Showtime’s new satire “The Curse” is just not a simple watch — and it’d make you cringe.
However, for individuals who get pleasure from star/co-creator Nathan Fielder’s different idiosyncratic work (Comedy Central’s “Nathan For You,” HBO’s “The Rehearsal”) the sequence, premiering Nov. 12 at 10 p.m. is price a watch. (It’s additionally streaming on Paramount+).
The story follows Whitney and Asher Siegel (Emma Stone, Fielder), a newlywed couple struggling to carry their imaginative and prescient for eco-friendly housing to the small neighborhood of Española, NM.
They’re additionally attempting to make an HGTV-style actuality present about their efforts known as “Flipanthropy.”
Whitney tears down outdated homes and replaces them along with her eco-friendly properties. (She rapidly deletes Instagram feedback saying that she ripped off one other artist’s designs, and shuts down reporters questions on her mother and father being “slumlords.”) Asher, who’s awkward on digicam whereas attempting to movie their present, handles the shopping for and building components of the gig.
It’s not a direct satire of Chip and Joanna Gaines — since their personalities and objectives are completely different — however, nonetheless, “The Curse” might be acquainted for individuals who have tuned into any house-flipping present hosted by a pair.
Whitney and Asher inform themselves that they’re extra virtuous than different actuality reveals; as a substitute of ignoring native individuals who get displaced by house-flipping, they’re attempting to assist them.
Eccentric producer Dougie (sequence co-creator Benny Safdie), who can be Asher’s childhood buddy, criticizes their deliberate TV present as “boring” and feeling like an “infomercial.” He thinks the present might be a success — if solely they spice it up.
Dougie retains butting heads with Whitney, who disapproves of his strategies. In a single occasion, whereas they’re filming a phase, Dougie pours water on a girl’s face after she learns that they gave her unemployed son a job, however the girl fails to react emotionally.
Whitney objects that giving her faux tears is “disgraceful” (“We don’t deal with those that means!”) Dougie additionally tries turning the couple towards one another — they usually don’t make it tough.
Oh, they’re additionally attempting to have a toddler and, when Asher by chance offends an area woman who tells him “I curse you,” it begins feeling like that is likely to be greater than only a child’s whimsical utterance.
There are plenty of matters addressed within the present: gentrification, actuality TV, home flipping, self-righteous rich individuals who inform themselves they’re “serving to” those that are much less lucky, intercourse, faith.
At occasions, it appears like an excessive amount of. However the present plows together with confidence and, for probably the most half, doesn’t really feel prefer it’s randomly flailing round.
Because the story unfolds, it turns into clear that Whitney and Asher aren’t fairly as virtuous as they need the world to assume they’re.
“The Curse” is absolutely scripted, in contrast to Fielder’s different sequence, and it’s not all the time readily obvious when a scene is being performed straight or when it’s purported to be humorous.
Much like his different work — and to Safdie’s work directing and co-writing motion pictures like “Uncut Gems” and “Good Time” — the sequence appears to enjoy purposefully making its viewers uncomfortable.
Some viewers may lose endurance with that sort of story. It’s not a mild sitcom that you would be able to let wash over you.
However, to audiences who don’t thoughts comedy that’s abrasive and unusual – in addition to intelligent — there’s loads to love.