Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of all of your favorite Hollywood movies? Or perhaps, what discussions and interactions take place among your favorite actors and producers? If only there were a show that provided a new look at all of those things while still providing a complex plot to keep each viewer on the edge of their seat.

Now there is.

Apple TV’s “The Studio” is a new Hollywood satirical comedy that revolves around the experience of directors Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen as they portray their depictions of the current state of the movie industry. The show consists of a star-studded cast, including Kathryn Hahn, Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz and Chase Sui Wonders. The show primarily follows Matt Remick, played by Seth Rogen, a first-year head of the fictional Continental Studios as he maneuvers through the world of entertainment.

The series released its first episode in late March; since then, weekly episodes have been highly anticipated by the public. It left critics raving, as the show was rated 8.0/10 on IMDb (The Internet Movie Database) and 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

I’ve watched the first eight episodes so far and I’ve been engrossed with the comedic nature of the show and how much range Seth Rogen shows off with his role as the lead character. In the past, Rogen has been known to stick to dumb-fun movies like “Superbad” in 2007 and “The Interview” in 2014, but in this series, he switches it up a little bit and takes on a more complex role.

So far, the one episode that stood out to me the most was episode two, labelled “The Oner.”
The premise of the episode is to explore the difficulty of finding that one special shot and everything that could go wrong, goes wrong. Matt and his executive assistant, Sal, played by Ike Barinholtz, visit the production of one of his movies, and his love for the art of filmmaking ends up being too disruptive for filmmaker Sarah Polley, who cameos as herself, and he ends up ruining the whole set. The episode keeps viewers on the edge of their seat the whole time and shows off how passionate Matt is toward the films he produces.

Polley was only one example of the cameos this show contains, as other superstars such as Martin Scorsese, Zac Efron, Ron Howard, and Anthony Mackie have all made guest appearances in separate episodes. While some may complain that these cameos are too much and take away from the actual plot of the show, I think they add another layer of realism as Rogen and Goldberg attempt to portray current-day Hollywood. By seeing all these stars outside of their usual public appearances, you’re, in turn, better able to visualize what the production of real movies may look like.

The first season of “The Studio” is enjoyable because of the different themes that are explored on top of the constant-cringy comedic aspect of the show. These fast-paced episodes cover important problems such as the impact of AI and new technology on the production of entertainment and how much race plays a role in casting individuals. I would highly recommend that you go out and watch It before the first season ends.