There’s no harm in crawling into bed with Peacock’s new dark comedy, Laidyour brief new TV love affair. The inventive comedy based on the Australian series of the same name couldn’t have arrived at a better time. (We could all use a good laugh after the year we’ve all been subjected to.) The great success of this show lies on the fabulously talented shoulders of Stephanie Hsu, the Oscar-nominated actress who’s offered prominent turns in hits like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and, of course, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Hsu radiates a rare kind of misfit charm as a frazzled 30-year-old, and in the hands of showrunners Nahnatchka Khan (Fresh Off the Boat, Always Be My Maybe) and Sally Bradford McKenna (Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23), we immediately find a new character to root for (and many of her life’s disasters to enjoy).
Hsu stars as Ruby, a self-involved party planner who discovers her former lovers are mysteriously dying in unusual ways. She’s the common thread, of course, and with the help of her best friend, AJ (Zosia Mamet), the duo create a “Ruby sex timeline” and embark on a mission to warn Ruby’s ex-partners of the inevitable. “You’re dying,” Ruby will tell them, one by one. “What am I dying from?” one of those gents replies. To which Ruby frowns and says, “Me!” Fun. And so wickedly dark. You’ll be hard-pressed not to binge the entire outing in one sitting.
When Her Best Laid Plans Go Really Astray
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Laid
A woman discovers that her former lovers are dying under unusual circumstances. As she navigates her past relationships, she must confront her history in order to move forward, delving into a journey of self-reflection and resolution.
- Release Date
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December 19, 2024
- Seasons
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1
- Character(s)
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Ruby Yao, AJ, Richie, Isaac
- Number of Episodes
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- Runtime
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- Creator
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- Streaming Service(s)
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- Stephanie Hsu is phenomenal, balancing different extremes and making Ruby likable despite her many flaws.
- A fascinating mystery and several plot twists keep things moving.
- Ruby and Richie, played by an excellent Michael Angarano, have great character arcs in a surprising and fun show.
- Zosia Mamet is too good for how little she’s given to do, and other supporting characters are somewhat one-dimensional.
To our delight, the showrunners keep things moving along at a breezy pace here, dipping our toes into deeper psychological waters just enough as we—and Ruby, of course—wind up splashing around in the fun and pondering the ripple effect of our actions, especially the questionable ones. Laid may be free-spirited but, thankfully, it’s refreshingly clever and smart. Between its stellar writing and fine execution, this show feels like an instant hit. It helps to have a solid supporting cast by way of Michael Angarano (Will & Grace, This is Us, I’m Dying Up Here) and Tommy Martinez (Good Trouble, Riverdale).
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The Laid backstory finds Emmy-nominated executive producer John Davis and executive producer John Fox (The Blacklist) stumbling upon the hit Australian series of the same name, which ran for two seasons, beginning in 2011. The dating world has changed considerably since then, and by 2024, the duo took that “dirty” Aussie rom-com with an edge and spun a new modern-day tale that zips along at a fun and frivolous pace.
But there’s also a mission at hand here—warning Ruby’s exes of the doom that lies ahead. And if you recall the fun in watching other “mission-driven” comedies like My Name is EarlBad Sisters, or even Ted Lassoyou know how easy it can be to get hooked early on if the talent is there and the writers deliver something we can all relate to. That’s the case in Laid, where we watch one messed-up chick come to terms with what lies beneath her inability to commit.
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Zosia Mamet Is Great but Needs More to Do
The death toll rises quickly in the first few episodes of Laid, prompting super-focused AJ to drag Ruby onto a path she never imagined embarking on. Zosia Mamet, charming, smart, and witty as always, is a delight as AJ, although you’ll immediately flashback to The Flight Attendant and wonder if this is the same character. No worries. Mamet has plenty to chew on here, but shrewder viewers will just realize this actress has more in her than a supporting role, as good as it is. We relish the day when her own series may come into fruition. As such, like her character in The Flight Attendant, AJ becomes our moral compass and the series’ (nearly) sole grounding force. The writers serve the other characters with more over-the-top fodder.
That includes AJ’s boho boyfriend Andre Hyland (Barry, Guilty Party), who’s only given so much to do in a limited but engaging, offbeat role. It’s different for Michael Angarano’s Richie, who shares Mamet’s responsibility of helping the story stay on track while Hsu’s Ruby spins out of control, confronting one ex after another to hilarious ends.
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Richie himself is one of Ruby’s exes, and he’ll stand out as one of her most memorable ones for reasons we cannot divulge yet here. There’s some great chemistry between Hsu and Angarano, which makes their scenes pop and keeps the tale moving along. Watch how well the showrunners make Richie more than just a passing fancy. If only other characters could’ve gotten the treatment that Richie and Ruby receive.
There’s more to this story than what first meets the eye, and as Laid moves along, you tend to wish there was a second season sooner rather than later (or that there were more than eight 30-to-35-minute episodes). Tommy Martinez (Good Trouble) rises as a prominent figure in this series, playing Isaac, the hunky potential love interest for Ruby. By this point in the tale, our main character has strengthened her inner resolve and frets about inadvertently killing off more fellas.
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Along with the show’s mission to warn Ruby’s exes, it also creates a mystery to get behind. After all, why are these deaths happening at all? Is it supernatural? Is it a stalker? Is it a new fatal STD? It’s a clever way to keep the audience invested and, fortunately, it’s handled with moments of sheer brilliance.
‘Laid’ Teeters on the Edge of Frenzy but Stays the Course
Where the series tends to teeter is knowing how much ‘Frenzied Ruby’ to serve. There’s a tendency in comedies of this ilk — hence The Flight Attendant — where the zaniness and overreacting only goes so far; you get exhausted after watching characters in a permanent state of crazed stress. This series fares better than The Flight Attendant or Caley Cuoco’s similarly frazzled-woman performance in Based on a True Story, too. Let’s keep it that way. There was a moment towards the latter episodes when it felt like this comedy would derail, but to our surprise, the show’s big twists and smartly executed final scene won us over.
Meanwhile, relish the costars that filter into the mix. The hilarious John Early (Search Party), Finneas O’Connell (Billie Elish’s brother and composer of Disclaimer), and Ryan Pinkston (Young Rock, Will & Grace revival) deliver memorable turns. It’s refreshing to see Olivia Holt (Totally Killer) on board here, too.
But this show’s victory is Stephanie Hsu’s to claim. She’s sharp, fierce, and downright hilarious. Hsu has emerged as one of today’s most sought-after talents, and in Laid, she’s a passionate comedic force and truly fascinating to watch. She’s made what could have become a thoroughly unlikable character all-around enjoyable and so easy to relate to. We all have a bit of Ruby in us. So, queue this baby up and frolic away. Laid is more than a one-night stand. All eight episodes of Laid stream on Peacock beginning December 19. Watch it through the link below:
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