Platonic

What a great little show. After four episodes, I think it's safe to say this one's a winner. I'm not a huge Seth Rogen fan in particular, and I just know Rose Byrne from a few movies. But as the two friends at the center of this contemporary comedy, they have chemistry. Each episode is written by a different writer, but they all have the same sense of humor, it seems. Nothing feels too contrived, either. Nor does the fact of the main characters friendship overwhelm the stories. It's not until episode four that we deal with Byrne's husband feeling a little jealous, a little left out. And it's resolved, ultimately (spoiler alert?), with communication, love, and understanding. Imagine that.

As a Seth Rogen fan I've been looking forward to Platonic ever since I first heard about it. I loved Rogen and Rose Byrne in Neighbors so I had high expectations for this. Well, it not only met those expectations but surpassed them in every way. I know a lot of people say that Rogen always plays the same character and that's true to a point but I and many others find him very funny. Almost everything he's in does well at the box office. This is first tv show since Freaks and Geeks and that was before he became a movie star. Usually, A-List celebrities like these two don't do tv shows unless it's something really good. I'm looking forward to seeing more of this show.

Two estranged former best friends meet up again and rekindle their friendship. The plot is simple but what makes it work is the chemistry between Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne - basically if you enjoyed their work in the Neighbor's movies then you will have a pleasant time here. Sure the humor is crude, but that's what makes it stand out from the countless bland sitcoms that currently populate the TV landscape. The first three episodes that launched today are super relaxing and a perfect way to kick your feet up after a long day at work! The only complaint would be that the supporting characters don't really have much of a voice at the moment and I suppose that's perfectly fine as the main focus is on the dynamic between the two leads. It would be super cool if the characters do live up to the title of the show and remain strictly platonic because to be honest there are hardly any shows, comedy or otherwise that feature strong male/female friendships. So yeah, if the humor of the Neighbor's movies are your bag (bonus being this is by the same director of those movies), then stream with confidence.

As Episode 1 of "Platonic" (2023 release; 10 episodes ranging between 27 and 33 min each) opens, we are introduced to Sylvia, her husband Charlie an their 3 kids, arguing what to watch. Sylvia then learns on social media that Will, her erstwhile best friend whom she hasn't seen in years, is getting divorced. Charlie encourages her to reach out to Will, to show her support. At this point we are less than 10 minutes into episode 1.

Couple of comments: this marks the grand reunion of director/co-writer Nicholas Stoller, and leads Rose Byrne (as Sylvia) and Seth Rogen (as Will). All three were also on board for the feature film "Neighbors" and its sequel. "Platonic" provides a familiar perspective on the issue of whether members of the opposite sex can be the best friends without, well, the sex. Both Sylvia and Will are flawed, and hence very relatable, characters, with their ups and downs. The chemistry between these two feels natural (or maybe it's just 2 great performers doing what they do well: acting). With episodes being about a half hour, all of this breezes by in no time.

"Platonic" premiered in late May on Apple TV and so far 4 episodes have been released. The remainder 6 episodes are coming on a weekly basis, on Wednesdays. If you are in the mood for a modern relationship comedy, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Sure, it's nothing special in terms of recipe, but the final dish is refreshingly sweet and honest.

Platonic is a mostly feel-good and charming look at adult relationships, friendship and midlife crisis shenanigans with Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen's chemistry elevating the material. If you're not into the Seth Rogen brand of humour you might actually be surprised by this performance which shows a more mature Seth Rogen who's still able to pull out some genuinely funny moments of comedy when necessary. In terms of exploration of adulthood, don't expect anything too deep but everything is flowing so smoothly that I ended up watching one episode after the other over two days.

Will (Seth Rogen) just got out of a divorce and is a owner of a brewery while Sylvia (Rose Byrne) is a stay-at-home mom of three kids who's clearly bored with her life, they both end up reconnecting after spending a few years apart. It's a light and entertaining Friday night watch with some good performances all-around. When Rose Byrne channels her inner comedic side she can be effortlessly hilarious and it's almost as if Seth Rogen brings out the best of her which allows her to unleash her wild side.

I got attach to them pretty quickly thanks also to the writing which is not flashy but can be clever at times. It wins you over with the smaller moments that speaks volume. Maybe it's because I just hit my 30's or maybe it's because I always liked Seth Rogen, but this resonated with me without saying I was emotionally moved by the series it does get you hooked with the blend of drama and comedy, all thanks to Byrne and Rogen's charms and wits.

I just think this works without being special or ground-breaking, it immediately becomes some sort of comfort food. In some ways, this might've benefited from the whole season dropping the same day but the first three episodes will be releasing on May 24th. It might lose some people along the way with the week-to-week format. By the end of the series, I was a bit underwhelmed by the finale, it left me wanting more. I still think it was a good watch overall.