About ¾ the way through Season 1, _Catastrophe_ is getting repetitive and a bit dull: hear devastating true-to-life news—make cheery joke—rinse—giggle—repeat.

I "discovered" Rob Delaney recently on Stephen Colbert. I was blown away by Delaney's humor, charm and sympathetic heart break regarding his lost son (with accompanying book.) I looked up his work and thought this would be great and perhaps it'll p/up in later seasons. So far, though, chemistry between he and Sharon Horgan seem lacking—despite enormous amount of sex they engage in (at least in season 1). Horgan can be interesting, but her "put on" giggle after every gee-shucks joke by Delaney becomes grating.

After the initial meet and smash—wherein two middle aged, middling workers (she a school teacher, he an ad man)—the formula devolves down to she, Morris (Sharon Horgan), hoisting viciously cynical takes of-the-moment, while he, Norris (Rob Delaney), responds cloyingly with an, "I'm too SWEET for my shirt/Too SWEET for my shirt/So SWEET it hurts" jokey reply. [yawn]. This set up started the pilot on a strong note, I felt. But goes nowhere after that, really. Plus all the very horrible (in their heads) friends and family—mere fodder for the joke machine—make the pair even more isolating and distant to the viewer.

Of the "Getting-Kicked-in-the Ass by Life" genre of comedy dramas, _Catastrophe_ falls maybe in the lower third. Far superior is _Breeders_ (Martin Freeman/Daisy Haggard - 2020); _Back to Life_ (Daisy Haggard - 2019); _I May Destroy You_ (Michaela Coel - 2020). _Russian Doll_ (Natasha Lyonne - 2019) is a notch or two better. However I'd rate _Catastrophe_ better than the horribly worse _Mr. Coreman_ (Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 2021).

I'll finish the series.. I'm a completest :grimacing: and update if _Catastrophe_ gets substantially better. Otherwise, Meh.