REVIEW: ‘The Studio’ Thrives In Cringe-Comedy

Seth Rogen takes cringe-comedy to the extreme in the Apple TV+ series The Studio. With a clear reverence for classic filmmaking styles and a deep well of industry talent on board, Rogen and co-creator Evan Goldberg deliver one of their most ambitious projects to date. Refuting standard comedy styles for something more clearly cinematic, the series demonstrates the duo’s considerable technical skills with a strong ensemble to back it all up.

Rogen stars as Matt Remick, who we first meet on the set of a film starring Paul Dano, who Matt tries to buddy up with in between takes. This brief moment establishes who Matt is — a lover of cinema but also a little too eager to befriend celebrities and other A-List talent. He’s desperate for celebrity approval, which is exacerbated once he’s appointed the new head of Continental Studios after his former mentor, played by the always wonderful Catherine O’Hara, is ousted.

He’s thrilled about getting the job and instantly bogged down by the responsibilities that work against his desire to be liked and contribute high-quality pictures. As he’s told by his boss, played wonderfully by a slimy Bryan Cranston, he’s not here to make a film; he’s here to make movies. His first goal is to turn the Kool-Aid IP into a movie. Because if Barbie can make billions of dollars, why can’t Kool-Aid Man?

Of course, this goes against everything that Matt publicly stands for. He has given interviews about how he intends to marry studio, big-budget films with independent, auteur-driven stories. He wants to have it all, and Episode 1 clearly shows this is an impossible feat. The premiere wonderfully sets the tone of The Studio as we watch Matt and his executive team at the studio juggle corporate demands while trying to find a way to achieve their creative ambitions.

The Studio delights in peaking behind the movie making curtain.

It’s a depressing look into the film industry without being genuinely eye-opening. There are no new revelations for anyone who covers film—big-budget movies and franchises dominate the screens. Independent films, even mid-budget films, get limited runs at local theaters before being unceremoniously dumped on streaming and VOD services. Any existing IPs can and will be made. Barney? Polly Pockets? Hot Wheels? Check, check, existentially crisis-inducing check.

But luckily, The Studio doesn’t seem as committed to revealing Hollywood’s dirty secrets as it is to putting its characters through the hilarious ringer. Rogen and Goldberg sympathize with Matt’s character as he tells Patty early on that he came to Hollywood to make movies, and now he worries his job is to kill them. But there’s no denying the unease and discomfort whenever he gleefully appears on a movie set. Episode 2 is particularly catastrophic as he intervenes with Sarah Polley’s shoot and gives unsolicited advice regarding Greta Lee’s character.

But it’s not just the cringe-inducing sincerity of his love for film but how these interactions snowball into varying degrees of mayhem. There are broken glass tables and bloody noses. Flying burritos induce bodily harm, and Ron Howard isn’t quite as friendly as his image makes him seem. Reels of the film are used as significant bargaining chips, and directors rule the industry as the executives do everything they can to court new hot talent while placating the old guards.

The Studio is absolute mayhem, aided by the decision to utilize tracking shots and whip pans throughout the series. Each scene is shot as a “oner,” one long tracking shot with no edits or tricks. In a hilarious ode, Episode 1 ends on a scene from Goodfellas, which famously sported the scene where characters enter a club through the kitchen in a one-shot.

The utilization of this device strategically honors cinematic history by winking at the audience while maintaining its breakneck pacing. It helps too because it’s rare to see this form used in comedy, adding to the manic energy that thrums throughout. The direction keeps a tight focus through cramped movie sets, the winding streets of Los Angeles, and the lavish, timeless studios where Matt and Co. spend their time. These characters are stressed, and the camera movement and filmmaking decisions ensure we feel it, too.

Seth Rogen assembles a tremendous ensemble. 

Not every stylistic choice works. The series is often too glossy and neat despite clearly adopting a grainer aesthetic. But it’s a well-dressed, handsome series due to immaculate costuming. Every suit that Rogen or Chase Sui Wonders wears is beautifully tailored without feeling costumey. They speak to their characters, their respective wealth, and their eye for creativity. That, plus the focus on classic cars and old-school interior design, lend the series a timeless feel despite how buried in the now it is.

The cast of The Studio is similarly superb. Despite the nice suits, Rogen isn’t seeking vanity here, as Matt is often a victim of his misunderstandings or ego. O’Hara is a lovely addition to the cast, and she and Rogen share a sweet, understated chemistry, though we want more of her in the early episodes. However, it’s Ike Barinholtz, Matt’s right-hand man, Sal, who truly shines. He and Wonders are an absolute delight halfway through the series as Sal and Quinn engage in battle over getting a film greenlit.

If anything hampers the enjoyment, it’s that it sometimes stretches the believability of how on earth Matt can mess up so enormously without losing his job. Especially when Sal is waiting in the wings, seemingly a better pick due to how often actors seem to prefer him over Matt. But the buzzy energy helps gloss over those plotholes and inconsistencies. It might not reveal anything new to film fans, but it makes for a rich platform for a story to build itself off. It’s not so much celebrating cinema as showcasing how much Herculean effort goes into making a quality film these days.

The series also offers Rogen the chance to showcase his seeming goodwill in the industry with a plethora of cameos. From obvious ones like previous costars Zac Efron, Anthony Mackie, and Charlize Theron to more notable bragging rights appearances from a truly hilarious Martin Scorsese, there’s a deep pool of talent that Rogen is picking from. The series smartly doesn’t let the guest stars overwhelm the scenes, as they’re mere fixtures for the main characters to work around or against.

The Studio is a fun and refreshing Apple TV series showcasing Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s continued versatility. It may not be revolutionary or dedicated to unearthing Hollywood secrets. Still, the cast is game, and the setting is the perfect place to fuel ridiculous drama and cringe-inducing comedy.

The Studio premieres March 26 on Apple TV+.