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"Portlandia" More at IMDbPro »
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| Index | 17 reviews in total |
46 out of 69 people found the following review useful:
Portlandia defines a generation. Let me rephrase., 13 February 2011
Author:
jjnoahjames (jjnoahjames@hotmail.com) from United States
Portlandia is a sketch comedy show that contains two main characters
played by Fred Armisen of SNL fame and Carrie Brownstein of popular
band Sleater Kinney. These two come up with rad skits in which they
play Hippy Vegans, Cult members, Cos Play characters, and Yuppies just
to name a few. Every episode contains famous actors, which add to the
fun!!
Port goes stageless! SNL, and Kids in The Hall take place on stages or
sets. Port does not. This gives it a more authentic reality show feel
which makes it more accessible and less artificial.
This show makes me feel like I know these people or grew up with them.
They make fun of things me and my friends make fun of. Everyday young
adults, who understand punk, politics, indie rock, college life, and
getting over all of that will relate.
Portlandia is a 9 1/2 star show yet it's not over the top. It's not
pretentious. This is why Port is for now. This generation. It's almost
like a consistently funny SNL. An SNL that doesn't make fun of pop
culture but rather everyday life. Therefore it's easy to laugh at again
and again.
Though it's great Port lacks just little in two areas rewatchability
and characters. If they could just some more stable characters and
focus a little bit more on consistent relationships (non sketch stuff)
to give the audience something to look forward to than maybe next
season it will be a 10.
28 out of 34 people found the following review useful:
Above the standards for a sketch show, 28 February 2011
Author:
salvodaze from Turkey
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Sketch shows are generally not my thing since they tend to follow a
tradition of being campy. Portlandia, on the other hand, is damn
straight (and most importantly consistently) funny. I mean where else
could I look to see a smart parody of a radical feminist lesbian played
by a feminist lesbian? Or catch a glimpse of Kaia Wilson as a cafe
customer during a sketch? I realize that these are partially (OK so the
latter, completely) personal reasons to enjoy the show only more.
However I think that anyone who enjoys absurd comedy with some social
criticism would really appreciate the show.
I don't believe that creativity and the will to work on it comes by
easily, so call me old fashioned but when I see someone showing a good
bit of it, I support it.
18 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
Brilliant, 7 February 2012
Author:
scottrowley1643 from United States
This is brilliant. It is so offbeat and quirky..very enjoyable. It may not be for everyone but you'll know right away if it's for you. The writing is so good. This isn't your ridiculous run-of-the-mill network comedy. You have met some of the characters before...self involved do-gooders, aged hippies, counter culture losers, the politically correct, protect the dogs but forget the people, people variously stuck in the 70s,80s and 90s all offbeat and most amusing. Portlandia will not appeal to people who enjoy: Jersey Shore, 2 1/2 Men, WWE. It may appeal to people who like: Walking Dead, Jericho, Breaking Bad. However, give it a go...you will know..."the dream of the 90s is alive in Portland".
11 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
First season: 10 stars...Second season - 2 stars, 1 January 2012
Author:
qormi from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
This show completely cracks me up. The strange characters portrayed by these talented people are too funny. The subtle humor and lack of a laugh track is something that is lacking on television. The mayor is a total pretentious jerk that probably reminds a lot of us of our bosses. The bizarre humor in the show is completely original and unrelenting. I hate it when they have back-to-back episodes on Saturday mornings because I can't get out of bed - can't turn it off. The bookstore women, the cult, the dumpster divers, the gender-reversed couple, the Portland "Thinkers"....too funny. It's the best thing to hit television since "Fernwood 2 Nite", circa 1975. This just in...the second season sucked. I removed 4 stars.
18 out of 30 people found the following review useful:
This show is brilliant., 1 August 2011
Author:
nestle_snipes from Atlanta, United States
The first episode I saw of this was the one with Aimmee Mann and Sarah Maclaughlin, I LOL'ed in real life and I am far from a person to LO. Sometimes I might chuckle or give a fees hearty laughs, but this show had my stomach hurting from laughing. My girlfriend was laying on my stomach as we it started to come on and she had to angrily huff as she flounced from laying on my chest. I was laughing so hard and I don't know if my laughter vibrations disturbed her or she is genuinely disturbed by me being happy. Either way I said to her "Come back over here" as I chuckled continually. The show itself is like the best skits of "Saturday Night Live" and each showcases the unique people of Portland and it makes me want to go to Portland and check it out.
8 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
"Just one more episode ...", 9 September 2012
Author:
dunks58 from Australia
If you like sketch comedy but have not yet discovered this series, take
my advice - see this show. 'Portlandia' is, for me at least, the best
American sketch comedy series I've seen since 'Upright Citizens
Brigade'.
I don't know how accurately it depicts Portland and its denizens, but I
do know that (A) it really makes me want to visit there and (B) it
really, really makes me laugh.
Carrie Brownstein is new to me as comedian, though I of course know her
musical work with indie darlings Sleater-Kinney. The brilliantly
versatile Fred Armisen has deservedly earned a big fan base (including
my family) through his work on SNL. Yet, who could have predicted that
this combination of talent, in such an off-the-wall concept, could work
so well? It really does, and I want to congratulate all associated with
the series, notably the legendary Lorne Michaels for once again
nurturing talents like Fred and Carrie and giving them the chance to do
a great show like this.
Once you get the style and shape of the show, you'll be hooked. The
sketches are, for the most part, really good and some (e.g. Chicken
Farm, One More Episode of Galactica) are destined to become enduring
classics.
The stars (in their multiple roles) are ably assisted by a fine cast of
supporting performers and a BIG highlight of the series is the many
surprising and hilarious cameo appearances, including people like
Edward James Olmos, Aimee Mann and Greg Louganis (playing themselves)
and of course the wonderful Kyle McLachlan as the Mayor. These bits
work not only because of who the stars are, but also because in just
about every case they are perfect for and in the sketch (c.f. Eddie
Vedder's great cameo in the "boyfriend's tattoo" sketch).
Thanks Fred and Carrie and all the cast and crew - it's been a real
delight to discover such a clever, quirky, inventive comedy series that
consistently takes unexpected turns, gives a lot of laughs, and leaves
you wanting more every time.
8 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
A spear to the Granola heart, 4 January 2012
Author:
macdonaldb from Washington State
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, I am a first-hand witness of the culture that this show brilliantly satirizes. Although many of these characters are fictitious and exaggerated, there is an uncanny truth to it. There are two kinds of people who watch this; those who get it, and those who don't. You do not need to be from Portland (Oregon, because there will be an eternal confusion between the two coastal cities, it's just that Portland, Maine is not as unique enough to base a sketch comedy off of) you only need to understand that there is a throwback sub-culture that pays homage to those San Francisco 60's-70's era hippies that, have either migrated north, or had kids and they moved north to go to PSU, to take a class that requires a book "The Vagina, An Owners Manual" that might be sold at Women & Women First bookstore downtown ( As seen in the show). While jabbing at this Alternative lifestyle, the same self-righteous coffee shop patrons that take animal rights to a new height (with braised meatballs for the loner dog) they are, ultimately endearing and will grow on you. I see the satire and I see the comedy, perhaps others cannot differentiate the two, but there is a blend of comedy here that is original (besides the Ben Stiller/ Genine Garrafalo feel to it) that will transcend past the sour critics, who the show most likely undermines anyways, and will, at worst, have a cult-following of devout fans of Portlandia.
2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
from the eyes of a native, 27 September 2012
Author:
Lee Eisenberg (eisenberg.lee@gmail.com) from Portland, Oregon, USA
"Portlandia" is a parody of/homage to the City of Roses, depicting scenarios that look like typical Portland occurrences. "Saturday Night Live" cast member Fred Armisen and singer Carrie Brownstein play various characters that truly represent the city, with occasional guest stars. This is not a sitcom in the common sense. It's filmed on location, and the humor is sort of like the kind in Christopher Guest's movies. "Portlandia" isn't a masterpiece of a show, but it's a very fun look at my hometown. I can affirm that it's a pretty accurate portrayal. And a very funny one. This show probably won't be for everyone, but if you like quirky stuff then you'll probably enjoy it.
8 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Hit and Miss, but the Hits are Big !, 20 February 2011
Author:
nazztrader from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
I often find myself more interested in writing a highly critical
review, mostly because I'm irritated by a film that cost a lot of money
yet was awful, but this TV show deserves some commentary. Now don't get
me wrong, this show has a lot of "misses." And it's not for those with
a more traditional sense of humor, or who mostly enjoy crude, low-brow
humor apparently meant for the teen crowd. However, I like absurd,
bizarre humor, especially if it's got some social commentary, and at
times Portlandia is very funny.
For example, in one scene the main characters (a couple) talk about how
people throw so many good things away, and then proceed to "dumpster
dive." There's nothing of value to anyone in that particular dumpster,
except perhaps a half full bottle of vinegar. Undeterred, they decide
that most of the trash in that dumpster possesses value. The man finds
a tiny shirt (which was his, shrunken by a dryer, I think), and decides
to put it on, though of course it fits horribly and looks ridiculous. I
guess I enjoy this sort of thing because it exaggerates what we all
know some people do, though they may not do it in a dumpster.
Sometimes, I don't really understand what they are trying do, if it's
meant to be humorous, or if it's just incoherence for the sake of it,
but I just go with it, and sometimes it does turn out to be funny,
sometimes because after a while I find that I just have to laugh at it
(such as a female musician who keeps dreaming of a pony, though it's
not clear why). I also think that some right wing folk really think
that there are a lot of Americans who are actually like this, mostly on
the coasts, I guess. Was Obama really born in the USA? Well, if you
don't think he was, you might actually believe that the Portlandians
are real and represent millions, the left wing barbarian horde seeking
to destroy baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet, presumably. A
worthwhile absurdist comedy for an absurd period in US history, I
guess.
0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Solid show, 11 March 2013
Author:
Matthew Vallin from Detroit, MI
I am very glad I started watching this show, and am also glad that it
streams on Netflix as I'm not sure I even get IFC. Every episode is
funny, but, as with any TV shows (especially sketch comedy) there are
some skits that are better than others. Most of the characters and
sketches focus on the apparent headway that the west coast is making
with hipster/green/vegan/feminist/alternative transportation
lifestyles. (side note- the biker skit made me laugh very hard). This
show will not be for everyone, but watch the first one or two episodes
and you will know if you like it or not. No shame in thinking something
isn't funny. As I said, I'm not a fan of every skit, though they're all
tolerable, and it's worth muddling through for the sketches that make
you laugh your ass off. The only big downside is that I can see it
getting repetitive if it goes too long. Five seasons at most is my
prediction. WATCH IT. They are only half hour episodes, and it's a good
break from big network canned laughter BS. I posted before said bike
skit link below if you want a good taste.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3nMnr8ZirI
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