“You don’t look sad … you just look like a reluctant bottom.”
When a new series receives the James Burrows stamp of approval, it’s almost guaranteed to be a hysterical ride. After all, the iconic television director has been at the forefront of some of the most recognizable sitcoms in history, including “Friends,” “Cheers,” “Frasier” and a significant number of episodes of “Will & Grace.” The sitcom genre has seen better days with the invention of streaming services that have practically made the format obsolete, but Burrows keeps chugging along when he finds a show worth investing his talents in.
At 84 years old, Burrows continues his impressive run as sitcom’s greatest living director by taking the helm with a new series from “Will & Grace” creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, “Mid-Century Modern.” Starring Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham and Linda Lavin, the Palm Springs-set series honors past shows like “The Golden Girls,” but with a gay twist. Comic timing in front of a live studio audience might not be the goal of many television productions these days, but this new series leaves conventional wisdom at the door to bring a light, fun flair to the practice of binge-watching.
Nathan Lane stars as Bunny Schneiderman, a wealthy bra salesman living in Palm Springs with his mother, Sybil (Lavin). After the death of their long-time friend George, Bunny and his best friends, Jerry (Bomer) and Arthur (Lee Graham), decide to move into Bunny’s house to be roommates for life. “It’s so gay even the trees are named Joshua,” Bunny quips about Palm Springs, solidifying what makes the premise of this series unique to audiences unafraid of a little gay banter.
The obvious comparisons “Mid-Century Modern” will undoubtedly have to “The Golden Girls” are immense. A multi-generational sitcom where Lane’s Bunny is the uptight, sarcastic Bea Arthur type, Lavin plays the no-nonsense mother a la Estelle Getty, Nathan Lee Graham a southern belle once epitomized by Rue McClanahan, and Bomer’s daffy Jerry could very well be Betty White’s son in another life. Bomer, in particular, plays Jerry, a gay ex-Mormon flight attendant, as a himbo that’s too attractive not to be adored for his aw-shucks humble nature.
But as the series progresses through its 10-episode first season, it’s apparent that this modern take on “The Golden Girls” in fact echoes “Hot in Cleveland” more, another Betty White vehicle. The three male leads try to find love and lust in almost every episode, signifying that gay romance and friendships don’t have an age limit. The chemistry between the three men and Lavin ultimately defines what makes this series pop, even if the format feels like a bygone era of television.
Bomer’s take on Jerry is a little offputting at first, as the genre switch from prestige shows like “Fellow Travelers” seems like a stretch for the actor. As we get to know Jerry and his relationship with his friends, he becomes more lovable and Bomer leans into a side of his acting prowess viewers haven’t seen from him before. Arthur refers to Jerry as “an upbeat Ken doll,” and truer words have never been spoken.
Executive-produced by Lane, Bomer and Ryan Murphy, this new spin on the sitcom takes a little getting used to but excels in its ambitions to entertain its audience with pratfalls, humiliation and bitchy one-liners. Given its placement on Hulu, “Mid-Century Modern” excels when it leans on its streaming edge, making it possible to turn a network-style comedy into a raunchy space to let swear words fly and delight with dirty jokes. One can’t help but fall in love with this turbulently fabulous trio who make viewers truly believe they’ve been friends for 30 years despite their age differences.
Linda Lavin’s rapport with the three men on the series is a highlight for a Hulu show filled to the brim with highlights. She leaves her mark on what ended up being the veteran actor’s final performance on television. After passing away during the show’s filming in 2024, the character of Sybil will be a memorable role for Lavin and one that will be missed, given her importance to the premise.
Yet this premise, as simple and silly as it can be at times, feels oddly comforting amongst the chaotic slate of recent entries into the comedy genre like “The Bear” and “No Good Deed.” Watching Lane, Bomer and Lee Graham burst into singing “Cell Block Tango” while sorting pills at the kitchen table is a refreshing throwback to what comedies once looked like on television. Packed with guest stars like Billie Lourd, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Cheri Oteri, Judd Hirsch, Rhea Perlman and the hardest-working actor in show business, Richard Kind, the series is a welcome reprieve from what’s considered cachet these days.
“Mid-Century Modern” is a play on the ensemble cast’s age and famous Palm Springs architecture, a fitting title for a sitcom about gay men of a certain age looking for love in all the wrong places. It’s their friendship that binds them, and with James Burrows, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan at the center of the creative process, the series exhibits that “Will & Grace” cabaret-like charm that appeals to the masses. Hulu gives Burrows, Mutchnick and Kohan the space to use language and phrases not suitable for network television but right on the money for most conversations between gay men.
“Mid-Century Modern” premieres Friday, March 28, on Hulu.