{"id":895763,"date":"2025-04-05T06:00:58","date_gmt":"2025-04-05T13:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/?p=895763"},"modified":"2025-04-07T12:48:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T19:48:39","slug":"the-studio-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/the-studio-review","title":{"rendered":"3 reasons to watch The Studio<\/em> on Apple TV+"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple TV+ comedy The Studio<\/em> brings a biting perspective to the entertainment industry, pulling back the curtain on Hollywood’s most absurd realities. The series, starring Seth Rogen, takes viewers deep into the chaotic world of a legacy movie studio struggling to survive in modern-day Hollywood, which is decidedly different from classic Tinseltown. So this The Studio<\/em> review says green-light this one for your watchlist.<\/p>\n

Unlike showbiz satires before it, The Studio<\/em> focuses tightly on the clash between artistic vision and evolving corporate demands in a streaming-media world. And where else are you going to see Martin Scorsese weep and Ron Howard go ballistic? See three reasons to watch it below.<\/p>\n

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3 reasons to watch The Studio<\/em> on Apple TV+<\/h2>\n

From The Studio<\/em>‘s storytelling approach to its stellar cast and seemingly never-ending reserve of celebrity cameos. So this The Studio<\/em> review offers three compelling reasons why the sharp Hollywood satire deserves a spot on your watchlist.<\/p>\n

It’s worth noting that critical acclaim came out of the gate strong<\/a>, while audience enthusiasm trailed somewhat. Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer critical rating is 95% fresh<\/a>, while it Popcornmeter rating from viewers is 69% fresh. Make of that what you will. Not everyone finds the insider Hollywood stuff entertaining, and stress- and embarrassment-based humor doesn’t float everyone’s boat.<\/p>\n

1. Strong storytelling in satirical take on today’s<\/em> nervous Hollywood<\/h3>\n
\"Continental<\/a>
Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Chase Sui Wonders and Seth Rogen in “The Studio.”
Photo: Apple TV+<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the core of The Studio<\/em> sits a paradoxical love letter to filmmaking wrapped in a scathing critique of the industry itself. This satirical comedy doesn’t merely poke fun at Hollywood. It dissects the system with surgical precision while maintaining a surprising fondness for the art form.<\/p>\n

The Studio<\/em> centers on Matt Remick (Seth Rogen), a cinephile and newly appointed head of the fictional Continental Studios. He finds himself thrust into leadership after his predecessor Patty Leigh (Catherine O’Hara) is fired following a string of flops. As someone who “eats, sleeps and breathes movies,” Matt has spent 22 years climbing the corporate ladder to reach this position — a dream job that he acknowledges might destroy him.<\/p>\n

The setting is contemporary Hollywood, but one in steep decline. Unlike the glamorous portrayal of the industry in classic films, The Studio<\/em> presents a business beset by far-flung competition and under extreme pressure from conglomerates to only make bank. This backdrop creates an environment where Matt and his team of executives must constantly battle their insecurities while dealing with narcissistic artists and corporate overlords.<\/p>\n

Rogen vs. Cranston<\/h4>\n

Matt’s initial excitement quickly sours when cheesy-yet-menacing CEO Griffin Mill (Bryan Cranston) informs him that Continental has acquired the rights to the Kool-Aid Man — a transparent attempt to replicate the success of Barbie 2<\/em>. This commercial mandate stands in stark contrast to Matt’s stated goal of reviving cinema as an art form. The tonal dissonance between Matt’s artistic aspirations and corporate reality establishes the central conflict that drives the narrative forward.<\/p>\n

In one particularly revealing scene, Matt confesses to Patty: “I got into this because, you know, I love movies. But now I have this fear that my job is to ruin them.” As it happens, that’s nearly a direct quote from a conversation Rogen and co-creator Evan Goldberg once had with a Hollywood executive.<\/p>\n

Regarding the entertainment’s obsession with IP, The Kool-Aid movie becomes the perfect symbol of the artist’s struggle in a corporate world. Matt tries to reshape it into a self-aware, thoughtful, Barbie<\/em>-style hit by buying a Martin Scorsese script about Jonestown’s Kool-Aid-drinking suicide cult. What a coupe! But in the end, Matt can’t go through with it and pretends he just bought the script to kill it, delighting the boss but inadvertently crushing poor Scorsese in the process.<\/p>\n

And along with inside jokes and industry references comes cinematic homages. the show incorporates visual tributes to film history. One episode is filmed in what appears to be a single take, while another salutes film noir as it chronicles Olivia Wilde’s attempt to make an arty 35mm update of Chinatown<\/em>.<\/p>\n

2. Impressive character development and wild celebrity cameos<\/h3>\n
\"Martin<\/a>
Would you want to say “no” to Martin Scorsese? Or how about, “we bought your Jonestown Massacre script just to kill it?”
Photo: Apple TV+<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The ensemble cast of The Studio Apple TV+ elevates the series from a standard Hollywood satire to a character-driven exploration of the film industry’s inner workings. With performances that blend comedy with surprising emotional depth, the actors breathe life into the complex world of Continental Studios.<\/p>\n

In a significant departure from his typical laid-back stoner characters, Rogen delivers a compelling performance as Remick, the newly appointed head of Continental Studios. As someone who “eats, sleeps, and breathes movies,” Matt embodies the passionate cinephile thrust into the corporate machine. What sets Rogen’s portrayal apart is his ability to convey Matt’s constant internal struggle between artistic integrity and commercial demands, with constantly panicky results. He seems like a Woody Allen character.<\/p>\n

And The Studio<\/em>‘s supporting cast ain’t bad, either<\/h4>\n