Togetherness

It's sad that so many people can't appreciate this show. We're apparently miles apart...in sensibility. To my mind there is a unique, original kind of imagination behind it. I see it pointing the way toward a new maturity in pop filmmaking. In fact it brings the best of indie film sensibility to the small screen. It's significant that Nicole Holofcener directed one of the episodes, because her 2001 film "Lovely and Amazing" can be seen as a progenitor of the Duplass brother's capacities and interests here. I also don't think I have ever seen filmmaking that had me laughing so gratefully at such odd moments. The show's comic sensibility is very restrained and subtle. The brothers see a direction thru yearning and frustration that avoids despair and violence at all costs. It's obvious that parenthood has played a major role in getting them to this point. The portraits of the infant, for instance, are stunning.

I love this show so much and im so sad they canceled it, im willing to sell my car just so they can make one more episode.



please contact me if you want me to sell my car.

As I was midway through the first season I was wondering why it didn't create more buzz when it came out, it's one the best shows that are never talked about. It starts out on a lighter note, people laughing and enjoying themselves but as the series progresses it becomes bit more downcast but the progression is natural. It's very real and doesn't feel like the show was written for anything but that, not aesthetics, not for laughs, etcetera; at no point does it feel like they changed the story or dialogue to make it more interesting, deep or funny because it's such a natural flow of events. It was just made to exhibit the struggles of long term relationships, not just romantic, but between best friends, work partners and family as well, when they've each hit lows.

Before I finished the show I already knew HBO called it quits after season 2 and was a little disappointed it'll come to an end but i think they ended it in a good place, a bit rubber stamp but in a good place. Not a happy, but more of a hopeful sign off. I think it'd run its course and a third season would've felt forced after a few episodes in terms of where they were gonna take the show.

Too bad that this was canceled. It was really just getting it's legs in season 2. Always with the Duplass brothers a bit of a slow burn....took a season to get into the characters, but I had high hopes for future seasons. Really hoping Netflix or Amazon will pick it up like they've done for other shows to give it another chance. Not sure it was ever meant for HBO....maybe Showtime even would have been a better fit. Great cast and fun, creative stories each episode. I don't even have kids but didn't mind that much of the show was centered around parenting because the characters were strong and ring true to their age group and genre. I hope that the energy is resurrected in another Duplass project or that someone else picks it up.

The cast of "Togetherness" consists mainly of actors who are known from other comedies, playing secondary roles like Mark Duplass ("The Mindy Project"), Melanie Lynskey ("Two and a Half Men"'s Rose) and Amanda Peet who among other TV shows had a small breakthrough to the big screen with comedies such as "The Whole Nine Yards".

Nothing original about the premise of Togetherness. A married couple with kid(s), a loser (and stereotypically fat) best friend who sleeps on their couch, a sister who doesn't know what she wants to do with her life and her biological clock is ticking for a solid relationship...

So, how is this any different from the thousands other sitcoms of present, past and future? Well...it isn't...by much.

It tries to be more "sexual oriented". The problems of marital sex, secret desires, the need for ...self satisfaction etc.

You even get to see Amanda Peet's naked breasts for at least ...5 Mississippis, and Mark Duplass's ...(well the 3 last letters of his surname)!

Thankfully those nude/sex scenes aren't ridiculous. They didn't went for the laughs. The goal of the producers wasn't (obviously) to make it look "sensual" or "spicy" either. It seems to me like they are trying to bring up the loneliness everyone feels nowadays, even if he or she are surrounded by people. A symbolism of lost hopes too. I think that's why they preferred the title "Togetherness" instead of "Bret & Michelle" or something. Everyone needs someone to be close to.