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'Moonbase 8': Here's why the Showtime space comedy is neither innovative nor funny

It is arguable that the show might pick up in the next few episodes but it has already disappointed most of its viewers

Spoilers for 'Moonbase 8' 

Let's get one thing out of the way: Showtime's new space comedy 'Moonbase 8' is not funny. In fact, it doesn't exactly run to the length of the word — it is hardly even fun. Who would have thought that comedy icons John C Reilly, Fred Armisen and Tim Heidecker could ever cook up something this drab and uninteresting? The humor might be intentionally dry but the series doesn't manage to tickle anyone's funny bone. It's not innovative and definitely not impressive. And to think that we had high hopes from Armisen.

However, for some reason, there is a faction among the viewers enjoying the show. For instance, this viewer. "F**k the IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes reviews, #Moonbase8 is side-splitting and gives me so much joy. Thanks @timheidecker for releasing yet another AWESOME project the year we need it most!"

But the show is really not all that — it is extremely dull and stands in complete contrast. This viewer puts forward a better view: "The incompetence on display didn't amuse me, it just made the situation seem unrealistic. I think it needed to turn up the absurdity by a notch or two or make the stupidity more credible for the setup. Instead, it floated between unfunny comedy and bad drama."

Skip (Fred Armisen), Rook (Tim Heidecker) and their leader Cap (John C Reilly) work on a moon simulation base for NASA. They are aspiring astronauts each with vested interests in stepping foot on the lunar surface. Whether it is redemption for a failed life, to one-up someone or in Rook's case, to spread the gospel, the show simply doesn't work. In fact, it doesn't even try to stand out among other shows in the same (space comedy) genre like 'Space Force', 'Avenue 5', and 'The Orville', which is a hot favorite among those who are dissing 'Moonbase 8'.

Whether it is surviving on the last remaining droplets of water, hunting down a prowler or fighting homesickness, the Showtime comedy is not giving you anything you haven't watched before. During the 30 minutes runtime, 'Moonbase 8' has hardly delivered anything even remotely chuckle-worthy. For instance, this viewer, who watched the whole season today, and "I didn't feel it ever got better. I think I only laughed once the whole show."

Or this viewer. "Who knew 2020 would be the year for work-space comedies? I’m sure the creation of the actual Space Force sparked the bug. I’m interested to check out #Moonbase8 I’ve already seen the other two and I laughed the most at the commercials for Moonbase 8."

The newest addition to the novel genre of space comedies hasn't impressed many viewers, particularly those who were expecting a lot from a talented cast. "I'm a huge fan of 'Veep' and 'The Thick of It' and struggled to finish 'Avenue 5'. I've loved Steve Carell for a long time but couldn't finish 'Space Force'. I was really hoping 'Moonbase 8' would break the trend, but it's incredibly bland. How could a show with John C Reilly, Fred Armisen, and Tim Heidecker be this bad?" a fan aired their complaint on Reddit.

Many viewers were especially disappointed by Heidecker's association with the project. There were great expectations from the comedian who created 'Tom Goes to the Mayor', 'Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!' and 'Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories'. "I'm a big fan of Tim and John C Reilly, so as excited as I was for MB8, it really didn't do much for me," a viewer said. Another viewer added that it could be because they are playing "subtler characters than in some of their other work. I think a lot of people (myself included) have to shift how we watch to accommodate what the show is trying to do".

Despite being armed with a set of three strong actors and comedians, 'Moonbase 8' fails to deliver. It is just another title in the genre and refuses to make a change. It is arguable that the show might pick up in the next few episodes (only 2 episodes of season 1 are out so far) but it has already disappointed a lot of its viewers.

'Moonbase 8' airs on Showtime on Sundays at 11 pm ET/PT.