He pioneered the mockumentary on film. Now Christopher Guest is bringing his latest comedy, HBO’s Family Tree , to a TV landscape crowded with the format. My take on whether he succeeds. At The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, " Family Tree Brings Christopher Guest’s Mockumentary Style to HBO," in which I review HBO's latest comedy, Family Tree , which begins Sunday evening, and which stars Chris O'Dowd ( The IT Crowd ) and hails from the fertile mind of co-creator Christopher Guest ( Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind ). Over the last few decades, the mockumentary format has become almost totally synonymous with Christopher Guest, the writer/director (and often actor) best known for films such as This Is Spinal Tap, Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind , and For Your Consideration . Each film—to varying success—mined the documentary format for laughs, setting up its eccentric characters as the butts of the joke ... or the ...