Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' - The Studio - Season One

The Studio is one of Apple TV+'s best new series! The streaming service has overtaken HBO with the best thirty minute comedies, as satirical/cringe comedy Hollywood series, is outstanding!

Created by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez.

Rogen also leads the cast, as an embattled Hollywood studio head struggling to balance corporate demands with his own passion for producing quality films. 

Joining him, Catherine O'Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Kathryn Hahn play supporting roles. 

The Studio landed late March, whilst I was in Japan and I easily got sucked into. Thankfully, the series has been renewed for a second season. Whilst the Rogan series has received critical acclaim for its direction, cinematography, humour, and satire of the film industry. It has become notable for its extensive use of long takes, as well as for featuring high-profile celebrity cameos in every episode.

So how is Hollywood so funny? Well, Matt Remick (Rogan) is the newly appointed head of the floundering film production company Continental Studios. A self-described cinephile, Matt struggles to balance Continental's corporate aims in an increasingly IP-driven entertainment landscape with his own ambition to produce quality films.

In yesterday's finale, we stay in Las Vegas, as Griffin frolicks and passes out on the Venetian fountain, Patty has a change of heart when the team informs her of Amazon’s potential Continental takeover. With CinemaCon starting soon, they disguise Griffin to sneak him Weekend at Bernie's-style past Matt Belloni and get ready in the suite along with Zöe Kravitz. 

Although most of them are still high on mushrooms, their presentation begins with Dave Franco speaking as his Alphabet City character which disguises his bloodied state from getting beat up in the casino. 

Patty buys time with her The Silver Lake speech while the team convince Kravitz's agent Mitch and publicist Gabby to let her present Blackwing, which she nails before urinating herself backstage. As Nicholas Stoller presents The Kool-Aid Movie, Griffin is still in no shape for his speech, so Matt addresses the crowd while Maya prepares Griffin. 

Matt brings out the team to pay tribute to them, then introduces Griffin who drops down to the stage via wires. When Griffin is unable to say anything more than “movies,” Matt turns it into a back-and-forth chant with the audience as the team - including Griffin who dances while suspended by the wires - bring the presentation to a triumphant end.

The series mostly jumps around from episode to episode, dealing with everything from casting, the using unwanted IP, along with piles of familiar faces.

If you let this one go by without watching an episode yet, it's a good time to jump in and binge all ten episodes. Rogan is returning to Apple TV+ in August with his other hit comedy series, Platonic. Alongside Rose Byrne, this is another example of how Apple have now completely dominated the thirty minute comedy series.

See also Shrinking, Ted Lasso, The Big Door Prize and of course Loot!

If you like comedy, get onto Apple TV+ now!