Astronomy Club
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Weird, funny, fresh comedy skewers life and race.
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Astronomy Club
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What's the Story?
After getting together to mount a Black history-themed show for New York City's Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, eight entertainers began calling themselves THE ASTRONOMY CLUB, the same name of this sketch comedy show. In short takes on culture, class, and the absurdity of being a human being in general, James III, Jonathan Braylock, Shawtane Bowen, Ray Cardova, Caroline Martin, Jerah Milligan, Monique Moses, and Keisha Zollar take Hollywood and the rest of the world to task.
Is It Any Good?
Whip-smart and absolutely hilarious, this skit show nails every topic it takes on, with an absurdity and wit that rival classic sketch comedies like Saturday Night Live, Key & Peele, and The Kids in the Hall. As you might expect from a show in which three of the eight performers -- Jonathan Braylock, Jerah Milligan, and James III -- host a podcast about representation in entertainment (Black Men Can't Jump in Hollywood), many of the targets for Astronomy Club's comic eye circle around race: an ER for Black women's hair, an excited group of actors auditioning for a show with a Black writing staff, a support group for cinematic "magical negroes" ("Repeat after me," exhorts the group's leader: "I am the lead character of my own story ... I am more than the advice I give White people").
These sketches feel enchantingly knowing and lived-in, and they're hysterical and fresh, frequently upending viewer expectations. In one inspired sketch, a Black homeowner makes Robin Hood feel guilty for not dropping some of his redistributed wealth on Black people -- and then is discomfited by Little John, who wonders why the nouveau riche homeowner "had" to move away from Sherwood's south side. Other sketches in Astronomy Club aren't making any particular point, they're just weird, and delightful.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what it means that Astronomy Club airs on Netflix rather than network television. What types of audiences do you think streaming services seek to reach, and how are they different from network audiences? Does this type of comedy need the freedom of streaming to focus on mature content and subjects? Would the show still be funny without this type of mature content?
Did any of the sketches on this series make you reconsider a point of view you held, or see something in a different light? Do you think these sketches are intended to? Can humor create social change? How?
How does the comedy of Astronomy Club demonstrate courage and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date: December 6, 2019
- Cast: Jonathan Braylock , Raymond Cordova , James III
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Character Strengths: Communication , Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: February 27, 2022
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