'Last Comic Standing' recap: back with the laughs

Oh, how we've missed you.

NBC

Sometimes with the reality TV, absence can only make the heart grow fonder. In the case of "Last Comic Standing", taking some time off is certainly proving to be the best thing the reality show could have ever done.

Let's face it -- most of America has already forgotten some of the past winners of the competition, and the fact that Jon Reep somehow managed to win despite never actually making me laugh still astounds me. Part of the problem with the show's less-than-impressive track record with winners is the format in the later rounds, and unfortunately we still don't know how that will go.

That said, the audition episodes this season are easily some of the best in the show's history. While performing in front of only three judges may be a comic's worst nightmare, it really forces the good ones to know how to deliver their jokes. I they're good enough, they get to head to the audience. This keeps out some of the riff-raff we're used to seeing on other shows.

Speaking of which, who else out there loves how little time the show is spending this season on bad comics? Watching people we know will stink up the joint gets old, and outside of a few exceptions (a clown and a naked guy) we focused more of the funny people -- and there are quite a few of them this time around.

Another great improvement this season is the presence of Craig Robinson as host. He may not have the star power of a Jay Mohr or a Bill Bellamy (since most of his notoriety comes from "The Office" and "Hot Tub Time Machine"), but the guy is genuine funny and he also seems to realize what his purpose is -- have fun with the auditioners while not putting too much attention on yourself. They've also ditched the ridiculous "co-host for the auditions" and established three permanent judges -- so the show feels less like a hodgepodge and more like something we'd consistently watch.

So on to the comics this week. The auditions were held in New York, and to an extent we'd seen most of this sort of comedy before. That said, there were a few bright spots:

• Tommy Jonaghin: This guy is just goofy enough to be self-loathing, but not so much that he gets annoying. If he keeps the material strong, he's a potential winner.
• Mike DeStefano: My favorites don't typically far so well in the long-term (how I longed for Jim Tavare and his magic bass to win), and this might be the case with Mike. Not everyone will find jokes about gang violence funny, but this show needs this sort of edge.
• Jamie Lee: She easily has a ton of potential, though the freakout after getting her ticket bordered just a little on the irritating side.

Feel free to share your favorites below and check back all season for more coverage!

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