Fishcenter Live

Fishcenter Live, which debuted in 2014, is a live streaming internet show created by the famed network, Adult Swim, renowned for its unique and edgily avant-garde animations, late-night programming, and unorthodox comedy. The show, however, doesn't fit into any specific genre you might anticipate from the aforementioned network offerings. Quite remarkably, Fishcenter Live combines elements of comedy, sports commentary, viewer interaction, and improvisation – all centered around a fish tank!

The show runs in real-time for an hour from Monday to Thursday and primarily features an actual aquarium with real, living fish that are part of the cast. Its core cast consists of nine fish, each with names and personas that the hosts have endowed them with. Angel, Dottie, Greenbird, Hamburger, Mammoth, Old Blue, Sir Squirt, Tang, and Th'ump, despite being regular aquatic lifeforms, become the center of this extraordinary program's plot thanks to the creative geniuses behind the show.

The main hosts - Matt Harrigan, Max Simonet, Dave Bonawits, and Andrew Choe - provide running commentary on the fish's actions, exploit it for humor, and weave out heartfelt narratives, essentially turning a straightforward act of fish swimming around in a tank into a kind of surreal, aquatic sports meets reality show. It's intriguing to see how the fish, in their involuntary participation, become characters in their own unpredictable narratives, from heated 'rivals' to 'presidential candidates.'

A key component of the show is the game the fish participate in called 'Coin Quest.' In this game, the fish swim in their tank, which overlays a graphic of a coin grid, complete with 'plus' and 'minus' coins. As the fish swim over these coins, they 'collect' them and get points added or subtracted to their total 'Coin Quest' score, depending upon the type of coin they unwittingly meander over. Occasionally, the hosts spice up the formula, adding elements like 'King Crab' day where the fish get extra points for touching the crab's picture or 'Fish Fry' day when the fish are chased by digitally added obstacles.

Fish scores are tallied and tracked with the aim of identifying the weekly 'King of the Tank,' based on who gets the highest score. In a fascinating twist, the King of the Tank then goes head-to-head with the reigning 'fish president,' making the entire process feel like a surprisingly intense, comedic blend of professional sports and political race boiled inside an aquarium.

Fishcenter Live also has a strong interactive element. Viewers get a chance to call in, participate in various games, share their opinions on fish performances, and even affect the outcomes to an extent. This interaction really works to pull the audience into the fish tank, metaphorically speaking. It's successful in creating a sense of community and camaraderie, adding another layer of richness to this whacky broadcast.

Standalone segments and faux commercials intersperse the show, adding a refreshing pace changer. The host's humor underpins these segments, rendering a touch of levity amongst the 'intense gameplay.' Moreover, the excellent use of sound effects, video edits, and stylish transitions serve to enhance the show's depth and character.

Fishcenter Live exemplifies the wonderful insanity of brilliantly crafted inside jokes that potentially balloon out into broad, expansive storylines. It is a testament to the boundaries that can be pushed when humor, creativity, and spontaneity collide in a benign environment, elevating the mundane to something genuinely captivating.

As an audience, you get drawn into the lives of these fish, thoroughly hooked by the unpredictable dynamics of a show that's meant to be, in essence, a televised fish tank. Adult Swim's Fishcenter Live is therefore, an amusing, oddly engrossing watch, and envelops a sense of the absurd and unpredictable, making it stand out in the realm of internet shows.