Seth Rogen Is the King of TV Comedy, and ‘Platonic’ Season 2 Proves It

After killing it in movies for decades, Seth Rogen has returned to his roots (kind of) with several TV shows in which he stars and/or works behind the scenes. One of his most recent became a hit on Apple TV+ way back in 2023. The show recently returned for its second season, with new episodes streaming weekly from August through October 2025. Considering the perfect Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score this comedy has received thus far, it’s clear Rogen is indeed the king of TV comedy.

The Show Captures the Beauty and Challenges of Middle Age

Sylvia and Will smiling at someone outside in Platonic.

The Apple TV+ show in question isn’t The Studio, though that multi-Emmy-nominated comedy hit it out of the park, too, and marks one of Rogen’s best TV roles. Rather, it’s Platonic, which Rogen stars in as well as serves as an executive producer. Rose Byrne co-stars as Sylvia with Rogen as Will, two former college best friends who had a falling out years prior. When Sylvia hears through the grapevine that Will is getting a divorce, she reaches out to check up on him, without revealing that she knows.

Once the two get together, however, they easily get past the initial awkwardness and slip right back into their old ways. The hatchet is buried, and their codependent nature creeps back in. They are there for another. They love one another (platonically, of course). But they also feed off one another, get into trouble, and meddle in one another’s lives.

It’s no wonder Platonic struck a chord with fans, particularly 40-somethings who might be going through some of the same challenges the characters are, albeit in a far less entertaining, made-for-TV way. Will is forced to take a good, hard look at his life now that his marriage is over, for example. He’s a slacker who has always dreamed of opening his own brewery. But he lacks the drive and confidence to take the leap of faith and even find out if he could succeed.

Sylvia, meanwhile, gave up her career more than a decade ago to care for her kids while her husband, Charlie (Luke Macfarlane), a successful lawyer, was the breadwinner. With her kids now older and more self-sufficient, she has time on her hands and isn’t sure what to do with herself. Should she go back to work? Start her own business? Or continue in her comfortable position as wife and mother? Somewhere along the way, she lost her identity outside those two defining roles.

The story also explores the idea that, while a straight man and woman can absolutely be platonic friends, not everyone in their orbit might be comfortable with the bond. Significant others might even be jealous. Is it justifiable jealousy? Once friends get older and have families of their own, where do the boundaries lie, and how long can (or should) you hold onto the past?.

Platonic is a must-watch show for those in their 30s and 40s. It masks these serious topics with comical situations, encouraging those going through their own existential or mid-life crises to take a step back and get a good laugh. Rogen and Byrne have worked together before, of course, on movies like Neighbors, so it’s no surprise they have fantastic chemistry, which helps sell the premise. What makes the story so entertaining is that you never feel sorry for these characters. Because you probably see a bit of yourself in either (or both), you simply want to root for them to pull out the best in one another.

Season 2 Hits It Out of the Park Once Again

Sylvia and Will in a liquor store with a shopping cart in Platonic.

A few weeks and four episodes into the release of Season 2 and the season’s Rotten Tomatoes score is an incredible 100%. That perfect rating is no small feat to achieve, especially several weeks into release. Sources like LatinaMedia.Co note that the show has not “lost its edge” and is still “dumb in the smartest way, a cringe comedy with real emotional stakes hiding just under the surface.” The Times references Platonic’s sophistication in the “exploration of relationship boundaries,” while New York Magazine/Vulture says the show “walks a fine line between depth and lightness, substance and ease, and feels like a show that could run for years.”

Beyond the comedic aspect, what’s so great about Platonic is the messages hidden beneath the surface. It’s not as obvious as with shows like Ted Lasso and Shrinking. You really need to dig deeper to cut through the heavy comedy and figure out what Rogen’s signature laugh really means in one moment, or why Sylvia is really doing what she’s doing. This digging makes the eventual discovery even more satisfying than when you’re hit over the head with it every two seconds, looking at you, Mr. Lasso.

While the middle-aged Gen-Xers and even “elder Millennials” will relate the most to the stories in Platonic, it’s also a generally funny show that anyone would love. Episode 4 adds slapstick, ridiculousness to the story when Will and Sylvia end up in the hospital following a freak accident on a golf course, showing that the series is not afraid to poke fun at itself in the most absurd ways, too.

Rogen has proven he has his finger on the pulse of the small screen already, involved in projects like The Boys, Gen V, Preacher, Invincible, and, of course, The Studio. If Season 1 of Platonic suggested he had a knack for TV comedy, the reception to Season 2 crowns him the bona fide TV comedy king.

Stream Platonic on Apple TV+.