Other's Day

These days, it's impossible to stay atop the pile of worthy television recommendations that your friends eagerly shovel your way. I get it. Still, I find it a lot easier to make room from a half-hour comedy. And so, in that spirit (and with that non-apology), let me tell you about The Other Two.

When young teen "ChaseDreams" becomes an overnight sensation from his viral music video, his adult siblings Brooke and Cary have to grapple with the fact that they keep working hard for a fraction of the success while getting nowhere. Sounds bleak? Well, as they say, "comedy is when it happens to someone else."

I think whether you vibe to The Other Two may have a lot to do with whether you enjoy sitcoms like Seinfeld, in which the characters (though they make you laugh) aren't actually very nice people. A few episodes into The Other Two, and you'll soon learn that when it comes to the shortcomings in Brooke and Cary's professional and social lives, they're their own worst enemies.

Still, The Other Two is not following a strict formula in which the main characters always self-sabotage and never get anywhere. The series actually packs quite a lot of overarching narrative into its (so far) two 10-episode seasons. Cary navigates the ups and downs of his acting career while Brooke tries to figure out exactly what it is she wants to do... while both complain to each other about how there are no good guys to date. And always running in the background of their struggles is the effortless chain of successes of their famous brother.

There are plenty of jokes, though. Social media is skewered on a regular basis (and never more so than when we get to see ChaseDreams' next ridiculous music video). Low self-awareness and clever wordplay informs most of the tone. And while most people won't know stars Heléne Yorke and Drew Tarver before this (great though they are), the "bench" of this show runs deep: Ken Marino and Molly Shannon are in the regular cast; Brandon Scott Jones, Wanda Sykes, Richard Kind, and Gideon Glick recur; while guest stars have included a long roster of known comedians and more serious actors popping in to have a little fun as "themselves."

Season one of The Other Two was made for Comedy Central, affecting both the content and the episode length (they're all a tight 20-few minutes to leave room for commercials). Season two moved to HBO Max (where you can stream all episodes now), opening things up for raunchier content and slightly longer run times (even while the show kept things short and sweet). Both seasons are fun, and I'm looking forward to the announced season three.

I'd give The Other Two a B+. If you'd enjoy watching the concept of "fame" take regular kicks to the crotch, this show is for you.