Everyone thinks they can make it big in Hollywood… but is it worth the cost?
Developed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, The Studio follows Matt Remick (Rogen), the newly appointed head of Continental Studios. With his deep love of film giving him focus, Matt hopes to create memorable films that can change the world. However, his dreams struggle to become reality when they come up against the realities of modern Hollywood. Battling visionless corporate overlords and famous egos, Matt and his team are left reeling as every set visit and casting decision walks the line between glittering success and career-ending catastrophe.
There’s an energetic pulse to The Studio that never stops. While we’ve seen these sorts of Hollywood satires in the past, there truly is something startlingly joyful about The Studio. Featuring endless long takes and a jazz-inflected soundtrack that never lets up, the viewer is thrown into the consistent and unrelenting chaos of Hollywood. Every decision feels like it matters, even if it’s minor. Every character interaction feels potentially threatening to the future of the studio, even if it doesn’t. In short, The Studio is fast-paced, frenetic and unbelievably funny.
Admittedly, part of the appeal of The Studio is the way that so many major stars embrace the series. Whether it’s Martin Scorsese, Anthony Mackie, Sarah Polley, Great Lee, Zac Efron or a host of others, The Studiobenefits from the massive star power of its cast. This series feels like what most people envision Hollywood to be: major movie stars all bumping into each other as they attempt to mark their territory.
And in the centre of the hurricane lies the absolutely endearing Matt Remick.
Rogen plays Remick with such affability that his reactions feel honest and genuine. In the midst of the chaos of Hollywood, he’s simply a man who loves movies and being a part of the process. Strangely, this Hollywood executive feels like an everyman. Despite having earned his stripes coming up through the system, gaining control of the studio itself throws him into the deep end of the pool.
With this in mind, many of the episodes appear to take a moment in time and blow it up to massive proportions. Similar to The Office, the series focuses on every day decisions within the studio system that seem like they should be mundane. For Matt, these should be decisions that are easy to handle. But his earnestness causes him to continuously get in his own way.
For that reason, the real tension in The Studio is whether or not Matt can adapt (or survive). In every episode, Matt finds himself fighting his own instincts just to stay afloat in the industry. Whether it’s giving unpleasant ‘notes’ to Ron Howard or trying to enjoy ‘the process’ during a oner, Matt’s role comes directly into conflict with his natural personality. Yet, the best example of this comes as Matt is faced with making a movie about Kool-Aid.
When first he receives his promotion, Matt can’t wait to bring prestige back to Continental. With a love of films like The Graduate, his greatest wish is to make films that people remember for all time. Which is why he’s so flattened with the prospect of making a movie about Kool-Aid. After all, to him, a Kool-Aid movie is nothing more than another attempt to make a film about a known soulless commodity that’s easy to market. Yet, he remains undeterred as he tries to balance his own sense of purpose with the Hollywood machine.
He wants to be a good man in a world that demands that he sell his soul.
That spirit keeps The Studio’s heart beating. Even as the world is falling apart around him (and, arguably, within him), Matt’s love of the craft feels honest. It’s his genuine hope to be a part of the creative solution that keeps this satire driven in the right direction, making this Studio one worth investing in.
The first two episodes of The Studio are available now on Apple TV+ and new episodes air on Wednesdays.
