The Studio Review: Hilarious Niche Comedy

The Studio, a new comedy from Apple TV+, follows the president of Continental Studios as he learns to balance his love of film with the bottom line.

He loves movies, and this is his dream job – helping films find their way to the silver screen. However, in order to secure this position, he needs to convince the studio head, Griffin (Bryan Cranston, Argylle), that he will follow the bottom line rather than his heart. They aren’t there to make films; they are there to make movies.

The only reason the position is open is that Griffin has fired Patty (Catherine O’Hara, The Wild Robot), the long-time studio president. Matt’s friend and co-worker Sal Saperstein (Ike Barinholtz, Orion and the Dark) is also up for the position, but they promise to remain friends if Matt gets the job. Matt does receive the promotion and then advances his assistant, Quinn (Chase Sui Wonders, Bodies Bodies Bodies), to a new position as well. With all of these shakeups, the question becomes, will Continental Studios be able to bring a strong slate of films to CinemaCon and keep the studio from being swallowed up by a bigger company?

If you are interested in the ongoing fight between artistry and the bottom line, you will certainly enjoy The Studio. The debut season addresses that in nearly every one of its ten episodes while also poking fun at the executives who have such a high opinion of themselves in the context of filmmaking. The scripts are witty and snappy, and the performances have a manic energy that is incredibly engrossing. 

The set designs on The Studio also deserve a mention. Apple TV+ always has some of the best-looking shows, and this is no exception. From the lavish offices to the backlot shots, the production design on this show is phenomenal. They are able to create a fictional studio that feels entirely real.

This is extended to the slate of films the show has created. The Studio is chock-full of cameos from A-list actors and directors. In the first episode, Matt hears a film pitch from Martin Scorsese. Later, Ron Howard mocks him. We see films starring Gretta Lee, Paul Dano, and Anthony Mackie. Every episode is filled with celebrities. 

The performances from the primary cast are all stellar. Rogen brings his loveable doofus character to Matt. O’Hara and Cranston have limited screen time, but every moment they appear in is absolute gold. Barinholz has so much energy that he practically jumps off the television at you. Kathryn Hahn absolutely kills as the marketing exec. And all of the stars that show up for an episode give it their all, adding so much reality to the stories.

But even with so many things working in favor of The Studio, I can’t help but feel a nagging concern that this show may go the way of The Franchise. Despite clever scripts, phenomenal performances, and impeccable production value, this feels like a series with a very niche appeal. There is a lot of insider language and humor in this, and while there are moments that are comedic on a broad scale, much of it feels like the kind of humor that requires a lot of industry knowledge that the average viewer may not have.

To that, there isn’t much of a narrative story to follow in the show. The first episode is the acquisition of a tentpole blockbuster film and the struggle Matt experiences between wanting to create quality movies and the need for the studio to make money with a film that has mass appeal. It is a genuinely funny episode, but despite this being touted as the most important get for Continental, it isn’t brought up again until Episode 7. This makes sense because the show isn’t about creating individual films but about the studio funding and distributing these movies. However, it means that the first half of the season is set up for the final three episodes. With weekly drops, I’m skeptical that enthusiasm for it will hold.

But despite some reservations about who the audience for this might be, The Studio is easily one of the funniest things I’ve watched in a while. I hope Apple TV+ will let the series cook, and I am anxious to see if viewers will be interested in what they’re serving. 

The 2-episode season premiere of The Studio will be released on Apple TV+ on March 26, 2025, followed by weekly episodes every Wednesday, with the finale on May 21.

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