As the year has gone on, one TV show has stuck out to me as being extremely important. That show is “The Studio,” which, if the Emmys are any indication, Hollywood at large agrees with me that this show is something special.
“The Studio,” which follows Matt Remick as he tries to be a good head of a production company where everything is conspiring against him, is a masterclass in short composition and awkward humor, though there are a few things that I hope get ironed out over the next few seasons.
One of the most shockingly good aspects of “The Studio” is its use of the camera. One does not think of Seth Rogen when they think of a masterclass director, but the best-looking episode of the season, “The Oner,” was all done by him. This episode is not the only example, however. Much of the show’s humor relies on parody, so many of the shots are also deliberately parodying different styles of film, like when Matt is trying to solve the mystery of who stole a film reel needed to finish a Zac Efron film; the entire episode adopts a sort of noir style. It’s really great, and certainly is top-notch for a TV show in this genre.
Another standout part of this show is its performances. Seth Rogen does a great job playing the bumbling buffoon that is Matt Remick, but the real standouts in my opinion are Kathryn Hahn as the borderline insane head of marketing Maya Mason, and Ike Barinholtz as the ever slick right-hand man Sal Saperstein. These two never fail to make me laugh, and I think their relationship with Matt really strengthens the overall core of the show.
One also cannot forget the insane number of cameos in the show. It seemed like everyone in Hollywood showed up on the set of “The Studio,” and those who haven’t are sure to join next season. I would say my favorite cameos were probably Martin Scorsese getting his movie stolen from him and Ron Howard, the sweetest guy in film, physically attacking Matt after he delivers a note. It’s great stuff, and part of why this show works so well, as it feels like it’s really a part of Hollywood.
I think I have gone far enough that now I have to mention how amazing the humor is in this show. It’s very fast-paced and snappy, with the main characters always being the ones getting into trouble, and we are forced to watch them wiggle out. It’s almost anxiety-inducing, like oh my gosh, why would you do that, but there’s also a release to it as each time something bad happens a joke comes quickly after, making you almost forget about the awkwardness of the previous scene. If this sounds like too much for you, don’t worry. Basically, all the episodes work well on their own, so if you just want to watch one episode of the 10, that’s A-OK.
After praising this show for quite a bit, we have finally reached the part of the show where I criticize it just a little bit. One thing I noticed is that, while I am glad the episodes are mostly disconnected from one another, once you reach the best episode of the series, all the others struggle to keep up in comparison, as you start to question if this episode is really necessary because they have basically already executed it perfectly already. This occurs with episode two, “The Oner.” This episode is a masterclass in filmmaking, dread, and humor; it’s absolutely great. The problem is that nothing in the show is better than this episode, and while they all have good parts, they just aren’t as good as this episode. So I begin to question why “The Oner” is episode two because it doesn’t feel connected to the other episodes, and it feels like it should be later in the season. It’s a good hook for the show overall, but if you are looking for an episode of the same quality as “The Oner” in this season, you will not find it. What I’m trying to say is that next season, I hope they hold their cards a little closer to the chest so that the great episodes come later and the season overall feels more like it has an upward progression in quality.
In the end, I would say I thoroughly enjoyed “The Studio.” As a fan of cinema, I enjoyed the references, and as an understander of the process of film, I cringed whenever something awful happened on set. This show is really something special, from its camera work to its humor to its acting; however, I hope in future seasons they try and spread out the great episodes more throughout the season. I can’t wait to see what season two has in store, and I hope to hear what you think of the show and whether it deserved to sweep the Emmys.
