SXSW TV Review: ‘The Studio’ is a Marvelously Self-Aware Send-Up of the Movie Business

The magic of the movies stems just as much from what audiences don’t see as what they do. The behind-the-scenes machinations of the industry can be grating and grueling, and there are countless bad decisions that, upon further reflection, seem like they could have been easily avoided. The Studio is a phenomenally entertaining show prepared to explore all of those moves as it follows a newly-appointed studio head who isn’t detached enough from wanting people to like him to make the important hard decisions that come with being in such a position of power.

When he hears that Patty (Catherine O’Hara) is out as head of Continental Studios, Matt (Seth Rogen) is worried that he’s next on the chopping block. But when he’s told that he’s now in charge, he has to pivot to a new existence, one that finds him constantly charged with handling uncooperative talent and answering to the charismatic and not always benevolent Griffin Mill (Bryan Cranston) when one of his moves is in progress and gets swiftly halted. It’s a challenging role to be sure, and Matt doesn’t make things any better by getting personally invested in every relationship and project, threatening his authority and the longevity of holding the job he’s wanted for so long.

Among the creative forces behind The Studio are Rogen and his longtime writing partner Evan Goldberg. Fifteen years after Superbad, they’ve amassed an incredible network within Hollywood that has evidently made possible numerous cameos within each episode of this show, starting with Martin Scorsese as himself in the first episode and only continuing from there. While Matt, his team, and Continental Studios are all fictional, there’s something decidedly fun about having everyone else play a version of themselves so that it feels as if this world isn’t that far off from how things really are.

Fans of Silicon Valley will appreciate this show, which replicates its end-of-the-world mentality that sinks in midway through each episode before things somehow get better by the end of the half-hour. Multiple crises could be easily avoided if Matt weren’t so desperate to be liked and to be accommodating, and it’s entertaining to see how others, particularly Maya (Kathryn Hahn), who heads up marketing, enjoy throwing him under the bus and blaming him even for things that aren’t quite his fault. This is a searing portrayal of Hollywood that feels all too accurate, not meant for those like Matt who have feelings and want the recognition that Patty tells him almost never comes for someone who’s theoretically in charge of so much.

Rogen levels up from his most recent TV roles in Pam & Tommy and Platonic, bringing exactly the right nervous energy to Matt to make him a combination of endearing and pitiable. Populating his core team with Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, and Chase Sui Wonders is a very strong winning strategy, since each of them brings something different and vital to their parts. Hahn is unfiltered and mean as Maya, always doubting and insulting the intelligence of everyone around her. Barinholtz is high-energy and all too willing to commit to mistakes as Matt’s best friend Sal, while Wonders, a breakout from Genera+ion and Bodies Bodies Bodies, represents a young moral compass easily swayed by the allure of getting a big break. They’re a formidable team well-complemented by the many celebrity guest stars whose presence feels extremely appropriate and always contributes productively to the storyline.

This show skewers Hollywood and the movie business in a way that parses out the blame to everyone, not pointing fingers at any one specific facet but instead on the entire machine, which demands profit at the expense of legitimate storytelling and makes everyone complicit. That’s a fun way to do it since everyone should be able to laugh at the people they recognize and profess not to be. Its production values, recreating sets and lavish locations, are also strong, giving off a feel of an old-school Hollywood where there’s still something magical about making movies. This show – unlike so much of what’s portrayed on it – is a true success, one with many more stories to tell that should absolutely become an enduring staple of this moment’s top-tier television.  

Series Rating: 9/10