankfully their three-episode special is an example of improv at its absolute best...Middleditch & Schwartz is a perfect storm of eccentric audience members, well-timed improv, and charm that instantly draws viewers in and makes them really feel like they’re a part of something. It’s an impressive enough feat for two people on an empty stage to be able to successfully play to thousands of audience members, as the duo had been doing on their live tours. But to be able to maintain that energy and project it through a screen is magnificent to watch." ALSO: Middleditch and Schwartz explain why they're dropping three specials at once.