TVSquad

On July 9, Comedy Central will kick off the third and final season of Chappelle's Show, a cobbled-together farewell consisting of segments Dave taped before he walked away from the show because, well, for whatever reasons he might have had. I saw an advance copy of the premiere episode, but before I talk about it in vague terms so as not to reveal anything, I should preface this by saying I was never as fanatical about the show as most people. I think most sketch shows falls into two categories: those that are consistently funny throughout (Mr. Show, Kids in the Hall) and those that aren't consistent but still have some great moments (Saturday Night Live). I think Chappelle's Show has always fallen in the latter category, but that's only the show itself I'm talking about. The man, however, is as sharp and irreverent as any working comic today, and his show had moments of brilliance when everything jelled and the sketches were able to bring to life the same thoughts and insights that made his stand-up specials so hysterical. Moreover, at the risk of succumbing to that blog tendency of talking about celebrities as if I know them personally, I've always liked Dave Chappelle the "regular guy." There's a reason his show was so popular and the DVDs have sold so well. Besides being funny, Chappelle comes across as a very genuine personality. He was able to transcend the gap between himself and the home audience, so watching the show was like seeing a bunch of friends performing for friends. If one sketch didn't quite work, it didn't matter. You just sat back and waited for the next one.

And such is this final season, it would seem. The premiere episode, with segments introduced by series regulars Charlie Murphy and Donnell Rawlings, has some very funny moments, many centering around a Dave who has been driven crazy with greed and revenge from all the money he made. Still, though, without Dave to bookend the segments and offer up that kind of "kick back, open a beer and chill with your friends" vibe, the show just isn't the same. Is it worth watching anyway? Well, that's for you to decide, but no fan of this show is going to tune into these "Lost Episodes" without knowing it's not going to be like it was before.