The Studio, on Apple TV+

In a way, you could say Continental Studios’ upcoming tent-pole is sort of a Marvel movie, because back in the 1980s, Marvel Comics released five promotional comics featuring the Kool-Aid Man. It was a little weird at the time, but a big-budget Kool-Aid Man movie is a daunting task for Matt Remick, but he had to feign enthusiasm to get promoted to run the studio. He wants to be Robert Evans, but his insecurities are only too obvious in writer-creators Seth Rogan, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez’s 10-episode The Studio, which premieres today on Apple TV+.

Remick loves movies, so he wants his talent to love him back. Instead, they usually blow him off, at least until sleazy CEO, Griffin Mill, promotes him to studio chief, replacing his mentor, Patty Leigh. However, Remick soon offers her a lucrative producing deal to keep her in the fold. He will have many challenges shepherding Kool-Aid, as well as the rest of his upcoming slate, including Ron Howard’s Alphabet City and a Sarah Polley art film.

Fortunately, his core staff remains more-or-less loyal to him, including his hard-drinking buddy Sal Saperstein, his freshly promoted former assistant Quinn Hackett, and the caustic head of marketing, Maya Mason.

Obviously, The Studio takes a great deal of inspiration from Robert Altman’s The Player. It even pays homage to Tim Robbins’ character, the original Griffin Mill. It also features many real-life show business celebrities playing themselves, but some are considerably funnier than others. Frankly, the surprise scene-stealer is Dave Franco (as himself), who pokes fun at his image and career, while going for some big laughs. He even provides perhaps the funniest recap narration in TV history for the concluding episode, a two-part continuation.

Zoe Kravitz is also a very good sport. However, even though filmmaking legends Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese fully commit, their storylines are more cringy than humorous.

Indeed, the writing and execution varies wildly throughout the ten installments. The opener is an okay set-up, but episodes two, three, five, and six set-up excruciatingly uncomfortable situations that just keep piling on, rather than puncturing the tension. However, episode seven has some of the funniest TV/streaming writing of the 2020s that absolutely skewers Hollywood’s DEI mindset. Honestly, there is no way this episode could have been produced three or four years ago. Ice Cube is also savagely funny as himself.

The two-part conclusion, set during CinemaCon, is also vintage door-slamming farce that even pays tribute to Weekend at Bernie’s. It is mostly either feast or famine with The Studio, but episode four, “The Missing Reel,” is sort of an okay middle of the road offering, mostly because Zac Efron’s droll self-portrayal. It also somewhat amusingly uses elements of film noir.

Amongst the regular cast, Ike Barinholtz is clearly the standout, in the sarcastic, morally degenerate, cynically scheming Joh Larroquette tradition. Catherine O’Hara does her regular schtick as Leigh, but it is still pretty funny. However, Seth Rogen’s relentless nebbishness as Remick becomes downright oppressive. Likewise, Kathryn Hahn’s abrasiveness as Mason quickly grows exhausting. Weirdly, it is hard to tell whether Chase Sui Wonders’ petulance as Hackett is supposed to mock Gen-Z “fragility” or to celebrate it. Regardless, Bryan Cranston is almost recognizable and often quite funny as the slimy Mill.

Yet, everyone is genuinely hilarious in the “Casting” episode and the two-part finale. Unfortunately, The Studio is most distinguished by its unevenness, but the high points are unusually high. In all honesty, “Casting” deserves an Emmy award for best writing and possibly for Ice Cube’s guest-starring turn. “Casting,” CinemaCon,” and “The Presentation” are definitely recommended for cherry-pickers when they release in late April and early May. The rest is largely hit-or-miss when The Studio starts streaming today (3/26) on Apple TV+.