By Melanie Mayberry, programming editor
Peacock on Thursday (May 4) will debut season one of Bupkis, a new comedy series based on the life of SNL’s Pete Davidson who plays himself. Davidson has somehow managed to persuade Joe Pesci (Raging Bull, Casino) to unretire to play his fictional granddad and a bunch of PD buddies (John Mulaney, Steve Buscemi, Bobby Cannavale, Ray Romano, Jon Stewart and Kenan Thompson, among others) have also come on board for guest spots. And Ed Falco of The Sopranos will play his Mom!
Who knows if this Curb Your Enthusiasm for young people will work, but it’s an impressive lineup. Peacock will drop eight episodes on the premiere day.
So is Bupkis any good? Rottentomatoes.com, which tracks critical reviews, currently gives the show an 83 out of a possible 100. That’s not bad for the early responses. Below is a sample of some of the reviews, and a show trailer. Enjoy.
“Throughout its eight-episode first season, Bupkis consistently straddles this line of reality in its (lightly fictionalized) portrayal of Davidson’s life and the whirlwind that surrounds his brand of stardom, with a surprising amount of candor and depth.” — Coleman Spilde, The Daily Beast.
“The series is formally playful, deftly balancing its absurdity with healthy doses of sincerity.” — Ross McIndoe, Slant Magazine.
“From its excellent ensemble to its strong direction, Bupkis is one of the best new shows of the year.” — Nate Richard, Collider.
“Pete Davidson knows you probably hate him, so he made a show about it. Now for the twist: Bupkis — the new Peacock comedy that presents a “heightened, fictionalized version” of the star’s life — is actually quite likable.” — Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly.
Ad: Click to see the latest Amazon discounts on Roku devices.
Here’s the one negative review so far at Rotten Tomatoes:
“The potential remains present, but there’s no intent to execute upon that potential here.” — Josh Spiegel, SlashFilm.
To see more reviews of Bupkis at Rotten Tomatoes, click here.
