Pour the mimosas ’cause Hulu’s serving up a charcuterie board of comedy with this one. Mid-Century Modern follows three besties, so-called “gay gentlemen of a certain age,” who decide to move in together in Palm Springs after the death of their beloved friend and fourth member of their entourage.
Bunny (Nathan Lane), Jerry (Matt Bomer), and Arthur (Nathan Lee Graham) feel the need for close companionship more than ever and the sunny resort seems to be the place to do it—and that place also includes Bunny’s mother, Sybil (Linda Lavin). When they get together, the jokes are fiery with a side of sass, and their idiosyncrasies and shared histories bounce off each other for a fabulous chosen-family sitcom.
Bunny is the overly emotional leader of the group who needs everything to be his way, but he’s such a sweetheart you can’t help but smile and shake your head as the other characters swirl around him. Nathan Lane is a forever fave and he gets to exercise his dramatic comedy with panache. Jerry is the classic himbo character; he’s super into the gym and wellness, and while pretty emotionally mature, he often misses the jokes entirely (which is funny in itself). Matt Bomer is great at playing this kind of role, making Jerry sweet and grounded rather than one-dimensional.
Arthur is the sassy fashion guru who will tell you how it is in a mean-but-not-mean-spirited kinda way. Nathan Lee Graham was born for this role and you’ll instantly want to befriend his character. Sybil meets Arthur in his meanness but becomes everyone’s mother (or perhaps rich, cool aunt) and pops in to deliver some not-so-gentle parenting when the boys need it. And she does it with style. They all complement one another well with good chemistry. Oh, and the guest stars—including Pamela Adlon, Kimberly Coles, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Billie Lourd, Esther Moon Wu, Rhea Perlman, and more—add a whole lotta extra sparkle (or shade, depending on who you ask).
Through new romances and heartbreaks, propositions, and “how they hell did they get themselves into this” hijinks, Mid-Century Modern tackles different topics per episode in a classic sitcom setup. While some topics definitely needed more workshopping (the pandemic is far from over, please stop making light of it when people are still dying), the show mostly hits the right blend of relatable and ridiculous to keep you giggling.
With Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick & David Kohan and executive producer Ryan Murphy behind the series, the zings are sharp and put the pop in pop culture; queer sitcom humor is what they do best. The format doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it’s not meant to—it’s meant to feel familiar and comforting.
But where the show really shines is in its big and open heart—the characters are endearing and take you with them on their emotional journeys. This is especially apparent in the later episodes as the characters settle into their dynamic. The heartbreak of losing our beloved Linda Lavin halfway through production means the series had to pivot, and they handled it with grace and love. The way the characters mourn her and celebrate her life is a wonderful tribute to her poise and tenacity.
Mid-Century Modern is a fun addition to Hulu’s comedy lineup and will keep you laughing (and maybe even tearing up a bit) all the way through. The characters instantly become your own besties who you want to hang out with at the end of the day. So even if it’s out this Friday, MCM might just be your Man-Crush Monday (sorry, not sorry).
