“The Studio” (2025)
I struggled to start my review of “The Studio” because there are just so many things I love about it.
I knew I would likely enjoy this show from creators Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Frida Perez, Peter Huyck and Alex Gregory, as I have a soft spot for shows and movies about the entertainment industry.
But I really deeply loved “The Studio,” and it is sitting atop my list of the best shows of 2025. Even though it’s only March, I cannot imagine a show topping it this year.
First, it is absolutely hilarious, utilizing every kind of humor, from satire to slapstick, from stoner to cringe. I have not laughed that hard in a while, and I really needed those laughs.
At the same time, the show serves as a love letter to moviemaking, even if it is a rather cynical one at times. There are also some great earnest moments as well.
In addition to producing, directing and writing, Rogen stars as newly named Continental Studios Head Matt Remick. Each episode shows him dealing with different movie productions the studio is working on in various stages, from development to casting to filming to distribution to awards season.
The team around him also gets to shine, most notably Ike Barinholtz as a producer and one of Matt’s closest colleagues, Chase Sui Wonders as an up-and-coming producer, Kathryn Hahn as the head of marketing and Catherine O’Hara as Matt’s predecessor and a producer on some of the movies the studio is making. Bryan Cranston also gives a deeply unhinged performance as Matt’s boss, the CEO of the corporation that owns Continental.
On top of the core group of Continental staff, “The Studio” somehow wrangled a who’s who of top-line talent to appear in single episodes and multi-episode arcs, including Zoe Kravitz, Anthony Mackie, Zac Efron, Quinta Brunson, Olivia Wilde, Greta Lee, Dave Franco, Sarah Polley, Nicholas Stoller, Ron Howard and the one and only Martin Scorsese. They even got Ted Sarandos to make a memorable appearance as himself, which is quite the feat considering this is an Apple show and he runs Netflix.
Not only does the show feature some of my favorite actors and directors, it also features in-depth discussions of some of the nitty gritty aspects of filmmaking, both the art form and the business. Given the trajectory of my career and where I’ve found myself this spring, I loved these components of the show so much.
For example, “The Studio” expertly balances the topic of negotiating contracts and edits with creatives while also having a noir-themed episode. The show takes some big swings and really knocks it out of the park.
I anticipate “The Studio” being a show I rewatch again and again, and I hope it has a long life ahead of it with multiple seasons.
Even if you’re not a big movie person like me, a lot of the comedy is broad enough to make it a great binge watch for anyone who is looking for a new show to watch.