The Other Two is a sweet, funny showbiz satire: EW review
It would have been easy to make The Other Two — about a pair of adult siblings whose little brother becomes a viral superstar — a spoof fueled by bitterness and snark. Instead, former SNL head writers Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider have created something completely unexpected: An endearing family comedy masquerading as a legitimately hilarious pop culture satire.
The Other ensemble is across-the-board excellent. Yorke commits fully to the opportunistic, selfish Brooke, and can make even the most over-the-top scenario (e.g. crashing a funeral and calling the deceased a “sex pervert”) funny. Tarver resembles Jason Bateman both physically and comedically, bringing an ace deadpan and understated charm to the emotionally-adrift Cary. As a Musical.ly phenom himself, Walker is experienced with the world of internet fame, which may be why he’s so skilled at blending the sweet cluelessness of a child with the savvy of a teen raised on celebrity culture. Wanda Sykes offers bonus brilliance as Chase’s mercenary record-label publicist, while Arrow’s Josh Segarra is delightful as Brooke’s ex Lance, a dopey wannabe shoe designer who still says “Damn, Daniel” and may be the only happy person in the bunch.
With its blend of biting showbiz commentary and earned emotional moments, The Other Two is a goofy gem, a modern-day fable about the healing power of other people’s fame. Grade: A-
The Other Two premieres Jan. 24 at 10:30 p.m. on Comedy Central.
Solve the daily Crossword
