THE STUDIO: SEASON ONE
Starring: Seth Rogen, Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, and Chase Sui Wonders
Creators: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez
QUENTIN
As someone who loves movies and stories about making movies, I can say that The Studio is very much my shit. The often hilarious, often cringey, exaggerated-but-probably-true-to-life behind-the-scenes machinations of running a movie studio are colorfully brought to life through a stellar cast of comedic stalwarts and a never-ending string of meta cameos. Plus, the frenetic score and almost Paul Greengrass-inspired direction place the viewer squarely in the headspace of Seth Rogen’s frazzled studio head. Admittedly, a lot of the jokes require some inside baseball Hollywood knowledge to work, but it’s still one of Apple’s best shows, just more so for movie fans.
AMARÚ
The Studio is every movie lover’s panic-inducing fever dream or anxiety-ridden nightmare. Either way, it’s a blast. I constantly held my head in my hands in embarrassment and hilarity, both of which are made extravagantly potent by the outstanding direction. Nearly every scene is a 45+ second tracking shot that, flubs and all, adds a chaotic grandeur to the breakneck script. The only thing more fun than the self-referential satirization of the industry that the series creators clearly love is the dozens of A-list (much more than) cameos. The Studio is a gut-busting love letter to this crazy, ridiculous, magical thing we call cinema.
ADRIANO
I seriously enjoyed The Studio. For one, it's sharp and expertly crafted, and I love the use of incredibly long tracking shots to contribute to the stressful and intoxicating atmosphere. The principal cast is excellent, and its slew of celebrity cameos are fun too. However, while I was thoroughly entertained throughout, laughing basically the whole time, it can go a bit in circles with its baseline premise of mocking artless industry heads. Also, Episodes Six and Seven weren't my favourites. Still, I quite like this show, and I hope to see it come back.
