Michael Douglas plays a very successful acting coach. He is teaching a class. His students are a group of real amateurs. He gives them what he has, but it's hit and miss. One day, a fifty something woman approaches him. She is in the class after a divorce from a man after 29 years of marriage. She is brusk and wise and there is chemistry immediately. On their first date, they end up at a hospital where the wife of his best friend, Alan Arkin, has just died. This has a real foundation now and it will be fun to see how these old pros do.
8 Reviews
Chapter 1
bobcobb3011 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This show has bad timing as it comes out less than a year after Barry debuted on HBO, which is similar in setting.
This takes a bit of a different tone though with some Two and a Half Men style jokes (expected as it is produced by Chuck Lorre) but also tries to have some real emotional moments at the end.
I am intrigued. I laughed a bit but I think this show could become something good over time.
This takes a bit of a different tone though with some Two and a Half Men style jokes (expected as it is produced by Chuck Lorre) but also tries to have some real emotional moments at the end.
I am intrigued. I laughed a bit but I think this show could become something good over time.
EPISODE 1 : laughter and tears
elle-b-x14 January 2021
I've only watched this first episode and already I love it. It's a quirky comedy, that has already touched my heart. I almost forgot I was watching a show as I was so invested in these characters I'd met. Very heartwarmingly funny and sweet. A very real look at modern life and emotions, cannot wait to watch the next episode.
Solid gold
tjpierce-4567512 February 2019
Jesus this is wonderful stuff! Every actor wannabe will find valuable insights here. Mr. Douglas summons the kind of grungy magic that made Wonder Boys one of the best movies ever. And Mr. Arkin (we once came out of the same show at the Los Feliz Theatre circa 1980 {The Old Gun?} !) is terrific as usual. Solid gold through and through. Watch it, you'll love the damn thing.
Incredible story about love in many ways ...!!
mitroi-geo30 December 2018
Stunning point of view for who you love and for the love of acting. At this point in life, these sincerely friends create a fabulous moment when their own love and the love for other people are so genuine. It is a remarkable piece of art played so well by these actors. These are the stories that create moments in cinematography!
Nobility on the screen
agreatstory1 May 2023
Fabulous performances, especially from Douglas and Arkin. This is a noble work of art that feels thoroughly genuine. Touches the heart. Solid gold that demands to be enjoyed. Alan Arkin's delivery is hilarious and dry as ever. I thought this first episode is going to be a very hard act to follow. (But was pleasantly surprised that the superior quality was continued through its three season run.) What a cast !! Cameos are a who's who list. The script writing is top notch. The acting is stellar, on point, engaging, believable. And funny !! Don't overlook this show, or dismiss it at first glance, you will be missing out on something special.
Chapter 1. An Actor Avoids
lassegalsgaard19 May 2021
Chuck Lorre has garnered a reputation as the "king of sitcoms" during this last decade. Having created a wide variety of shows including "The Big Bang Theory" and "Two and a Half Men," it seems like this is one of those creators who is impossible to stop. Now, not all of those shows have worked out and he has seen his fair share of loses during his career. However, at this point in his career, he comes back with "The Kominsky Method" and is straight back on top. And honestly, it's deserved, because with the first episode down, I'm excited to continue with these characters.
To get two of the best actors to have ever lived in a show about old friends in the business was a genius idea. And with both Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, it seems like the possibilities are endless. The writers are full of clever jokes to give them, and with their acting prowess, they add a huge amount of gravitas to those lines, even the ones that don't hit. And while the acting is a huge highlight of the first episode, the storyline seems to be going in an interesting direction too. It's not like the silly comedies that Chuck Lorre has been in charge of before, but has a more dramatic hook to pull the audience in. It feels like the show could easily have been a drama, but in order to dampen the heavy nature of the show, he decided to continue his comedy roots, which was a smart move. I don't know if any of this is true, but if it came out that it was, I'd believe it. It's not a perfect episode, but it doesn't have to be. There are some characteristics that seems like they've been pulled out of his other shows, and certain characters need a little more time to grow. That's almost the case with any TV show, and the fact that it doesn't pull down the weight of the episode more is a testament to the good writing. And, obviously, the amazing and magnetic performances from its entire cast, mostly Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin.
"Chapter 1. An Actor Avoids" is a solid opening for a show that seems like it has something very interesting on its mind. It sets up a show about friendship and how we handle the weight of growing old, which is something that I'm excited to see through the eyes of these two interesting characters.
To get two of the best actors to have ever lived in a show about old friends in the business was a genius idea. And with both Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, it seems like the possibilities are endless. The writers are full of clever jokes to give them, and with their acting prowess, they add a huge amount of gravitas to those lines, even the ones that don't hit. And while the acting is a huge highlight of the first episode, the storyline seems to be going in an interesting direction too. It's not like the silly comedies that Chuck Lorre has been in charge of before, but has a more dramatic hook to pull the audience in. It feels like the show could easily have been a drama, but in order to dampen the heavy nature of the show, he decided to continue his comedy roots, which was a smart move. I don't know if any of this is true, but if it came out that it was, I'd believe it. It's not a perfect episode, but it doesn't have to be. There are some characteristics that seems like they've been pulled out of his other shows, and certain characters need a little more time to grow. That's almost the case with any TV show, and the fact that it doesn't pull down the weight of the episode more is a testament to the good writing. And, obviously, the amazing and magnetic performances from its entire cast, mostly Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin.
"Chapter 1. An Actor Avoids" is a solid opening for a show that seems like it has something very interesting on its mind. It sets up a show about friendship and how we handle the weight of growing old, which is something that I'm excited to see through the eyes of these two interesting characters.
Hard hitting first episode
Calicodreamin13 May 2021
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