I have to say that Apple TV has figured out the formula for wholesome television. I find that their programming is always hit or miss, but the stuff I love is done spectacularly. My latest obsession is with the series Shrinking. If you haven’t already watched this series, I urge you to go watch it now. It is amazing!
Shrinking is the story of a shrink who hits rock bottom after his wife dies. At the bottom, he finds he has become estranged from his daughter, isolated himself from his friends, and has been spiraling for the past year. He decides to do better and start participating in life again. As he learns to take care of himself, he teaches others to do the same. The series becomes this collection of stories of broken people trying to become whole again. It is a quirky and wholesome experience worth every minute of your time.
The concept is a bit over the top, but it works. Some of the psychoanalytical stuff is exaggerated, and some plot points are pandering, but the series is solid throughout. The acting is fantastic, the writing is mostly solid, and the concept is interesting. The actors do a fantastic job of giving this series its charm. While the writing is solid, the actors do a fantastic job of earning your love. Not all of the characters are well-rounded, but that doesn’t matter. You need to watch this series, at least to appreciate the performances.
The series does go into heavy issues like dealing with death or divorce. They touch on a lot of topics about mental health, but it never gets too sad or serious. The series has the perfect balance between sad and happy moments to keep the series feeling wholesome.
The series has a similar tone to Ted Lasso, and I would argue that it is just as enjoyable. You can stream it on Apple TV if you have a subscription, or start the trial if you don’t.
Series Review: Unstable (2023)
I just watched Unstable and thought it was a delightful series, but nothing too spectacular. While it will entertain, it does get a bit too quirky for its own good at times. At the very least, this series makes for good background noise.
Ellis Dragon, founder and Ceo of a Biotech giant, finds himself spiraling after the death of his wife. As a result, he isn’t productive or profitable, and the board members are looking for an excuse to kick him out. In a last-ditch effort to get Ellis back to his old self Anna sends for his estranged son Jackson. The hope is that repairing the relationship between father and son will stop this spiral and get the company back on track. Will the two be able to put aside their differences and forge a relationship neither thought they could have or are they destined to be estranged forever?
The best part bout this series is the actors. The actors give terrific performances, and the chemistry between them is even better. The story is fine, but I found it a bit lacking in places. Some of the story is sacrificed for goofy gags, and some characters aren’t great. It isn’t enough to turn me off the series, but it keeps it from being something you need to rush to. That said, the series will have some solid character moments and jokes that are worth sitting through.
This series is a bit cheesy, but I enjoyed a lot of the dorky humor. It doesn’t always land, but it will mostly leave you laughing. This is a solid workplace comedy and one you should at least add to your list for later.
I like how this series deals with grief by showing two eccentric characters working through a difficult loss. While the series does get cheesy, it knows when to get serious. The writing isn’t perfect, but it is good enough to sit through. I don’t know where this series will go from here, but I am at least curious to see where it ends up.
Unstable is a delightful workplace comedy that while it hasn’t found its footing, is worth checking out. The actors are terrific, the story is heartwarming, and it will at least make you chuckle. You can stream it on Netflix, and I would at least recommend you use it as background noise. You might end up watching it more than you think.