There is a narcissistic characteristic of Hollywood that makes films about the behind-the-scenes of the industry something that from time to time conquers… “Hollywood”. There are several great ones, such as Robert Altman‘s The Player from 1992, Swimming with the Sharks from 1994, and The Offer from 2022. Judging by the first episodes, The Studio, from Apple TV Plus, may be among them.

The satirical comedy series was created by Seth Rogen in partnership with Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez, and delves into the chaotic behind-the-scenes of a major film studio, offering a humorous and critical view of the entertainment industry. Much more accurate and less cryptic than The Franchise, which has already been canceled by MAX, The Studio is deeply appreciated by “those who understand the inside jokes” and still easy to follow if you don’t know who is who or what they are talking about.

The plot follows Matt Remick (Seth Rogen), the newly appointed head of Continental Studios, who faces the challenge of revitalizing the company amid rapid social and economic transformations in the film industry. At his side, stand-out characters include Patty Leigh (Catherine O’Hara), his mentor and former head of the studio; Sal Seperstein (Ike Barinholtz), an irreverent executive; Quinn Hackett (Chase Sui Wonders), his ambitious assistant; and Maya (Kathryn Hahn), the shrewd head of marketing.

The inspiration for The Studio came from Rogen and Goldberg’s own experiences in the film industry when they made and failed with Green Lantern and succeeded with hits like Super Mario Bros. During the lockdown, the duo conceived the series as a way to explore, with humor, the challenges and absurdities faced by studio executives when trying to balance art with commercial demands.

The series is full of cameos and references to the world of Hollywood. Peter Berg, Paul Dano, Charlize Theron, Steve Buscemi, Sarah Polley, and Martin Scorsese, playing themselves, but it is the references that make us laugh the loudest because they add a layer of authenticity and humor to the narrative, satirizing the very industry they portray. At the moment, the team has the thankless task of making a film about the character Kool-Aid Man, and although the absurdities sound funny, they are the realistic part of the business.

The series makes allusions to classic cinema and plays with contemporary phenomena, including the influence of directors like Christopher Nolan and horror franchises like Smile. These references not only pay homage to the seventh art but also offer a scathing critique of current Hollywood trends.

Critical reception has been largely positive, acknowledging the intelligence of the script and “one of the sharpest portraits of Hollywood in years.” That’s no exaggeration. Which leads me to ask: could The Studio be the new The Player?

Both delve into the chaotic backstage of a major film studio, recalling one of the greatest classics of the genre, but while Altman exposed the power games of the film industry through the satirical thriller starring Tim Robbins, Rogen, and his team explore the clash between tradition and the new forces of change in the current entertainment landscape.

The New Era of Hollywood Satire

Just as The Player offered a brutal and cynical vision of the film industry in the 1990s, where protagonist Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) faced pressure from rejected screenwriters and the threat of being replaced at the studio he worked for, reflecting the anxieties of a Hollywood dominated by large corporations, The Studio does the same for the era of streaming and billion-dollar franchises. As the new head of Continental Studios, Matt tries to balance commercial pressure, creative crisis, and the need to cater to an increasingly fragmented audience.

Altman’s classic is packed with cameos from stars like Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts and Burt Reynolds, a metalanguage also adopted in the Apple TV Plus series. One of the most hilarious moments in the series involves Scorsese discussing the production of a film about the character Kool-Aid Man, a clear criticism of Hollywood’s desperation for unlikely franchises. If Altman offered a dark and satirical look at the influence game in Hollywood, Rogen, and his team expand this scope to include social media, streaming, and the franchise craze.

In the end, The Studio not only entertains with its sharp humor but also makes a scathing critique of the transformations and absurdities of the entertainment machine. It is an essential series for both those who love and those who detest the Hollywood industry.

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