Platonic

There is just something about Rogen’s nice Canadian Jewish boy shtick that works well with Byrne’s repressed party-girl sensibility. And the duo’s odd-but-not-really couple chemistry is made all the better when the actress is allowed to use her natural Australian accent.

A series about rediscovering joyful solidarity in the face of misery, and the bittersweetness of transcending that tumultuous stage, it’s a triumph of heartfelt humor—and reconfirmation that Rogen and Byrne are an unbeatable team.

Every now and then, Platonic leans a bit too hard on scenes where Will and Sylvia panic and begin screaming at each other about their latest catastrophe. But even some of those louder gags are terrific.

What Platonic gets right about the romantic-comedy genre, though, ultimately makes up for the show’s shortcomings. This show understands that, in art as in life, one of the great joys the world has to offer is the act of hanging out with someone who truly gets you, sharing french fries, in-jokes, and stories of your often boring, occasionally magical lives. I appreciated, too, the matter-of-factness with which both leads are presented as potential objects of romantic desire.

The primary reasons to tune into the sophomore season of Apple TV+’s thoroughly enjoyable but risk-adverse series about the exploits of the likable but L.A. neurotic besties Syliva (Rose Byrne) and Will (Seth Rogen) are: 1. Byrne. 2. Rogen. 3. Luke MacFarlane.

While we’re still not fully on board with the relationship at the center of Platonic, we can see where it might be going in the second season, and it’s a direction that makes a whole lot more sense for Will and Sylvia as their lives shift and change.

It’s left with the worst of both worlds: neither the laughs of the former nor the insight of the latter. Two unpleasant people hanging out can be a good TV show. (Rest in power, “Difficult People.”) “Platonic” just isn’t.

The chemistry between Rose Byrne & Set Rogen in the "Neighbors" films gets full treatment in this series. She plays a happily-married mom of 3, when he comes back into her life, newly divorced. They endeavor to repair the friendship that didn't end well, which leads to conflicts. This duo has a natural rapport that forms the core of the story, but the genuinely funny writing also contributes. Rogen is his usual casual guy, while her uptight mom is her best comedy role yet (the Ketamine scene is hilarious). It's a breezy delight. (Review based on the 4 of 10 30-minute eps)

Hilarious, awkward, and surprisingly heartfelt—perfect binge if you love messy friendships!

Entertaining at first. The platonic relationship is light and funny. But the show repeatedly implies that it's acceptable to trash other people's property when you're drunk and having fun. It's bad enough to take your marriage so lightly that you maintain a sloppy drunken relationship with an old friend, but the show really is corrupt in so many ways.

This makes no sense to me. She certainly isn't a happy stay at home Mom. He seems to be all over the place. Ok, so they used to be ****-so what. You can't rekindle what "used to be." It's nonsense to even try. She seems to have it all--everything except ambition. She is willing to risk it all to be able to relive the good ole college years?! The whole thing is to slap stick for me. I have only watched 4 episodes and will not watch any more. Totally stupid to risk everything you have worked for - for years just to relive the past.

After running out of a pawn shop Seth asks Rose if she wants a weed gummy. Seriously? How is that part of the story? It's part of Rogen's story, but then it always is and it's boring, just like this show. The acting is horrendous and phony; there's no chemistry; there's no point; and the only interesting characters are Rose's husband and friend. Unwatchable.