The Daily Show: Election Night '04, Prelude to a Recount

The Daily Show: Election Night '04, Prelude to a Recount
Comedy Central
November 2, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
C+

In the dozen years since Al Franken* hosted InDecision '92, Comedy Central had upped its technology-- the electoral map is definitely no longer hand drawn-- but apparently cut back on its election night coverage.  So one 40-minute hour, 10 to 11 p.m. EST, is all we get, and there's no definite winner by the end, although Bush is well ahead of Kerry.  The highlights here are the opening faked flashbacks from '00 and Colbert's prediction that America would continue to be an angry country.

This sampling of The Daily Show ranges from C- to B, but I'm doubling the value of this longer episode, and counting the four-minute sequences at one-quarter value, since a regular episode is about sixteen minutes if you subtract all the transitions.  The average therefore comes out to a B-.  Stewart is definitely the best part of the show, although the correspondents have their moments, not surprisingly Colbert in particular.  And, yes, it's time to move on to George W. Bush's second term.


*Sigh, I know.  But I didn't know when I was reviewing back then.

The Daily Show: The First Presidential Debate, The Squabble in Coral Gables

The Daily Show: The First Presidential Debate, The Squabble in Coral Gables
Comedy Central
September 30, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
B-

Kerry clearly wins, with Bush fumbling for words.  So obviously this had a big impact on the election.  The highlight here is Stewart easily outsmarting Giuliani.

The Daily Show: Coverage of Republican Convention Day 4

The Daily Show: Coverage of Republican Convention Day 4
Comedy Central
September 3, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
B

Even the Corddry sequence, with him acting like New York is a war zone, works this time.  And, yes, now George W. Bush is officially the Republican presidential candidate, again.

The Daily Show: Coverage of Republican Convention Day 3

The Daily Show: Coverage of Republican Convention Day 3
Comedy Central
September 2, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
B

The highlights here are very angry conservative Democrat Zell Miller and in-studio guest John McCain, who's much more open-minded.  And, oh, the retrospective irony is rich when Jon Stewart jokes that President Bush will randomly yell out the word "vagina" during his acceptance speech.

The Daily Show: Coverage of Republican Convention Day 2

The Daily Show: Coverage of Republican Convention Day 2
Comedy Central
September 1, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
B

The highlight here is unquestionably the fake campaign film for President Bush, His Words Speak Louder Than Actions, not only going for the easy laughs of W's incoherence but pointing out the lies that got us into war.  I also enjoyed Jon's reaction to Schwarzenegger's admiration of President Nixon.

The Daily Show: Coverage of Republican Convention Day 1

The Daily Show: Coverage of Republican Convention Day 1
Comedy Central
August 31, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
B-

The best thing here is surprisingly not the stuff about Repub Con, although Jon does point out the heavy mention of 9/11, but the interview with a surprisingly funny Ted Koppel.  And, yes, it's funny to hear Stewart call TDS "fake news."

The Daily Show: Coverage of Democratic Convention Day 4

The Daily Show: Coverage of Democratic Convention Day 4
Comedy Central
July 30, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
C+

This episode just feels off compared to the rest of that week, no big laughs or insights.  But, yes, John Kerry is now the nominee.

The Daily Show: Coverage of Democratic Convention Day 3

The Daily Show: Coverage of Democratic Convention Day 3
Comedy Central
July 29, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
B

The show really finds itself, with zeroing in not just on politics but on news, from MSNBC to Fox, highlighting their dismissal of Al Sharpton, as they don't even discuss the substance, just the style, of his rousing speech.

The Daily Show: Coverage of Democratic Convention Day 2

The Daily Show: Coverage of Democratic Convention Day 2
Comedy Central
July 28, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
B-

Again, Stewart's commentary on the con itself is the best thing here.  Note that Obama appears because of his famous speech, while Biden is an in-studio guest.

The Daily Show: Coverage of Democratic Convention Day 1

The Daily Show: Coverage of Democratic Convention Day 1
Comedy Central
July 27, 2004
News Comedy Show
DVD
B-

This is at its best when Colbert is commenting on the convention itself, while the side reports by the reporters aren't as good.  And, yes, 80-year-old Jimmy Carter spoke at the Dem Con, along with the Clintons and Gore.

The Daily Show: John Edwards Announcement

Comedy Central
September 15, 2003
News Comedy Show
DVD
B-

A year after promising Jon Stewart that if he runs for President he'll announce his candidacy on The Daily Show, the Democrat from North Carolina delivers.  Stewart refers to this as a "fake show," making me wonder if it was yet having an impact on voters.  (Hence the cross-genre label.)