NBC’s Up All Night premieres today, bringing Christina Applegate and Will Arnett together as two people attempting to tackle the challenges that come with being new parents. If you’re a fan of Applegate and Arnett separately, expect something twice as funny from the two of them when they combine comedic forces on screen.
Written by Emily Spivey (Parks & Recreation) Up All Night takes on the subject of parenting through the eyes of two “later-in-life parents.” The comedy stars Applegate and Arnett as Reagan and Chris, a happily married couple that finds themselves surprised by a pregnancy and a bit unprepared for the amount of changes this bundle of joy is going to bring to their firmly established life. Picture Arnett and Applegate, staring down into their crib, cursing up a storm as they fondly adore their baby daughter.
I hoped that Will Arnett and Christina Applegate would make a good on-screen match and suffice to say, their chemistry as a believable married couple attempting to adjust their lives around their new baby exceeded my hopes. In fact, there’s a tone in the humor and the attitude between the two of them that’s not only funny, but also gives their on-screen marriage a layer of realism. Sure, funny, mismatched sitcom-couples work well for some comedies, but in this case, it feels like we’re looking at a real married couple. They know all of each others stories, and they push each others buttons, but they also know how to let stuff go. One moment, we’re watching them try to top each other in a who-has-it-the-hardest battle of words, and the next, they’re expressing their fears that they may be in over their heads with this whole parenting thing.
While Arnett’s character is the stay-at-home dad, Applegate’s Reagan works for a talk show host played by Maya Rudolph. Rudolph’s character Ava is a sort of self-absorbed but well meaning woman who relies heavily on Reagan as an employee and a friend. Ava and Reagans friendship is quirky, but in terms of the humor and realism, it works just as well as the relationship between Reagan and Chris. Ava’s presence within the story offsets the parenting plot, giving the series another avenue to explore comedically. Plus, Rudolph is as hilarious as ever, so that helps.
Up All Night shows promise to be one of this season’s best new comedies. Tune in for the premiere tonight (Wednesday, September 14th) at 10/9c on NBC.
