The following show debuts on Disney+ on Friday, September 4th.
This has been a busy year for The Jim Henson Company, with Disney+ debuting Muppets Now only a few weeks ago. Without warning, the streaming service is now debuting a second series from the production house. Earth to Ned is a unique take on talk shows, with celebrities dropping in to participate in interviews with an otherworldly host. The characters featured are brand new and while the concept takes a little getting used to, the program gets funnier and more enjoyable as the personalities of the show creations fully develop.
The general concept involves Ned, an alien who has been tasked with invading the Earth and wiping out its residents. Thankfully, while planning the attack, he has actually developed an affection for humanity and has put off the raid. Instead, Ned is interested in learning about humanity and is particularly fascinated by celebrities. So, he puts on his own late-night talk show. The egotistical host converses with various surprised celebrity guests whom he has beamed aboard his ship, all so he can begin to fathom human behavior and get tips on things like how to tell a joke. Also appearing on the show is Cornelius, Ned’s friendly but put-upon sidekick, as well an A.I. show manager named B.E.T.I. and a backing musical band of little creatures called Clods.
This show set is comprised of a desk, couch, band platform and side area all on the deck of a spaceship. It’s a very impressive looking space. The great creatures and puppeteering also make a strong impression. The four-armed, blue-tinged Ned and his cohort Cornelius are impressive to look at and, just like their Muppet counterparts, eventually make viewers forget that they’re watching puppets. As for the personalities of the host and sidekick, these are new characters and it does take a bit of time to get used to them. But, as in any new program, their particular traits begin to emerge more clearly as episodes progress. They’re also helped by a wide assortment of entertaining guests, including the likes of Andy Richter, Gillian Jacobs, Kristen Schaal, Paul Scheer, Reggie Watts, Billy Dee Williams as well as filmmakers like Eli Roth. They’re all game participants and appear to be having a lot of fun acting terrified when they are beamed aboard.
Many are asked to take part in games and occasionally there are additional segments featuring the likable Cornelius being sent to Earth. Some bits work better than others and your particular taste for then may depend on how interested you are in each individual episode’s theme. Still, there are a couple of amusing extended sketches. The first highlight involves Cornelius taking up stand-up comedy and the other involves the alien talking to the funeral director of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. For me, the comedy and horror-themed episodes are strong, as the guests try to explain the art of humor as well as how great it can be to be scared to the otherworldly show hosts. But there are fun moments in all the episodes that take on subjects including Star Wars art and even musicals.
It is a little strange to watch a relatively conflict-free faux late-night show with guests who don’t really have anything to plug, but when Ned encourages them to sharing their thoughts and ideas on the program’s themes (while bickering with Cornelius), there is some fun to be had. Earth to Ned is a really unusual concept and one that does take a bit of getting used to, but it does provide a few smiles and the great-looking alien hosts are engaging. It almost plays like a kinder, more family-friendly version of Space Ghost: Coast to Coast. There’s definitely potential here and this reviewer is curious to see how things develop in future seasons.