Creator: Timothy Greenberg
(2019) Netflix Original Series- 1 Season- 8 Epsiodes
Genre: Comedy (TV-MA)
Starring Paul Rudd, Aisling Bea, & Desmin Borges
“A man undergoes an experimental treatment to improve his life, only to be replaced by a new and improved version of himself, and must fight for his wife, his career, and his very identity.” -Courtesy of IMDB
Premiere Date: October 18th, 2019
Image Credit: IMDB
Netflix usually involves a bit of gambling when it comes time to select a new series to watch. Sometimes you find your next obsession, and sometimes you waste an hour of your life. I didn’t really feel like I was taking too much of a risk with this series though, because Paul Rudd is a classic in and of himself.
I didn’t laugh out loud the entire time, or compulsively jump to the next episode in anticipation- but I did enjoy the experience. What hooked my interest early on, was the heavy overarching narrative about marriage, and the real unapologetic portrayal of a struggling relationship. I found it powerful to watch the way Rudd’s character, Miles, and his wife Kate are just going through the motions of daily life, painfully coexisting with one another, as communication dries up and resentment sets in. I couldn’t help but feel like every episode had an intended message about the importance of EFFORT in relationships. I enjoyed that thoughtful and honest layer to the series.
Out of the eight episodes in this first season, I enjoyed all but one. The season finale made me feel antsy, as certain scenes just seemed to drag on for far too long. I didn’t enjoy the pacing of the final episode, at all. The ending certainly opened the door to a second season- but I’m not sure if it did a good job enticing me, personally. I wasn’t really satisfied with the presumed direction of the season 2 story line- of course this is just an assumption based off a newly introduced plot line during the season 1 finale.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this series- especially for couples. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone by giving specific examples, but there are plenty of scenes that would be beneficial to watch with your significant other and discuss your reactions.