There's a fine line, between zany and merely annoying, with gags so pitched toward the absurd as to leave anyone who doesn't completely yield to them out in the cold.
Stella's ads promised "dumb comedy dressed up in a suit," and much of the show's appeal comes from the contrast between its striking visual elegance and the giddy ridiculousness of its plotting and gags.
I love Stella because it doesn't fall into the same trap that most modern comedies do. It doesn't try to relate with you. It doesn't pander to its viewers. It never throws in an easy punchline to get casual viewers.
It's the first truly uncompromised comedic vision we've seen on television since "Mr. Show" left HBO, and we were lucky to have it for even ten episodes.
Stella is essentially sketch comedy presented as an incoherent sitcom, so while individual moments may be arresting, everything in between is mostly stale filler or embarrassingly strained setups.
