Mark Duplass
Melanie Lynskey
Amanda Peet
Steve Zissis

Created by:
Jay Duplass
Mark Duplass
Steve Zissis

2015-
Comedy, Drama
HBO
TV-MA

“Togetherness” is a comedy that has HBO written all over it. It’s irreverent, quirky, laced with improv, and focused on adult characters who need to grow up. That could describe all HBO comedies, in a way. The acting’s good, and there’s an honest weirdness to the show: Somebody somewhere would do and say this stuff, but only a peculiar mind (the Duplass brothers) would think of it as material for a script.

At its heart, “Togetherness” explores middle-aged malaise: when you look up to find that nothing turned out the way that you planned. There’s a quiet despair beneath the comedy. The first episode isn’t laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s promising. They’ll need to be careful in developing the characters and story lines as this season progresses, though. For “Togetherness” to be a successful series, a delicate balance between silliness and seriousness will need to be achieved and sustained. …

Overall, the first season of “Togetherness” does just that: It achieves a delicate balance between silliness and seriousness. It doesn’t always do that flawlessly, but it’s oddly likable throughout. This is the kind of show that you’ll get a feel for rather quickly. By the second episode, you’ll either be interested or not. The actors and writers know what they’re going for, and they do a good job of achieving it. Are you in or out?

Verdict: Good to Very Good Overall

About: (Source: togetherness)

Written, directed and executive produced by Jay and Mark Duplass (‘Jeff, Who Lives at Home’, ‘Cyrus’), ‘Togetherness’ is a comedic look at four middle-aged people reconciling their dreams with their current personal and professional lives in Los Angeles.

Brett (Mark Duplass) and Michelle (Melanie Lynskey) are a married couple in their mid-late 30s struggling to adapt their relationship to the pressures of parenthood. Brett’s best friend is Alex (Steve Zissis), an overweight, out-of-work actor debating if he still has a shot at being successful. Alex connects with Michelle’s sister, Tina (Amanda Peet), a free spirit grappling with being single and getting older. Each adult fights to sustain his or her own passion without skirting responsibility. As the two couples find themselves living under one roof, ‘Togetherness’ explores the significance behind every day moments.