There isn’t nearly enough praise for The Other Two on the internet. The Comedy Central series that recently wrapped up its first season is only 10 episodes long (but was thankfully renewed for a second season!), and it absolutely demands your attention.
The show, brought to us by former SNL writers Chris Kelly and Sarah Shneider, follows Cary and Brooke in present-day New York City as they come to terms with their younger brother ChaseDreams who goes viral and becomes an internet sensation overnight. Between Cary struggling to break into Hollywood himself while making amends waiting tables and Brooke losing her job, the two realize they are living in the shadow of their 13 year-old famous brother.
There’s a little bit of everything for everyone in these 20-minute episodes, not counting the hilarious but incredibly insightful The Other Show that plays after each episode, a segment hosted by the writers in which they interview members of the cast. From razor-sharp jokes to cleverly plotted scripts, there’s nothing keeping you from bingewatching the entire series over one weekend. There are pop cultural references that will put Gilmore Girls to shame as well as brilliant running gags, and we may or may not get a peek inside Justin Theroux’s apartment. There are also enough heartwarming moments, usually played out near the end, that will tug at your heartstrings. Often more than not, the Dubek family feels like your own, only prettier and more popular.
Which brings us to that dream cast (pun intended). Drew Tarver, Case Walker and Helene Yorke bring so much vulnerability to Cary, Chase and Brooke, respectively, that it feels like this show was literally written for them. And I’ve loved everything Molly Shannon has been involved in, but her motherly role in The Other Two is a whole new level of perfection (no spoilers, but the season finale has me hopeful for a new and exciting storyline for our Pat). Last but not least, I can’t say I was expecting Ken Marino to stick around for as long as he did, but Streeter ended up becoming one of my favorite recurring characters halfway throughout the season.
Sometimes, it feels like the show is juggling too many balls at once—it’s a story about family, about being an adult, about a struggling gay actor, about grief, about parenting, about constantly coming back to that one ex-boyfriend—that it’s incredible how it manages to capture and explore a typical family dynamic within all the “oohs” and “aahs” of becoming famous overnight with such ease. It’s a story about family, and it demands your attention.
Conclusion
A charming new comedy with a dream cast and impeccable writing.