The Studio

Many weeks back I heard this show discussed on a TV segment of my local radio network (ABC Local in Australia, on the Nightlife programme) and that featured an audio clip of a scene from the series concerning the making of a film about zombies with an ‘interesting’ method of spreading their contagion. Oddly, once I started watching the series, that episode wouldn’t drop until many weeks later, so I’m not sure how the radio show got such an advanced, unaired episode. Anyway, the show seemed like it would be fun and I somehow got a free trial of Apple TV for a few months (maybe via spending a certain amount on an Apple gift card or something...$30, say), so I made a point of watching it.

From the first episode, the series has the feel of an old style screwball comedy (not really a genre that I’m familiar with and looking up that term, it only partially matches what I’m thinking of here, things like a highly stylised manner of speaking between characters). Seth Rogen plays Matt Remick, a senior figure in the fictional Hollywood film corporation Continental Studios...who also happens to be a man-child. He is about to become the head of this studio and discover that the reality of his promotion won’t meet his expectation of how he imagines it will be. It seems he will be internally conflicted between his love of cinema as an art form and the pressure to make a tonne of money for the corporation.

The main cast really only serve to illuminate different facets of Remick, as in they don’t seem fully formed characters with personalities of their own, as happens in such great sitcoms as Seinfeld, Cheers, Yes Minister or Fawlty Towers, to name some of the best. Perhaps that could be construed as a reflection of the 'type' that populate these positions in this industry...or the show's writing isn't as sharp when it comes to characters other than Remick? They are perky and hyper but lack depth. Like Gervais’ The Office, this is very much cringe comedy, with Remick being...

If this show was a boxer it wouldn't land a punch.

Honestly, I don't understand the high ratings for this show other than people getting free trials of apple TV after listening to ABC radio in the evenings for some competition. This show telegraphs it's jokes like its worried people won't recognise how clever they are. There are so many huge names in this that all must have either owed favours or felt it was a great exercise in self indulgence.

This show relies on star power to cover for lazy writing, predictable setups that take an entire episode to pay off and shaky cam to wow audiences into not thinking about what they are watching for fear they will duck the limp, wet lettuce joke getting wheezed at them.