Laid

The first episode was hard to watch, but you need it because it lays out how horrible Ruby is. It's necessary. It gets so much better and more ridiculous as the season goes on, especially the gravitas Stephanie and Zosia give the most inane situations and conversations. Give it time and get to know the characters. Everyone has a weird and shiny moment, and there's a big laugh almost every episode. There are a couple of surprise guests along the way, adding to the zaniness, although with one of them, I got a little uncomfortable with how she sent up some of her famous history for a laugh, but with the other, who to me will always be the doctor from Lost, I had no complaints. He needs to be a mysterious figure on every show, in my opinion.

First I want to address the reviews complaining about this show centering around an awful person. This is true. Guess what? That's the premise of Seinfeld, Difficult People, Will and Grace, Curb Your Enthusiasm, VEEP, Girls, Will and Grace, Arrested Development, Strangers with Candy, Archer, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia AND Absolutely Faboulous. This is nothing new, it's not specific to this generation, and I would even say that Laid, if it continues to be as hilarious as it is, will stand among these shows as one of the better comedies, particularly *because* it is about an awful person and still manages to make us (eventually) root for her. If people are complaining about this promise now then you can throw out the last thirty years of comedy too.

Beyond that, the premise it super interesting, the show is well paced and the jokes are very funny throughout. There is a scene in first (maybe second?) episode that is one of the funniest thing I've seen in years.

If you need your characters to be selfless angels in unfunny situations this show is not for you. But if you're looking for something extremely funny and fun give this a chance.

First.. watch the original 2011 New Zealand show (same title - same premise).

This incarnation of the concept is decent.

Hsu does a fantastic job. No complaints with any of the cast really. The acting across the board is pretty good.

However, the writing is a bit lackluster.. funny in spots for sure, and it shines when the focus is comedy or the dark humor. Unfortunately, this show moves a bit too far into the "sappy" side of things. It's a bit too much of a "love story" overall. Seemingly just sticking with dark humor was not enough. In addition, it gets a tad tiring listening to every single character berate Ruby episode after episode after episode.

If anyone has seen the original NZ version of the show, it's based on the same premise.. "killer v"... but is far, far, far less "sappy" or "love story" oriented. That was the charm of the show originally, the dark nature of the humor without all the over indulgent self-reflection and apparent need to create some drippingly sappy love story.

In this series, by the end of episode 6 the series ending starts getting fairly predictable. It becomes so easy to predict how the last 2 episodes will play out.

Overall.. if they removed all the "love story" stuff it would have been a MUCH better series, but even with that in mind, it wasn't that bad. I don't regret watching it once, but will probably never watch it again. I'd tune in to a renewal, but wouldn't be surprised if one season, ending on that ever-present cliffhanger, is all it gets. The NZ series did have (only) 2 seasons, so there's precedent for that.. we'll see.

Zosia alone is worth watching the series. She eats up every scene she's in. Her humanity and warmth to Ruby's vapidness and self absorption plays so well. It took me a few episodes to understand how I was supposed to view Ruby and once I caught on? I was down for the ride! I liked each episode better as they went on. I'm not sure there is redemption for Ruby but would like a second series to see where these characters go. I have many questions about Issac, I have a feeling there is a lot more there not yet explored. Ritchie isn't done yet either. Fun celeb pop ups with Simu Liu and Chloe Fineman.

The original series was Australian... NZ is a different country.. it was filmed in Sydney... which is Australia. It also says "based on the Australian show". I don't know why that review annoyed me, but clearly it did.

I liked this show, it was a fresh take on the original and the main character is pretty funny in her timing. Also the music wins for me.

It's darkly funny and I like when a main character isn't perfect and instead highlights the awkwardness of modern life with a good blend of vulnerability and sardonic humour.

I don't know if a second season is needed it could be left as a cliffhanger ending one season wonder.