Your Friends and Neighbors

Jonathan Tropper is mostly known among Iranian series lovers for Banshee-one of the best action TV shows ever, which still gets people talking with excitement. But fewer people know that he also created another martial arts action series called Warrior, inspired by Bruce Lee's legacy, and it's honestly just as thrilling.

In Your Friends & Neighbors, aside from a cast that overlaps with Banshee, you can feel similar storytelling vibes-especially in character development and narrative setup. We meet a character who, after going through a certain experience, can no longer "be himself." It's very reminiscent of Lucas Hood in Banshee. But this time, Tropper steps into a new, less familiar world-especially for someone known for gritty action.

Here, we follow the life of a charismatic man (played by the effortlessly charming Jon Hamm) who's facing financial ruin and turns to stealing from his wealthy friends and neighbors to survive. The tension of living a double life, assuming a new identity, and juggling parallel stories is deeply felt-again, very Banshee-like. Even the show's raw sex scenes and alluring female characters bring that familiar edge, though maybe not quite as intense, but still memorable.

In terms of theme and tone, the show is clearly about collapse-everything is on the verge of falling apart, as the opening credits suggest. But that collapse is wrapped in a blend of drama and dark humor, to the point where you sometimes forget just how tragic the story really is because of how sweetly it's being told.

Before I started this series, I thought The Studio was the best currently airing show. But now that I've reached episode seven, I can confidently say Your Friends & Neighbors is doing something truly special. Definitely add it to your watchlist.

I have to say I really enjoyed this series even more than I expected to. Besides Apple TV always putting out bangers, I'm a fan of both Jon Hamm and Olivia Munn so I was looking forward to this since the moment first heard about it. I'm glad it didn't disappoint. The thing that did surprise me though is it's funnier than I expected. Your Friends and Neighbors is about a hedge fund manager (Hamm) who gets fired in disgrace. Not knowing what to do next he resorts to stealing from his Westmont Village neighbors. Besides the money and valuables he steals he also comes across a bunch of secrets his wealthy friends have that prove to be very dangerous. I definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a fun new show to watch.

This show has an interesting premise that follows through with hooks that keep you intrigued and looking forward to the next episode. The acting is nuanced and very well done. I've seen Amanda Peet and John Hamm in many shows, but in this case forget them and only see the roles they are playing, same with Olivia Munn. The kids of the couple play tortured rich children with too much pressure on them well. The settings are beautiful and are a definite juxtaposition to the internal strife of that all the characters. Everything is not what it seems, from the underpaid maids to the overpaid hedge fund executives.

I started watching this show with no expectations and very soon it took me in. A great, smooth and funny John Hamm and the rest of the cast is also well chosen.

Basically the story has a lot of potential and could become something huge if the surprises keep coming. Up to this point the storytelling is subtle and intriguing, although I don't like the part with the troublesome kids, which I think is just too worn out. But besides that, it has its moments, nice one liners and of course the superb narration of Coop which always come into play at the right time.

I believe Apple TV just landed another great show.

Your Friends and Neighbors is another hit in a long line of hits for Apple TV+. No other company has a higher percentage of hits than Apple TV right now. It seems like every show they put out is great and addictive. Now, this one isn't their best show but it's absolutely worth watching. Jon Hamm is as terrific as always. His character in this actually reminds me of his best character ever in Don Draper from Mad Men. Olivia Munn (who's one of the prettiest actresses in Hollywood) and Amanda Peet also shine here. All three give some of the best performances of their careers and should have a good chance at being nominated for some awards. I do hate waiting a week between shows though, a show like this is better watched as a binge. There seems to plenty of ways the show can go to produce more seasons so I really hope they plan on doing several more seasons.