SmartLess

SmartLess is Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett interviewing a guest they have not been told about in advance.

The opening is the three of them talking over each other until the surprise walks in. The interview that follows is looser than a promotional stop and more star-driven than a reporting show. The chemistry is the product.

It became one of the big conversation podcasts because the hosts are professionals at seeming unprepared. The guest still gets a real hour, and sometimes says the thing the junket would have cut.

You can start with any guest you already like. The cold open is funnier once you know the trio’s rhythms, so a second episode is more representative than a first.