In Platonic, former best friends Sylvia and Will reconnect after years. However, their newly rekindled bond might make their loved ones a bit uncomfortable. The series is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Story
Through Instagram, Sylvia learns that her former best friend, Will, is now divorced. While Sylvia wonders how he is doing, her husband, Charlie, encourages her to talk to her friend.
Will and Sylvia parted ways on the worst terms. Furthermore, a lot has changed since they were friends. Sylvia doesn’t know if it is a good idea to hang out with her male friend in her 40s.
Charlie believes Sylvia’s friendship with Will is older than what happened between them. Hence, Sylvia does meet Will. Everything about this meeting feels formal. The magic of their friendship seems to be lost.
Still, Sylvia accepts Will’s invitation to a party at his bar, where they finally recreate that old connection. Over time, they both realize the mess they are in and help each other walk through the toughest time of their lives.
Performances
Rose Byrne, as Sylvia, and Seth Rogen, as Will, carry quite a chemistry despite their characters being opposite in nature. Only craziness is something that their characters have in common.
Byrne is required to be the more nervous and concerned one, while Rogen is the loud, honest, and challenging one. Both of the actors succeed in forming these two different personalities.
Rose Byrne, especially, has this ability to quickly switch between the soccer mom personality and the one Sylvia has when she is with Will. One minute she has this annoying voice and is play-acting in front of suburban mothers, and the other minute she is real when she is with the character of Will.
Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne’s friendship, not even once in the show, gives hints of a possible romance and stays true to the show’s name. Furthermore, the chemistry is so good that the show doesn’t need to explore the backstory to establish how good of friends Will and Sylvia are.
Positives
The show often reminds viewers how life can be in the 40s, but watching the two lead characters have fun the way they used to in front of more mature people is everything a viewer craves in real life.
While Will and Sylvia go back to being wild like they were, this time around, they are more like guiding each other through their miserable times.
Platonic doesn’t aim to take the topics it is exploring way too seriously. As the show is about two adult friends having fun, it carries the same spirit when it comes to its serious topics.
The humor in the show is sharp. The show is packed with some hilarious discussions. Let it be about the Golden State Killer or Will fighting a 29-year-old who looks like he is in his 50s, according to him.
Will and Sylvia don’t look at each other from the perspective of romance, but it’s hilarious to watch the people around them go crazy about it.
In the end, Platonic makes everything count about the story of Will and Sylvia. Once these two characters get where they want, the viewers will feel nostalgic about their whole journey.
Negatives
Platonic certainly doesn’t have a fresh premise. The plot is based on the classic question: can a boy and a girl be only friends? The show is filled with tropes. The chemistry between Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen saves the show from being a dumpster fire.
Also, it’s not like Platonic has never tried to be serious. It has made an attempt in episode 6, but it doesn’t work. The show should stick to doing what it does best: being silly and crazy.
Verdict
Platonic is an easy watch that is silly, fun, and hilarious. However, the show fails to carry the same tone throughout the series. There are times when watching it can be dull. If a viewer manages to stick around till the end, they will feel that watching the show was worthwhile.
