Reel Pop

With only 7,483 different humor sites on the Internet, I was loath to check out how MTV Networks has relaunched Atomfilms as plain old Atom, an online arm of sorts for Comedy Central. The plan is to stock it with the kind of original programming that was getting overshadowed at ComedyCentral.com by "Colbert Report" reruns.

My first perusal of the new slate of originals on Atom did little to convince me there much to generate new buzz. "Border Patrol," which has comedy god Ivan Reitman attached as an executive producer as well as a development deal at Comedy Central, felt uninspired. The creative credits behind "Benny, Escaped Convict" ("Scrubs" writer Ryan Levin) Steven and Stephen (“Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” creators Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim) did little to convey a sense of quality.

The real Atom standout comes from a relative unknown--Waverly Films--called "Stickman Exodus." Visually, it ain't much--strictly stick figures with such little animation sophistication it makes South Park look like the Mona Lisa. Still, it's hilarious.