Friends from College hits Netflix July 14.
We spent the week watching the new streaming comedy Friends from College, and took plenty of notes. Let’s breakdown the freshman season:
Episode 1
- Cast MVP: Keegan Michael Key steals the premiere as a cheater/bad driver/failing book writer.
- Funniest Moment: Ethan and his wife trying to figure out if their fertility doctor is being serious or not.
- Guest Star Watch: Billy Eichner begins his recurring role as Max’s partner and Ethan and Lisa’s fertility doctor.
- Pop-Culture Reference Watch: Multiple mentions of different young adult novels including The Hunger Games and To Kill A Mockingbird.
- Overall Thoughts: Welcome to my binge! This pilot was very promising, and I’m looking forward to the many laughs to come.
Episode 2
- Cast MVP: Lisa is the highlight this episode. From her reaction to co-workers’ antics, to her getting drunk with Nick, Cobie Smulders was a delight to watch.
- Funniest Moment: The opening scene and Ethan’s reaction to being scared by a waiter at a horror restaurant are hard to beat, but Lisa’s co-workers on the phone had me rolling.
- Guest Star Watch: Ike Barinholtz plays the douchiest douche to ever douche.
- Overall Thoughts: I laughed out loud around eight times through these 30 minutes, which is a lot considering I’m only on the second episode of the whole show. Here’s hoping it will stay this good.
Episode 3
- Cast MVP: Max finally gets his moment. While snorting cocaine, he goes, “This is Adderall, right?” Great to see Fred Savage back in the spotlight.
- Funniest Moment: Max and Ethan making constipated noises while playing tennis was childish, but you’re lying if you claim you didn’t crack a smile.
- Guest Star Watch: Kate McKinnon appears as an eccentric YA author and steals the episode from the core cast.
- Pop-Culture Reference Watch: Ethan and Max’s college play was titled “Monica Lewinsky: The Musical”
Episode 4
- Cast MVP: This episode did not have much going on besides for the main pregnancy storyline, but Lisa brings big laughs for sexting while high. (Don’t ask.)
- Funniest Moment: Ethan offers to have sex with a Pharmacist in exchange for medication.
- Guest Star Watch: For a dollar, why is Billy Eichner so damn funny?
- Overall Thoughts: Friends from College took on a much darker tone this episode, without much comedic action. To be honest, I found it boring, but it was an important part of Ethan and Lisa’s journey to have a child. We’ve also hit the halfway point of the season! Netflix shows are the best because there usually isn’t much filler.
Episode 5
- Cast MVP: Marianne was superb this installment. She drove the party bus under a low bridge and knocking out the air conditioning. I haven’t seen actress Jae Suh Park in anything before, but I hope this is her big break.
- Funniest Moment: This was another serious episode, and there weren’t many funny moments. But the opening scene where Ethan and Lisa light a tree on fire was a winner.
- Pop-Culture Reference Watch: Viewers from Long Island, NY might be inspired to go visit the wineries there, which are in Ethan’s words, “the next Napa.”
Episode 6
- Cast MVP: Max begins his wedding toast with “Well, 50% of marriages end in divorce…”
- Funniest Moment: Ethan cuts his hand while trying to smash two glasses together after a toast.
- Guest Star Watch: Seth Rogen makes a cameo as an old college buddy of the gang, nicknamed “Party Dog.”
- Overall Thoughts: Seth Rogen makes everything ten times funnier, but even without him this episode would have been amazing. The drama is heating up, but College is still determined to keep us giggling.
Episode 7
- Cast MVP: Lisa gets revenge on Ethan in a spectacular way. She also falls off a moving treadmill!
- Funniest Moment: Lisa’s boss curses out Nick because he thinks Nick works for the SEC. It was one of the funniest moments of the entire season.
- Guest Star Watch: You might recognize the kid holding a knife as Dalton from the movie Boyhood.
Episode 8
- Cast MVP: Max, again. He completely steals the idea for Ethan’s book and doesn’t realize until 400 pages in.
- Funniest Moment: Sam’s six-year-old daughter is taught how to drive by Marianne. This ends about as well as expected, with the car at the pool.
- Overall Thoughts: Friends from College has the potential to become a hit. Hilarious at times, but heartfelt at others, these eight episodes was definitely a success. Can’t wait for the next season!
Binge complete.
TV and City 