To tell you the truth, I had seen some of the previews for this show and really thought about passing it up. I wasn’t a huge fan of most of the actors in it or the premise, probably because I couldn’t relate, but apparently my mind was changed. I have no idea why, no that’s a lie. I do know why and it’s because I really wanted to see Cobie Smulders in a new role since playing Robin on How I Met Your Mother. Anyway, there weren’t a lot of episodes so this called for a binge watch.
The first 8 episodes of this show introduce you to six people who have been friends from college which was 20 years ago when they were in Harvard. You’ll be introduced to Lisa and Ethan Turner, played by Cobie Smulders and Keegan Michael-Key, who have been married since shortly after college. They’re on their way back to New York where the rest of their “friend group” currently lives. While there, neither of them have jobs so they’ll be living on their friend Marianne’s, played by Jae W. Suh, couch. Not much is told about Marianne other than she lives this bohemian life style because the main story focus’s on Ethan ad Lisa. Ethan has been having an affair with Sam, played by Annie Parisse, for the past 20 years. Sam is married and has kids with another guy and is quickly approaching the big 40. Ethan in the meantime will be trying to write his next novel only to find out that the best thing for him to write at the moment is something for teenagers where he could then sell the rights and have a movie made. He’ll get some help in this department from his friend Max, played by Fred Savage, who is basically his publisher. Meanwhile Lisa will be on the search for a job and a purpose as she tries to unsuccessfully conceive a child. During this time she’ll meet up with her ex Nick, played by Nat Faxon, who is also part of this whole friend group. Nick does nothing but pick up younger women because he’s a trust fund baby and basically doesn’t have to do a damn thing.
I found none of these characters to be relatable or even redeemable. They’re all pretty horrible people, maybe that’s what drew them to each other in the first place, and throughout the 8 episodes of this show it shows how horrible they are. Personally I don’t understand how these people are friends in the first place as they all seem to have nothing in common really other than the fact that they went to college together and are horrible people. They’ll lie to each other, treat each other like utter crap, and do things that aren’t acceptable, yet they somehow remain friends. This I can’t understand. Maybe because I don’t know people like this or never had this type of experience. I’m not sure a lot of people can say that they’ve been friends with someone for 20 years and have acted the way these characters act in the show. It just doesn’t seem real and this made the show less enjoyable.
This ensemble of a cast works OK together. They’re kind of mismatched and don’t seem like they would be the type of people that would be friends in the first place. This kind of shows as there are a lot of awkward moments and the show just seems off because of it. In their own right I’m sure a lot of these actors/actress’s are great, but together it just seems like they don’t work because there isn’t a lot of chemistry between them.
Overall I give this season a 2 out of 5.
Don’t get me wrong this show is genuinely funny at times, but those bursts don’t of funny don’t last throughout the season. There are parts during the season that are boring or just plain unrealistic making this show even harder to relate to. I really feel like this show had a huge missed opportunity because it could have been something good. Instead it was just a show of people who really can’t let go. College was 20 years ago. Sometimes it’s best to just move on and you aren’t always friends with people for that long because they change or whatever. Anyway, if you don’t mind watching people do horrible things to other people who are supposed to be their friends, feel free to watch. If you’re looking for something that you’re going to relate to then look somewhere else.
1 Broke Gamer Girl 