'BrandX' Premiere: Russell Brand's New Show Has Some Critics Calling It Genius, Others Weak (VIDEO)

As expected, Russell Brand's new show proved as polarizing as the comedian. "BrandX with Russell Brand" (Thu., 11 p.m. ET on FX) treated viewers to what was essentially a 30-minute monologue from the comedian, but even then it didn't seem to be scripted or pre-planned by Brand.

Instead it felt like an off-the-cuff discussion; in this case about Brand's meeting with the Dalai Lama and the subsequent news stories that he'd discussed his sex life with him. He debunked those rumors, but spent much of the episode extolling on spirituality and the idea of religion as it relates to the consumerist nature of modern man.

It wasn't as funny as some fans might have expected -- and it created some awkward silences in the studio as the audience left Brand hanging a few times -- but it was an exploration into the mind of Russell Brand.

The premiere left The Hollywood Reporter using the word "genius" to describe him on the show -- they wish it were longer -- while the LA Times said Brand "has overestimated his own ability to riff on the news" and called the show itself weak.