Following four years devoid of legalized ranch, The Eric Andre Show has returned for its fifth season on Adult Swim. The wait was well-worth it, as Andre returns with all his chaotic glory, torturing unsuspecting guests and the citizens of New York City.
Few pieces of media have left such an impression on me, with the 15-minute runtime perfectly suiting my undiagnosed ADD. Andre flips the recycled late-night format on its head, bringing an energy to the space that’s never been seen. It’s safe to assume that he’s the only late-night talk show host in history to eat his own “vomit” and openly call for the legalization of ranch dressing, a Schedule 1 substance.
There have been a few alterations to the show’s format, including an updated set, a new in-house band, Andre’s lack of body hair, and the departure of co-host Hannibal Buress, who leaves in the season’s second episode. The show will be a bit different without Buress’ dry wit and unerring timing to balance Andre’s destructive outbursts, but after all, it is The Eric Andre Show.
The season’s first two episodes have proven memorable and hilarious, with street pranks involving Andre waltzing onto the subway with a live rat on his shoulder and dangling from a balcony after a bike stunt gone wrong while attempting to gain a Sprite sponsorship. There may be concerns from fans and Andre himself that the blueprint for the show’s reliance on clueless celebrities and unwary civilians may become impossible to fulfill as Andre continues his rise, but Andre’s abilities to keep viewers, and guests, on their toes has been proven undeterred.
Andre is one of the most refreshingly original voices in comedy, never afraid that he’s going “too far”. In fact, he pushes the envelope more than anybody that could come to mind. In a time where everything and everybody appears to be striving for legitimacy and seriousness, the return of The Eric Andre Show breathes fresh air into a world desperately in need of a laugh.
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