In news that should surprise no one, Apple TV+ has another hit sitcom on its hands. Platonic, a delicious new series co-created, directed and co-written by Neighbors director Nick Stoller and Francesca Delbanco (Friends From College) is here to remind us that Neighbors co-stars Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen are one of the actors funniest in hollywood lovely duos.
In a modern take on the central question of When Harry Met Sally, "Can men and women remain strictly platonic friends?" the aptly named series reunites best friends Sylvia (Byrne) and Will (Rogen) after five years apart. Recently divorced, Will is a lost, ambitionless brewmaster who, in Sylvia's words, dresses like "a '90s grunge clown."
Creators: Francesca Delbanco, Nicholas Stoller
Stars: Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen, Tre Hale
Although Sylvia may be more of a "normal, functioning adult" in Will's mind, the wife and mother of three who has been out of the workforce for 13 years is suffocating under the weight of "what ifs" as that his law degree gathers dust. When her husband, Charlie (Luke Macfarlane), a successful lawyer, encourages her to reconnect with Will, the old friends make amends and quickly fall back into their wild, codependent and unintentionally destructive rhythm.
Sylvia establishes early on that Will is not an ex, nor was he a friend with benefits. The two were once so close that Will was the bridesmaid at her and Charlie's wedding, but unlike the characters in Nora Ephron's rom-com, there is no known physical attraction that would complicate an adult friendship of the opposite sex. of Sylvia and Will. Despite that fact, as their unique connection becomes more and more all-consuming, loved ones like Charlie, who thinks they're "getting excited about the fact that they might be fucking," grow more concerned. And who can blame them? Even when you're sure this series won't replicate the narrative of When Harry Met Sally, Byrne and Rogen's off-the-charts chemistry makes it impossible not to wonder if the two will cross the line.
As Sylvia's midlife crisis intensifies, she gradually drops her filter and begins to give in to foolish, uninhibited desires. Whether reaching for fries while stoned at Denny's, badmouthing a mother outside of school, muttering brutally honest thoughts under her breath, or trying to swallow her husband's boss at a business retreat, Byrne deftly portrays a woman who he is desperately trying to stay calm. her as she explodes from boredom and the maddening monotony of her heterosexual lifestyle. But when she's with Will, she never has to pretend. Effortlessly slipping back into a familiar man-child role, Rogen perfectly plays a hot mess with a heart of gold. By frenziedly attacking PYGYN (not Bird) electric scooters or trying to convince himself that he has the stamina and millennial skills to happily date a girl who's barely made it into "the big two," the actor she holds her own in solo scenes. But as Neighbors fans probably assumed, he and Byrne shine their brightest when they share the screen.
Unlike Will and Sylvia, who allow each other's self-destructive antics for a good chunk of the season, Rogen and Byrne always build each other up. Their physical comedy will have you laughing out loud, the dialogue flows seamlessly in both drunk and sober scenes, and their ability to play off each other, which becomes more noticeable with each passing episode, makes you feel like you've got a seat from front row for a brilliant buddy comedy. It should be remembered that Platonic is not an hour and a half movie.
That's ten half-hour television episodes (all available for review), which is plenty of time for even the funniest adults to make horrible decisions without viewers screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" on their screens. (My scream came in Episode 7 when Sylvia accidentally ruins a painting and all hell breaks loose, though she definitely doesn't have to!) But the plot lines don't get too far into WTF territory without a payoff. Through vulnerability and introspection, Platonic strikes a nice balance between serious and light-hearted stories. And while Will and Sylvia struggle to help themselves, they fortunately learn to hold each other accountable in ways no one else can.
Watch Platonic 2023 Tv Series Trailer
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