Astronomy Club

Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show is an American comedy web series that aired its first season on Netflix in 2019. The series is a unique collaborations of humor and creativity produced by Kenya Barris under his production company, Khalabo Ink Society. The show provides an exclusive blend of cultural observation and satire through sketches and vignettes, each leaving you with fits of laughter and a deep connotation to ponder.

The show gets its title from the New York-based improvisational comedy troupe that has the same name 'Astronomy Club'. The troupe comprises eight brilliant African-American performers: Shawtane Bowen, Jonathan Braylock, Ray Cordova, James III, Caroline Martin, Jerah Milligan, Monique Moses, and Keisha Zollar, all known for their impressive improvisational work and ability to create vivid, memorable characters. Interestingly, these eight individuals are also the first all-black team with a long-term engagement at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, a renowned improv theater in the United States.

The series commences with a faux reality show format named 'Astronomy Club House', which forms a fun backdrop for each episode, surrounding the cast playing exaggerated versions of themselves. From there on, the sketch format takes over, telling various unique short stories throughout each episode. These skits range from the everyday reality to outright fantasy. Each episode often tactfully addresses topics such as race, pop culture, and social justice through their sketches, blending humor with pointed social commentary.

Astronomy Club is not a typical comedy sketch show. It descends into the world of the absurdist and tragically comedic, with each sketch building on a singular, often ridiculous premise, and escalating it to a hilarious climax. For instance, scenes range from a charismatic ghost who refuses to haunt a house, to a hilarious and astute examination of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's Uncle Phil as a judge. Such far-out scenarios are balanced carefully with socially relevant themes like black identity, presenting a new perspective on America's cultural climate.

What makes this show unique is its unflinching commitment to addressing racial issues, without sugarcoating them. Rooted in their personal experiences, the Astronomy Club explores prevalent stereotypes and constructs, giving them unexpected twists, and comedy to neutralize any discomfort. Consequently, the humor in Astronomy Club stems from reality, being both comedic and thought-provoking simultaneously.

The show is effectively structured, with each episode being a neatly packed 20 minutes, making the series easily binge-able. Backgrounds and costumes are always bright and engaging, and each sketch manages to construct a different world convincingly within a limited timeframe. The show's strength certainly lies in its ensemble cast's chemistry and performance prowess. Each actor not only can carry a sketch but also seamlessly supports one another. Not every skit hits the mark perfectly, some resonate more than others, but the energy and earnestness of the cast make every sketch at least interesting to watch.

Balancing social commentary with comedy is indeed challenging, but Astronomy Club manages it in a way that is both authentic and approachable. Featuring sketches that reflect modern social generated humor that fits into today's generation stream of thoughts. At times, their humor can be biting, at other times, it's just absurdly funny. But every time, it catches hold of viewer's attention, making them laugh and reflect at the same time.

In terms of production, the series was helmed by Daniel Powell and Alex Bach as showrunners and producers. Both having worked on Inside Amy Schumer, they bring the same hilarious, quirky energy to this sketch series.

In conclusion, Astronomy Club can be regarded as a fresh, hilarious, and intelligent extension of sketch comedy. It not only excels at bring comic relief but also delivers an underlying social commentary that makes it worth watching. It is a show that is fun, compelling, full of laughs but never afraid to handle issues head-on. Overall, it's a smart and insightful series designed to both entertains and provoke thought, making it an exceptional addition to Netflix's comedy lineup.