| Cult of Mac

Prep to be friends with actual benefits in new comedy Platonic [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Episode 3. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne in ★★★★☆
Platonic asks, "Why can't we be friends ... again?"
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewIn new Apple TV+ comedy Platonic, Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play old pals who, after taking a hiatus from their intense friendship, learn that rekindling such a thing is a fraught proposition this far into their lives.

Created by Francesca Delblanco and Nicholas Stoller, Platonic is a lovely, lazy-day kind of a comedy that charms even when it seems like it could stand to straighten up and fly right.

Physical needs to get a grip on its sexuality [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

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Physical recap: Things were looking up for a minute there.★★☆☆☆
Things were really looking up for a minute there.
Photo: Apple TV+

In this week’s episode of Physical, Apple TV+’s death trip in spandex pumps the brakes to reconsider its priorities.

Aerobics star Sheila breaks her contract, reconnecting with Danny and Greta as she plots her next big move. But she remains selfish at heart, so nothing goes quite the way any of them had planned. Meanwhile, John and Maria plot one last attempt at salvation.

This week’s episode, titled “Don’t Try This at Home,” delivers some of the highest highs of the season, but still manages to blow a commanding lead in the home stretch.

Sheila freaks out this week on Physical [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆

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Physical recap: Rose Byrne finally gets to let loose.★★☆☆
Rose Byrne finally gets to let loose in the role of Sheila.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s Physical, about a would-be fitness guru in California, heads to a funeral this week to rethink its priorities. Sheila’s finally cracking up, John’s lies catch up with him in a sad way, Bunny is at the end of her tether, and a vengeful mother gets her hooks into two generations of women.

A couple of standout performances lift this week’s episode out of the usual doldrums. Rose Byrne is allowed to stretch a bit beyond the usual limitations of her role as Sheila Rubin — and the result is a glimpse into a better version of what this show could be.

Physical serves up a second season of bouncy self-loathing [Apple TV+ recap]

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Physical recap on Apple TV+: Sheila (played by Rose Byrne) is up to her same old tricks in season two.
Sheila (played by Rose Byrne) is up to her same old tricks in season two of Physical.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ just fired up another season of Physical, its antisocial character study about a would-be aerobics instructor/grifter/star. Let’s see if the show learned anything from season one’s imbalances and split-personality disorder.

Sheila Rubin, the wannabe workout queen played by Rose Byrne, is still talking to herself about the filth that is humanity, and everyone’s outfits are still ugly. Let’s do this thing!

Survival of the fittest at stake in Apple TV+ Physical season 2 trailer

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Rose Byrne plays fitness entrepreneur Sheila Rubin in
Rose Byrne plays fitness entrepreneur Sheila Rubin in "Physical."
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ offered up a new trailer Wednesday for season two of the darkish comedy Physical, starring Rose Byrne as a pioneering entrepreneur in the 1980s fitness boom in Los Angeles.

But Byrne’s character, Sheila Rubin, faces daunting competition as her husband continues to struggle with his political career.