comedies - page 4

Even Roy Kent warms up in Ted Lasso trailer’s love-fest

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Brett Goldstein in “Ted Lasso” season two, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Roy Kent (played by Brett Goldstein) turns over a new leaf in the Ted Lasso season three trailer.
Photo: Apple TV+

The season 3 trailer for hit Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso is a total love-fest. Not a lot happens in it. But everyone’s so happy the show is back — if only for one final, fleeting season of humor and hope — that it doesn’t much matter, does it?

Just watch the trailer, which Apple released Monday, and be positive!

Shrinking pukes up a party — and a proposal! [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

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Devin Kawaoka and Michael Urie in ★★☆☆☆
Will they or won't they?
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewNew Apple TV+ hit comedy Shrinking has marriage on the brain this week.

Brian is finally proposing to Charlie. That couldn’t come at a better time for Jimmy, who is not ready but suddenly has to be ready to relive the last few weeks of his marriage when old friends come over. It’s also not great timing for Gaby, who is trying to roger her way to clarity over her divorce.

Meanwhile, Paul’s upset that his daughter cares too much about him. And Jimmy’s daughter Alice and his troubled patient Sean endure an awkward moment. Even the few laughs it serves up can’t make this week’s episode of Shrinking,  entitled “Impostor Syndrome,” more than cloying and predictable.

Shrinking makes top 10 streaming list for third week running

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'Shrinking' makes top 10 streaming shows for a third week
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in Shrinking, a hit comedy on now on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Shrinking is racking up a streak as one of the most popular shows on any streaming service. The Apple TV+ comedy starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford sits on the top 10 list for a third week in a row.

The hilarious ongoing series is about a struggling therapist who throws out the psychological rulebook and tells his clients what he really thinks they should do.

Shrinking’s insular world never felt so small [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

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Luke Tennie and Lukita Maxwell in a scene from Apple TV+ comedy ★★☆☆☆
Alice (played by Lukita Maxwell, right) has her eye on Sean (Luke Tennie).
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+’s Shrinking, in which Jason Segel plays a therapist on the edge, continues to circle the drain this week. When James learns that his daughter Alice has feelings for a guy, it scares him — and he doesn’t know where to turn.

Gaby and Brian must meet in the middle on an issue of matrimony. Paul and Sean both need to overcome something pretty big in order to start healing. And at the center of everything is a wounded Alice, pulling everyone’s strings.

Shrinking serves up happiness, secrets and potatoes [Apple TV+ recap] ☆☆☆

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Christa Miller, left, and Jessica Williams in a scene from Apple TV+ comedy ☆☆☆
Gossip leads to nothing good this week on Shrinking.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewShrinking, the hit Apple TV+ show about a therapist unraveling, sees James starting to suffer the consequences of his crazy new practices this week.

Paul is still mad at him for his radical ideas and the way they’re putting James’ daughter Alice in danger. But Paul’s own daughter Meg is in town, so he’s got bigger fish to fry. Meanwhile, Liz finds herself in the crosshairs of James’ ire — and only Gabrielle’s intervention saves them from hurting each other.

It’s another episode of a surprisingly popular show, in which no one’s problems are ever as big a deal as they seem.

Shrinking’s unfunny jokes will make you mental [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

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Jason Segel in a scene from Apple TV+ comedy ★★☆☆☆
James (played by Jason Segel) has some interesting new ideas about psychotherapy.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewShrinking, the new Apple TV+ comedy starring Jason Segel as therapist James Laird, starts dealing with the consequences of its lead character’s new ideas about mental health this week. In fact, it looks like maybe James needs a little time on the couch himself.

With one patient supposedly living in Canada with her sister to avoid an abusive husband, one revising his dating game, and one living in James’ poolhouse, his track record doesn’t exactly look successful. Plus, Gabrielle needs a little help, James and Alice find a new outlet for their sadness, and Paul needs his eyes checked.

Unfortunately, this week’s episode of Shrinking proves every bit as frustrating as the first two.

New comedy Shrinking can’t kick the ‘straight talk’ [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

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Jason Segel in a still from new Apple TV+ comedy ★★☆☆☆
Jason Segel plays James, a therapist who's got his own problems to deal with.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewNew Apple TV+ series Shrinking centers on a man who loses everything and finally decides to start doing something about it. The comedy stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford (in his first major TV role). And, with the creative team behind Ted Lasso and the star of How I Met Your Mother, Apple TV+ execs are clearly hoping for success on a par with the streamer’s biggest moneymakers.

They might have it. However, Shrinking will need to overcome its major flaws to become something truly worth watching.

Mythic Quest makes all the right moves in uproarious season three finale [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Poppy (played by actress Charlotte Nicdao) gets a big surprise in the Mythic Quest season three finale.★★★★
Poppy (played by Charlotte Nicdao) gets a big surprise in the Mythic Quest season three finale.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest hits the end of season three this week with a bittersweet and very funny episode. Ian must fix the rift between himself and Poppy. David must regroup from a loss, and Jo’s got just the ticket (though maybe so do Ian and Poppy). Plus, Dana, Brad and Jo need a new challenge.

I cannot stress how much I need this show’s creative team to crank out new seasons more quickly. I do not want to go another two years without checking back in with the Mystic Quest crew. A fine season comes to a very lovely ending.

It’s a topsy-turvy week of fun, games and neurosis on Mythic Quest [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Mythic Quest recap: You never know what's going to happen on Mythic Quest.★★★★
You never know what's going to happen on Mythic Quest.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+’s Mythic Quest finds the crew on the cusp of something great this week, but that’s usually when you fall on your face.

David, forced to work with a prima donna actor to develop the Mythic Quest movie, receives a confidence boost from Jo. Poppy and Dana set out to boost Poppy’s confidence before a big, expensive presentation. Ian feels lost now that he’s admitted he and Poppy aren’t working anymore. And Phil finally finds a way to feel important.

It’s another stellar outing with the amazing cast of this fantastic Apple TV+ comedy.

Mythic Quest hunts for a mouse, strikes a nerve [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★★

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Mythic Quest recap: Sometimes a mouse is most definitely not just a mouse.★★★★★
Sometimes a mouse is most definitely not just a mouse.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewThere’s a rat at the office on this week’s episode of Mythic Quest — and for once it’s not one of the employees. David sees a rodent and makes it Jo and Brad’s problem, which they immediately take too seriously.

Meanwhile, Poppy and Ian are having spatial issues, but those are a mask for something larger eating away at their partnership. And, as usual, Dana is caught in the middle.

A typically funny episode of the Apple TV+ workplace comedy, entitled “To Catch a Mouse,” becomes shockingly tense in its final minutes.

Acapulco settles for convenient happy endings in season two finale [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

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Acapulco season 2 finale recap: Well, that was mighty convenient.★★☆☆☆
Well, that was all mighty convenient.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewAcapulco, the bilingual Apple TV+ comedy about the staff at a high-end Mexican resort, reaches the end of its wildly uneven second season this week. Maximo and Hugo make it to the former’s childhood home. Nora and Esteban are getting married. Julia and Maximo need to make a choice about the future. Memo gets what he wants in life. And Diane gets her resort back in order.

Indeed, everyone gets exactly what they want. What a very, very pat ending for a show that promised to tackle more real-life issues.

Mythic Quest flashback episode gives us the Ian and Poppy origin story [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★★

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Mythic Quest recap Apple TV+: A young Poppy Li (played by Isla Rose Hall) gets her game on.★★★★★
A young Poppy Li (played by Isla Rose Hall) gets her game on.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest takes its annual journey to the past with a stunning episode about the origins of game designers Poppy Li and Ian Grim. We meet the geniuses when they were petulant kids who’d rather dream in nonexistent worlds than pay attention to the one they’re in.

Mythic Quest fans are in for a treat this week. This is a superb episode of this consistently well-played comedy series.

Mythic Quest spinoff Mere Mortals coming to Apple TV+

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Apple TV+ plans to air “Mere Mortals,” a new “Mythic Quest” extension series from Ashly Burch, John Howell Harris and Katie McElhenney.
Apple TV+ plans to air “Mere Mortals,” a new “Mythic Quest” extension series from Ashly Burch (pictured), John Howell Harris and Katie McElhenney.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ said Thursday its hit show Mythic Quest, a workplace comedy about a gaming company, will hatch a spinoff series called Mere Mortals.

Calling the new show an “extension series,” Apple TV+ said it “will explore the lives of employees, players and fans who are impacted by the game.”

Everybody’s miserable and/or in love on Acapulco [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Acapulco recap Apple TV+: The Las Colinas crew is in total disarray.★★★☆☆
The Las Colinas crew is in total disarray.
Photo: Acapulco recap Apple TV+: The Los

TV+ ReviewBilingual Apple TV+ comedy Acapulco goes to the edge of misfortune this week before pulling back. Maximo should be happy with his new life with Isabelle, but can’t help but feel like he’s missing out on something. And Julia and Chad must think about their futures now that they know neither of them will be a part of the other’s.

Meanwhile, Memo misses Maximo, Hector’s confused, Chad is lost, and Diane needs Don Pablo back in a hurry. All told, “The Power of Love” is a very convenient episode of the lightweight series.

Ian and Poppy try to un-scrooge Christmas on Mythic Quest [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Mythic Quest recap Apple TV+: Would you trust Christmas to this guy?★★★★
Would you entrust Christmas to this guy? Nope.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest rings in the holiday season with a very special Christmas episode this week. The Mythic Quest offices are full of misery as David makes everyone stay and work through Christmas Eve. His attempts to cheer them up come to naught. And when Poppy and Ian try to salvage things at their old company, they go too far.

Meanwhile, Poppy and Rachel must learn what Jo’s definition of friendship is, and Rachel has her first brush with success. All in all, “The 12 Hours of Christmas” stands tall as a stellar episode of Apple TV+’s funniest show.

In Little America season 2, hard luck always yields happy endings [Apple TV+ review] ★★★

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Little America review Apple TV+ season two: First you struggle, then everything works out. Right?★★★
First you struggle, then everything works out. Right?
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewLittle America, the easygoing Apple TV+ series about the immigrant experience in America, returns this week for a second season of predictably uplifting storytelling.

This parade of hard-luck stories features happy endings that range from gentle to ecstatic. Just like last season, the show is largely successful — if frequently too well-behaved for its own good.

A VIP and the Virgin Mary teach life lessons this week on Acapulco [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Acapulco recap Apple TV+: A very special visitor arrives at the resort this week.★★★☆☆
A very special visitor arrives at the resort this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ comedy Acapulco heads as far into crowded crossroads as possible this week as people learn to be human again. The show about the hopeful staff of an exclusive Mexican resort finds Maximo faced with an important guest who will teach him there’s more to life than success.

Meanwhile, Nora misses Sara and has to stop fighting her heart. Diane has meddled with Chad for the last time. Memo tries to help Hector live for a day, and Julia needs to do some serious reconsidering. The episode, entitled “Money Changes Everything,” finds everyone in transition — and it’s better than we’ve gotten lately from this show.

Poppy tries to figure out the meaning of fun this week on Mythic Quest [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Mythic Quest recap Apple TV+: Poppy (played by Charlotte Nicdao, right) and Ian (Rob McElhenney) make a strange discovery at Grim Pop.★★★★
Poppy (played by Charlotte Nicdao, right) and Ian (Rob McElhenney) make a strange discovery at Grim Pop.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewEveryone’s confidence is shaken on this week’s episode of Mythic Quest, the Apple TV+ office comedy about a popular computer game.

Poppy realizes she has no idea what fun is, and that revelation is unraveling her world. Ian feels left out of the development of the Mythic Quest movie, and David is his only way in. To top it off, Carol thinks she’s getting fired for mismanagement of company funds, energy, and time.

It’s a strong episode of the funniest show Apple TV+ has to offer.

Take a first look at Harrison Ford in Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking

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Take a first look at Harrison Ford in Apple TV+ comedy 'Shrinking'
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in “Shrinking,” premiering globally on January 27, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

What if a therapist told his clients what he really thinks they should do? That’s the premise for Shrinking, a comedy starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford premiering in January on Apple TV+.

The series was written by the a co-creator of the mega-hit Ted Lasso. A teaser trailer released Wednesday gives an early taste of the fun.

What’s on the menu in Acapulco? Sitcom leftovers. [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆

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Acapulco recap Apple TV+: It's another week of seduction, jealousy and hackneyed jokes.★★☆☆
We get heaping helpings of seduction, jealousy and hackneyed jokes this week on Acapulco.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewIt’s dueling dinner parties on this week’s episode of Apple TV+ culture clash comedy Acapulco. Memo is under investigation, Chad is under suspicion, Julia’s jealous, Esteban’s nervous, Sara’s drunk, Hector’s in lust, and — as usual — Maximo’s in the middle.

It’s an agreeably hectic week on the show, which doesn’t seem sure how to proceed with its more- serious ideas. As a result, Acapulco relies on an old-hat sitcom formula instead.

Two Joes walk into a bar this week on Mythic Quest [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Mythic Quest recap Apple TV+: Well, this is awkward.★★★★☆
Well, this is awkward.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewMythic Quest goes Hollywood this week as Jo sits down with actor Joe Manganiello to discuss a role in the upcoming Mythic Quest movie.

Also, Dana and Ian go on an accidentally soul-searching trip, while Poppy looks for support around the office. And when Carol takes a personal day, that leaves Brad free to do as he pleases (and once more potentially ruin the game).

It’s a decent episode of Apple TV+’s gamer comedy — with one showstopper of a scene.

Mythic Quest crushes it at the brunch [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★★

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Mythic Quest recap Apple TV+: Are you ready to laugh so hard your neighbors complain?★★★★★
Are you ready to laugh so hard your neighbors complain?
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewIt’s girlboss brunch time on this week’s Mythic Quest, the Apple TV+ show about the overworked, undervalued and confused team of executives and developers who keep a gaming company afloat. Jo, Poppy and Rachel go to brunch together and make some discoveries about themselves and each other.

Meanwhile, Ian and Dana search for inspiration in the desert. David gets excited because a Mythic Quest movie might be in the works, even though everyone and everything is screaming at him that it’s a bad idea. Also, Brad might not be the changed man he appears to be.

Acapulco reverts to its unsatisfying sitcom roots this week [Apple TV+ recap] ☆☆☆

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Acapulco recap Apple TV+: Just when it seemed like the show was ready to break free of its sitcom bindings, a hopelessly frothy episode ensues.☆☆☆
Just when it seemed like Acapulco was ready to break free of its tedious sitcom bindings, a hopelessly frothy episode ensues.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ comedy Acapulco, about an old millionaire reminiscing about his early life as a wage slave at a popular resort in the ’80s, takes two trips down memory lane this week. Diane relives her glory days before Las Colinas, while Maximo remembers a moral dilemma that cost him and rewarded him in equal measure.

There’s a party at the resort, and all the ghosts of Diane’s past are invited in an unfortunately middling episode.

It’s party time in Acapulco! [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Acapulco recap: A trip to a club doesn't play out as planned.★★★☆☆
A trip to a club doesn't play out as planned.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewCandy-colored Apple TV+ comedy Acapulco takes stock of its situation on an eventful trip to the city this week. Sara is sleeping at Las Colinas illegally, and her mother Nora still wants to put the fear of god into her. Meanwhile, Memo’s feeling down and Maximo’s solution just makes things worse. Also, Chad wants to dance, and Don Pablo wants out.

Acapulco goes through a few ups and downs this week as the creative team takes a few risks, and the writers fall back on bad habits.