Culture Crash: Nathan Fielder Is Back

You may know Nathan Fielder from his show Nathan For You, or… at least some of the headlines that came out of Nathan For You. In 2014, he famously opened a fully functioning coffee shop called Dumb Starbucks that ripped everything about Starbucks off, including its logo, claiming it was a “parody.” It didn’t work and his shop was shut down. Still, the publicity stunt worked.

Nathan Fielder is a cringe comedy legend. If your favorite episodes of The Office are the ones where Michael makes such a fool of himself that audiences are tempted to watch through their hands then Nathan Fielder’s comedy may be for you. Now, he’s back with a new show on HBO called The Rehearsal. It is truly one of the most cringey watches I have ever experienced.

In it, Fielder sets up elaborate “rehearsals” for people to practice life’s difficult moments. The first episode tracks Fielder as he helps a man rehearse telling his trivia buddy that he lied about his education level.

There are no amount of words I can say to adequately explain just how awkward and uncomfortable the show’s social dynamics can be… but it definitely makes for very compelling television. If you like to cringe and squirm in your seat in discomfort, Nathan Fielder’s shows may be for you. The Rehearsal is now streaming on HBO Max and yes, it has been renewed for a season two. Just.. watch it carefully.