LOOT -- New Maya Rudolph Series is Comedically Bankrupt

Review by Camden Ferrell

Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard are both Emmy winning television veterans who have written for shows like Parks and Recreation, The Good Place, Master of None, among other modern classics. Their next outing is the new series Loot, a new series from Apple TV+. Despite having a strong leading actress, this show has all of the worst sensibilities of millennial culture and wastes its cast and premise on a show that falls into tired tropes and clichés.
 
Molly Novak ends her marriage of twenty years to an influential billionaire and suddenly finds herself 87 billion dollars richer. She attempts to enter the next stage of her life while also trying to adapt to her new environment and hopefully do some good with her money through philanthropy. Centering a show around an unfathomably rich billionaire definitely isn’t the most believable premise, and it’s not one that will initially elicit sympathy from its audience, but there’s still potential for wholesome themes and timely messages in this premise.
 
Unfortunately, the show makes it clear early on that it is content at being a barely superficial exploration of the issues at its core. It covers this in meandering subplots that don’t do much to progress its story and fail to inspire laughter more times than not. The script is riddled with overused dialogue, unfunny pop culture references, and an emotional core that doesn’t try to understand its characters particularly well. 

The only saving grace of this show is its performances which still teeter on the cringe side a fair number of times. I personally, really enjoyed Maya Rudolph leading the show as Molly, but the mileage her performance gives will vary by viewer. Out of its large cast the other actors who stand out as being entertaining are MJ Rodriguez and Ron Funches. However, regardless of how charismatic these actors are, they are still fighting an uphill battle as the material they’re given isn’t particularly memorable.
 
This show features the most insufferable aspects of millennial television comedies, and it undermines that natural talent and chemistry of its cast. It will briefly touch on the social implications of its premise but fail to do anything substantial with that. It’s a show that doesn’t feel like it came from its creators who have been a part of some of the biggest modern T.V. comedies.
 
Loot might find itself a loving fanbase especially for those who are partial to its cast and style of humor, but some will find this comedy show to be lacking in laughs and depth. The jokes never land properly, the dialogue is unoriginal, and it doesn’t do much with its well-assembled cast.
 
The first three episodes of Loot will be available on Apple TV+ on June 24, and new episodes will come out on subsequent Fridays. All 10 episodes are reviewed.
 
Rating: 2.5/5