Jeff Goldblum and Danny Devito, two entertainment giants – one the star of cult hits (“The Fly”) and mainstream blockbusters (“Jurassic Park,” “Independence Day”) alike, the other a versatile actor and director with incredible range (from “Matilda” to “Hoffa” to “Taxi” to “Batman Returns”) – are starring in Amazon’s latest comedy series exclusive to their streaming service Amazon Prime.
It’s a music-based comedy
Like another of Amazon’s successful original comedy series, “Mozart in the Jungle,” this new series is about the world of the music industry.
But where that show is about classical music in the modern world, this one is about the past glory of a formerly successful duo. The show is about a former musical duo who have since fallen out, similar to the way Simon and Garfunkel have done exactly that, and Amazon are hoping that with heavyweights like Goldblum and DeVito involved, this show will be a huge hit.
The guy running the show will be Tim Long, who’s been working on “The Simpsons” for a very long time and is now making the switch to something original. Ron Howard’s BFF Brian Grazer will be producing the show through the pair’s production company, Imagine. Goldblum will play Matt Downey and DeVito will play his ex-partner Arlo Finkleman, years after their success as a musical duo, and also years after a catastrophic falling-out, after which they’ve hardly spoken to each other.
However, a set of circumstances cause Downey and Finkleman (a pair of buffoons, as it turns out) to have to reunite against their will, so it’s up to their ex-wives, former lovers, current lovers, managers, friends, children, whoever, to keep them together.
Amazon have been getting big-name talent for their original content to attract more viewership
Amazon have been pushing to get more viewers of their original content lately by bringing in projects with big names in the line-up. They’re not following the strategy of Netflix, who can rely on the quality of shows from unknowns like “Stranger Things” and “Master of None” to get viewers – although, to be fair, “Stranger Things” had Winona Ryder in the cast to attract attention and “Master of None’s” Aziz Ansari is a huge comedy star in his own right with incredibly popular standup specials and a starring role on “Parks and Recreation” prior to his Netflix series, not to mention the likes of “House of Cards” relying on Kevin Spacey as the leading man and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” coming from comedy superstar Tina Fey and “The Office” star Ellie Kemper, so really the only way to attract viewers for original content is to have big names onboard.
Anyway, Amazon felt they needed big names like Goldblum and DeVito involved to get more viewers.
It makes sense. A comedy series about a musical duo who hate each other wouldn’t gain much traction, but a comedy series about a musical duo who hate each other played by Jeff Goldblum and Danny DeVito is bound to be a hit. Amazon have also got David O. Russell making a drama series about the mafia for them and Barry Jenkins (the director of “Moonlight”) making a show about the Underground Railroad, which was established in 1800s America so that slaves could escape to free states, so that should be interesting.
Goldblum will be appearing this year in “Thor: Ragnarok,” which will be released on 27 October, and DeVito has signed on to appear in Disney’s live-action remake of “Dumbo” directed by Tim Burton, and, of course, will be back for the next season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
