I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman

Did You Know?

• On October 9, 2017, a music video "sneak peek" featuring the song "I Love You, America: The Song" was released.
• On September 7, 2018, the series took part in the 12th Annual PaleyFest Fall Television Previews with a preview screening of the second season and a conversation with Sarah Silverman.

Premise

Silverman described the show as an "accumulation of everything I've learned up to this point and then juxtaposed with this moment in time." She aimed to connect with people who may not share her opinions through honesty, humor, and genuine interest in others. The program includes a monologue, interviews, and pre-taped segments, but Silverman's monologues focus on her personal experiences and use current events to explore personal implications. Her weekly guests are not necessarily celebrities promoting projects but people who have experienced extraordinary changes in their lives. The first half of each episode features an ongoing storyline with "a White Guy at the Desk," played by Mather Zickel, whose 10-episode arc reveals "the journey of the disenfranchised male ego."

Production

On March 27, 2017, Hulu gave the production a straight-to-series order for ten episodes. The show developed from two separate projects: an idea from Silverman for a late-night program and one from the creative team at Funny or Die. Executive producers included Silverman, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Amy Zvi. On May 23, 2017, Gavin Purcell was reported as showrunner and executive producer.

On April 15, 2018, Hulu renewed the series for eleven additional episodes premiering September 6, 2018. On January 9, 2019, Hulu canceled the series after one season, with Silverman and Funny or Die confirming on Twitter. The series shoots weekly at Sunset Las Palmas Studios in Hollywood, with taped pieces shot around the United States. Production designer J.P. Connelly devised a visual style that combined traditional late-night and sitcom looks with Americana and patriotism, paying homage to Silverman's personality.

The set includes a blanket and monkey lamp from her home, plus reproductions of personal photographs featuring Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and Fred Rogers. During episode six, Silverman addressed sexual misconduct allegations against Louis C.K., asking: "Can you love someone who did bad things?"

Reception

The first season holds a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 7 out of 10 based on 14 reviews. The critical consensus called it "Earnest and sarcastic, crude but compassionate" and "a welcome dose of optimism in an overly cynical late-night landscape." Joyce Slaton of Common Sense Media praised Silverman as "charming and quick." Justin Charity of The Ringer noted the show "rides the distinction between empathy and condescension."

Brett White of The Decider said Silverman was "going for something unique in the political commentary world: genuine compassion." Vanity Fair's Laura Bradley called the interviews "a fascinating, if occasionally challenging exploration of what, precisely, a streaming talk show can do." Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly positively compared Silverman to other late-night hosts, saying "the other political late night hosts can feel like they're preaching."