With just their second episode "Handicuffs," Jay and Mark Duplass and Steve Zissis' Togetherness already feels more accomplished. With last week's pilot establishing the show's characters and setting, this episode full immerses itself in its breezy, loosey-goosey tone, and it is made all the better for it.
While the plot, once again, is minimal, Togetherness's characters are enduring and relatable enough for this series to work. The Duplass' direction and writing this week is more concentrated and grounded, and their work this week is also a lot funnier and laid-back. Even if it looks nothing like any of their films, this show has their same come-as-it-goes attitude that gives proper and careful attention to its characters and their quiet arcs. The brothers provide each character a nice, attention-driven build, and they do this while making the characters still endearingly mature and natural.
Amanda Peet, as Michelle's (Melanie Lynskey) wilder older sister Tina, is still the show's stand-out. But each primary character gets their time to shine this week. Brett (Mark Duplass) gets some nice meditative moments as he struggles to make his work better, while Michelle's more thoughtful character has well-guided moments of reflection and honesty. There's also a really nice cameo from fellow mumblecore filmmaker/actor Joshua Leonard as Brett's douchebag boss/director. Alex (Zissis), additionally, is coming more into his own and becoming more graced about his age and maturity. These moments with the latter feels more at ease and breezy than they did in the Duplass' occasionally stuffy Jeff, Who Lives At Home, which tried the same thing.
Additionally, Togetherness is able to be frank and adult, while living up to its R-rated possibilities, without making its foul language and sex talk feel forced. That's something I can't say about the show before it, Girls. Although, its need to constantly go for baby reaction shots is a bit much. Then again, however, I'm not really going to complain about something having too much baby time.
With six episodes to go, it looks like Togetherness is going to go just fine. It's got a great cast, and is anchored by two filmmakers who know how to make characters we can laugh at, with and relate to. It's the kind of show adults need more of, and thankfully the Duplass' are here to help.
Oh, and ladies — in case you were wondering — Mark Duplass pulls a Ben Affleck in Gone Girl here towards the 20-minute mark. So be on the lookout for that.
Image courtesy of INFphoto.com
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