Created by: Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller
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pple TV+’s Platonic, a celebration of complicated friendships hailing from co-creators Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller, is finally back. The show’s brilliant Season 1 saw complicated besties Will (Seth Rogen) and Sylvia (Rose Byrne) overcoming Will’s divorce, Sylvia’s relationship issues, and the pair’s mutual button-pushing, culminating in series highs for both characters. It’s a unique show that enjoyably mines the complexity of close friendships for laughs, cringeworthy moments, and conflict alike.
Platonic S2 is another winner, finding novel new challenges to test platonic dynamics and showcasing top-notch timing from every member of the team for one of the year’s best comedy TV series.
The second season begins with Will’s upcoming marriage to Jenna (Rachel Rosenbloom) facing several unexpected challenges in both its core fundamentals and very specific, life-changing events that won’t be spoiled here. Meanwhile, Sylvia’s catering business takes off, stretching her to the limits of her capacities, such that Will has to get involved. She has new tensions in her marriage after her husband Charlie’s (Luke Macfarlane) dream deflates, leading to a series of funny spirals. The word of the day in Platonic S2 is “boundaries,” and it’s well-utilised through an engaging set of situations and arcs.
The core of Platonic is the hilarious tit-for-tat between its talented leads. Byrne and Rogen have seasoned comedic timing and fantastic chemistry, which led to an enjoyable first season while making partner jealousy and its attendant problems feel intuitive. Their easy-going rapport hasn’t diminished in Season 2. Byrne finds subtle humour in wanting to feel cool but trying to take off and be, at times, the only grown-up in the room. Meanwhile, Rogen is as awkward as ever as Will contends with more adult set-ups this season, but still with a modicum of immaturity plaguing his decisions until he finally figures out a path forward. Luke Macfarlane excels as Charlie becomes unmoored, while Katie (Carla Gallo) elevates every scene she’s in with wit and charm.
“Just as balancing platonic, too-close friendships against one’s romantic relationships is difficult, so are the myriad perils of adulthood. Platonic successfully finds fresh material that utilises the relatable circularity of adult crises in memorable new ways, punctuated by smartly written dialogue and memorable laugh-out-loud moments. Byrne and Rogen are excellent, supported by a talented cast of returning players and new additions. It’s a strong season that cements Platonic as one of the best, breeziest, most enjoyable comedies on television.”
Season 2 boasts some of Platonic’s best set pieces and high-concept situations yet. An errant Jeopardy! appearance, chaotic parties, a surprising government raid, and a scenic tour down the L.A. River are just a few of many memorable moments. They’re consistently wielded to provide hilarity and interpersonal conflict, sometimes in immediate succession. This second season skillfully builds on the themes of the first by mining the perils of consequential choices and the tension they bring. Other comedies have dug into these themes before, of course, but whereas myriad dramedies like This Is 40 find the depressing monotony in hard human choices, Platonic makes even the toughest dilemmas fun.
At times, Platonic S2 feels like it’s playing fast and loose with its narrative arcs, with characters swinging wildly between 30-something-minute episodes. Structurally, while both Will and Sylvia’s stories evolved apace in Season 1, the show’s return seems to struggle in finding that balance at times. Those issues aside, however, Season 2 is exceptional. The series’ dramatic core is confident, but its humour is better scripted and more inventive than ever. It ends on a solid setup for a third outing, and it’s clear there’s no creative exhaustion yet.
Just as balancing platonic, too-close friendships against one’s romantic relationships is difficult, so are the myriad perils of adulthood. Platonic successfully finds fresh material that utilises the relatable circularity of adult crises in memorable new ways, punctuated by smartly written dialogue and memorable laugh-out-loud moments. Byrne and Rogen are excellent, supported by a talented cast of returning players and new additions. It’s a strong season that cements Platonic as one of the best, breeziest, most enjoyable comedies on television.
– Courtesy: Collider.com