My friend first recommended this show to me a few months ago. I looked it up and saw that it was a sitcom featuring a bunch of college freshmen. Immediately, I thought it sounded pretty interesting, but couldn't find it on any streaming services and probably ended up getting distracted by something else and forgot about it (shoutout Gen-Z attention span). Then, one day in June, I was buying something on Amazon and needed something else to add to my cart to pass $25 for my order and unlock free shipping. I looked for a little bit until I remembered my friend's previous recommendation. I thought, "You know, maybe this could be a good show to pick up. I'm a college student, but I'm not at my campus right now because of the coronavirus pandemic. This could help bring back some memories of school while I'm stuck at home". I ended up adding the DVD box set to my cart and waited to see what it had in store for me.
Now, nearly two months later after watching on and off, I can say that this show not only dearly reminded me of life at college, it made me miss it so much! Like many others, I was consumed by the sheer relatable-ness of the show and the characters. Every single episode featured some aspect of my own college experience that I could think back to and reminisce on. What truly shines about this show and what made is so believable is the exceptional cast that you grow to love from the pilot. From the duality of masculinity and awkwardness between Lloyd (Charlie Hunnam) and Steven (Jay Baruchel), to the easygoing "bro" friendship between Ron (Seth Rogen) and Marshall (Timm Sharp), to the bubbly, outgoing, sister-like roommates of Rachel (Monica Keena) and Lizzie (Carla Gallo), everyone plays their part beautifully and the result is a friend group that I couldn't help wishing I had more of during my own freshman year. The supporting cast deserves mention as they were also outstanding in their respective performances--some include Steven's weird but supportive father Hal (Loudon Wainwright III), Lizzie's psycho boyfriend Eric (Jason Segel), and quirky roommate Tina (Christina Payano).
It was clear that the actors and actresses in Undeclared had fantastic chemistry among everyone from the first time we meet them. Part of this had to do with the fact that the actors were cast first and had their characters built around them, rather than the other way around. This led to every interaction feeling just so natural and realistic (I cannot emphasize enough how relatable this acting is!) All of the relationships between the characters, how they transition to college, the feelings whirling through their minds, the expectations and anxieties, etc. Everything is exactly like real life--nothing is fluffed up here. Just pure, raw college emotions. I want to especially give a mention to Baruchel, who played the uncomfortable, insecure, just-trying-to-fit-in-freshman phenomenally. I loved that the show included a character like him because, honestly, anybody who watches his interactions and mannerisms can relate to something that he is feeling or doing at least once. It was very nice to have a character that reflected reality instead of the stereotypes we see all too often in sitcoms nowadays.
The writers also deserve equal praise for their ability to convey the all-too-real feelings that every college student knows yet doesn't want to talk about while including a healthy amount of comedic moments to balance it out. They brought something unique about college to each episode and managed to portray a genuine on-screen college experience that still to this day illustrates what that memorable period in your life feels like. I found many of the events described being relatable to experiences that I've either been through personally or known people that have. Big shout-out here goes to Judd Apatow, the creator and brainchild of this magnificent show. While he didn't write every episode, his influence is felt throughout.
One particular aspect of college I wanted to point out because I thought they particularly delivered well were the romantic relationships. Being quite a romantic person personally and having dabbled with dating and relationships during my own college experience so far, this part was especially intriguing to me going into the show and I think they nailed it! I absolutely loved the way they described the troubling emotions and uncertainties going through the characters' heads as they try to work their minds around dating in this new environment while at the same time figuring out their own identity. Again, it's so refreshing to see some realistic scenarios play out and not fall into the decision of rehashing the same cliche romance stories we've seen time and time again. It made the show infinitely more intriguing for me as a viewer to always wonder how the next episode would develop the romance between the characters.
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As many people know, Undeclared was canceled somewhat unexpectedly after it's first season. Going into the show knowing this, I felt a sense of bittersweet sadness--knowing that the episodes I would watch were just the beginning of a forever-unfinished concept of a show. However, after finishing the final episode just a couple hours ago, I didn't find myself thinking of the episodes that I "missed out" on, but rather I felt enamored. I felt truly enamored that I had the privilege to view this special part of the entertainment industry that was wrongfully-neglected after so many talented people took the opportunity and desire to create such a living, breathing world that was so relatable and personable to all of us in some way. I couldn't be more grateful for the joyous laughter, personal lessons, and pure college fun that this show brought to my life during an otherwise dull and emotionless time.
