Ep 5. Searching for Mr. Larson: A Love Letter From the Far Side

Searching for Mr. Larson: A Love Letter From the Far Side is the 5th episode of the third season of the comedic mockumentary television series Documentary Now! The show, which is co-created by Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, and Bill Hader, parodies famous documentaries by creating exaggerated and satirical versions of them. In this episode, the focus is on the work of cartoonist Gary Larson and his infamous comic strip, The Far Side.

The episode is structured as a documentary, with fictional journalist Ellen Mulwray (played by Jane Lynch) interviewing various people who knew and worked with Larson throughout his career. The documentary delves into Larson's life and work, exploring the themes and inspirations behind his cartoons, as well as the impact they had on popular culture.

As the title suggests, the documentary also touches on Larson's elusive nature, as he has largely remained out of the public eye since retiring from cartooning in 1995. Mulwray sets out to find Larson, tracing his steps from his childhood hometown to his current whereabouts.

Throughout the episode, the humor comes from the juxtaposition between Mulwray's earnestness and the absurdity of the situations she finds herself in. For example, she interviews a group of cows who were famously featured in one of Larson's cartoons, and she visits a man who runs a "Far Side"-themed bed and breakfast. The interviews with Larson's friends and colleagues are also playfully exaggerated, with each character embodying a different caricature of the creative types Larson would have encountered in his career.

Overall, Searching for Mr. Larson: A Love Letter From the Far Side is a fun and lighthearted episode that both lampoons and celebrates the work of a beloved cartoonist. With its mockumentary format and comedic performances from its cast, the episode is sure to delight fans of both Larson's work and the Documentary Now! series.