Rerun: My 10 Favorite Nathan For You Schemes

Oh, okay.

With the second season of The Rehearsal incoming (or rather impending), Nathan Fielder and his neverending commitment to the bit is back in the public conversation. Now is as good a time as ever to revisit his eponymous project Nathan For You and rank my favorite schemes from the series.

But first, a few caveats... 

1. It's my list! I'm sorry your favorite bit isn't represented.

2. I have not seen the series finale Finding Frances. I know, I probably should before making this list. But not only am I scared to hit play because then my Nathan For You journey would be complete, the long-form story doesn't seem like it would make this list anyway.

3. This list won’t make any sense if you haven’t seen the show. Go watch it!

10. “Petting Zoo” (Season 1, Episode 2)

My number 10 and my number 1 are from the same episode...

Just two episodes in, Nathan breaks the expectations of his own tomfoolery. His scheme here is to fake a viral video that will draw people to a petting zoo where the supposed video took place. The problem? It actually goes viral.

Right out of the gate, Nathan learns that he can wield great power. The idea is dumb, it shouldn't work. No one should believe it. Just like most of his schemes. But people did believe it - it appeared on national news, for cryin' out loud. The true gullibility of the general public is a lesson he needed to learn. It's one that he would harness later with bits like his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel.

9. “Smokers Allowed” (Season 3, Episode 5)

Deep into quarantine, I got a text from a friend:

"Have you seen the Smokers Allowed episode of Nathan For You? It's right up your alley."

I'm not sure if this friend thought I would like it because he and I have frequented plenty of bars that still allow smoking or because it's about people putting on a play about nothing - something I've threatened to do many times. Just ask me about my airport play.

Either way, he was right.

8. “Summit Ice” (Season 3, Episode 2)

The Holocaust really happened.

Anyway, here's some winterwear.

7. “Nail Salon” (Season 3, Episode 7)

This entire bit is a setup for Nathan doing a racist Asian accent.

But that's not why it's funny.

It's a masterclass in tension. The entire time, he's dancing the line of racism. A little comment here, an outdated implication there, but no one really raises an eyebrow. But it's when someone asks Nathan to do something racist directly to their face, he releases the tension by just flat-out doing it. It's like Chekhov's Racism.

There are a few times he tried this, but in most of them (the Caricature Artist, for example), he didn't understand that the real humor is in making the audience sit with their own racism for 15 minutes. If something offensive happens right away, it's just shock humor. That’s not funny. But this way, with the build, the joke is on you.

6. “Private Investigator” (Season 1, Episode 8)

We all love the recurring cast of characters that appear throughout the series (I promise I will watch Finding Frances!) and my personal favorite will appear atop this list. 

But I have to give a special shoutout to Brian Wolfe, whose snarky behavior and complete detachment from reality never ceased to get more and more unbelievable. His first appearance is great (the scene of the dozen Nathans running from that hotel will never not make me laugh) and his response to Nathan being an asshat is what launched his fifteen minutes of fame and his own tv show(!).

But for me, the bit really hit its peak when he openly admitted he did porn when he was younger...while vehemently denying it was porn. Such an admission (and then immediate retraction) caused the entire world to Google his penis...when we would have never done so (or cared) otherwise. When Nathan shows him the proof, it's the perfect wrap on an excellent bit. 

5. “Antique Shop” (Season 3, Episode 4)

I'm sorry, but I'm a sucker for a literal bull in a china shop gag. I thought it was funny in Borat, I think it's funny here. It will always make me laugh.

The J-Squad ending to the story is just the whipped cream on the sundae - Nathan breaking character¹ is the cherry.

¹The grandpa who drinks his grandson’s pee is the finest of Nathan breaks, but I just don’t find the rest of that bit funny. Sorry, but it doesn’t make the cut.

4. “Pet Store” (Season 2, Episode 3)

The Plan: Market to mourners by advertising on a gravestone.

It’s…so…big…

3. “Movie Theater” (Season 2, Episode 8)

I don't know, man. I just think the POPCORN SHARERS AND THEATER MASTURBATORS board is one of the laugh-out-loud funniest things he ever did. The popcorn sharers are truly terrified to be labeled theater masturbators. But as Nathan points out in his signature deadpan, buying two boards is just too expensive. His commitment to the bit in the face of people brought to their edge is unmatched.

2. “Hotel” (Season 3, Episode 6)

This one is...dark...

Nathan has no issue messing with children (did you watch The Rehearsal?), but what he's really doing here is messing with their parents. People will really exploit their kids to high heaven for 40 bucks and craft services. These people should be ashamed of themselves.

It's unbelievably funny. 

1. “Santa” (Season 1, Episode 2)

My favorite returning character is James Bailey, the Mall Santa with a Dirty Harry-looking gun collection and a criminal record.

I will never get over the scene of Nathan sneaking back into the mall after being kicked out. He's not typically one for physical humor, so seeing him dressed like an elf, holding a giant candy cane and trying to outrun mall cops is a special treat.

God bless us, everyone.