Hulu’s ‘Reboot’ is ‘surprisingly gay’
We all wish for more lesbian characters on mainstream television, and sometimes a new series will unexpectedly fulfill that wish. One such series is Hulu’s new comedy “Reboot”.
As Heather Hogan wrote in a glowing review for Autostraddle: “When you watch Hulu’s new star-stacked comedy, Reboot, that eternal wish will come true! Because basically, every single woman on this show is, in some way, gay! Surprisingly gay!”
‘Reboot’: Behind-the-scenes satire and meta humor
We will get to the gay part (we promise), but let us tell you more about the show.
“Reboot” is basically a behind-the-scenes satire. It lampoons the unimaginative, reboot-obsessed television industry and flips longtime TV tropes on their head.
The show’s main premise is this: Hannah (Rachel Bloom) is a writer who wants to remake the fictional old hit series “Step Right Up.” Her vision is to make the reboot edgier and more realistic than its goofy predecessor.
Hannah pitches her idea to Hulu, and the project is given the green light- partly because of the success of her breakout indie hit “Cunt Saw.”
‘Reboot’: Cast’s chemistry makes for great comedy
The success of the show’s update hinges on reassembling the original cast of “Step Right Up”. As luck would have it, all of them are available—very available.
Although they are all struggling with old grievances and personal issues, the actors sign on with Hannah’s promise that the show will be updated for a new era.
Hannah still has one huge problem: the original series creator Gordon (Paul Reiser) still owns the rights to the show. If it’s going to air again, he’s going to be part of it.
In an article for the Los Angeles Times, Lorraine Ali noted: “The chemistry among the cast members pushes this series from good to exceptionally funny… They capture the absurdity of rebooting a show that has no business returning and turn that disaster into great comedy in the process.”
‘The most hilarious lesbian chaos’
Aside from the strength of its cast, “Reboot” also relies on its clever writing to keep viewers hooked by subverting expectations.
For example, “Reboot” takes a hard swerve when B-list actor turned European duchess Bree (Judy Greer) seems to be headed back down a toxic on-again/off-again hetero relationship but finds herself in bed with her new co-star, Timberly (Alyah Chanelle Scott).
News of Bree and Timberly’s tryst soon spreads around the set, leading to an all-day discussion about What Even Is Scissoring in the writer’s room and, also, to Hannah realizing she never came out to her father!
Timberly, who rose to fame on the wildly popular reality series “Fuck Buddy Mountain,” is nonchalant about the whole thing. Bree, on the other hand, is having a meltdown and starts Googling “does one time make you gay,” “coming out later in life,” and “Oscar-winning lesbians.”
So yes, the reviewer Heather Hogan was right to call the show “the most hilarious lesbian chaos” she has ever seen.