Billy Crystal's a comedian, actor, awards show host, writer and director, and he's now taking on the challenge of doing something else altogether, turning to television in a new sitcom, Billy Crystal's "The Comedians", where he plays a fictionalized version of himself - but what are critics saying about his new venture?
This isn't Crystal's first time on television by a long shot, but Billy Crystal's "The Comedians" marks a long-awaited return to the small screen, after he gained prominence in the 70s sitcom "Soap" and was a part of "Saturday Night Live" in the mid-80s.
According to Variety, Billy Crystal's "The Comedians," which premiered on FX last April 9 and is based on a Swedish series called "Ulveson & Herngren," is a hybrid of different styles of comedy: it takes after the mockumentary style of "The Office" while also borrowing elements from the "SNL" brand of sketch comedy - and even has some bits of drama about aging and standing on the side while life passes by.
"It's a show, at its core, about the generational disconnect of two comedians coming from completely different eras being forced to understand each other," said Josh Gad, who co-stars on Billy Crystal's "The Comedians," as the age difference is a major plot point in the show. "Being forced to connect and bridge the gap between that schism where my generation sort of comes from a place of irony and Billy's generation comes from a pure place of comedy, and so when you mix those things together, what happens?"
The New York Post says that Billy Crystal's "The Comedians" sees the "When Harry Met Sally" shining, as he plays a slightly tweaked version of himself, comparable to Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" character.
In case you missed the start of Billy Crystal's "The Comedians," enjoy the clip below!
