There’s a wise saying that sounds a bit like this: “Good pop culture references are hard to find.” Maybe it’s in a book. Or was it just a short story? Of course this quote is a reference to something (perhaps a Sufjan Stevens song?); I can’t remember where I heard it. But it’s true: Books, movies, celebrities, music, whatever, fantastic references to our culture are few and far between. So parody The other two very remarkable. Comedy has some of the smartest satire of any TV show airing today, and probably the tightest grasp of the spirit of the time. Perhaps even in any sitcom ever made—The other two bravely compete 30 Rock At this point.
The bold HBO Max series, which moved from Comedy Central to the newly launched HBO broadcaster in 2021, is one of the very few original titles to withstand the many disruptions Warner Media made before the launch of its new publisher, “Max.” . That’s what the show deserves. In fact, Warner’s silly remake looks like something The other two He used to parody. And don’t you know, they do! In the first episode of this third season, The other two It makes a mockery of the platform on which it’s aired, with a slight fry up about the hunt for VOD movies amid a chaotic streaming landscape.
The VOD movie in question night nurse, Cary’s (Drew Tarver) hit movie that ended up being the “most postponed movie” due to the pandemic. When it finally premiered, minutes before the movie was shown on the big screen, a bailiff came on stage and said that the theater had been sold to Starbucks and that the audience had to vacate it. It’s a grim portrait of the ongoing crisis facing American cinemas — major theaters like the Cinerama Dome and many Regal locations have closed in the wake of the pandemic — but it’s also the perfect plot point to kickstart Cary’s curve this season.
Although he has finally found success (albeit mildly) in the acting world, he still wants more. More acting gigs in New York and his pursuit of fame lead to riffs on him. Law and orderThe trope of Wes Anderson and pop culture’s gay best friend. We’re heading into the third season of the same broadcast for tired actor Cary, but the effort for recognition (in a house with two famous people, let’s not forget) never feels overdone. There’s almost an episode of Cary’s auditions this season, and it’s gripping. If I get the chance, I’ll watch another 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, the “other” Brooke (Heléne Yorke) struggles with her married life. Well, maybe not married life – it’s just engaged to her on-again, off-again boyfriend Lance (Josh Segarra), but it definitely feels like married life. The pandemic has forced Brooke and Lance to spend their last moments together. It’s a big change for the couple, who spent most of the last season ignoring their chemistry and avoiding getting back together, and they’re having a hard time adjusting to their new dynamic.
While Cary has put up with a lot of fun nonsense in her acting endeavors, it’s Brooke who’s featured and centered in this new season. The other two. As Lance embarks on a new career as a nurse—of course he is, he’s the dream man— Brooke is going through an existential crisis throughout her career. He loves what he does (entertainment promotion for his family), but clings to a monotony, believing that nothing he works on will have a greater impact on the world. How can you spend 40 hours a week debating sponsorship deals, battling hordes of hungry fans, and pleasing two of the hardest working people in the world, two A-List celebrities who are also your mother and younger brother?
The show’s Ellen DeGeneres parody Pat (Molly Shannon) now owns an entire TV network and is engaged to Justin Bieber-like Chase (Case Walker), Kiernan Shipka. Their stories take a big backseat for Brooke and Cary this season, but they’re still fun bright spots when they’re around: Chase tries to juggle two relationships at once, while Pat hires the Secret Service equivalent to protect him from her. gangs and fans. Then there are Streeter (Ken Marino) and Shuly (Wanda Sykes), who complicate things when Brooke tries to leave the entertainment industry.
The extra time devoted to Brooke and Cary makes them even richer characters in this third installment of the series. As Cary grapples with her inability to bond with her new boyfriend, it’s relationship drama second to career drama this season. they can’t talk about anything. This may be because the new BF is constantly acting methodically, channeling sad characters like a secretive teenage boy or a dying man with AIDS when dating. He may be the Jeremy Strong of the queer acting community, but Cary is interested in this because he’d rather connect with the industry through him than never date him. It’s absolutely hilarious to watch the reenactment of Carey’s boyfriend Best regards, Victor And Angels in America but it also reveals just how far Cary can go for her career.
Brooke has a similar problem with Lance. She refuses to open up to him about career concerns. (Talk to him! He’s so cute, he’s almost a puppy!) Instead, he chose to quit the job and applied for a “good job” planting trees to prove to Lance that he’s a good person like him. But Brooke is tormented by lying to her fiancee, pretending to enjoy her job, and missing her old life. Attempts to balance the three at once—showing up at entertainment events while simultaneously proving to Lance that his hands are covered in mud from his charity work—make for a hilarious comedy of errors. But as the season progresses, Brooke’s curve becomes much more complex and drifts into an existential crisis.
The dramatic turn, which is actually quite funny, shows how deep it is. The other two understand their character and motivations. A show with lots of pop culture references and hockey characters. But underneath the thinly veiled narcissism, The other two he has a little heart. Over the last two seasons, we’ve come to love these deeply flawed, Hollywood-obsessed weirdos. Now, what happens when their struggles become more serious than funny? Answer: We still adore them and even more.
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