Created by Rob Riggle, directly between his 21 and 22 Jump Street appearances, Coogan showed potential during its 1st and only season. Costarring comedian J. B. Smoove and a handful of character actors you may recognize. Including a guest appearance from Jake Johnson only 2 years into his New Girl tenure. The 10 minute episodes stand out from other series released online at the time due to quality, but in retrospect, they still remained within the same boundaries associated with online content of the early 2010s.
Production value, professional acting, and character chemistry being the obvious highlights of the show's short run, the low points of the series come mostly at the expense of the writing. For every bit of improv that stems into an entertaining moment for a character, there are lines or even scenes that I feel the episode may be better without. The issue is that certain characters may not be included in episodes otherwise. Which is the most frustrating part of the show, having likeable characters with nothing to do and an inability to flesh out more than their one note traits.
The strongest episodes of the series are those that have an actual semblance of plot progression, rather than what often feels like a single set sketch comedy. It's no surprise that the most interesting episode is also the only one where any character is seen in another location aside from the dealership. A concept like this, given the budget or runtime of a series like The Office, My Name Is Earl, or even Party Down, would've had more of an opportunity to get the idea off the ground. Instead, it feels like high budget CollegeHumor at times. It's a mindless watch that you will enjoy if you're a fan of the talent. Unless you're a car salesman, there isn't much payoff or many unique moments not found elsewhere. This likely set the groundwork for a show like American Auto years later.
The production is great for a web series, especially in 2013. The unfiltered actions and dialogue of the characters capture the raunchy irresponsibility intended, but the 1st season just leaves you wanting more. For a show that only found more direction as it continued and peaked as it ended, the average viewer may forget about it after the 1st watch. Free on YouTube in full, worth your time if you like those involved.
