This Laugh-Out-Loud Apple TV+ Comedy Is Flying Under Everyone's Radar

During my most recent vacation, there was one point when I wanted to kick back during some downtime and enjoy the streaming TV version of comfort food. I was looking for a low-stakes sitcom — one that's legitimately funny, avoids cringe, and basically makes for a pleasant half hour or so without trying to please critics as some sort of must-watch prestige original. But believe me when I tell you: Such TV shows are more or less unicorns these days. Plenty are eye-rollingly middle-of-the-road, and comparatively few put a genuine smile on your face.

Apple TV+'s "Platonic," starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, falls in the latter category. I can attest to that first-hand, having tried it out for the first time in recent days after hearing pretty much nothing about it but deciding to take a chance on it anyway. The show, which was co-created by Nick Stoller and Francesa Delbanco, also hasn't gotten much online play similar to Apple's bigger original series, which is exactly the sort of thing you see complained about often whenever you dip into Apple TV+-themed Reddit threads that feature users lamenting "this is the first time I'm hearing about (insert series title)."

Personally, I don't fault Apple for this: It was my own mistake for overlooking this often laugh-out-loud TV winner, a mistake that I'm glad I've since corrected.

Sure, it would be nice if Apple would throw full-scale marketing campaigns behind all of its original shows — but "Platonic" doesn't need a massive spotlight to deliver big laughs and irresistible charm. One indicator that I'm not the only one stumbling across this show and enjoying it is the perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score that Season 2 is debuting with this week. "Platonic" returns on Wednesday, picking up with the show's central best friend duo (Rogen and Byrne) as they "contend with new midlife hurdles, including work, weddings, and partners in crisis." Apple's official summary continues: "The duo tries their best to be each other's rock — but sometimes rocks break things."

Byrne starts out playing a homemaker wife and mother who used to be a lawyer and now focuses on raising her kids. Rogen is a goofy bar owner who's just gone through a painful divorce as the show opens. About the show overall, a Vulture reviewer raves: "It walks a fine line between depth and lightness, substance and ease, and feels like a show that could run for years. Lucky me: I would happily consume five more seasons of this."

I can't say I disagree. There just aren't enough cozy TV comedies like this anymore that deftly avoid cringe and are still perfect for consumption by a broad swath of the TV viewing public. If you have an Apple TV+ subscription, don't sleep on this charming, underrated gem.