‘Mulaney’ Series Premiere Recap: Has John Mulaney Really Found His Tea Tray With Martin Short?

Tonight was the series premiere of comedian John Mulaney's new Fox sitcom Mulaney. Starring the comic alongside former Saturday Night Live player Nasim Pedrad, Seaton Smith and the legendary Martin Short and Elliott Gould, the premiere left us a tad eh, to be... descriptive. Having said that, we're also hopeful!

The show began in a very Seinfeld-ian manor –– with Mulaney onstage performing for an audience. However, differing from Seinfeld, Mulaney displays the comic delivering his hilarious stand up material for the live studio audience.

Perhaps adding to the series, we must give Ice-T kudos for a wonderful delivery of "Mulaney was filmed in front of a live studio audience, okay?"

To kick off the show, we find the first scene in a hospital waiting room, where the lead character is attempting to score some Xanax to fight his ever-powering anxiety. Also introduced are characters Motif (Smith) and, as of this episode, the show's funniest character, Jane (Pedrad).

Before heading in to see the doctor, Mulaney chats up his upcoming job interview with famed comedian Lou Cannon, who is portrayed by Short. Motif, being a true standup, makes sure to ask for a mention... especially for a new joke he's working on called "Problem B*tch."

Despite his surefire method of obtaining the wanted drugs, Mulaney instead finds himself at the unfortunate end of a prostate exam after telling the doctor he urinates eleven times a day.

The comedian then heads over to Cannon's penthouse, Xanax-less, and is presented with an awkward "interview," but luckily gets the job... his first job in comedy.

Back at Mulaney's apartment, we see Pedrad's character unraveling at the recent breakup with an ex-boyfriend. Following the discovery that he called her "crazy," she swears an attempt to get some closure. Unfortunately, she can't seem to stop going through his emails.

Mulaney enters, telling his friends of the good news, and offers Motif a gig on an upcoming Hudson River Cruise, which he is unable to attend because of his new, exciting career.

Upon meeting with Cannon on his first day of work, the comedian is disconcerted to find that there is very little writing going on, despite the lengthy list of jokes he wrote for the comedian the night before. He begins to wonder whether or not the job is worth it. Luckily, he's given a chance to open for Short's character at an upcoming benefit, but even that turns out to be a drag when Cannon just doesn't show up.

While Mulaney is down, Motif is undoubtedly up, having killed on the cruise. He also sold out of his "Problem B*tch" t shirts... notwithstanding the fact that the joke is yet complete.

Having yet stopped going through her ex's emails, Pedrad discovers messages in which he calls his new fling a "Problem B*tch." While reading the letters aloud, Motif finally finds his punchline.

Back to John's A-story, the lead stops in a for a cup of tea with his typical-network-wacky-neighbor before heading to work. Oscar, Gould's character, equates the comic's situation to a trip he once took to Turkey, asserting Mulaney must find his "tea tray" at the new job... the purpose that can lead to greater futures.

When he finally confronts Short's character on the subject, the up-and-coming comedian is delighted to find that Cannon is, in fact, using all the jokes his new writer wrote. Looks like he found his tea tray!

So, while there's no denying that John Mulaney, the real guy, is an absolutely stellar comedian, Mulaney falls a bit short. The best parts did seem to be those Seinfeld-like segments where the comic was on the stage doing what he does best.

Having said that, it's important to remember that tonight was a pilot episode, and those are typically the weakest episodes of a series.

So, will we be watching next week? Absolutely!

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