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Nirvanna the Band the Show
Created byMatt Johnson
Jay McCarrol
Written byAndrew Appelle
Robert Hyland
Curt Lobb
Matthew Miller
Jay McCarrol
Jared Raab
Directed byMatt Johnson
StarringMatt Johnson
Jay McCarrol
Opening themeVarious
Ending theme"Army" by Ben Folds Five
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes16
Production
Production locationsToronto, Ontario
CinematographyJared Raab
Andrew Appelle
EditorsRobert Hyland
Curt Lobb
Andrew Appelle
Running time22 minutes
Production companiesZapruder Films
Vice Studio Canada
Original release
Network
ReleaseFebruary 2, 2017 (2017-02-02) –
February 9, 2018 (2018-02-09)
Related
Nirvanna the Band the Show (film)

Nirvanna the Band the Show is a Canadian mockumentary television series based on the web series Nirvana the Band the Show, created by Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, who play fictionalized versions of themselves. It premiered on February 2, 2017 on Viceland.[1]

Premise

[edit]

The show stars the duo as "Nirvanna the Band," two hapless lifelong best friends and roommates, who engage in a series of complex publicity stunts around their home city of Toronto in the hopes of landing a gig at the Rivoli, despite the fact that they have never actually written or recorded a single song, nor taken any other steps to get their band ready.[2]

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The main characters, Matt and Jay, are based on characters McCarrol and Johnson started developing in high school in Mississauga.[3] The title sequence for each episode is different, usually imitating the opening scenes or titles of other well-known film or television productions.[4]

The show is a combination of scripted scenes, candid camera footage of people unaware the show is being filmed, and improvisation. Often the show is influenced by events that happen in reality. For example, in the fifth episode, "The Big Time", creators Johnson and McCarrol used the premiere of Johnson's real life movie Operation Avalanche at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival to film an episode around the concept of the character Matt sneaking a fictional movie of the same name into the festival. In the same episode, a woman unaware of the show being filmed intrudes on a scripted conversation between Johnson and Kevin Smith (appearing as himself), offering Johnson alcohol, which inspired Johnson and McCarrol to include the concept of the character of Matt discovering a love of alcohol in the episode. The show frequently blends the line between fiction and reality in ways like these, with actors breaking character and characters breaking the fourth wall.[5]

Originally created as web series between 2007 and 2009, it was later expanded into a full television series which premiered on Viceland on February 2, 2017.[6][7] Three episodes were also screened at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival as part of its Primetime program of television projects.[8] The series was originally announced in 2016 as slated to air on City, but was later shifted to Viceland with City airing only the first episode as a preview special. The second season has not been picked up for broadcast outside of Canada, however is available for streaming in Australia via SBS On Demand. The show was formerly available to stream in the United Kingdom via Channel 4's on demand service, along with other Viceland shows.

A third season was filmed and partially edited but never released, as Viceland Canada shut down as a network before the season could be finished. Zapruder Films purchased the rights to the show, and intend to finish and release the third season when they are finished with the feature film. [9]

In August 2019, CBC Television officially acquired Nirvanna the Band the Show from Viceland and began airing the series, alongside streaming on CBC Gem.[10][11]

In April 2023, Johnson announced that his next film project would be a film based on Nirvanna the Band the Show. The film began principal photography in 2023.[12]

In September 2023, both Matt and Jay appeared in a special short for 64X, a fictional expo created by the video-game centric comedy troupe Mega64. Matt also provides the announcements for the faux convention, which is what the short revolves around.[13]

In September 2024, both Matt and Jay appeared again in another special short for 64X creating new announcements for the convention thus expanding on the premise featured the previous year. [14]

Episodes

[edit]
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
18February 2, 2017 (2017-02-02)March 23, 2017 (2017-03-23)
28October 27, 2017 (2017-10-27)February 9, 2018 (2018-02-09)

Season 1 (2017)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUS viewers
(millions)
11"The Banner"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabFebruary 2, 2017 (2017-02-02)0.063

Amateur Toronto musicians Matt Johnson and Jay McCarroll seek to get their band, Nirvanna the Band, a show at the Rivoli, a local club. Learning that the Rivoli needs evidence that their band exists, they get their picture taken at Sears and have it blown up into a large banner that they drape over the building opposite the Rivoli, only to realize that Jay's leather pants ripped during the shoot and his penis is visible on the poster. They disguise themselves in crude caricature heads of themselves and try to paint over the banner with wood varnish. Jay gives Matt a cigarette to calm his nerves, but, unable to see properly in his disguise, accidentally lights the paint roller on fire and burns the banner.

Opening Title: Original Web Series[4]
22"The Booking"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabFebruary 9, 2017 (2017-02-09)0.053

Matt and Jay devise a plan to get Nirvanna the Band listed as playing the Rivoli by having it published in NOW Magazine. Matt distracts a Rivoli waiter while Jay covertly takes the club's phone and calls them, but they abandon the plan when the waiter makes note of Matt's strange behavior. They discover that NOW has mistaken them for Nirvana, so Matt disguises himself as a phone company worker and calls the Rivoli from NOW's offices, only for Jay, stationed outside, to realize he still has the Rivoli's phone, which he accidentally breaks. Matt believes their plan to be a success until Jay is forced to reveal the truth to him, but his spirits are boosted when a passerby declares them "in."

Opening Title: Growing Pains[4]
33"The Bean"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabFebruary 16, 2017 (2017-02-16)0.038

Matt and Jay have their first taste of coffee while trying to find materials for a Nirvanna the Band Christmas parade float, leading them to stay up all night during its creation. Matt sends Jay to get a Baby Jesus figurine for the float, accidentally frightening him with the legend of the "Queen Street Strangler" and chasing him with a neighbor's truck while trying to get his attention. The two realize they have stayed up all night and are late for the parade, but find that it has already started and cannot get in. Despite this, they still manage to entertain passers-by and have a good time, and Jay gives Matt the original Star Wars trilogy on VHS, which he has never seen before.

Opening Title: Home Alone[4]
44"The Blindside"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabFebruary 23, 2017 (2017-02-23)0.042

Matt goes temporarily blind after he marathons Star Wars and sits directly in front of the television, ruining Jay's plan to take him to see the Force Awakens premiere. When Matt reveals he ordered a Han Solo costume to wear for the showing, Jay decides to take the costume for himself and give the unsuspecting Matt a shoddy costume. The two argue with a pair of fans when Jay tries to describe the film's visuals for Matt, getting all of them thrown out of the theater, and Matt storms off heartbroken when he realizes Jay's deception. The fans corner Jay, but Matt returns in a Daredevil costume and fights them off, only to get hit by a car while trying to chase after them. Jay reveals to Matt in the hospital that one of their cameramen filmed the entirety of The Force Awakens, and describes the movie to him as Matt listens attentively.

Opening Title: Daredevil[4]
55"The Big Time"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabMarch 2, 2017 (2017-03-02)N/A

After Matt is thrown out of a school for trying to film his movie, Operation Avalanche, without permission, Jay criticizes his constant use of deception in his plans, angering him. He secretly cuts Jay's part almost entirely and claims he got the film into the Sundance Film Festival. They travel to Park City, where Matt sneaks the film into the festival lineup and gains huge success because of it, and he publicly denounces Jay during interviews. As Jay wanders the city dejected, Matt gets his first taste of alcohol and Jay soon finds him passed out on the street just as the festival calls Matt's phone. Jay pretends to be Matt at Operation Avalanche's official premiere until Matt shows up, who realizes the hurt he has caused Jay and invites him to introduce the movie together until they realize that audiences hate it.

Opening Title: Entourage[4]
66"The Boy"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabMarch 9, 2017 (2017-03-09)N/A

Matt and Jay devise a plan to find a child in the Make-A-Wish Foundation, befriend them, and use their wish to get a show at the Rivoli. They find a boy named Mike at the local hospital and sneak him out, taking him to Canada's Wonderland against Jay's wishes. Jay realizes his aversion to the park is based on a trauma from his childhood, which he overcomes and starts having fun with Matt and Mike until the latter collapses. Matt and Jay leave him at the hospital's entrance and run, only to realize he was diabetic and had a reaction to the sugary food they were buying for him, and decide to never talk to him again now that he cannot help them.

Opening Title: Crank[4]
77"The Buffet"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabMarch 16, 2017 (2017-03-16)N/A

Jay writes Matt a letter informing him that he has become disillusioned with his schemes and plans to quit the band, ready to read it to him over their Canada Day dinner at a Chinese buffet. Matt's dawdling and a series of strange events involving friendship occur, culminating when the two get fortune cookies that end up having matching messages about friendship. Jay decides to not read the letter, only for Matt, now wanting it, to fight him for it, causing them to get ejected from the restaurant. Matt takes the letter and runs outside with it, only to tear it up and hug Jay. As they watch fireworks together, a series of flashbacks reveals that Matt secretly read the letter and orchestrated all the events in order to get Jay to stay in the band.

Opening Title: My Dinner with Andre[4]
88"The Bank"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabMarch 23, 2017 (2017-03-23)N/A

Matt 3D prints a gun in hopes of intimidating the Rivoli into letting Nirvanna the Band play a show, but is waylaid by Jay's overdue VHS tapes he borrowed from the library and stops at a bank to get money. While they use the bathroom in the basement, robbers break in and take everyone else hostage, only to accidentally kill each other when Matt tries to attack them with the fake gun. As the police arrive, Matt poses as a robber and begins "killing" the disguised robber's corpses while making increasingly ludicrous demands, only to lower it to Nirvanna the Band getting to play a show at the Rivoli. Jay, terrified that he will be implicated, kills Matt and disguises himself as a hostage to leave the building safely, only to reveal that he and Matt faked his death with the last robber's body so they could both escape. Closing titles reveal that Matt and Jay did not receive a call from the Rivoli.

Opening Title: Dog Day Afternoon[4]

Season 2 (2017–18)

[edit]

Episodes aired out of order, they are presented in the order that they should be viewed.

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUS viewers
(millions)
91"The Burger"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabDecember 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)N/A[15]

Matt devises a plan to get on the Toronto Maple Leafs' kiss cam, where he and Jay will kiss as a publicity stunt and use it to get Nirvanna the Band popularity. Jay, doubting the plan's success, proposes a different one that involves him learning improv and discovers that he has a natural talent for it, while a dejected Matt goes to Wahlburgers. When Jay returns and asks to go back to the kissing plan while Matt eats, he becomes convinced that the burgers have magical properties. Using their improv skills to get selected for the kiss cam, Matt and Jay watch as a gay couple gets chosen before them and the crowd reacts positively, while Matt vomits on camera because of the burgers, getting them thrown out of the game. In a closing narration, Matt promises that he will not keep any more secrets from Jay.

Opening Title: Wahlburgers
102"The Boost"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabNovember 10, 2017 (2017-11-10)N/A[15]

While out buying cold medicine for Jay, Matt notices a GoldenEye 007 speedrun tournament poster that promises a spot on the "Rival1" podcast, which he misreads as "Rivoli". He tricks Jay, who has an aversion to all drugs, into taking the medicine by claiming it is candy, resulting in him taking the entire box. To counteract Jay's exhaustion, Matt convinces him to take speed, allowing him to perform well at the tournament. Matt cuts an opponent's RCA cables when Jay stops to take more speed, and he wins, but overdoses when he ends up eating the entire jar, refusing to forgive Matt in the hospital.

Opening Title: GoldenEye 007
113"The Buddy"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabNovember 3, 2017 (2017-11-03)N/A[15]

Jay abandons Matt's latest plan to network at a party, while Matt sulks at home and watches Mrs. Doubtfire, getting the idea to disguise himself as a man named "Tony" and befriend Jay. It works, and he subtly convinces him to do Matt's plan in the Rivoli's restaurant. Jay insists that Tony come along, forcing Matt to constantly switch between disguises, during which Jay insults him when he believes he is ruining "Tony's" plan. Angry, Matt tells Jay as Tony that he is abandoning him, leading Jay to realize the hurt he caused Matt by leaving him to go to the party. Matt begins choking on his food and Jay saves his life with the Heimlich maneuver, causing his disguise to come off in the process. Matt and Jay silently forgive each other and leave.

Opening Title: Mrs. Doubtfire
124"The Book"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabOctober 27, 2017 (2017-10-27)N/A[15]

On Halloween night, Matt goes out to trick-or-treat while Jay stays home to clean, where he finds a foreboding music book hidden in a vent. He plays a song from it on the piano just as Matt returns, shrinking him down to an inch tall and forcing him to avoid the hazards of Matt cleaning the house. Matt eventually finds him and plays a song from the book, which restores Jay's size but switches their bodies. When Jay plays another song to fix things, they accidentally summon the hunter from Jumanji, who almost kills Matt until Jay plays another song, making the hunter vanish and switching them back. Jay turns into a werewolf, which Matt decides to use to get a show at the Rivoli. This works until Jay is shot and killed by the hunter and turns back into a human.

The episode is not canon in the show's universe, as it does not open with the numbered title card that the other episodes of the series have.

Opening Title: "Treehouse of Horror"
135"The B-Day"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabNovember 17, 2017 (2017-11-17)N/A[15]

Matt forgets Jay's April 20th birthday and drags him downtown to get him a gift. They split up so Matt can get Jay food, but Jay gets lost and Matt's snacks are stolen by a crowd of stoners. Hungry, Jay eats a drugged brownie and goes on a trek throughout the city, where he realizes what is truly important to him is getting Nirvanna the Band a show at the Rivoli. At the same time, Matt buys Jay a new outfit but realizes he was only shopping for himself, deciding to get them a Rivoli show as a present. When a Rivoli worker asks for clarification of them being a band, Matt mishears as them being banned and leaves in horror just as Jay returns home. Matt tells him that nothing is wrong and chooses to put on a black fedora as opposed to his signature white one.

Opening Title: The Walking Dead
146"The Banned"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabNovember 24, 2017 (2017-11-24)N/A[15]

Desperate to conceal the news of their "banning" from the Rivoli from Jay, Matt devises a plan to hack into their system with the help of electronics store employee Ned and get them off the "banned list," which Jay believes is the "band list." Believing they will be ejected from the Rivoli if they enter, Matt has Ned go in their stead and print out an important looking email on the Rivoli's computer, which is actually a message meant to inform the workers that sewer maintenance is being done under them. When Ned points out that Matt was about to admit to lying to Jay, Matt declares this the last episode they will be doing with him.

Opening Title: Hackers
157"The Band List"Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabFebruary 9, 2018 (2018-02-09)N/A[15]

In a flashback to Matt's childhood, he tries to sneak into the Rivoli through a band's equipment, and is given the leader's white fedora as a sign of respect when he is caught. In the present, Matt and Jay steal a map of Toronto's subway system from the Royal Ontario Museum, narrowly escaping security into the train tunnels. They survive an oncoming train by breaking into the sewer lines, where Jay admits he is losing confidence in Matt because of his repeated failures. Matt again almost admits the truth about the "banned" list, but they are distracted when they hear a drummer who is always outside the Rivoli, meaning they are directly under it. They find a basement entrance and end up in their back room, where Jay accidentally alerts staff members while trying to steal a list of performing bands, forcing them to flee to the roof.

Opening Title: Indiana Jones
168"The Banned List 2"
"The Betrayal"		Matt JohnsonAndrew Appelle, Robert Hyland, Curt Lobb, Jay McCarrol, Matthew Miller, Jared RaabJanuary 12, 2018 (2018-01-12)N/A[15]
Flashbacks reveal that Jay met someone who offered him a job during the party in "The Buddy" and that he called them to set up an interview in "The B-Day" and "The Banned", which is scheduled for the current day. Matt and Jay break open the roof's AC unit with a knife they steal using a magnet and pull out its wires. A repairman comes and leaves his ladder behind, only for Matt to stop Jay from leaving, finally admitting the truth about his strange behavior. Jay is baffled as to why Matt would hide this from him and brushes it off, but reveals that he is going to his interview. Enraged that Jay is abandoning him, Matt eventually gives in and halfheartedly bids him luck, and Jay leaves him on the roof alone.

Critical reception

[edit]

The series has received mostly positive reviews. Jake Howell of The Globe and Mail praised the show, commenting "Bickering like a married couple, Matt and Jay's constant back-and-forth enabling, backstabbing and belittling of each other has thus far made for great television."[16]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "'Can-con bad boy' Matt Johnson: Meet the enemy inside TIFF's gates". The Globe and Mail. September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  2. ^ "Nirvanna the Band the Show is back – but this time it's bigger and on proper TV". Now Magazine. June 6, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  3. ^ "Nirvanna the Band the Show puts Toronto front and centre in hilarious new show for VICELAND". Now Magazine. February 2, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Taylor, Noah R. (March 29, 2017). "Nirvanna the Band the Show (2017) – Art of the Title". The Art of the Title. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  5. ^ "Thoughts on Nirvanna the Band the Show". Youtube. 21 May 2017.
  6. ^ "nirvanna the band the show". Exclaim!. September 11, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  7. ^ "Viceland's original comedy 'Nirvanna the Band the Show' arrives February 2". Cartt.ca. January 27, 2017. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  8. ^ "Nirvanna the Band the Show to premiere at TIFF". Now Magazine. August 3, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  9. ^ ""Matt Johnson says he made 'BlackBerry' to get funding for a Nirvanna the Band movie"". Toronto Star. March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  10. ^ @NTBTHESHOW (June 13, 2019). "As if the @Raptors being in the finals wasn't enough, Canadians can now stream Season 1 of NTBTS for free right now on the @CBC GEM player!" (Tweet). Retrieved September 22, 2019 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ @NTBTHESHOW (August 13, 2019). "Catch Season 2 on @CBC at 11:30pm all week! Nirvanna The Band week! @CBCComedy" (Tweet). Retrieved September 22, 2019 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ @HertzBarry (April 20, 2023). "NEW *and* EXCITING: Ahead of tomorrow's Toronto premiere of BLACKBERRY, director Matt Johnson says that his next project is a movie based on NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW. Set to shoot this June in Toronto and Italy, among many other places" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-04-20 – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "NIRVANA THE BAND 64X SPECIAL". Youtube. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  14. ^ "Nirvanna The Band - Rehearsing For Mega64 Expo 2024". Youtube. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h Howell, Jake (October 31, 2017). "Why aren't people watching Nirvanna the Band the Show?". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  16. ^ "Why aren't people watching Nirvanna the Band the Show?". The Globe and Mail. October 31, 2017.
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