If you’re a Canadian reading this I am sorry to inform you that this is not a review for a new television show called ReBoot (the beloved 90s cartoon) but in fact a television show called REBOOT which is a meta look at all of the reboots we’ve had injected in the last few years into our lives. Now, when doing a show that’s incredibly meta and self aware and poking fun at the society we currently find ourselves living in, it is important to make sure your cast is also capable of conveying such levels of profoundness that one wants to create, and thankfully the cast of Reboot manages just that. So if you enjoy comedies that are self aware and poking fun at todays culture and society, strap yourself in for one hell of a ride.
Reboot focuses on the cast of an early 2000s show that is being rebooted at Hulu by ‘edgy’ director Hannah played by Rachel Bloom. However, when she pitched the idea, she never spoke with any of the cast, not knowing if they were even interested or alive. However, since the cast consisting of Reed played by Keegan-Michael Key, Zack played by Calum Worthy, Bree played by Judy Greer, and Clay played by Johnny Knoxville had literally nothing else going on in their lives that was remotely fulfilling or interesting, they all agreed that the new premise and script created by Hannah was something they’d like to be a part of despite their differences and opinions of one another. Who doesn’t love a dysfunctional cast reuniting for a paycheque? They all somehow try to set their differences aside and get their new show off the ground and running, but of course there are setbacks along the way including the reappearance of Gordon, played by Paul Reiser, the original show creator and showrunner who doesn’t like this new approach to his family sitcom.
What makes Reboot work so well, aside from its incredible cast, is the writing of the show. Its taking a very formulaic idea of 2000s sitcom and turning it into a modern story with all the behind the scenes exploration audiences only ever read about. By doing so not only is it playing the old trope of the early thousands sitcoms its giving audiences something new they’ve never seen before. Partner this with some creative ingenuity and there is a certified hit on your hands. The closest thing that can be compared to Reboot is that season of Curb Your Enthusiasm when Larry tries to reboot Seinfeld for an episode. If you enjoyed that premise and the chaos that ensued, then Reboot is absolutely for you and will deliver over and over again.
Now when doing a show that consists of an ensemble cast, if there is even one weak link the entire thing will fall apart. Thankfully though, the chemistry between Keegan-Michael Key, Judy Greer, Johnny Knoxville and Calum Worthy feels like they’ve been doing this for years. Nothing indicates that these people haven’t been through the trenches with one another already, and just picking up where they left off, giving the show a sense of realism and commitment to the bit that truly shines through the project as a whole. As well the chemistry shared between Rachel Bloom and Paul Reiser, without spoiling anything, is as heavy and intense as one could possibly hope for, creating genuine moments and shock value. Everything in Reboot works, from the performances, the script, and the meta culture they’re so evidently poking fun at, there has never been a better time for a laugh out loud comedy to come on the air than now, and it is a most welcomed surprise in Reboot.
