9. Maron
The never ending well of self-loathing and introspection that Marc Maron has drawn upon for his wealth of comedy material is truly something to behold. His podcast, WTF With Marc Maron, acts as a small outlet for the exhausting process that he seems to put himself through everyday, never failing to question his motives and purposes audibly, for our benefit. The seeds for Maron seemed to have been sown in an interview with Louis CK, whereupon he remarks upon the “Louie deal” that all comedians want – a contract with a relatively minor network, for a negligible amount of money, to make TV with as much creative freedom as possible.
While Louis CK used this as a way to challenge the very limits of the sitcom medium, and redefine the entire genre as “before Louie” and “after Louie,” Marc Maron uses his show on IFC in much the same way as his podcast – as an outlet for the aggression he holds towards himself, and the relentless investigation and focus on the minutiae of his life.
Infused with lacerating honesty, we’re left with no doubt in our minds that the Marc Maron we see here is indeed the Marc Maron of real life, only amplified slightly for television. It appears to be filmed in his actual house (affectionately known on the podcast as the cat ranch), and we actually get to see the garage in which the podcast is recorded. Celebrity guests occasionally feature in the show, but not in a big way – they drift in and out of his life, like the women he dates, and the cats he keeps. This is intentional, I think, to show us how Marc Maron sees himself: not that close to anyone except whoever he’s in bed with at that moment, or his borderline psychotic father. It’s underplayed, subtle, and beautiful. Like Portlandia, it’s a cult hit, and might have flown under many a radar, but it’s well worth seeking out. Season 2 starts in 2014, so you don’t have that long to wait. Patience, child.