Documentary Now! Makes Comedy Out Of Movies That May Have Really Bummed You Out

Rarely does something like a 90 Day Fiancé hang out on my DVR for longer than a day, and yet documentaries...they just pile up. The majority of the ones I'm interested in watching are about incredibly depressing subjects, so I have to be in exactly the right mood to watch one, and I guess I haven't yet had a Sunday afternoon when I've been relaxed and content enough to dig into After Tiller. Eventually I will, and when the day comes that I can say I have watched it, I will be both edified and smug, because documentaries are the books of filmed media. Lately, the best reason to have watched documentaries is IFC's Documentary Now!, so just in case they're planning to take on the bleak conditions for abortion providers in this country when they come back next season, I better get on the stick.

Documentary Now! is a series that has been bringing the best of non-fiction filmmaking into viewers' homes for decades, and in fact is celebrating its fiftieth season. At least, that's what Helen Mirren tells us each week in her pre-recorded, Laura Linney-for-Masterpiece-esque episode bumpers. In actuality, Documentary Now! is an extremely straight-faced comedy series -- co-created by Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, and Rhys Thomas, in which Armisen and Hader also star -- each episode of which parodies a different documentary. Generally, the sources are feature films that were released theatrically -- "Sandy Passage," the first episode, is inspired by Grey Gardens, "Kunuk Uncovered" by Nanook Of The North (though "Dronez: The Hunt For El Chingon" takes its style from HBO's Vice). And if you've watched the originals, the faithfulness with which DN! recreates their look, feel, and story beats is a true delight. I didn't think anything could make me more impressed and tickled than "Sandy Passage," but the Errol Morris-y fourth episode, "The Eye Doesn't Lie," is a goddamn marvel.

The groundwork for this week's season finale -- "Gentle & Soft: The Story Of The Blue Jean Committee" -- started to be laid years ago,* in a 2011 SNL sketch featuring guest host Jason Segel.

The titular Committee then made a rare guest appearance last month on Late Night With Seth Meyers. Maybe get on your yacht before you watch it.

How did the band settle on its name? Apparently this is but one tidbit we'll learn in this week's special double-length finale.

I love everything about this, from Hader's guy's douchey white palace to Armisen's grizzled burnout look/dive bar interview setting; everyone involved in that Eagles documentary Showtime made just felt a shiver and they're not sure why.

Documentary Now! puts such attention to detail into its productions that the most die-hard documentary fan has no choice but to chuckle knowingly and lecture his or her friends about why it's funny. If you are that kind of obnoxious know-it-all (hello!), but you also have an actual sense of humour (hi!), you are in the middle of a pretty small Venn diagram and need to watch this show that was made just for you.

The season finale of Documentary Now! airs Thursday at 10 PM ET on IFC.

*Thanks to swimmyfish for the reminder!