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The Studio (TV series)

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The Studio
Genre
Created by
Directed by
  • Seth Rogen
  • Evan Goldberg
Starring
ComposerAntonio Sanchez
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes9
Production
Executive producers
  • Seth Rogen
  • Evan Goldberg
  • James Weaver
  • Frida Perez
  • Peter Huyck
  • Alex Gregory
  • Alex McAtee
  • Josh Fagen
ProducerJesse Sternbaum
CinematographyAdam Newport-Berra
EditorEric Kissack
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time24–44 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkApple TV+
ReleaseMarch 26, 2025 (2025-03-26) –
present

The Studio is an American satirical cringe comedy television series created by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez. It stars Rogen as an embattled Hollywood studio head struggling to balance corporate demands with his own passion for producing quality films. Catherine O'Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Kathryn Hahn play supporting roles. The series was released on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on March 26, 2025.[1] The series has been renewed for a second season.[2]

The series has received critical acclaim for its direction, cinematography, humor, and satire of the film industry. It has become notable for its extensive use of long takes,[3] as well as for featuring high-profile celebrity cameos in every episode.

Premise

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Matt Remick is the newly appointed head of the floundering film production company Continental Studios. A self-described cinephile, Matt struggles to balance Continental's corporate aims in an increasingly IP-driven entertainment landscape with his own ambition to produce quality films.

Cast

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Main

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  • Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the new head of Continental Studios who tries to balance his desire to make good films with the profits of the studio.
  • Catherine O'Hara as Patty Leigh, the former studio head and Matt's mentor
  • Ike Barinholtz as Sal Saperstein, Continental's vice president of production and Matt's close friend
  • Chase Sui Wonders as Quinn Hackett, Matt's former assistant whom he promotes to junior executive
  • Kathryn Hahn as Maya Mason,[4] Continental's head of marketing

Guest

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As themselves

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Episodes

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No.Title [6]Directed by [7]Written by [8]Original release date [1]
1"The Promotion"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergSeth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Peter Huyck & Alex Gregory & Frida PerezMarch 26, 2025 (2025-03-26)
Matt Remick is a studio executive at the fictional Continental Studios who still believes in artistic integrity in an increasingly IP-based industry. He gets a long-awaited promotion to studio head after his mentor, Patty Leigh, is fired at the behest of new CEO Griffin Mill. Griffin offers him the job so long as he greenlights a movie based on the Kool-Aid Man, so he reluctantly agrees. Figuring that the best route is to hire a good director, he handpicks Nicholas Stoller. Matt then learns Martin Scorsese has written a script about the Jonestown massacre and decides to use that as the Kool-Aid film instead. However, Matt's idea gets pushback from fellow exec Sal Saperstein and head of marketing Maya Mason, so he chooses to go with Stoller's idea after a meeting with Griffin, claiming he bought Scorsese's script to kill his project. To rehire Stoller, Matt visits Patty, who agrees after bargaining a lucrative deal to produce her own movies. At a party hosted by Charlize Theron, Matt and Sal break the news to Scorsese that his project, intended to be his final film, will never be made; a scorned Scorsese rebukes Matt and breaks down into tears, and Theron kicks Matt and Sal out.
2"The Oner"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergPeter HuyckMarch 26, 2025 (2025-03-26)
Matt and Sal head over to the set of a romantic drama film directed by Sarah Polley and starring Greta Lee, hoping to see them shoot a oner at sunset, which can only be shot that day due to time constraints. Both filmmakers want something from Matt: Polley needs money to play "You Can't Always Get What You Want" over the scene, and Lee wants to use one of the studio's private jets during the press tour. Patty and Sal try to get Matt off the set, fearing he will obstruct the cast and crew. Polley, wishing to please Matt, acquiesces to one of his propositions for the scene, which causes the crew to lose valuable time and the first take to be ruined. Matt further ruins other takes by speaking too loud while at the video village, accidentally appearing on camera, and getting injured. A seemingly perfect take gets ruined when Lee cannot exit the driveway of the set due to Matt's car being parked in front of hers; Polley promptly expels him from the set. Matt and Sal drive off as night falls and get a text that the crew was ultimately unable to get the shot.
3"The Note"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergSeth Rogen & Evan GoldbergApril 2, 2025 (2025-04-02)
The team's excitement of watching a preview screening of Ron Howard's new film Alphabet City turns sour due to a meandering final sequence at a motel, which all agree should be cut. Howard's early arrival at the studio for a marketing meeting provides an opportunity for Matt to deliver the note, but Matt is reluctant to do so due to a traumatic experience when he offered feedback for A Beautiful Mind that led to Howard mocking him. Patty's revelation that the motel sequence is a tribute to Howard's late cousin complicates matters, with Quinn, Sal, and later Anthony Mackie (the film's star and producer) failing to tell Howard. Maya informs the team that keeping the movie's length as it is will reduce the number of screenings and cut its revenue. At the meeting, Maya mentions that Matt has feedback, prompting Howard to bring up the A Beautiful Mind story. A humiliated Matt snaps at Howard about the boring nature of the motel sequence, to which Howard responds aggressively. Later that night, Matt receives a phone call from Howard, who apologizes and agrees to cut the sequence while also threatening to destroy Matt if he were to ever cross him again.
4"The Missing Reel"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergPeter HuyckApril 9, 2025 (2025-04-09)
Matt's support of film forces him to scrap the wrap party of Olivia Wilde's neo-noir detective movie after it goes overbudget. After a reel containing an expensive sequence is presumed stolen, Matt and Sal scurry to locate it to avoid reshooting. They suspect lead actor Zac Efron and find an envelope of cash in his trailer addressed to costume designer Evelyn, who retrieves it and exchanges it with a man with a wrist tattoo for a box. Evelyn heads to the Chateau Marmont, with Efron arriving soon after to an invitation-only event. Sal leaves, but Matt sees him returning. Matt sneaks in to find Efron throwing a secret wrap party, at which Evelyn's box contains custom hats. Matt and Sal reconcile and notice extras with the fake wrist tattoo, which Wilde also had after shooting a cameo. After Efron reveals Wilde was unhappy with the scene on the missing reel, Matt and Sal deduce she stole it. They confront her near the Hollywood Sign where she is directing pick-up shots, and she confesses to stealing it to force reshoots. After a chase, Wilde destroys the reel by letting it roll downhill. Matt is forced to sell his car to Efron to pay for the reshoots.
5"The War"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergFrida PerezApril 16, 2025 (2025-04-16)
Sal is trying to get Smile director Parker Finn to direct a slasher film entitled Wink, while Quinn wants to bring in Owen Kline for his own similar project. Matt opts for Wink but agrees to meet with both directors. Feeling disrespected by Sal, Quinn erases Finn's scheduled meeting from Matt's assistant's computer, causing Matt to miss it for a different meeting with Chris Hemsworth. In retaliation, Sal crashes Kline's meeting and scares him off with the prospect of studio pressure. Quinn strikes back by stealing Sal's assistant Daniel's golf cart to block Sal's reserved parking spot, causing a series of mishaps that ruins Sal's suit and makes him miss a rescheduled meeting with Finn. Sal chases Quinn and throws her burrito at her, inadvertently hitting an assistant director driving a golf cart, who crashes and destroys Netflix's Waterloo miniseries set. When human resources investigates the incident, Quinn sees an opportunity to get Sal fired and take his job. Fearing it will destroy his life, Sal cries; Quinn relents, agreeing to play along with his cover story for the investigation if he gives her his parking spot and helps her movies get made. Having reconciled, they meet to discuss potential directors for Wink.
6"The Pediatric Oncologist"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergAlex GregoryApril 23, 2025 (2025-04-23)
Matt accompanies his new pediatric oncologist girlfriend, Sarah, to the Ebell for a Cedars-Sinai Medical Center fundraiser to benefit children with cancer. He becomes dismayed by Sarah and her colleagues' dismissive attitudes towards cinema and his job, particularly Duhpocalypse!, Continental's upcoming Spike Jonze-directed satire starring Johnny Knoxville and Josh Hutcherson and featuring scatological humor. In a power play during the charity auction, Matt outbids Sarah's friends, who were hoping to win a golfing vacation at Royal County Down Golf Club with Scottie Scheffler that Matt has no interest in, angering Sarah. Matt apologizes and offers to gift them the prize if they agree that movies are as important as medicine. They refuse, and an agitated Matt trips over while monitoring the in-progress Duhpocalypse! trailer edits on his phone, breaking his right pinkie and passing out before he is loaded into an ambulance without Sarah. While recuperating at home, Matt hooks up with Knoxville's agent Leigh, who is more knowledgeable about movies but less enthusiastic about him.
7"Casting"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergAlex GregoryApril 30, 2025 (2025-04-30)
Concerned that casting Ice Cube as the voice of the Kool-Aid Man may play into stereotypes of African Americans, the team solicits feedback. Quinn says it's not a problem since Kool-Aid is more of a poor people's drink; Tyler says not having a Black man as the Kool-Aid Man is racist; and Ziwe and Lil Rel Howery say it would be racist if Mrs. Kool were not also voiced by a Black woman, leading to Regina King replacing Sandra Oh in the cast. As this makes the live action cast all White, Don Cheadle and Keke Palmer replace Josh Duhamel and Jessica Biel. Screenwriters Dev and Sandra quit, feeling Black writers should rework the script for the now all-Black cast. Stoller decides to rewrite and hire an AI animation company to ensure the movie stays within budget and deadline. Further debate about representation prompts Matt to consult Ice Cube, who sees no problem with it. The Kool-Aid Movie lead announcement at Anaheim Comic-Con is rapturously received until an audience member asks about the use of AI animation. Stoller runs away to avoid answering and Ice Cube walks out in disgust, leaving Matt to face the crowd's booing alone.
8"The Golden Globes"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergAlex GregoryMay 7, 2025 (2025-05-07)
At the Golden Globe Awards, Matt fears not being thanked by director Zöe Kravitz for greenlighting her Patty-produced nominated movie Open, even though she seems ambivalent about potentially winning. Matt grows insecure due to other studio heads like Ted Sarandos being thanked; Sal also becomes the star of the show after Adam Scott thanking him for letting him sleep on his couch 20 years ago turns into a recurring joke throughout the evening via host Ramy Youssef's banter and speeches by Quinta Brunson, Jean Smart, and Aaron Sorkin. Matt tries to dupe the teleprompter operator into adding his name to Kravitz's acceptance speech but she catches him, revealing she is actually serious about winning and will not change her well-rehearsed speech for Matt, despite his pleading that it would impress his mother. When Open wins, Kravitz thanks Patty and Sal, but her mic cuts out as she thanks Matt, making it inaudible. Though the post-show mood is celebratory with Kravitz and her agent Mitch Weitz finally agreeing to make her next movie, Blackwing, at Continental, Matt gets in his limo and goes home deflated.
9"CinemaCon"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergAlex GregoryMay 14, 2025 (2025-05-14)
While preparing in Las Vegas for the presentation of Continental's upcoming slate of films at CinemaCon, Griffin is distracted by the studio's potential sale to Amazon which would lead to massive changes and lay-offs. Matt convinces him a strong presentation will prevent the sale. At Matt's hotel suite pre-event party, the 82-year-old Griffin's inebriation with Dave Franco worries the team, who - sober Patty excepted - are also high like on potent mushroom chocolates and other drugs. Zöe Kravitz's arrival halts Matt's attempt at ending the party to stop Griffin, and they have to take care of her after she unknowingly ingests the mushrooms. When Griffin goes missing, they search for him as he wanders through the downstairs casino, finally finding him outside by the canal. While they debate cancelling Griffin's speech, he falls onto a gondola and drifts back to the Venetian where he alights and is found by Patty, whose lingering resentment over Griffin firing her is triggered by his rudeness. She borrows a phone to anonymously call journalist Matt Belloni.
10"The Presentation"Seth Rogen & Evan GoldbergSeth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Peter Huyck & Alex Gregory & Frida PerezMay 21, 2025 (2025-05-21)

Production

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On November 14, 2022, Apple TV+ announced it had acquired and given a straight-to-series order to an untitled showbiz comedy series starring Seth Rogen.[9][10] The series is executive produced by Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver for Point Grey Pictures, and Frida Perez, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, Alex McAtee, and Josh Fagen. Production companies involved are Point Grey Pictures and Lionsgate Television.[11][12] On March 25, 2024, the untitled series co-created by Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Frida Perez, Peter Huyck, and Alex Gregory was named The Studio. Rogen and Goldberg would also co-write and direct the series. It was reported that Catherine O'Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, and Chase Sui Wonders had joined the main cast, and Bryan Cranston, Keyla Monterroso Mejia, and Dewayne Perkins would guest star.[11][12][13]

The series began filming in March 2024.[12] It was shot on location in Los Angeles, primary at Warner Bros. Studios Burbank. The set for the Continental Studios was modeled after Frank Lloyd Wright's Mayan Revival architecture and inspired by the design of the Ennis House. Several filming locations included real homes designed by architect John Lautner, including Harvey House, Reiner-Burchill Residence (aka Silvertop), and Foster Carling House.[14][15]

In May 2025, the series was renewed for a second season.[16]

Release

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The series premiered at SXSW on March 7, 2025,[17] and debuted on Apple TV+ with its first two episodes on March 26, 2025.[18]

Reception

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Critical response

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[19]
Rotten Tomatoes93%[20]
Review scores
SourceRating
ConsequenceA[21]
The Guardian[22]
Empire[23]
The Independent[24]
IndieWireB[25]
The Irish Independent[26]
Financial Times[27]
San Francisco Chronicle[28]
The Mercury News[29]
Slant Magazine[30]
The Sunday Times[31]
TV Insider[32]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, The Studio has an approval rating of 93% based on 122 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Savvy enough to impress even the most studious of film buffs, The Studio fights the good fight for a better Hollywood while eliciting huge laughs at its expense."[20] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave the series a score of 81 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[19]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2025
 Gotham TV Awards Breakthrough Comedy Series The Studio Pending [33]
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series Chase Sui Wonders Pending

References

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  1. ^ a b "Apple TV+ announces March 26 global premiere date for "The Studio"". Apple TV+ Press. November 19, 2024. Archived from the original on November 19, 2024. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  2. ^ White, Peter (May 6, 2025). "'The Studio' Renewed For Season 2 At Apple". Deadline. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  3. ^ Powers, Ellie (April 10, 2025). "One Camera, One Lens, No Cuts: How The Studio Built a Show on the Oner". Harbor. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  4. ^ Hailu, Selome (March 25, 2024). "Seth Rogen's Apple TV+ Comedy 'The Studio' Casts Catherine O'Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Bryan Cranston and More". Variety. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  5. ^ Travers, Ben (March 7, 2025). "'The Studio' Review: Seth Rogen's Lavish Hollywood Satire Offers Big Laughs but a Light Bite". IndieWire. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  6. ^ Iwegbue, Annabel (March 26, 2025). "Here's When Every New Episode of 'The Studio' Drops". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  7. ^ Han, Angie (March 7, 2025). "'The Studio' Review: Seth Rogen's Apple TV+ Hollywood Comedy Is So Hilarious It Hurts". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  8. ^ "The Studio". Writers Guild of America West. Archived from the original on September 19, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 14, 2022). "Showbiz Comedy Starring Seth Rogen Gets Apple TV+ Series Order; Point Grey & Lionsgate Producing". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  10. ^ Hailu, Selome (November 14, 2022). "Seth Rogen Sets Film Industry Comedy Series at Apple TV+". Variety. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Goldberg, Lesley (March 25, 2024). "Catherine O'Hara, Kathryn Hahn Among Cast Joining Apple's Seth Rogen Comedy 'The Studio'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c White, Peter (March 25, 2024). "Catherine O'Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz & Chase Sui Wonders To Star In Seth Rogen's Movie Studio Comedy Series For Apple". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  13. ^ Ausiello, Michael (March 25, 2024). "Catherine O'Hara Sets TV Return With Starring Role Opposite Seth Rogen in Apple TV+ Showbiz Satire The Studio". TVLine. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  14. ^ Eakin, Marah (March 28, 2025). "Why "The Studio" Created a Faux Frank Lloyd Wright and Filmed at Multiple Lautners". Dwell. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  15. ^ Montanez, Abby (April 30, 2025). "Apple TV's 'The Studio' Filmed at These 3 Scene-Stealing John Lautner Houses in L.A." Robb Report. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  16. ^ Otterson, Joe (May 6, 2025). "The Studio Renewed for Season 2 at Apple TV+". Variety. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Lang, Robert (March 10, 2025). "SXSW Film & TV Festival 2025 Photos: 'The Rivals Of Amziah King', Matthew McConaughey & Rob Morgan On Monday". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  18. ^ Hodges, Jake (March 9, 2025). "The Best New Movies and Shows on Apple TV+ in March 2025". Collider. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  19. ^ a b "The Studio: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  20. ^ a b "The Studio: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  21. ^ Miller, Liz (March 26, 2025). "The Studio Is About Making Movies, and It's One of the Best TV Shows of the Year: Review". Consequence. Archived from the original on March 30, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  22. ^ Managan, Lucy (March 26, 2025). "The Studio review – Seth Rogen's Hollywood satire is fast, furious and beautifully fun". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 30, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  23. ^ De Semlyen, Nick (March 13, 2025). "The Studio Review". Empire. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  24. ^ Hilton, Nick (March 22, 2025). "Seth Rogen's blistering new comedy The Studio is laugh-out-loud funny". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  25. ^ Travers, Ben (March 13, 2025). "'The Studio' Review: Seth Rogen's Lavish Hollywood Satire Offers Big Laughs but a Light Bite". IndieWire. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  26. ^ Stacey, Pat (March 26, 2025). "'The Studio' review: Seth Rogan's side-splitting Hollywood satire could be the best comedy of the year". The Irish Independent. Archived from the original on March 30, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  27. ^ Einav, Dan (March 25, 2025). "The Studio TV review — Seth Rogen spirals in stupendously funny Hollywood satire". Financial Times. Archived from the original on March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  28. ^ Strauss, Bob (March 24, 2025). "Review: Seth Rogen's 'The Studio' turns Hollywood dysfunction into comedy gold". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  29. ^ Myers, Randy (March 27, 2025). "What to watch: 'Studio,' 'Bob Trevino' will totally win you over". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on March 30, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  30. ^ McIndoe, Ross (March 8, 2025). "'The Studio' Review: Rage Against the Hollywood Machine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  31. ^ Glanfield, Tim (March 26, 2025). "Roush Review: Hooray for Hollyweird in Brilliant 'Studio' Satire". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on March 30, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  32. ^ Roush, Matt (March 25, 2025). "Roush Review: Hooray for Hollyweird in Brilliant 'Studio' Satire". TV Insider. Archived from the original on March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  33. ^ Lewis, Hilary (April 29, 2025). "Gotham TV Awards Nominations: 'Adolescence' Leads With Four Nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
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