The paradox at the heart of The Rehearsal is this: it’s a relatively small show that relies on critical buzz and word of mouth for its success, but it is also impossible to explain to a newcomer. Here, let me try.
The Rehearsal is an unscripted comedy in which Nathan Fielder prepares members of the public for big, uncomfortable real-life moments by meticulously rehearsing every conceivable way the moment could play out. In episode one, Fielder meets a man who needs to tell a co-worker that he lied about elements of his education. Fielder hires a lookalike to play the part of the co-worker, gets the lookalike to furtively interview the real co-worker to learn her mannerisms, builds an exact replica of the bar in which the difficult conversation is to take place (right down to the half-deflated balloon stuck in the air conditioning) and spends day after day going over the conversation, using every permeation of emotion thinkable, so that the real-life conversation can go as smoothly as possible. It’s basically Synecdoche, New York: The Reality Show.
