In the landscape of 2025 television, one show has carved out a uniquely hilarious and painfully relatable niche. Seth Rogen's Emmy-winning comedy, The Studio, has been ranked the number four best TV show of the year. This warm yet exquisitely excruciating series about the inner workings of a Hollywood movie company offers more sheer fun than almost anything else currently on the box.
A Hollywood Dream Turned Panic Attack
Co-created by Rogen and his long-term writing partner Evan Goldberg, the series follows the hapless journey of Matt Remick. Played to perfection by Rogen himself, Matt is an idealistic film executive who, after 22 years of service, is unexpectedly promoted to head of the legendary Continental Studios. His triumphant declaration, "This could be my time!" is swiftly undercut by the grim reality of his new role.
His boss, the oleaginous CEO Griffin Mill – a deliciously seedy performance by Bryan Cranston – immediately corrects Matt's terminology. "At Continental, we don't make films. We make movies. MOOOOVIEEEEES that people wanna PAY to see," he explains, setting the tone for Matt's soul-crushing descent. Over ten brilliantly agonising episodes, Matt's hopes for a new era of intelligent, auteur-driven blockbusters are systematically destroyed by a system terrified of anything that isn't a guaranteed financial hit.
Perfect Casting and Cringe-Worthy Chaos
Rogen's Matt is a masterclass in well-meaning cowardice, a man whose best intentions are constantly sabotaged by his desperate need to be liked, especially by celebrities. The series is packed with unforgettable moments of catastrophic farce. Highlights include Matt being chased off a set by an incensed crew after accidentally ruining Sarah Polley's movie while yelling, "I'm trying to support women!" In another scene, he pretends to like Ron Howard's three-hour epic, leading to a breakdown where he shouts, "Why do you keep lying?" to himself.
The superb supporting cast includes Kathryn Hahn as the perpetually furious marketing maven Maya Mason. The series is also punctuated by Antonio Sanchez's brilliantly chaotic jazz score, which sounds like a musical panic attack, and a slew of celebrity cameos from Zac Efron to Charlize Theron.
Affection Over Acid: The Show's Winning Philosophy
Some critics have argued the show lacks a truly scathing satirical edge. Where, they ask, is the razor-sharp takedown that will reduce Hollywood to a smoking ruin? But The Studio proudly isn't that kind of comedy. It possesses a deep, unironic affection for cinema itself. Even as it points out the industry's endless hypocrisies, its warmth shines through, powering the narrative like one of Continental's own doomed blockbusters, such as the fictional Duhpocalypse – a satire about zombies with diarrhoea.
For all its celebrity gloss, the show's genius lies in its beautifully calibrated farce and unapologetically niche in-jokes. It's a world where men in tan leisure suits scream "I seem to be panicking all the time, man!" while a weeping Martin Scorsese looks on. It may not be reinventing the wheel, but its execution is peerless. As one of the best TV shows of 2025, The Studio is a triumphant, hilarious, and oddly heartfelt love letter to the beautiful mess of making movies. Long may it panic.
