When I sat down to watch “The Studio,” I was expecting a few solid laughs. Instead, I found myself doubled over for almost the entire two-hour premiere. Each episode is a wild ride from start to finish, filled with comedy, chaos and A-list cameos.
“The Studio” follows Matt Remick (Seth Rogen, “Invincible”), the newly-promoted head of the fictional Continental Studios. After his promotion, Matt finds himself with overwhelming responsibility, forced to juggle his priorities as the studio head with his priorities as an artist. He works alongside a team consisting of marketing head Maya (Kathryn Hahn, “Agatha All Along”), creative director Quinn (Chase Sui Wonders, “City on Fire”) and Continental executive Sal (Ike Barinholtz, “The Mindy Project”), all under the watchful eye of CEO Griffin Mill (Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”). Catherine O’Hara (“Schitt’s Creek”) also joins the cast as Patty, former studio head and Matt’s mentor.
Each episode centers on an individual storyline, sending the core cast on various adventures and weaving a larger narrative throughout. Episode one, “The Promotion,” sees Matt tasked with making a movie about the Kool-Aid man, as Continental recently bought the rights to the mascot. The premise is a jab at the recent Hollywood trend of product movies, which attempt to reel in audiences by enticing them with a familiar brand name. It’s a clear prioritization of profit over quality and often results in a cash grab of a movie, but Matt truly believes he can turn “Kool-Aid” into an Oscar winner. He even tries to get Martin Scorsese (“Dreams”) to direct the film.
The premise of each storyline begins simply but quickly spirals out of control. Viewers watch Matt and his team start the episode confident and collected, only to unravel with each curveball thrown at them. From Matt running into vital shots or smacking his head into tables, there’s never a dull moment.
What truly stands out about the series is the way it’s shot. Every scene is done in one take, which leaves little room for notes or editing once it’s finished. This style lends itself greatly to the tone of the series, amping up the stress that the characters feel while maximizing laughs for the audience. Following Matt as he frantically runs between rooms trying to convince his team that yes, they should make the Kool-Aid movie about Jonestown, truly emphasizes the absurdity of his situation. Viewers get to see the events play out in real time, almost as if they are characters themselves. The humor comes not only from the jokes, but from the audience’s immersion in the story — we watch alongside the characters as the camera pans from one mess to the next.
Aside from the intensity of the camerawork, it’s clear from the intensity of the cameos that this show’s budget cap was more of a soft suggestion. The runtime is packed with celebrities, from the main cast to the smallest appearances. Charlize Theron (“The Orville”) shows up, delivers one line and disappears from the screen. I loved every second of it. The bits in the show, like Scorsese’s Kool-Aid movie, are made even funnier by the real celebrity names attached to them. Viewers already come in with a baseline understanding of each celebrity, giving the writers the chance to dial their characters up to 11. It seems like the celebrities had fun filming, too. Even if they’re only there for a quick bit, each actor makes their screen time count, inciting explosive laughter with every line.
Between its hilarious gags and star-studded cast, it looks like “The Studio” has the recipe for success. I’m excited to see where the rest of the season takes us, and how Matt’s reputation could possibly survive it.
TV Beat Editor Morgan Sieradski can be reached at kmsier@umich.edu.
