A good comedy isn’t really hard to come by nowadays. We have things like Ted Lasso and Abbott Elementary to bring us joy, and now a new comedy has hit the scene and really highlights relationships and the complications that come with them. Reboot is a thrilling new comedy from Hulu that brings us a nod to our constant need to revive shows from the past.
But where the series shines is also in its ability to bring to life the complexity of relationships, highlighted by the different combination of them in the series. Within the first episode, we get to meet Hannah, who wants to revive her favorite comfort sitcom from when she was growing up, but we quickly learn that it isn’t as simple as that.
Hannah (played by Rachel Bloom) is doing so to take what her father Gordon (Paul Reiser) created and turn it into an actual reflection of their life. It provides us with a wild collection of characters, including the cast of the series Step Right Up that they’re rebooting, and we get to explore how each of them feels about each other, and it’s truly a fascinating character study.
Hannah and Gordon
The core relationship in the series is obviously that of Hannah and Gordon. The father and daughter haven’t had the best relationship, and the original run of Step Right Up highlights Gordon’s relationship with his new family and ignores the one he left behind (Hannah and her mother). So when she comes into the show, she’s ready to force Gordon to see how Reed (Keegan-Michael Key) and his character in Step Right Up has always been a reflection of Gordon.
But through Hannah’s eyes, she calls out his absurdity and his abandonment of her, and from there, we get to see the two actually begin working through their issues. They’re forced to work on the show together, and it is a meeting of the old ways and the modern age, and the way Hannah and Gordon work through their issues while still trying do right by the show is truly cool to see play out.
The cast of Step Right Up
Not only does the show tackle father and daughter relationships, but it also has an interesting take on working relationships, friendships, and what happens when work and romance are twisted into one. With the cast of Step Right Up, you have Bree (Judy Greer) and her past relationship with Reed, as well as both of their ability to put up with Clay (Johnny Knoxville). Not one cares that much about Zack (Calum Worthy) because he was just a kid when they filmed the first show, but having all of them back in the series highlights three different kinds of relationships.
There is the used-to-be-lovers (Reed and Bree) and the coworkers-turned-friends (Reed, Clay, and Bree), and then there are the complicated relationships (Zack and his fictional family, and then Bree with the new addition to the series Timberly, played by Alyah Chanelle Scott).
Watching how they’re all working together despite a number of issues that can (and will) arise between each of the people these relationships is a lot more of a commentary on real life and what actually happens in these situations than if they were screaming and fighting and refusing to talk to each other. It’s an exploration of adults and their relationships towards one another in a way that we rarely get to see in television.
Reboot is such a fun and fascinating watch, and one that you should catch up on. Like right now. Go watch it.
(featured image: Hulu)
