Underplayed Gems

Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule (2010)

Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule poster
Genre
comedy
Country
United States
Length
4 seasons, 24 episodes
Rated
TV-14
Rating
7.9 of 10 from 72 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this series is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More series like this

How it feels

A spin-off character from Tim and Eric, Dr. Steve Brule, hosts his own public access style show. He interviews people and explores everyday topics with extreme awkwardness and cluelessness. The humor comes from his embarrassing behavior and the genuine reactions of his guests.

awkwardcringeyabsurdistlow-budgetdeadpanuncomfortably funnysatiricalnaive

What happens

Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule is an American comedy television series starring John C. Reilly as Dr. Steve Brule. The show is a spin-off of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, where Dr. Brule originated. The series premiered on Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim, on May 16, 2010. The show parodies 1980s public-access television programs and follows Dr. Steve Brule as he examines different facets of living. His extreme and possibly pathological naivete and social awkwardness generally land him in embarrassing situations, though he remains largely ignorant of any embarrassment he's causing himself. As the series progresses, he reveals surprising and sometimes shocking details about his past and personal life. The series has completed four seasons of six episodes each. In the series, Reilly interviews real people whose reactions, according to executive producer Tim Heidecker, are genuine. Reilly stated that he intends for the humor to derive from Brule's character rather than the reactions of his guests. In post-production, the video is piped through a VCR, which is then intermittently hit to simulate poor production value. Critical reception has been positive, with several reviewers highlighting the character of Brule while noting the aesthetic qualities as similar to other productions. The A.V. Club's Brandon Nowalk compared it to The Day Today and Brass Eye, while DVD Verdict's Dawn Hunt compared it to This Is Spinal Tap. The first two seasons were combined onto a single DVD release, made available on October 16, 2012, in Region 1. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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