Marc Maron 'Maron' Review: Best New Show On TV

"Have you ever had one of those moments when you look up and realize that you're one of those people you see on the train talking to themselves?" 

For those living outside of the comedy, Marc Maron is an almost unknown figure. He doesn't do television, he really doesn't do movies, and for the mainstream public that is enough to damn him into a life of obscurity. However, for devotee's and lovers of comedy Marc Maron's name is akin to God. Begin inning his career in comedy in the mid-1980s, Marc Maron's sense of wit and humor has propelled him into a platform of comedy that few comedians could muster.

Despite looking and sounding like a character for a Woody Allen movie, Marc Maron's unique sense of self-deprecation, and his ingenious comedic ideas, have made him one of the most desired comedians working today. Most comics would be content with the career that Marc Maron has had, four comedy specials and two books, but Marc Maron continues to push the boundaries of comedy into his late forties. He single-handily revolutionized the comedy podcast format into the most popular comedy podcast on iTunes.

Marc Maron's podcast WTF is the place for comedians to be. Starting in September of 2009, this twice a week podcast has featured a different guest, that Marc would interview; Marc has interviewed high profile guests that would make your jaw drop, names like: Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, David Cross, Patton Oswalt, Louis C.K., the late Jonathon Winters, Ben Stiller, Tig Notaro, Mike Birbiglia, Bob Odenkirk, and many more. I know what you might be thinking, "Other people have interviewed those people, this isn't a big deal."

What if I told you, that since 2009 Marc Maron has done over 380 interviews, and that these interviews have taken place, almost exclusively, in Marc Maron's garage? Now are you a little more impressed by the amount of influence Marc Maron has? He is able to convince some of the biggest stars of all time, to come down to his LA home, and talk to him in his garage. Of course, he wouldn't be able to convince everyone if Marc Maron's greatest skill wasn't interviewing people.

Marc Maron is a master interviewer, he can direct conversations and talk to people in a way that boggles my mind. If there was a way to combine Jon Stewart's timing and Marc Maron's interviewing skills into one person, we would have the greatest television host of all time. Since that can't happen it is nice to see Marc Maron on television at all, and it is even better that it is a show about his experiences on WTF.

Maron, on ifc, is an autobiographical comedy about Marc Maron's life in the days of WTF and it is hysterical. The level of reality that is presented in the show is stunning. From Marc Maron having to confront his fears about his ex-father-in-laws' feelings about him, as his ex-father-in-law is about to die, to Marc Maron reluctantly taking on an intern named Kyle, played by Josh Brener, after telling him that he can't help him in comedy, it is all pure television gold.

Marc Maron's interactions with other people in his universe is amazing. The relationship he has with his mother is hilarious, and his relationship he has with his intern Kyle is a pseudo-father figure one. In reality, Kyle and Marc are bros, whether they are trying to: show Denis Leary that they can be "real men" and remove a dead opossum from a crawl space (Marc Maron is 49), discuss the differences in cheat days vs. kale and lentil days, to fleshing out traumatic childhood experiences. Marc Maron is real and raw, he doesn't pull punches and he practices absolute candor, nothing is hidden in his life; you know about all of his failures, his divorces, his drug use, his depression, and it is presented in a fascinating, and humorous way. 

Maron plays on ifc every Friday, and it is a show that can't be missed.

To see the whole second episode "Dead Possum," watch the video below.