Greatoneshere Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 I just stumbled onto the existence of a new 10-episode TV show starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne that dropped this past May. What caught my eye was that almost every episode is directed by Nicholas Stoller, whose brand of comedy can be really funny when he nails it. The show comes from him and his wife Francesca Delbanco, who writes most of the episodes and directs three while Stoller directs the other seven. For those who don't know Nicholas Stoller is a writer and director (not always on the same project) who directed Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek, The Five-Year Engagement, Neighbors, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising and Bros. I actually find the Neighbors movies to be low key underrated and pretty funny. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a classic and I've seen Get Him to the Greek countless times. He also co-wrote The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted. Anyways, this new rom-com series is pretty great so far. I'm 3 episodes in and it has a great balance between a semi-documentary feeling but also scenes play out with sit-com cringe comedy. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne are really good in this, as are the entire supporting cast. So far the show dodges a lot of typical rom-com tropes - so far it really is just platonic, about dealing with a friendship than any sort of romantic entanglements since Rose Byrne's character is a happily married mother of three with a very cool/supportive husband while Seth Rogen is hung up on his recent ex-wife. The episodes are only a half hour and unlike Stoller's past TV comedy outing Friends from College, which I did enjoy but many didn't like because of how loathsome the characters would treat their ostensible "friends", this has a much sweeter vibe by comparison but just enough. It really nails making fun of how a lot of older Millennials feel. I'm digging it so far, people should check it out. It's a really well-directed, slickly made production as well. I checked out the trailer for this thread and I feel like it's spoiler-y since there's stuff that even I haven't seen yet and it's not a great indication of the show's quality (kind of a weak trailer) but here you go: I mean, you have bangers in the first episode alone like Seth Rogen confusing a genuinely progressive ripped Nordic man for a Nazi-hating Jew with Seth Rogen kicking him out of his brewpub and telling his ex-wife and this guy: "I own 24.5% of this place, meanwhile you're bringing Leni Riefenstahl's fucking key grip in here!" Just laid me out with a deep cut I can't imagine most understood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLeon Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 It’s on my list. Maybe I’ll check it out while I wait for the last few episodes of The Afterparty Season 2. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatoneshere Posted August 22, 2023 Author Share Posted August 22, 2023 41 minutes ago, TheLeon said: It’s on my list. Maybe I’ll check it out while I wait for the last few episodes of The Afterparty Season 2. It helps it's a nice, easy, breezy, funny watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spork3245 Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 I watched it when it was airing weekly. Fantastic show almost on the level of Shrinking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatoneshere Posted August 23, 2023 Author Share Posted August 23, 2023 4 hours ago, Spork3245 said: I watched it when it was airing weekly. Fantastic show almost on the level of Shrinking. Which is on my list, hoping to get to it - interesting to note co-creator and star of Shrinking, Jason Segel, wrote in and starred in Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall before they co-wrote (and Segel starred in and Stoller directed) The Five-Year Engagement before they went on to co-write The Muppets together (which Segel then starred in, directed by James Bobin). So there's some synchronicity there between the two shows as Segel and Stoller have worked a lot together and whose voices share many similarities. I know Segel doesn't really work with the Apatow gang anymore like he used to but it'd be cool if he showed up in Platonic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLeon Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 I’ve watched a couple episodes and I dig it, which isn’t surprising given the people involved. I like that Byrne gets to just be Australian in this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatoneshere Posted August 23, 2023 Author Share Posted August 23, 2023 34 minutes ago, TheLeon said: I’ve watched a couple episodes and I dig it, which isn’t surprising given the people involved. I like that Byrne gets to just be Australian in this. She does, which is refreshing, she really nails the comedy and riffing with her co-stars, as usual. I just finished the season, stays solid all the way through. Season 2 hasn't been confirmed yet but I hope the show gets it, I'm down for a season 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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