Multi-cam sitcoms, the type of sitcoms with laughter in the background, used to be all the rage when it came to comedic television shows. However, nowadays, people tend to find them to be too silly, unfunny and they do not want laughter to tell them how to laugh. The single camera shows have taken over the comedy game. Even so, multi-cam sitcoms have not died yet, and “Mid-Century Modern” is showing that they can still be fun. This sitcom about three middle-aged gay men, who are best friends, living with each other in Palm Springs is reminiscent of some of those classic wacky sitcoms, with a bit of a modern flair. It may not be that well-written or groundbreaking, but it’s a fun watch that will make you laugh, which is all that matters. A show does not have to be amazing to be entertaining. It is a new and male version of “The Golden Girls” for a modern audience. Of course, it will never be “The Golden Girls,” but I still think “Mid-Century Modern” is still pretty dang good. I watched all 10 episodes as quickly as I could, and I was bummed there were no more episodes for me to watch. Hopefully, more are made soon. Available on Hulu since Mar. 28, “Mid-Century Modern” is a sitcom that deserves to be your next fun comfort watch.
After the death of their friend George, three best friends are reunited at his funeral. There’s Bunny (Nathan Lane), a self-deprecating lingerie store owner with a take-charge attitude, Arthur (Nathan Lee Graham), a former member of the fashion industry who comes into any conversation with a lot of snark and pretentiousness, and Jerry (Matt Bomer), an optimistic flight attendant whose perspective is shaped by his former Mormon lifestyle. Facing their impending mortality and realizing they do not spend enough time together, Bunny invites Arthur and Jerry to move to Palm Springs and live with him and his mother Sybil (Linda Lavin), who may seem mean and cranky, but, deep down, she has a lot of love to give. This begins a new chapter in the men’s lives. They experience ups and downs in terms of dealing with each other as roommates, the men they try to date, their careers, and more. From learning how to play pickleball to hiring a housekeeper just because he is hot to finding a date on Fire Island, the best friends find themselves in many wild situations, leading to many humorous moments. However, no matter what these friends go through or how difficult a situation may be, they will always have each other.
When Nathan Lane pops up on your screen, you should always expect him to steal the spotlight. When he is the lead of a series, he fully gets his time to shine. He becomes Bunny with his overdramatic nature, dry quips and the physical comedy he does in efforts to look strong. Lane has charisma with everyone he talks to, which works well for Bunny’s character, and that includes charisma with the viewers, who can not help but love him. Between Pepper in “Modern Family,” Bobby in “Sex and the City,” Albert in “The Birdcage” and many more characters, Lane has played many memorable characters who grab attention. Bunny deserves to be added to that iconic group. Alternatively, Bomer had never really played like Jerry before. He often plays more serious and pensive characters, as opposed to the giggly and naive Jerry. Nevertheless, Bomer makes it work and shows through this series that he has range. Whether it be in fun misunderstandings or in easy jokes, Bomer portrays Jerry’s simplicity in a charming way, which is aided by the actor’s megawatt smile that is constantly flashing. At times it feels like Bomer goes a bit over the top with the simple behavior, but overall, he is able to keep Jerry grounded and lovable. Then, when it comes to Graham, he is the one main actor that I did not know much about when starting this show. However, after watching the series, I will definitely be keeping an eye out for him. Of course, the snarky best friend has been done many times before. While that may be the case, Graham makes that type of character feel new again. Graham has perfect timing with his humor, never sounding too mean with his humor while also not letting anyone off easy when he disapproves. In addition, Graham is able to seamlessly transition into other behaviors, showing pure joy towards a cute dog or displaying compassion in his connections when someone needs it the most. Arthur is a complex character once the audience gets to know him, and Graham does him justice. I also have to give my appreciation for the late Linda Lavin, who did a phenomenal job as always. She has her own little behaviors and relationships that switch each of the men, many of which involve some light-hearted criticism and tough love. Even through the jabs that Sybil makes, you can not help but root for her and want the best for her, which is all because of Lavin’s terrific line delivery and the warmth in her essence. Every moment with her and her sarcasm is a treat. Unfortunately, Lavin died in the middle of the series’ production, meaning she was not in the last two episodes. One of those episodes served to honor her memory. It is a shame that any future season would not have her at all, but at least we got to have Sybil for a brief period of time.
As is the case when it comes to sitcoms of a similar nature, the plots are not exactly complicated or clever. After all, they are the type of plots that can get solved in half an hour, hardly ever mentioned again. There is not much suspense or creativity as the typical sitcom tropes are applied, like secrets kept about relationships and trying to get rid of an annoying neighbor, but frequently being tricked by them. A lot of the plots could have been put into sitcoms from twenty years ago. Nevertheless, the exciting new characters fit into all of the plots well and there are some elements of modernity added into them. This show does not make the goofiness feel too tiring, as everyone bounces off of each other well. I enjoyed watching the same old tropes because it was clear that the actors were having fun with them, and that is what makes for an entertaining TV show. Furthermore, it would not be fair that all plots are old tropes made a bit modern, even if that is the case for a good amount of them. Some stories felt purely new. My favorite storyline was when the men went to Fire Island, as they each had their own plots involving the different men they met. Their plots in this episode gave each of them depth and showed their motivations in life, which a classic sitcom is not always going to have. In addition, I felt that the series did a great job at writing the episode after Lavin’s passing, with Sybil being gone as well. The emotional writing in this episode, showing the complexities of grief while also fitting in some delightful moments of humor, was top-notch and showed that there is a lot of talent working on this series. A lesser sitcom might have made too many jokes, but this series knew how to maintain a proper balance. The entertaining characters of this series make for a terrific blank canvas for the writers, and the joy and energy of the series causes me to want to keep seeing what will happen next to these characters.
Since this is a series with laughter in the background, jokes are to be expected. Fortunately, most of the jokes land. Naturally, a lot of them are pretty straightforward with a guessable punchline, but, even when that is the case, I am still able to laugh at those types of jokes, mostly due to the actors’ delivery. The jokes I’m not really a fan of are the ones that rely on modern pop culture references, as it can feel like the show is trying too hard. I have this problem when other comedy shows try to do the same thing, and I feel those jokes popped up way too much in “Mid-Century Modern.” The best jokes were the ones that were just simply silly, ones that make you roll your eyes but their silliness means laughter is unavoidable. When the men play Never Have I Ever and Jerry thinks the other two are wild for having had dessert before a meal, I was cracking up just because of the goofiness of the whole situation, and because Bomer displays genuine disbelief perfectly. Also, in terms of the humor of the show, I feel that the laugh track was used just the right amount. Sure, it may take you out of the scene to hear all of that laughter every now and then, but it works well in this series. There is enough laughter that it can make the series feel reminiscent of a classic old school sitcom with its corny jokes, but there is not too much laughter that it overpowers the jokes. With the great silliness of the series, background laughs make sense. The modern generation needs to get over their distaste for them. Many of the jokes will not be winners, but you should still prepare yourself for hours of hilarity with this series.
Even though I have no idea if the show will get a second season, I already feel like “Mid-Century Modern” is the type of series which I would watch a dozen more seasons. It is such a relaxing watch, something that I can just turn on when I want to wind down in bed. The media tends to prioritize all of the prestige shows with all of its twists and turns. Granted, I will admit that this show is not one that will win any awards, or even should win any awards. Now, while that may be the case, that is okay. It is still an entertaining show. I am still invested in the characters’ lives and cracking up at almost everything that they do. It might be a bit difficult for the series to continue on after Lavin’s death, as he was such a force in this series that balanced out the rest of the characters, but I hope that the series figures out a way to work through that, as I want more of Bunny, Arthur and Jerry in my life. It’s possible that Bunny’s abrasive sister Mindy (Pamela Adlon) could fill that spot, or maybe someone new will enter their lives. Either way, I think this series has the capability to continue. So many more sitcom storylines could be brought into these characters’ lives, and they will always make me laugh with how these stories affect them. I’m not expecting much from this sitcom, I just want it to make me smile and feel cozy, and it has accomplished that goal. I just hope it will keep accomplishing that goal. So, if you want a classic multi-cam sitcom reflecting 2025 life, or you want to see three middle-aged best friends support each other through wild antics, watch “Mid-Century Modern” today.
