Television series

Desus & Mero

Name: Desus & Mero
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2016
Cast: Desus Nice, The Kid Mero

Comedy
Light-hearted
Dip in and out

A late-night talk show where comedians Desus and Mero riff with guests across pop culture, politics, sports, and music. It's loose, funny, genuinely interested in conversation rather than hitting beats. The hosts have real chemistry and let tangents breathe. For people who like smart comedy that doesn't feel like work.

TVMaze rating

3.1

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love loose, banter-driven talk shows where the hosts' rapport and rapid-fire riffing carry the whole half hour, and you don't mind the conversation wandering wherever the two of them feel like going.

Skip it if you want tightly structured segments or a polished, scripted format, since this runs on improvised cross-talk, long stretches of ad-libbed back-and-forth, and a conversational rhythm that can feel meandering.

What it asks of you: Each episode runs about half an hour and has no story to follow, so you'll need to settle in and enjoy the chatter, with a bit of tolerance for a slack stretch or two between the sharper bits.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah2015

Sharp political comedy mixed with real guest interviews. Trevor's energy and perspective bring something fresh to the format, and the show respects your intelligence while staying entertained.

But Can feel overly reliant on topical urgency. If you want comedy to escape the news cycle rather than dissect it, this leans the other way.

Late Night with Seth Meyers2014

Seth builds rapport with guests through actual conversation, not just gotcha moments. The "Closer Look" segments are genuinely smart, and the show has warmth underneath the jokes.

But The format is more structured than Desus & Mero's freewheeling style. If you loved how loose and digressive the podcast was, this feels more buttoned-up.

Comedy Bang! Bang!2012

Scott Aukerman's talk show is absurdist and digressive, exactly like the best podcast conversations. Guests play along with increasingly ridiculous premises. It's silly but never dumb.

But The humor is very inside-baseball comedy world. If you're not familiar with the podcast or indie comedy, it can feel deliberately obtuse.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Desus & Mero

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Comeback2005

Both shows understand that the funniest moments come from letting people be themselves. The Comeback finds that comedy in scripted character; Desus & Mero finds it in unscripted conversation. Same DNA, different execution.

A scripted mockumentary where Lisa Kudrow plays an actress chasing roles in deliberately uncomfortable situations. It's comedy rooted in character and observation, not setups and punchlines. Awkward humor from watching real behavior.

But The cringe is intentional and sustained. If you need the show to validate your comfort, this works against you constantly. Also shot in found-footage style that looks dated now.

Conan2010

Conan's best interviews happen when he's genuinely curious and lets guests talk. The show gives more space for real conversation than you'd expect from network late-night. His comedic instincts are sharp.

But It's still a traditional format with monologues and sketches. If you wanted the talk show scaffolding to disappear entirely, it's still there.

The Eric Andre Show2012

Anarchic, weird, completely committed to the bit. Eric's interviews break every rule of the format and somehow become genuinely entertaining. It's comedy for people tired of how safe everything else is.

But The humor is aggressively absurdist and can feel like pure chaos. If you want conversation with actual information, you're in the wrong place.

High Score2020

Desus & Mero's gift is making any conversation entertaining through genuine enthusiasm and knowledge. High Score does the same thing in documentary form—enthusiasm as a form of intelligence. Both believe smart people can be funny without trying.

A documentary miniseries about video game history with personality and humor, not reverence. It's genuinely informative but talks to the subject like a friend who loves it, not a textbook. Perfect for the curious but impatient.

But It's episodic history, not comedy. If you need laughs to land consistently, a documentary won't give you that. Also requires at least passing interest in video games.