'Onion News Network - TV Review

"The Onion" started as an underground paper in 1988 and it wasn't all that long before it became the premier source for joke news. A weekly newspaper that would either put humorous slants on the news of the times or more likely just make stuff up completely. In 1996 The Onion took the logical step of going on the web where it gained a larger audience. A video podcast of joke news started in 2007 and it's now culminated in the premier of the "Onion News Network" show on IFC. On it a straight laced anchor relays the latest news that didn't actually happen for the amusement of the audience.

The obvious comparison would be to "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" but the two shows are fundamentally very different. "The Daily Show" is a humorous examination of real world events and real news items presented in a satirical fashion. "Onion News Network" is fake news in it's purest form, none of the news stories are real, they're all made up from scratch to maximize the comedic elements. Also "The Daily Show" is very up front about the humor, with a laughing audience and Jon Stewart himself often blatantly pointing out the insanity. "Onion News Network" plays it completely straight as if it was a real news network delivering real news stories, and anybody not paying attention to what's actually being said might even think it's legitimate news at first glance. There's no winking at the camera and the deadpan delivery just amps all the comedy up to side splitting levels.

The fact that everything is being played straight actually allows for some extremely biting comentary. For instance the first show featured a story about a young girl who was on trial for stabbing a fellow student. In the real world it's always a question as to whether the juvenile offender will be tried as an adult. In the world of the "Onion News Network" the judge decides that due to the severity of her crime she will be tried as an adult black man. Besides the obvious humor at the lunacy of the idea it allows the show to touch on the idea that a black man cannot receive a fair trial. Not all stories are so nuanced, another in the same episode revealed that North Korean agreed to disband it's nuclear program in exchange for Kim Jong Il being able to star in the next "Batman" movie. While not lacking the social commentary of the earlier story it's no less hilarious, especially for how straight all the commentators play it.

Any fans who have been following the "Onion News Networks" video podcasts that have been available on iTunes for the past few years will recognize most of the faces on screen. In fact the show has managed to bring in nearly all of the different types of news shows they would spoof on the podcasts and integrate them into the show. The morning talk show spoof "Today Now" is worked in as an interview clip as well as the characters who appeared as political pundits on the podcast. Really the only thing that isn't brought over is the "Sportsdome" segment but that's because it became its own show on Comedy Central. Since the cast have been doing this for several years already they've all nailed down the characters well in advance. The show is anchored by the charming yet supremely egotistical Brooke Alvarez, played perfectly by Suzanne Sena (who's actually been a substitute anchor on such shows as "Fox and Friends.") The way she is able to constantly belittle the other members of the cast while never letting her smile falter for a moment truly sets the standard for deadpan delivery.

Any fans of comedy who get IFC owe it to themselves to check out the "Onion News Network." While at first glance some might think it's redundant given "The Daily Show." However this show is truly it's own thing and takes fake news in a whole other direction from Jon Stewart. It airs Friday nights at 10pm on IFC.