Slow Horses, Severance, Shrinking and Silo already make Apple TV Plus one of the best streaming services around even without a library of old TV shows and movies to enjoy. But if early buzz proves true, the streaming service will soon be adding the best new comedy of 2025, per various critics, in The Studio (Apple TV Plus has good luck with shows starting with “S” apparently).
Critics in attendance at the annual South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas, were among the first to see The Studio, which stars Seth Rogen as the new head of a Hollywood studio who has to contend with his desire to make great movies that last and add to the art form, and the real business struggles of running a studio that can often run in conflict of that. The reactions were pretty great from all that watched it, as evidenced by the show’s 100% Rotten Tomatoes score as of publication.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Angie Han called the show a contender for “the best new comedy of 2025” and The Playlist’s Gregory Ellwood said it is “the most entertaining and spot-on depiction of Hollywood since Robert Altman’s The Player.” Those reactions have ramped up my excitement for this show exponentially.
I’m always intrigued about Hollywood making movies about itself, not only because I’m interested in the history and machinations of Hollywood, but also because it’s interesting to see how critical or how much fun they’re willing to poke at themselves (see Tropic Thunder). But I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Studio.
While I like Rogen, the trailer intrigued me with its myriad of celebrity cameos and I loved that they used a variety of classic movie poster styles to help market the show, I honestly didn’t have too high of expectations. But these early reviews are changing my mindset.
Created, produced written and directed by Rogen and his long-time collaborator Evan Goldberg, if the reviews are true and they are able to openly critique many of the hypocrisies and eccentricities of Hollywood while still paying homage to the art form that I have grown up loving, then I can quickly see this becoming one of my new favorite shows.
My excitement has risen, which will make these next two weeks harder for me to wait for the first two episodes to premiere on March 26.
You must have an Apple TV Plus subscription to watch The Studio when it premieres on March 26.
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