Review: “Reboot” Is Amazing and Super Queer

November 30, 2022
TOMMY

I went into Hulu's new original series Reboot fairy trepidatiously. I'm not sure why tbh, but I think it's because I love Keegan Michael Key so much and am always a little worried he'll eventually either disappoint or I'll burn out on him. Welp... neither has yet to become the case, because Reboot is so freaking good. It's also so freaking Queer!

In this age of remakes and reboots (think Fuller House, Ninja Turtles, Will & Grace, Gilmore Girls, etc. etc. etc.) Hulu decided to make a show about a the rebooting of a show. Might as well just go full in with the meta theme, ya know? Step Right Up, the show-within-the-show, is every unbearably saccharine sitcom from the early '90s you can imagine, complete with corny poses and a studio-audience that may as well be an audio track of canned laughter. The stars of Reboot—who are also the stars of Step Right Up—are Reed (Key), Bree (Judy Greer), Clay (Johnny Knoxville), and Zack (Calum Worthy), plus 'new cast member' Timberly Fox (Alyah Chanele). While the 'original show' was written/showran by Paul Reiser's smug asshole Gordon (who is outstanding as always!), the show's reboot is being written by his daughter, Hannah (Rachel Bloom). Also, a major shoutout goes to Kerri Kenney (Reno 911!) who just literally always understands the fucking assignment. In Reboot, that statement is quite literal!

Zaddy Johnny Knoxville is Hot AF.

Reboot focuses a ton on what the dynamics of comedy are and how the old generation is at odds with the way both "comedy" as a form and society in general have evolved and changed over the decades. As is expected, the new and younger generation is at odds with them, because at first they're too stubborn to learn from decades of experience. What's really wonderful is that all of this is layered with the fact that Hannah is a lesbian, and half the writing staff is Queer, but continuously mocks their own labels as much as they mock their predecessors.

Cutie, Dan Leahy as Benny.

Also worth noting: the show is incredibly offensive and un-PC, but done in a way that both celebrates offensiveness, while also challenging an older generation that is struggling to understand why it's also being heavily challenged and criticized. But the show doesn't just sit in these problems. They don't just stay in a repetitive joke about generations at odds. To the contrary, very quickly the Queer-as-fuck writing staff is making jokes with the traditionally "Old Jewish Writers" about their sex lives, the physical conundrum of lesbian's scissoring, and tons of other hilarious taboos, and we get to see them working together.

The episodes are also a quick 30 minutes each, so I can't recommend this show enough if you're looking for quick bouts of raunch, hilarious, beautifully poignant episodes about fucking, dying, laughing, loving, and...most importantly...how funny it is when someone else falls flat on their face.