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'Moonbase 8' Episode 1: Is Showtime's space comedy really 'awful' and 'unwatchable'?

Some pointed out that they expected different from the trio of comedians, Fred Armisen, John C. Reilly and Tim Heidecker, perhaps something better

'Moonbase 8' premiered on Showtime earlier tonight and opened to mixed reviews. Starring Fred Armisen (known for 'Portlandia'), John C. Reilly ('Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story') and Tim Heidecker ('Tim and Eric Awesome Show', 'Great Job!'), 'Moonbase 8' is the new workplace comedy that you must check out. 

Or at least that's what fans are saying.

'Moonbase 8' follows three subpar astronauts living at NASA's Moon Base Simulator in Winslow, Arizona, with high hopes of being chosen to travel to the moon. In the first episode, the group is faced with a water shortage, a very real nightmare in this simulation. To tackle this, the team comes up with an unorthodox solution - one that could possibly threaten their lives. 

What makes this simulation function - or as you can see, not function - is Armisen playing Dr Michael 'Skip' Henai, the son of an astronaut, who is here to be the man his father was, Heidecker as Professor Scott 'Rook' Sloan, a Christian who wants to spread "the Gospel of Jesus Christ out into the universe", and Reilly as Robert 'Cap' Caputo, who has seen many ups and downs in life and pins all his redemption on this moonbase's success. 

Directed by Jonathan Krisel, who also writes the show alongside the three comedians, the premiere episode garnered plenty of laughs from audiences. "Burning through #Moonbase8 and it’s funny. Love the cast," tweeted one. "#Moonbase8 is really enjoyable halfway through but it's not like laugh out loud funny. Very subtle humor. I like it," another said. "Loving Moonbase 8 so far. Can't go wrong with 3 comedic hall of farmers and Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce. #Moonbase8," said another.

Special mention was to Travis Kelce, the Superbowl champion who guest-starred in the first episode. He played himself, an athlete part of the simulation as NASA's tie-up with the NBA. On the show, he is very mean to Reilly's Cap and bosses him around. Eventually, they embark on a dumb endeavour that fails and results in the return of only one. ".@tkelce ... this is hysterical. #Moonbase8 Love that you're involved... even as a d*ck." Someone called him a straight-up "douchebag". "Why he letting Travis Kelce order him around? #Moonbase8" another said.

But the show had critics too. "#Moonbase8 straight-up sucks," one tweeted. Some pointed out that they expected different from the trio of comedians - perhaps something better. 

Another took to Reddit to say it is the "worst" show. "Love all 3 of these dudes, BIG Time fan and not his fault (well, he did write some of it) but this is the all-time worse show I've ever seen, in my life. No hyperbole no BS, literally never seen a tv show this bad/unfunny ever..wow. I'm running away from this one..." They continued, "This is unwatchable and embarrassing."