Seth Rogen's Other Apple TV+ Show Is A Must-Watch For Fans Of The Studio

Two years ago, when the Apple TV+ buddy comedy series "Platonic" debuted, it felt like a refreshingly amusing take on a non-romantic relationship between a man and a woman. I say that because married couple Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller's TV show had literally no intention whatsoever to give in to an overused and tired trope in the rom-com/dramedy genre, which "Platonic" seemed to fall into at first. By the end of the premiere episode, though, it had become crystal clear that Will and Sylvia ("Neighbors" co-stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) — two former college friends who reunite midlife after a falling out — will never ever be a couple. The lack of that romantic spark (or any kind of physical attraction) upfront was a much-welcome relief and intriguing premise to build on. There's a lot more to extract from the hilarious duo's chaotic, quirky, and at times destructive friendship than a clichéd and saccharine love story.

After season 1 established that fertile buddy chemistry and smooth back and forth between the two protagonists back in the summer of 2023, the now-streaming season 2 (a must-watch for fans of Rogen's other celebrated Apple TV+ comedy series, "The Studio") continues its way down that same gag-filled road. Now, Will is about to get married to a controlling and strict CEO with a low sexual appetite, which makes Sylvia worried about losing him again, the same way she did when he first got married to a woman she couldn't stand. Thus, Sylvia makes an effort to support Will this time despite seeing the obvious signs that his new relationship (and potential marriage) is heading towards disaster. Does she intervene to save him from ending up in another emotional crisis? Or does she let the situation play out, hoping he'll learn from his mistake the second time around? Well, kinda both.

Will's marriage drama in season 2 only takes center stage for a short while, as the show's writers are (wisely) quick to resolve it and make more space for a comedically richer and more inclusive plot. One of the benefits of this approach is that it gives more screen time to the supporting characters, allowing their individual arcs to come full circle beside our heroes. The secret MVP in this regard might be Sylvia's adorable lawyer husband Charlie (Luke Macfarlane, delivering a charming performance just like he did in Stoller's "Bros"), who's battling his own midlife/career crisis, which eventually reignites his old passion for writing over-detailed detective novels. His search for fulfillment is both chucklesome and familiar to many of us who were (or still are) stuck in jobs that destroy our souls, even if they provide a reliable source of income.

On the other end of the scale, there is Sylvia's quirky girlfriend Katie (Carla Gallo), who is relishing the freedom her recent divorce has granted her, living life recklessly and dangerously like there's no tomorrow. (The show's writers don't even shy away from making fun of the fact that she tends to forget about her family and that she's a mom.) She's running a podcast, day-drinking whenever she feels like it, and coming up with personal brand-defining, ridiculous catchphrases ("Don't ask, don't get") that somehow become a part of Los Angeles' cultural zeitgeist.

Make no mistake, though, the main attraction here remains Rogen and Byrne's unbeatable duo. The pair are completely synced on a fruitful humor wavelength, delivering laugh-out-loud moments by the dozen. That, of course, is largely dependent on the material they're given, and the series' writers are so well-versed in the current social and cultural landscape of L.A. that the banter and the one-liners never seem to stop coming. That includes purposefully orchestrating "woke" dialogues and cringy situations just so they can later mock them and trade them in for laughs. It's rare to have such a self-aware show these days that both feels cringe at times while also poking fun at its own awkwardness. That's a fine line to walk that most current comedies refuse to do, leaning towards either a more politically correct tone or doubling down on an unabashedly inappropriate one.

Undoubtedly, fun is the engine that drives "Platonic." But beneath the witty banter and slapstick-y set-pieces, there's some real and thoughtful profundity that leads to some light yet incisive self-reflection. Whether it's Sylvia's desire to step out of her housewife/full-time mother role after 13 long years, even if it's just for an occasional job of party planning, or Will's inability to put his messy life in order instead of crashing at one of his friends's house every time he screws up something majorly, the series always includes some harsh truths under the guise of endless silliness. And sometimes, to recognize those patterns of unhappiness and dissatisfaction, we need to take a hard look at the people we surround ourselves with, besides looking inward. To do this, the show's writers frequently pose the question of whether Will and Sylvia's friendship is actually more harmful than beneficial to their personal lives. Naturally, they leave it to us to decide since breaking these two up permanently would end the series.

But the truth is, as long as one is open to constructive criticism and advice about how to better themself and accept the other person with all of their flaws, then there's always room for reconciliation and keeping a friendship alive and well-functioning. If there's any profound message to take away from "Platonic" beyond its pure entertainment value, it's that no matter how messed-up and tumultuous our lives are, we can always find someone supportive who can help us balance it all out, all while tagging along on the ride and enjoying its most outlandish moments along with us.

"Platonic" is currently streaming on Apple TV+.