Critic Reviews

From “Graceland” singalongs to asides about a recent and disturbing reality series to ex-boyfriends dropping like flies, “Laid” might be an acquired taste and could be accused of being less than tasteful, but it’s funny as hell and even kind of sweet in its own warped way.

At times, the show tries too hard to be evocative, like during a mind-boggling finale cameo or when Ruby claims “I’m queerer than I thought” without ever addressing what that means for her sexuality. Thankfully, these missteps are easy to forgive because Laid coasts on charm and Hsu’s delightfully distressed performance.

In the end, the familiarity of Laid becomes more of an asset than its high concept. There’s something delightful about the balance the show strikes between repeating comfort-food clichés and subtly subverting them.

But however frustrating the series can be — and some will not find it frustrating at all — Khan and Bradford write funny dialogue, and Hsu and Mamet are very, very funny delivering it. (Others are good too, especially Angarano and Hyland.) All episodes premiere at once for easy bingeing — and it is, indeed, easy to binge.

Stephanie Hsu’s dynamic lead performance is the main attraction of Laid, but the quest to figure out why Ruby’s lovers are dying and what this all means to her romantic life will be a funny and interesting journey to take with her.

“Laid” is fun, but you don’t want it to end for all the wrong reasons: The closer the show drifts to a solution, the less you want to hear it.

“Laid” reminds me of dozens of other shows — all of which are shows I love, like “Lovesick,” “Jane the Virgin,” “Search Party,” “Hindsight” and “Dead Like Me.” It is biting in ways that feel special and gossipy, and unlike with lesser kooky mystery shows, its characters’ smarts and forthrightness are what move the story forward.

The series is a terrific showcase not only for Hsu, but for Mamet. .... There are some narrative stumbles along the way, though. .... Still, there are enough strong moments sprinkled throughout these eight episodes — various montages of the friends trying and failing to warn Ruby’s exes what’s coming, separate cameos by John Early and Kate Berlant — to make it an appealing holiday binge.

Laid mainly works as a comedic showcase for the talents of Stephanie Hsu. .... It’s in the plotting that things start to slip, but only a little.

Yes, it has a rough spots (a bit involving Hsu singing in a car goes on way too long) but it rights itself every time because of the comedic and dramatic chops of Hsu and others in this talented cast.